Year: 1879




TO SOMETHING.


1t was generally supposed that Sam wa


what is called deficient" As 10 his ow


family, they were sure of it; at all events


they treated him rs if he were so. No
that they were unkind to him; on tn
contrary, they were all very fond of Z" poo
old Sam," but it seemed to be taken 70
granted that whatever he said was no
worth noticing, and almost everything HI
did was to be made fun of more or less
He was, in fact, the family butt, though
the shafts were, as n rule, so tipped will
good nature rs not to hurt his feelings
Hardly ever did he attempt to say or dc
anything in serious earnest, since almost
everything he did or said was treated rs I
sort of joke.


There was one exception to this. Moth
ers always know best how to deal with
the weak in the flock, and Sans mother
never laughed at him, and never despaired
of him. "What is to become of Sam?'
his father would say, "hell never earn
his own living" and his mother would
quietly answer, "Wait bit, my dear,
there is more in him, perhaps, than we
think, but it wants to be drawn out, and |
doubt if we are acting wisely in laughing
at him as we do" She said "we," good
soul, but it was only her discreet way of
putting it.


Now, Sam had sister, Mary, of whom
he was especially fond. Perhaps it was
because she was the sister nearest to him
in age, but it was more likely because she
placed a little more confidence in him
than the others did it wasn't much, but it
was more than he got from any of the
rest. He would do anything for Mary,
and when a certain Mr.. st. Leger in the
neighborhood took fancy to her, it was
amusing to see how Sam resented the en-
gagement This Mr.. St. Leger had lately
come into the neighborhood-no one knew
where from but he had plenty of money
and very agreeable manners, and was a
general favorito with the Frere family.
Sam, however, never liked him from the
first, and when he became at length Mary
Frere's accepted suitor, Sans aversion to
him became intense.


The day was fixed for the wedding, and
the Sunday had arrived when, in defer
ence to Mary's particular wish, though
very much against Mr.. St. Leger's incli-
nation, the banns were to be published in
church. The Freres were all in their
place-a great square pew in front of the
pulpit. The names were read out in due
Mary WAS recovering from the
electric shock of hearing them; the viii
layers were interchanging glances, some
even cautiously rising Il little to peep
into the square pew, when voice was
heard all over the church, saying in the
most emphatic way :" forbid the banns."


Surprise was on every face, but it quick
ly gave way to sense of the ludicrous as
Sam was seen standing in the middle OF
the pew, looking the clergyman steadily
in the face, as much as to say, "There
now; get over that if you can" The
was so amused that he had TO
rush on with the service to prevent an
unscemly display, while Sans kindred in
the square pew were in every attitude OF
restrained amusement. And
there he stood, unabashed and defiant,
until his father plucked him by the arm
and made him sit down. But none of
them for one moment thought it was any
thing more than very unaccountable
freak of poor old Sans"


No sooner was the service over than he
was assailed on all sides for IN expana-
ton. Two only were serious about it
his father and Mary.


"What is the meaning of this, sir?''
said'his father, sternly; what could have
possessed you to make yourself so ridicu-
lous?"


"He has got n wife already" said Sam,



"Who has?" was the general exclama-
ton.


"St. Leger."


"Who told you SOP"


tom Tyler!' Tom Tyler wac the
village letter-carrier.


There was shout Of laughter Mt this
piece of information.


"When did Tom Tyler tell you thisP"


Yesterday. He brought me II letter
for Mrs. St. Leger."


Another shout of laughter greeted this;
but Mary looked very grave, while her
father said that, of course, the letter was
for St. Legers mother, of whom he had
more than once spoken. So Sam was
sharply rebuked for listening to Tom
Tyler's idle tales, and to hold his tongue.
" You'll have St. Leger try his horsewhip
across your shoulders if you don't mind,
cried his eldest brother, and they all
laughed again; but Sam was very unlike
himself and did not join in the laugh, but
maintained a grave composure they had
never noticed in him before.


Nor was it laughing matter some
where else. The news of that mornings
interruption flew apace, with various ad-
dtions and amendments. Thus improved
upon, they reached the ears of Mr.. St.
Leger, who lived but few miles off, and
they created II profound sensation, so.much
so that, instead of spending the afternoon
with the Freres, rs expected, he took him
self off and was never seen by them again.
1t was discovered that Tom Tyler's ver-
sion had been correct after all. Good
radiance for Mary Frere; but a heart
trifed with can never quite recover itself.


For time Sam was almost reverently
treated at home. They felt the force Of
his simple explanation, why he had chosen
such singular way of uttering his sus-
picions, that it was because they would
only have laughed at him if he had told
them" and they felt little ashamed of
themselves. But the old habit revived
after while, as old habits, both family
and personal, SO easily do, and Sans
brains were held as cheap as ever, except
by Mary, who was drawn to him more
than ever, and by his mother who never
ceased to ponder in her heart, as only
mothers do. the meaning of that display
of firm intelligence and almost fierce affec-
ton.


"I'll tell you what it means" said
her brother to Mrs. Frere one day when
she was talking to him about 1.-THE was a
lawyer in London, old John Quicksett, OF
Gray's inn, who could see thing as
shrewdly as most people-"i it means this,
that Sam has got heart and head, but
his head is more out of the way than usual,
and can only be got at through his heart,
like an old-fashioned bedroom that can
only be reached by going through another
Look here, sister, l like that story of the
banns-it's grand. Not that there was
anything clever in what he did, just the
reverse; it might have been most stupid
mistake but this is what takes my fancy
so, the tirmness of purpose, II far higher
quality of mind than mere cleverness, that
could make the poor fellow face every.
thing he did for the sake of the sister he
loved. There must bo something in one