LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 44, 21 July 1874, Page 3

LITERATURE.

MAY-DAY: A LONDON IDYL.

[From " St James' Magazine."] Continued.

" I should think, aunt, you might order it up if you are hungry." "I take no liberties in Miss Stewart's house," said the stern voice. '• Where have you been ?" " I have been to church, aunt, you know it is the festival of St Philip and St James. And the chimney-sweeps arc keeping their May-day, poor things." Silence followed; and soon afterwards Miss Stewart opened the door with a latch-key; she exclaimed when saw Mary, " You've brought my new dress; just wait till I've had lunch." She bustled into the dining-room, ordered lunch, talked about Rotten Row, and Mr Penrose, and Lord Spilbury, and Mrs Montgomery-Vere-Vanc. But Mis? Wallace said in a pause of this monologue " Do you think Mrs Price's girl has had any dinner? I thought she looked very ill." " You may take her something if you like, Annie; there's a cutlet, she won't mind its being cold and underdone." "Aunt Stewart,', said Annie Wallace, "I think she would like one of these rissoles better."

'• Ask Arabella," replied Mrs Stewart with a wave of her hand.

"Anything jou like," was Arabella's respouse. So Mary Spring Bat in the hall and dined on a rissole In the course of the afternoon Miss Stewart found leisure to go upstairs to her own room followed by Mary. As soon as they were shut into the luxurious bedroom Arabella sat down in an easy chair and bade Mary open the parcel. "If you please, ma'am, I've had a great misfortune."

" What's that, my good girl ?" " Please, ma'am, the dress has got spoilt!" "You horrid wretch!" cried Arabella, tearing open the parcel and beholding the ruins. " How did you do this ?" " It was a friend of mine who did it." " A friend indeed, a chimney-sweep I should think I Now this is the most provoking, most abominable thing that ever happened ! How dare you bring me such a dress as that?"

" We will pay for it,'' said Mary meekly. " That's not the point. What am Ito wear to-night 1 It is the first great ball of the season, and Mrs Moutgomery-Vere-Vaue will have everybody in London." The loud voice had caught Miss Wallace's ear, and she came running in to know what was the matter. She stood aghast at the sight. Just in the middle of each breadtn was the impression of a black hand. " There!" cried Arabella, " there's a pretty affair!" When Anne a little understood what had happened, she said quietly, "It is very provoking; but, Arabella, you have plenty of other dresses."

" Other dresses! What, wear an old dress at Montgomery-Vere-Vane ? How coolly you talk, Aun. I particularly wanted to wear this plain silk. Did you not hear what Mr Penrose said the other day about liking simple dress ?" Yes, Ann Wallace had heard and noticed it; but she had had a secret impression that it was the aimpticity of her own dress which had evoked the sentiment from Mr Penrose. At first she had thought that of course he came to Wilton Crescent because he admired the rich and handsome Arabella; but latterly she had begun to venture to think that he turned to poor, penniless Ann Wallace when he sought sympathy aud appreciation. " What is to be done ?" asked Arabella despondingly. "You must wear the pink tulle," said Ann; " it is very becoming to you." " It is a dowdy old thing," cried Arabella; "dear, dear, how eve.iything goes wrong ! You don't go to balls, Ann, so you can't enter iuto my feelings; No one ever was so worried as I am!"

" Shall I leave the dress, ma'am ?" asked Mary Spring. " No, no; you don't think I could make any use of such a horror ? And you must go now, for I have to dress for Lady Titterton's kettledrum. You can settle with Mrs Price, you wicked, careless girl!" Mary again pinned up her bundle and left the room, followed by Ann, who whispered to her, " Come up stairs." They went up to Ann's little bed-room, and the door was shut and locked.

" Now," said Ann, " take off your bonnet and put on your thimble, and I'll show you what we will do."

They spread out the silk, and Ann looked at it with critical eyes. Each black impression was just in the middle of a breadth; and in the course of a few minutes she explained to Mary her notion that a large rosette of blond and ribbon would cover the unlucky hand-marks. " Sit still a moment," cried Ann, as she left the room. She flew downstairs, and returned with a large piece of stale bread. By lightly and carefully rubbing the marks with the bread-crumb the worst of the black came off.

'" Now," said Ann, " we must wait until Miss Stewart is gone out." They watched from the window until they saw Arabella and her mother drive off in a brougham. " Miss Spring," exclaimed Ann, " the coast is clear ; put on your bonnet and run off to Harvey's, and buy a dozen yards of rich white blond, and twenty yards of white satin ribbon about an inch and a half wide. I don't know how much they will come to ; here is a sovereign and some silver. Be as quick as you possibly can." Away Hew Mary Spring, returning in twenty minutes with the blond and ribbon. Then the door was locked again, and these two girls set to work, and made up splendid rosettes, not unlike wedding favours, and placed them on the black marks. Long ribbon-streamers floated over the skirt ; and when it was finished, at about six o'clock, they perceived that the dress was infinitely prettier than it had been before its misfortune. Ann held it up for Mary to admire.

" I am so much obliged to you, miss ; how clever you are ! " cried Mary, with tears in her eyes ; " I only wish you were going to wear it!"

Ann checked a sigh as she answered, " Ah! my dear girl, I am not a rich lady. I have been living the last few months on my cousin's bounty, and now I am going to advertise for a situation as governess. I must work for my living." It struck Mary that if Miss Stewart did not spend quite so much on dress and amusements, she might save her cousin from the hard life, as it often is, of a governess. But Ann wasted no time in regrets ; she despatched Mary back to Mrs Price's, to

fetch the body of the dress, and before seven o'clock the whole dress was complete, and laid out on the sofa in Miss Stewart's bedroom. These preparations were just finished when the brougham drove up with the two ladies. Ann and Mary retired to the landing a few steps higher, and waited to hear what would be said.

Arabella came up, tired and cross ; for when pleasure is pursued as a business it becomes a wearisome drudgery, and the unsatisfied heart is apt to vent its grievances through the outlet of ill-temper. But the other two trirls, from their hiding-place, listened with eager, smiling faens, and heard Miss Stewart exclaim, "Good gracious! why ! what! how lovely ! how exquisite 1 Ann ! Ann, do you know anything about this ?"

Then Ann crept down stairs and explained to Arabella that Mary Spring had repaired the damage. Arabella confessed that the dress was far handsomer than it would otherwise hare been, and that she should wear it with most perfect satisfaction; and she added that she would gladly pay the full price for it. On hearing this Mary ventured to show herself, aDd received Arabella's praise and thanks, and the assurance that Mrs Price might send her bill just the same as if nothing had ever happened to the dress.

How lightly and gladly Mary Spring returned home I As she prepared tea for her ailing and grumbling mother, a knock came to the door of the attic, followed by the person of Mr Twinch, now washed and dressed in his Sunday best. What a teaparty that was ! How Mrs Spring grumbled because there was too much sugar and too much milk, and not enough sugar and milk, and because Mr Twinch was so talkative, and because Mary was so silent, and because she was the only lady in their street who had not got a married daughter, and because it was very unkind of Mary to think of leaving her poor old mother, and because Mr Twinch was so black at times and so smart at times, aud so poor and so well-to do, and because everything had turned out so happily, and there was nothing to find fault with, and nobody need take any notice of a poor old foolish body like her !

Before Jack-in-the-Green took his leave that evening he and Mary were engaged to be married on Midsummer Day. The tea-party in Mary Spring's attic was gayer than the dinner-party in Wilton Crescent ; and when dessert was over it was time for Mrs and Miss Stewart to dress for Mrs Montgomery-Vere-Vane's ball. The London season was yet young, and its votaries in a measure fresh and eager : a month or two later parties would not begin until nearly midnight. Ann, who was older than her cousin, felt some wonder at the constant rush after amusement ; and a good deal of wonder at the fact that the clever, sensible, superior Mr Penrose should join so readily in that rush.

She was yet considering this problem, for such it was to her, when Arabella came back, attired for the ball. Very handsome she looked ; her dark eyes and hair, and her rich semi-brunette complexion set off by the pure white dress, and the one white rose which gleamed like a star in her black locks. Ann admired the whole toilette exceedingly. " The only thing is," said Arabella, " that I should have preferred a plainer dress. I really believe that many men like simplicity." Annie smiled, and said, " Mr Penrose, perhaps; but I am sure Lord Spilbury likes everything rich and han isome." " Lord Spilbury, indeed! What do I care for his approval ?" "He is a peer," answered Ann; "and Mr Penrose only an M.P." " But Mr Penrose is already a distinguished man; and Lord Spilbury will never set the Thames on fire." " He is kind and good," said Ann.

Arabella began tapping her fan on the chimney-piece rather impatiently. "It is time we were off. Where is mamma 1 And what shall you do all the evening, Annie ?" " I am going to draw up my advertisement."

" Poor dear!" said Arabella affectionately, and kissing her cousin. " I wish you were coming with us. lam so much obliged to you, Annie, for helping Miss Spring with this dress."

Mrs Stewart now appeared, awaiting her daughter's pleasure. When they were gone, Ann Wallace sat over the fire, thinking of her cousin and herself, and wondering what would be the next event in her life. What sort of situation should she get into ? Now she must bid farewell to a'l her present acquaintances, Mr Penrose, and all of them. She must face her fate and grapple with it. Bnt why was Arabella so rich, and Ann so poor ? Why are good gifts so unequally distributed ? Ah, why ? And yet the distribution is not really so unequal, after all, Annie Wallace !

She rose, put out the lamp, and went into the study, where she sat down and set herself steadily to the task of drawing up an advertisement. The orphan girl shrank from the prospect; the loneliness of heart which would overwhelm her when she should find herself in a family of strangers. But she was young, and healthy, and well-educated, and matters might have been worse. She began to write. "A young lady desires a situation as governess ; she can teach English, French, music, drawing, &c. Excellent references." But Ann was not satisfied with this ; she did not like calling herself " a young lady : " she had heard of the " lady what sweeps the crossings." and preferred to leave her ladyhood for others to find out. She tried again. "As governess, a surgeon's daughter, who teaches English, French, music, drawing, &c. Excellent references. AddrefS A.W." Here she paused, wondering what address it would be advisable to give. Once more she fell into a mournful reverie.

Meanwhile Arabella Stewart had gone to Mrs Montgomery Vere-Vane's beautiful house in Palace Gardens, and found herself among the earliest of the guests. Put soon the company poured in; and among others came Mr Penrose. Arabella saw his grave face at the door some time before he saw her. But presently he came up to her with a smile which made bis plain features almost handsome.

" Are you all well ?" he asked. "Oh yes, thank you," replied Arabella. " And how have you managed to be here so early 1 You said, this morning, that you must be at the House to-day." " I have been there, but it adjourned early. We have hardly got into the full work of the session yet. And you know I never stay late at balls, on account of being up in good time in the morning. To he continued.