LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 687, 1 September 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

ABEL REES. [Bv Lynn Wood.] ( Continued.) I wasj gazing this one wintry afternoon some six weeks after my arrival, when Kate looked up and met my fixed eyes, causing the blood to mount into my face in a manner that was at once inexplicable and unpleasant to myself. My sweet cousin did not, however, remark my confusion, and said, ‘ Have you determined upon those lodgings in B street, cousin Amberley ?’ ‘ Dear Kate,’ I answered, ‘ you used to know my Christian name years ago. I suppose it is so long since that you have forgotten it ?’ ‘ Well,’ she rejoined, with a smile and a blush, ‘ you look so reverend and imposing in your long black coat and white tie that I haven’t the audacity to address you as Harry now—“the Rev Henry Amberley, 8.A.” ’ ‘ Perhaps my dear cousin will propose a substitute for the objectionable clerical coat and white tie, say a pea-jacket and red worsted comforter,’ ‘ 0 Harry, I am ashamed of you now. You are quite irreverent,’ she exclaimed. My good uncle was roused by his daughter’s shocked tone, and observed in an exceedingly natural voice, that was to prove to us convincingly that he had not closed an eye, * Yes, my dear, it is the very coldest day we’ve had, and to-morrow you must see that cook makes a nice lot of soup, strong and hot. My poor people will be looking for it again.’ Kate looked at me out of a pair of twinkling eyes, that made it an exceedingly difficult task to keep my countenance as I made a fitting reply. The old rector understood the word ‘ charity’ according to St. Paul’s definition of the same, and he practised it with all his heart. The baronial kitchen down-stairs never saw more bountiful preparations even in the ancient times, before the East end and costermongers and whelks had become hopelessly united, than on the soup days of the present rector. Seas of soup in vast coppers sent forth savoury and intoxicating odours, that penetrated far into the streets and lanes around, arresting wandering noses, and attracting the lame and the halt and the blind of the whole neighbourhood, 4 who traced the odours to their sources with unerring precision. On such days as these Kate was in her glory, superintending the distribution and marshalling the applicants in a highly business-like and decidedly bewitching style. But to return to my cousin’s original query as to my lodgings, which she now repeated. * Yes, Kate,’ I answered ; ‘ I think they will suit me very well. There is a coffeehouse too next door, where I think I might do some good. From seven till eight in the morning the public room is always well attended, and I have learnt from the landlady that a gentleman was in the habit, until quite lately, of reading and explaining to her customers a small portion of Scripture—a practice which, with few exceptions, met with an encouraging degree of favour. Now it occurred to me to continue it; what do you think, uncle ?’ ‘ A very good idea, Harry. Go, by all means, and God bless your efforts.’ ‘ I think too,’ I said, glancing at the same time—l don’t know why—at demure little Kate, who. was again bending over her knitting, ‘ I had better move my belongings into my apartments. My long stay with you ought to come to an end some time. ’ ‘As you wish, my boy,’ answered my uncle; ‘ you know you are welcome to stay here as long as you please.’ ‘ You are very kind, uncle, but I musn’t impose on your hospitality, loth as I am to leave this pleasant old house, which recalls to me so much of my boyhood.’ ‘ Do you really mean to go. so soon, cousin Harry ?’ observed Kate. ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘ I think I must begin my hermit life at once, for if I delay much longer, I shall never tear myself away.’ ‘ Oh, I am sorry you are going to leave us so soon ; but of course you will often come here, to see papa.’ ‘Ay, and to see my cousin Kate too, if she Avill graciously allow me.’ ‘ Of course, you silly fellow ; but I meant about church matters. ’ A knock at the door attracted our attention, and little J im, chorister-boy and page to the household, announced that Mr G. (the tenor) and another gentleman desired to see Miss Kate.

‘ Please, miss, they are in the hall, aknocking off the snow. ’ ‘ Are those your manners, Jim,’ admomished the lady of the house, * to leave two gentlemen standing in the hall ! Light the breakfast-room gas at once, and show them in there. Say I will come directly.’ The rector looked up rather astonished at his daughter’s gentlemen visitors; though it w'as his invariable policy to let her follow her own sweet will, such was the confidence in her with which she had inspired him. ‘ Don’t look so astonished, papa dear,’ she said with a smile. * The gentleman won’t run away with me. Have you forgotten what I told you some time ago, about the desire I had to learn the violin, and that Mr G. knew of a teacher of music in rather poor circumstances who would be glad of a pupil ?’ ‘Yes, I remember, my dear, now you recall the circumstance. You will want my old violin out, I suppose. I’m sure I don’t know where it is, as I haven’t touched it these ten years, not since your dear mamma’s death. ’ ‘ Oh, that’s all right, papa. I discovered it the other day, and have had it seen to, and restrung.’ ‘ Very well, my deal’, then you had better go and see your visitors. And perhaps you had better bring them in here, the breakfast room fire must be low.’ ‘ Very well, papa.’ The gentlemen evidently preferred the breakfast room, and after about half an hour’s lapse of time we heard Kate’s visitors leave the house, and the lady herself returned. We have made arrangements for two lessons a week, papa, the first to be given the day after to-morrow. Mr Smith seems such a nice man, very quiet and gentlemanly. His terms are five guineas a quarter. Is it dreadfully much, papa dear ?’ ‘ N-no, darling ; not if he teaches you well; and besides, I daresay, poor fellow, he hasn’t many pupils, and the weather is so severe, and provisions are at such high prices, and

—and’ The kind-hearted man would have multiplied excuses without end, as was his usual course whenever natural benevolence and necessary prudence seemed to draw in opposite directions, had not his daughter set a seal on his lips with a kiss of gratitude, exclaiming, ‘ You are the dearest most indulgent papa in the whole universe, ’ On the following day I had my various belongings moved into my new apartments, and took formal possession ; Kate coming with me, and insisting on arranging everything herself. ‘ Men never know how to make a room look nice,’ she said, ‘Of course you will soon have everything topsy-turvy, but I shall have eased my conscience if I start you in good order, cousin Harry.’ ‘Perhaps, dear Kate, you will come in now and then and put me straight.’ The landlady had left the room to fetch something, and Kate, in trying to move a small table, hurt her fingers against the wall, and the pain was acute enough for a minute or two to bring the tears into her eyes. In an instant I was at her side. It always troubled me to see tears in a woman’s eyes, and hers were so beautiful and childlike in their mute plaint for sympathy. ‘My poor [little Kate,’ I exclaimed, ‘how you have grazed your fingers ! This table was much too heavy for a little bit of a thing like this to move. ’ So saying I took up the wounded hand, and tearing off a piece from a clean handkerchief I had by me, I bound it round the injured part; then, moved by a sudden and unaccountable impulse, I imprinted a kiss on the little hand that lay so unresistingly in mine. She withdrew it as quickly almost as if my lips had burnt her ; and my heart smote me. What did I mean by kissing a lady’s hand ? The time was past when such was the simple homage paid to all ladies by gentlemen. The landlady now returned, rather to the relief of both of us, and very soon after, my room being arranged to Kate’s entire satisfaction, she bade me adieu, and I was left alone to my reflections. These were not at first of an altogether satisfactory character. It seemed to me Kate need not have withdrawn her hand with such sharpness, we being cousins. However, I did not permit my thoughts to rest upon the subject, as I had a sermon to prepare, and various other matters requiring my attention. The following morning I had fixed for my dehut at the adjacent coffee-house, in the character of scripture-reader. At the appointed time I presented myself, and was received, on the whole, favourably. Amongst the two or three dissentient voices, the loudest was that of an old, dried up, fierce little man, who sat in a distant corner and kept up a subdued growl during the entire reading. There was a something in his face and general appearance not unfamiliar to me, and yet, though I had bestowed several furtive glances upon him, I was unable when I left to recollect how and when I had seen him before. I had advanced but a few steps when a working-man, whom I recognised as one of my listeners, touched me on the shoulder, and said, ‘ I hope you worn’t put out by old Grew, sir; he’s allers like that. It don’t mean nothing perticler, ’cept that he’s on bad termsjwith himself and every one else.’ ‘ Oh, no,’ I answered, ‘ thank you ;we can’t expect things to go quite smoothly at first. ’ After a little more desultory talk the man left me, and at the same time it flashed across my mind who the old man was who had been referred to as old Grew. It was no other than Abel Rees’ stepfather, Josiah. t To he continued, 1