Year: 1869

He was right. had an eye. Such was the
energy with which worked to put down
nuisances, that the mere mention OF my
eye was almost sufficient to get them re-
moved. A person whose neighbor kept
pigs in his backyard had simply to say to
that neighbor: Look out the inspector
has his eye upon you,' and there was really
no need for my interference. Such was
the beautiful respect and awe in which
the townsfolk held my eye. But not one
of them knew the singular meaning which
attached to being under my eye,-not
soul of them knew he was telling the
truth by accident.


"Some time before was appointed in
spector. q wealthy old gentleman, by the
name of Tredgold, a widower, had settled
in Stepminster. Some said he was re-
tired Liverpool merchant, others that he
was q retired London broker. People
hardly knew what he was, or where he


had come from, or what for. He was not


very communicative on these points; but
it was agreed that he was rich, and 1t was
indisputable that he had a very pretty


only daughter, Laura. He therefore be.
came an object of interest to parents OF
marriageable young men in Stepminster !;


whilst Miss Tredgold became ditto ditto
to those young men themselves. The
Tredgolds were invited out good deal.
They were not at all proud they appeared
fond of society; they accepted those in
vitations and in turn their hosts became
their guests. They were very much liked,
really believe for their own sakes, more
than on account of Mr. Tredgold's wealth.
MIR. Tredgold was excellent company; had
seen great deal of the world, could make
himself at home in any society, and, what
is more, could make every one else feel 30
too, if not litGle too much so at times,
for he wa somewhat eccentric. AS for


Laura Tredgold, there could not be two


opinions about her: she had the blacklist
eyes, the prettiest face, and the best for


tune of any girl in Stepminster more,
she was known to be good tempered, un-
assuming, and, in word, nice


"Now, although the Tredgolds had been
settled for four years in our town, and
Notwithstanding one after another of the
best and most well-to-do Of our young
gentlemen, young professional men, and
young tradesmen, had laid continual siege
TO her heart during that time, Miss Tired
gold was still disengaged. She referred all
suitors to her father, who professed to be
flattered by their attentions, but told each
of them, with never-failing affability he
had other intentions respecting his daugh-
ter's future This was his continual reply
to all applications had other inten-
tions respecting his daughters future;'
and he never varied word, but delivered
it with equal good hulnor and courtesy in
every case.


"Stepminster was puzzled as to what
those intentions could be. 1t was demon
strable that Miss Tredgold was not en-
gagged elsewhere. They never received
visitors from distance; and more than
one disappointed suitor ascertained,
through his servants, from the Tredgolds'
servants, that Miss Tredgold was actually
free still.


"I became acquainted with the family
through my connection with a private
musical society for the practice of vocal
and instrumental chamber music. The So
ciety had been founded very recently by
Mr.. Tredgold, himself no mean amateur
on the double-bass. We met at members
houses alternately, and managed to spend
some of the pleasantest evenings can call
to mind in this way. My own part in the
performances was chiefly confined. to
singing tenor. Laura Tredgold played the
piano or organ with real nervous feeling,
besides which she had very respectable
soprano voice. My great interest in the
study and practice of music led Mr..
Tredgold to invite me to his house rather
frequently, to try over some of Mendels-
sohn's trios with Laura and himself, un-
Til l became constant visitor, always
welcome to their home and table.


at went on like this for good bit, and
the trios frequently came down to duets
between Miss Tredgold and me, whilst her
father would add doxble-b bass eNtgdt0
to her piano accompaniment. At last l
grew very miserable. began to feel that
loved Laura Tredgold, and that my po-
sition as miserable one-eyed inspector
of nuisances was an insuperable barrier
to telling her so, and much less her affable
old father, rasping away at his double bass
in happy unconsciousness of my feelings.
tried to stifle these feelings, and to look
upon our acquaintance simply in the light
of musical one. | am afraid the very ef
fort made to hide them must have in
some.way betrayed them to Laura, for
became impressed with a growing convic-
ton that she knew what | felt, and that
her own inclinations were at least not un-
favorable towards me. l noticed, or
thought | did, that when | entered the
room faint blush would overspread her
cheek-that she would look round and
single out mine from among the other faces
at the meetings of the musical society
and that, having found it, her eyes
would stay restfully and sat
isfied on mine for moment
her deep, lustrous, dark eyes-before turn
ing with greater unconcern upon the rest.
And when she parted from me of an even
ing, remember how she would raise
those eyes to mine with gentle express
sion that made me dizzy to think about
as l would run out of the house and re-
fleet on my one-eyed ness. Laura had
speaking eyes, as folks say. They were
not bashful eyes, but mild and gentle; and
when looked into their depths, they
seemed to flash back already a favorable
answer to what l longed to, yet dared not,
ask. That the longer l reflected on the
social inequality between my position
aId hers, the more resolved l became at
least to try my fate, and hear at worst my
rejection, will be readily understood by
the lad who has read his first love-story. It
was not so much this-it was my eye. I
dared not tell her, lest, if she rejected me,
II should get bruited about Stepminster


Inat the Board had one-eyed inspector.


Ihat would be ruin. 1t was clear to me I


must keep this secret locked up in my
own-eyeiid. But suppose l should be
married with my glass eve, and never tell


my wife? l should be found out? There
would be an end to sll confidence. for I
should be q wretched deceiver: and would
it not be obtaining wife and fortune
1n5ar false Dretanaas9