LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2261, 1 July 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A MIDWINTER ROMANCE. Mrs Grmt • JPeiguaon was a woman of «Bho must be eccentric, this lady,' raid Profesaor Keller to Oilscn aa th 3 two walked downstrcot toqetlnr. 'And v/hy does eha bear a double nsmo ? "Who was Grant-Ferguson 1 * ' Entirely a mythical personals, composed of the memories of two deceased husbands, answered Carl, lightly. 'She keeps both names because she wishes to act with strict Impartiality.' * Ah! ' said the profossor. with his simple ■eriouuness, ' Then she is indeed a singular woman to be so faithful. I nhould not ject myaelf to become sixth husband to such a marvel.' __ , . - , At wnich Carl laughed. He had introduced the professor at Mrs Grant-Fergu-son's house, which was well worth seeing, for a like union of fashionable decorations thrown together as if by acoident could scarcely have been found anywhere else in town. Mrs Grant Ferguson herself was no uninteresting study. Of a romantic temperament, the first stage of her life—as wife of Bichard '-'rant, a vendor of odds and ends — had bßen spent In two stuffy rooms over the store, where in the intervals of work necessary to carry on their email establishment,

aha read novels and dreamed dreams Biohard died while she was still young ; and when her blaok carls and sparkling eyes attracted the notice of John Ferguson, soaprnanuE lotnrer, like a woman of more shrewdness imd less romance, she smiled and sighed sod flattered until she triumphantly led bim •way captive In matrimonial chains. Ferguson, much to his own surprise, made an immense fortune by speculation, and in his torn died, and left it for the widow to spendl. Then it was that her nature expandud in fall luxuriance. Instead of secondrate novels she read Swinburne and Rosetti, and, as other hints of predominating literary toateii reached her, prononnced George Eliot • full of divine philosophy,'and referred to Maodonald as the ' leading philanthropist of the day.' Shu filled her house to overflowing with all that money can buy, and if people made critical remarks, Carl Gileon was ready to answer,— * Say what you will, everything Is there —piatures, statues, velvet, and tapestry; and if the woman doesn't understand the art of oomblnation, Burely it isn't her fault.' When all her preparations for embarking on ths stream of fashionable life were complete, she sent to a far-away New England town for Janet Ayers, her husband's niece, to no'; as companion, general assistant, and pet to her ladyship. The Ayers' were poor, and Janet's life had been a tame one ; so the •family decided it would be tempting Providence to neglect a chance of giving their little girl a sight of the world. Bhs came, and Mrs Urant-Ferguson eyed her or ticslly, noted the plain alpaca dress, modest hat, and well-fitting gloves, and said.—

« Why, my child, how nice and prim yon look !—» dear little old maid.' Then her glance sought the face with ita brown eyes and hair, firm red lip*, and clear akin, brown aa a berry, and she kissed her again, crying, ' Almost pretty, tool At least, you're peculiar-looking, and that is more than positive beauty. I am sure yon will unit me to a charm.' Mrs Grant-Ferguson would not have. ohosen to chaperon a beauty. It w&s far ' from her purpose to set youthful charms beside her mature ones, and Janet attracted little attention, except from elderly gentlemen, who liked her natural ways and quiet, good sense, or from an artist now and then, - drawn by professional zeal to study her face with its dark, rich coloring, It never oocured to her that it could be otherwise. She was an nnoonsoions little creature, and her head remained unturned by the facinations of the life into which she had fallen. ■ Why,' said her aunt to Carl, ' the child reads her chapter and says her little prayer aa calmly after coming home from a ball, as if aho were in her own tleepy home ' Carl was a handsome, indolent fellow, an amateur in half tho popular arts and sciencei, which is the polite equivalent for the old * Jack-of-all-trades.' Indifferent, half cynical, and chivalrous to the backbone, he spent his days in wandering from pictures to music and books, occasionally dropping down into the midst of aociety, where he was sought and admired in the same ratio in which ha Bneered at the vagar.'es of fashionab'e life. When Mrs Grant-Ferguson's star was in the ascendent and all the small world was talking of her fabulous wealth and eccentrioities, he met her, and, amused by her peculiarities, but attracted also by her thorough good nature, he attached himself to her as escort and privileged frequentsr of her house. Everybody wondered, bnt no one knew just bow he regarded her. To a witty acquaintance who joked at her expanse after a party, at which she had committed some slight offence against polite usage, he replied grandly, ' We have eaten her silt; excuse me if I do not join you in dissecting her character,' and bade the overawed witling a ceremonious ' Uood morning.' ' I have a new idea, Mr Gilaon,' said Mrs Grant-Fergus on one day. She sat negligently before the fire, playing with the crimson tassels of her gown, for she had discarded all outward reminders of the late Ferguson, and just now affected an Oriental magnificence of costume. ' Balls are common, and partloa stupid, and I've been racking my brains for a novel and unheardof entertainment.' • And yon have found—what ¥ asked the young man, lifting the golden line of his straight brows inquiringly. ' Well, Janet has been reading the Pickwick Papers to me, and the description of that visit to the conntry house, wherever it was, struck me as being altogether delightful. Now, this is my plan. The Colonel' (she always alluded to the late Ferguson by this title —a pleasant little fiction which by constant repetition she had almost come to believe, though the mild Ferguson had never warred against anything more formidable than the opposing powers of trade) —'the Colonel had a large country house at Belmonnfc, which has been left for years in charge of an old couple there. Wow, suppose a party of ua —eighteen or twenty—go down there and spend a week jußt after Christmas. Wouldn't it be odd and delightful ? ' ' A capital Idea,' said Carl, approvingly. * I think people would be immensely pleased.' ' Do you, really ? Then the only thing Is to go ahead and carry It out. I dare say tho house is in a tumble-down old pile by this time, and bare as a barn ; but great fires in every room will light it up. If there are ■tovee, they must be taken away. We'll try to do it all up in English style—have great suppers with joints of meat, and pig roasted whole, and roaming tankards of ale. Do give me some ideas. Can't you and Janet arrange something new and bright ? Janet is extremely good for planning.* Carl glanced at the quiet young girl on the other aide of. the fire, who scarcely ever opened her lips when he was In the room, and whom he let alone accordingly. • The girl doesn't want to talk, or she can't,' he aaid, after his first meeting with her. ' In either caae, I will not make a martyr of her.' •Perhaps It would be well to let loose a flock of sheep in the woods, In default of any other game, and have a hunting party,' Bhe said, with a quiet sarcasm, which made Carl look at her in surprise. Mrs Grant-Ferguson received the proposal in simple good faith. ' I am afraid we can't do that,' she said, thoughtfully. • If it were only foxes, It might do ; but anything else. No, Janet, we mutt give that up.' Janet repented when she saw a gleam of miachitif la Carl's eyes, and would not answer it. She was always loyal to her aont, however much the latter's vagaries offended her own good sense. *I didn't mean that, auntie; but I never have much sympathy with aping foreign people and old times. If we are as patriotic as we pretend, why shouldn't we be content as American*, and live in to-dvy.' , *Yon agree with Emerson ? * said Carl, looking at her with still more Interest. 'Only as far as Emerson agrees with me,' answered Janefc . The select few to whom Mrs GrantFerguson gave her invitations were In raptures over the plan, and preparations were carried forward in hot haste. A small regiment of servants was at once despatched to I ■oaks investigations and repairs, and Janet

carried on a one-aided correspondence, full of commands and countermands, with the chief of them, until the houße at Belmount mnst have resounded with the execrations of bewildered Jemeoes, Bettya, and Bridgets Carl Bhowed more interest in the scheme thsn he usually did in merry making, and held frequent consultations with Janet. ' Do whatever you like, but don't come to i me,' said the widow, waving them away. ' I | claim credit; for the origiaal idea, but I never could go into details,' . So the two full into the habit of talking together in Carl's almost daily calls. Once they made a plan of eaoh day's doings, from skatlcgto dances, and Janet grew merry over it, while her aunt Uataned with pleased indulgence, congratulating herself on her own wisdom in introducing the girl to a kind of life so well calculated to bring out her most attractive qualities. . «Sha ha ß a delicious laugh, this • nutbrown mayde," ' said Carl to himself as he went home, _ . _„„•. Mrs Grant-Ferguson and Janet weni down to Belmount before the day set for the guests to arrive, rejecting Carls offer accompany them as general assistant. 'No ; yon will bo more uiseful If yon will take charge of the party on the way,' said the widow. •We will be to receive yon.' '{To be continued.)