Year: 1871

uncomfortable, and did not dare let the
conversation flag for a moment, lest she
should be suddenly seized with panic or
a sense of awkwardness. However, it
never seemed to occur to her that she
did not know my name or character,
and she chatted on quite easily and
pleasantly about herself and her belong
ings. I did not catch all she said, for
the four-wheeler nearly dislocated ones
limbs, and sentences were quite dis
.iointed; but from what | gathered it
seemed that her father was Major in a II
infantry regiment, and her mother was
with him at Wicklow; that she had four
brothers and three sisters, all very much
Younger than herself; that she alone
had been with her parents in India;
that these last had gone to the regi-
mental headquarters, to arrange for the
accommodation of so large family; and
that there was to be a general meeting
now all was ready. At this point we
reached the station.


was then very glad had come, for
everything was as strange and beWllder-
ing to her as you might suppose itwould
be to one who had imagined that Lon
don had but a single railway terminus.
I found her luggage, and saw it duly Ia
beled; helped her to search for her
aunt, and made inquiries after that lady
of all the available officials, but without
result. Then persuaded my charge to
take some refreshment, and by that
time the ticket-windows were opened.


40 dearr' she cried, turning dread
fully pale, ~ never thought Of that |
have no money"


Now, it happened, for a wonder, that
there was a crisp, new five-pound note
in nv pocket-book What could | do
but enlist it in the cause?


"Oh, thank you. What should have
done but for your great kindness ?" she
said when the guard had banged the
carriage door to. "Please, where is pa
pa to send the five pounds?"


[ gave her my card; she held out her
hand to be shaken; there was a shrill
whistle, putting, roar, and of the two
human straws which had been caught
for moment in an eddy of life's stream,
one was swept away again by the cur
rent, while the other-well, the other
found he was late for dinner, and so de
termined to have a cut out OF the JOINT
at his club, and then turn into the pit
of some theatre at half price.


walked back to the West End, and.
passing the top of the Haymarket, my
attention was arrested by certain words
which | heard at the entrance OF the
coach-office stationed there.


You are the man who comes up with
the three o'clock omnibus from Acton,
and to whom | spoke about that young
lady ?"


Yes, ma'am."


"Well, you have been there and re-
turned since?"


ayes, ma'am; and | made inquiries,
as YOU told me. They've all left Rose
Vile Cottage, and the servant in charge
said as a young lady did come up by our
bus"


"And yet you did not observe her ?"


"Well, ma'am, we did not take up at
the door, you see, and as there were
several young ladies got in and out, L
could not pick her exactly"


"But if she came by the three o'clock
omnibus, how was it that did not find
her in it when it arrived?


"Can't say, I'm sure ma'am."


"Was the young lady going by the
Irish mail ?" | asked, pushing up to the
elderly lady, who seemed to be IN state
of great distress.


dyes, sir; o yes p and she turned to
me eagerly.


"Then I think can tell you how you
missed her." said |. " You told her to
meet you at Regent Circus, did you not
Well, she got out at the other Regent
Circus, by Oxford-street, while you wal
ted for her at this. But do not be al
armed | saw her off by the mail myself"


AS suspected, this was the aunt who
had made the identical blunder sugges-
ted; and | now had second distressed
female on my hands, not so interesting
as the other, and coming at a more in
convenient season. The last joint would
be out of the room if delayed long so
T gave her as concise an account of what
had happened as possible, pleaded bust
ness of the utmost Importance, which |
really felt dinner to be, and hurried
away like a cat from a school boy.


In few days l received letter from
Major Duckling, acknowledging my
great kindness to his daughter, hoping
to have the pleasure of thanking me in
person some day, and inclosing the five
pounds he owed me. | wrote back, say
ING that the money had come safely,
that it had been an honor and bliss to
he of use to Miss Duckling, and that [
would certainly look in if happened to
be passing.


A year afterward some house property
was left me at Cobbleston, and [ had to
90 and look after it. If you happen to
be thinking of paying visit to that spot,
take nv advice and don't. This sounds
disinterested; but the fact is that have
found a lunatic to purchase those fou'
desolate tenements, and am therefore
free to confess that they are situated In
q british Sahara. There are about
twenty houses altogether IN the place,
built in single row, with a very good
road in front. Beyond the road is SHIN
Gle. and beyond the shingle is the Sea,
which has retired as far as 1t could from
the place, leaving miles OF margin.
Shingle, indeed, is the prevailing char
acteristic of Cobbleston. There are no
cliffs or rocks; to right, to left, In front,
there is nothing but shingle, wearying
the ewes and wearing out the boots.
When. after terribly long tramp, every
step of which threatens dislocation OF
the ankles, you at last get to the sad sea
waves, you find them repeating nothing
but i" Sh-sh-shingle |"


The barren desolation makes the
place admirably adapted for rife prac-
tice, which is perhaps the reason why a
| depot battalion is stationed In isolated
barracks in the neighborhood. The re-
cruits are kept out of mischief, and they
are taught to shoot. You may seesquads
of them plunging about in the shifty soil
| ~ ;,,deI;nr distance drill: and if the