LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2181, 21 February 1881, Page 3

LITERATURE.

AT THE GOLOEN GATE.

Janet Dudley stood at the garden gate that lovely evening in September, gazing up the road with anxious eyes. The faint light of the rising moon lay like a blessing on the golden bead, and th~ air, filled with the fragranoe of new-mown hay caressingly touched her fair young face. .Never prettier maid awaited lover. And yet John Dalian's step was slow and his face clouded as he emerged from the shadow of the trees and came toward her. Janet opened the gate and stepped oat to meet him. ‘Well, John?' she said, and her voice trembled ever so little. The young mau took her tiny hands in h*s, and looked down upon her—she was a wee thing—with almost a frown upon his brow. • Uncle Roger is as obstinate as a mule,’ he said. ‘ I have just come from a most wearisome interview with him He insists that I shall either take up my drudgery again at Mink and Otter’s or some other equally agreeable establishment, and firfeit all cleims upon him, or give him the promise he asks ’ ‘ Well ?’ said Jar.et again, gazing steadily up in his face, and this time her voice did not tremble at all, but her lover’s did, as with half-averted eyes he made answer—- ‘ I should hate to go clerking it again after being my own master so long end, to own the truth, patronising my old chums somewhat when we met, and it seems too bad to let the fortune go to strangers as Uncle Roger declares it shall if X don’t come to terms. But then the promise he exacts is so absurd,’

‘ Absurd,’ repeated Janet, slowly. *ls it so absurd when you think of it ca’mly ? Your uncle wants to make sure of a pleasant companion for five years, and at the end of that time wishes to choose a pleasant companion for that pleasant companion, and thereby securing for himself two pleasant companions for the remainder of his life—which sonnds like s methiuc ont of one of Ollendorff’s books for beginners, or a riddle,’ she continued, with a laugh that had no merriment In it ‘And so he offers you great inducements to become that companion. And, John, you have always been discontented because your station in life was not a high one, and mote of the world’s gold had not fallen to yonr share. And now that wealth and position art. offered yon, it would be absurd indeed to refuse them for the sake of a poor country school mistress. ’ ’Janet, you are cruel.’

• Perhaps I am—in the way surgeons are cruel; but I really think, John, the cure for your hurts is to accede to yjnr uncle’s wishes, ’

‘ And part with yon ?’ ‘And part with me, and it is only too evident that that worthy gentleman con aiders me totally unworthy the honor of ever becoming the pleasant companion of his pleasant companion.' The young man dropped her hand and caught her in bis arms. ‘ Yon do not love me after all,’ be said, reproachfully. •I do love yon,’ she replied, at the some time turning her face away from bis kisses, ’and I have loved yon ever since we fi-st met, bat 1 have become convinced th»t as a poor man yon would not be a success, John, and therefore I say obey your ancle, live the life for which you have longed, and get the fortune.’

‘By heavens, I] will not give yon up !’ exclaimed Hallam, stang by her quiet sarcasm, ’Bat, Jennie, dear, listen to reason. Promise to wait for me, and I will agree to Uncle Robert's condition*. Who knows what might happen in five years T The old man may die— ’ The girl started from his arms with startled eyes. • Shame on you, John !’ she cried, ‘What happiness could attend the anion of two people who waited for a death and falsehood to bring them together. Yon have said enough. Oar bonds are broken. Yon are free.’

A faint voice from the cottage called, ’Janet.’

* I will never give yon up, ’ repeated the lover vehemently, and snatching her again in his arms, he kissed her passionately and tamed away. Janet looked after his retreating form for a moment, and then raising her clasping bands in mate appeal to heaven, choking a rising sob, and answered her mother’s oalL John Hallam, then clerk in the wholesale for store of Mink and Otter, first saw Janet Dudley at the oocntry home of a cousin, where he was visiting one summer holiday. She had graduated at the Normal College a year or so before, and being obliged to leave the city directly afterwards on acconnt of her mother's failing health, had sought and obtained the position of village schoolmistress at Strawberry Center. They had fallen in love with each other at first sight, he fascinated by her pretty girlish face, her graceful ways and quaint, precise speech, and she by his handsome brown eyes, his gaiety, his fine tenor voles, and his gallant bearing ; and before John’s holiday was over she had pi omitted to become at some not far distant time his wife.

But a few months af *er they had plighted troth, John's uncle Boger, who had been the black sheep of his family, returned from abroad, like the famous black sheep of Babyland, with three or more bags full, not of wool, however, but money. No one knew how or where these bags had been filled, and no one seemed to care. That they were full appeared to be quite enough, fur all doors flew open to him at the first * Baa.’

Among others who renewed their acquaintance with Mr Koger Vandergras, new bleached to admirable whiteness, was hie nephew, whom no bad not seen since his childhood, and to whose mother he had not sent one line for fifteen years before her death. The old man received his yonng relative with great kindness, and being so immediately fascinated by bis handsome face (which ho secretly flattered himself resembled his own), bis air debonair, and flue tenor voice, declared his intention of making him his heir, commanded him to resign bis situation at Mink and Otter's—a command which the commanded one lost no time in obeying—and installed him in elegant rooms adjoining his own in the fct. fcky hotel

But when nncie Roger came to hear r.f the pretty village schoolmistress be was exceedingly wroth, and swore, with many strange and terrible oaths, that if John did not promise to remain a bachelor for at least five years, and when he did change his state, to mairyhis—nncie Roger’s—choice, back to the world he should go, and not a penny from the three or more bags fell should be ever have.

Now this jolly, singing, fine-looting young fellow beneath a careless exterior concealed an intense longing for wealth and all the comforts and luxuries wealth could bring ; besides which he was troubled with a constitutional lassitude, as a certain fox once called it, though it is better known to the world under another name, also commencing with an 1. And to descend from bis perch, as it were, and mingle once more with the grumbling work-a- day crowd, seemed to him worse than death. But then he loved, as well as each a selfish nature could love, bine-eyed, golden-haired Janet Dudley, and bated to give her np almost as much as the elegant rooms at the St- Sky. Here was a coil, and thinking how to nnwind it cost him a week of sleepless nights. The proposition he at length made to bis * ladye love.’ as has been seen, she indignantly repelled ; and swearing, ‘ I will never give you up,’ she gave up the next day, as will be seen by the following letter ‘My darling! lor notwithstanding your cruelty (her •'cruelty,” poor child!) ‘my darling you are and ever will be, the die is supposed to be oast, I have acceded to Uncle Roger’s wishes, as you would say, yon prim, old-fashioned, little swee*h< art, with a mental reservation. You are that mental reservation. Be true to me, as leh ,11 bo to yon, and I may yet lay a fortune at your feet. ‘John.’ AT THE GATE AGAIN. Only a year had passed, and Mr Vandergrass, already weary of his nephew’s fine tenor voioe,|handsome face, and air debonair, suddenly bade him farewell one cloudy morning (they were stopping at a hotel in Paris) gave him the smallest bag of wool—money I mean—and again departed for parts unknown.

To do John Hallam justice, be also was tired of tlm companionship, and at times had almost regretted entering Into compact with the wicked old man. But on recall ing hia liberty ho congratulated himself on the

cleverness he had displayed, for though thularger part of the fortune might be lost, k» had seen the gayest part of the Old World, in its gayest dress, securing a- snug mm of money, and was free to return to America and Janot.

‘ I’m sure she is wsitihg for me,’ he said, * though she wouldn’t answer one of my* letters, the proud, inflexible little thing,’ And back home he went posthaste—back to the village where he had left the prettyyoung s.hoolmislress. It w»b just such a lovely evening as that on which they parted when he ft nhd himself" once more, this time with hurried steps, wa'king along the old familiar road. The birds were chirping their • good-nights p to each o her, the air was full of fragrance, the great night moths were humming in successful mimicry of the humming birds as they hovered over the blossoms that opened, beneath the stars, the crickets shrilled loud snd merrily, the fairy lanterns of the firefl es glowed fitfully on every side, and Janet —yes, it was Janet, the moonbeams resting en her golden head—stood, as though she had never left it sines the hour they parted at the garden gate. ‘ Dr- anting of me, no doubt,’the fast approaching lover thought, and in a moment more he stood b fore her. She stsrted ; faint blnsh started to her cheeks; she looked wonderfully bright and happy. ‘ Why. John—Mr Hall am, 1 should say—can it be you V she said ’Mr Dallam!’ echoed the young man with a light laugh, *lt is John—your om John ’ ‘You are mistaken—’Abe began, but ho interrupted her hastily * Uncle Roger deserted me. lam glad of it. His desertion set me free. * ‘And will you gat, his fortune after all P*' she asked. * Don’t be sarcastic, Janet,’he replied, * I did what I thought for the best and the end. proves that I was more far seeing than you were, for everything has tamed out for tho best. I have had a grand holiday, am richer by twenty thousand dollars than when I first wooed and won you, and you shall havo a set of diamonds and toach school no more.’ * I never cared for theusands of dollars or diamonds,’ she said with provoking oalm'*b, ‘and I gave up teaching school at the b 'inning of last vacation.’ You did F Then there need be no delay. Yon will marry me at once, Jenny?’and he naught her hand and pressed it to bis Kps, ‘John,’ she replied, as she quickly withdrew it, ' I ceased to care for you as soon or I read the letter yon sent me announcing 5 our decision to remain with Mr Vangergaoa. Strive to disguise it as you will, you chose between a humble life with me and a luxurious one with your uncle, I ’ •Janet,' he interrupted, eagerly, ‘you do not, you will not, look at my conduct in the right light. Yon are auoh an uncompromising litcle woman. i< But granting that I did wrong. * Forget and forgive ’—that was eno of our school mottoes, you know—and give me hack your heart, if you have over taken it away from me, which I doubt ’ —with & confident smile—’ and tell me when yon will be my wife. ’ * Never, John.’ ‘JSonsense ! I won’t tike that for an answer. I foresaw, knowing you so well, that you would bring forward many obstacles, and 1 have c me prepared to combat them all, and ts do battle with whaterer«t :nds between us. A few good blows, and down it goes before me, Janet ’ Janet’s eyes twinkled, and a little laugh, escaped from her lips * I warn yon to attempt no blows,’ she said, as a stalwart young fellow strode up to the gate, for I must present to you an insurmountable objection—Mr John Hallam, nay husband, Mr Oscar Lanter.’