The Romance of a Red Cloak

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1539, 6 January 1874, Page 69

The Romance of a Red Cloak

AUTHOR OE “JOHN lIESKETII’s CiIAKGE,” ETC. I. “ vf /\TAy that the postman’s knock, If Grace?” “ Yes, dear, ami here is a letter for you from tire firm, I know by the envelope.” Anti answering her husband’s quick glance of interest, the young wife placed the letter in his eagerly-extended hand, adding with a smile, “ If I did Hot know that it is business, Philip, I think I should claim my privilege and peep over your shoulder while you read.” “You are welcome to do it now, darling; you know I. have no secrets from you.” “Very well, sir, I will consent to stay here until you have read your letter ; it has just occurred to me that you might want my advice about something, for you know that I am your ‘ better-half.’ ” “ More than half, little woman ; you are nearer the whole. I don’t know what I should do without you, Grace. Maimed, helpless, where should I be but for your tender nursing, which is doing more than anything to make me well ? ” As he spoke, Philip Holt looked with sorrowful significance at his bandaged leg, which was supported on a chair. Ho had been some weeks suffering from a compound fracture, and other injuries sustained in a fall from a dog-cart. Philip was a clerk in a mercantile house in the small town of Oldingham. He had been about two years married to Grace Howard, a young nursery governess, and the orphan daughter of a country surgeon: she had brought him no oilier marriage dowry than her fair face and true heart. The young pair had begun life with love as their chief worldly capital; and, thanks to their united efforts—to the wife’s talent for domestic management and the husband’s habits of industry and economy—all had gone well with them up to the date of his unfortunate accident. Until then there had been no shadow of care in the little home, which had been their earthly paradise, though it consisted of only two plainlyfurnished rooms, the second floor of a a small house in the suburb of the town; but, as Philip fondly said, Grace had such a happy way of making everything look bright about her. The young wife understood her husband’s sorrowful glance, but she tried to divert his thoughts, saying playfully, 11 Come, Philip, your letter ; I thought you were in a hurry to read it; now I am getting impatient to hear what the firm have to say; perhaps they have written to say they cannot do without you any longer,” Was it some foreboding of coming ill that made Philip hesitate before he opened the envelope, conscious of a vague feeling of uneasiness as he glanced at the bright face that was smiling over his shoulder ? She seemed so full of hopeful anticipation, to which he was unable to respond, for he could not divest himself of a strange indefinable fear connected with the letter. “ What is the matter, Philip; arc you ill ? ” This was the young wife’s anxious question, as she saw her husband suddenly drop tbe letter and heard his half-stifled cry. When she caught sight of ids ghastly paleness and altered manner, she hastily picked up the letter, exclaiming, “0, Philip! what is it ? ” That something in the letter was the cause of his agitation, she now felt sure. Her first care was to soothe him, and she did it in the tender womanly fashion that seldom fails of its power over the sex of the sterner mould. “ Is it bad news ? tell me, Philip, is it bad news? Don’t try to keep it back with the thought of sparing me! Your trouble is mine, and whatever it is I must bear part.” In reply the poor fellow wound his arm about her slight figure, and in his heart blessed her for the comfort which her loving courageous words had given him, “ Come,” she urged with fond persistence that was not to be turned aside,

tell me the worst; it cannot be anything very dreadful. The doctor gays you arc getting better, and while you are spared to me, Philip, I think I could bear anything.” He tried to smile, but it faded from his lips as ho pushed the letter, which she had placed on the table, towards her, faltering, “ Bead for yourself, my darling. It is from the firm; they have sent me notice of dismissal.” It was true. “Philip’s employers, Messrs Hardman and Joyce, had written a few cold, curt words to apprise their clerk that his continued absence had caused inconvenience, which had made it necessary to appoint another to supply his place, and as the arrangement had proved satisfactory to them, they begged to inform Philip Holt that his services were dispensed with from that date. ii. The husband and wife looked at each other in silence. It was a cruel blow which was thus unexpectedly dealt them; both could realise what it was to be cast out of employment during a time of commercial depression, and knew all that it would involve, if the coming winter days found him still on the forlorn list of the unemployed. Looking at his thin face, her heart ached for him in the trouble which had come upon them, for he was yet far from strong, and the little home-comforts had become almost necessities of life to him. What was to be done ? The expenses entailed by his accident had already made serious inroads upon the slender sum which they had managed to save. This was the question that presented itself to Philip, as his face caught and retained the shadow which had passed over that of Grace.

"I never thought they Avould have acted like this, Grace, after the years I have been in their employ. It is hard that a man's misfortune should be visited against him as a fault; but I know who I have to thank for it. With all his oddities, Mr Hardman woidd not have done such a thing." " Would it do any good to apply to him, Philip?" " No," returned the husband, gloomily ; "it would be useless. Mr Hardman leaves all to his son-in-law, Mr Joyce, who manages everything, the old master included."

“ Could I not go to Mr Hardman, Philip, and explain it to him ? ” “ No, Grace; I don’t think he would act against Mr Joyce, for he almost believes he cannot do wrong.” “Never mind, Philip, don’t grieve, something else will be sure to turn up; you are so very clever, and your leg will be well in a few weeks.” “You forget, Grace, that all our savings are nearly spent, and that I may hud some difficulty in getting another situation.” The half-irritable tone of his voice hurt the young young wife, who had struggled so hard to hide from him her own feelings. She burst into tears, murmuring reproachfully, “ I forget—l forget, Philip! 0, how I wish I could ! I cannot forget, dear; but I can pray that we mey be spared from such trials.” “My dear, dear wife, forgive rnc; I am so miserable that I hardly knew what I said. 0! if it had come at any other time.” in. Snowing still, as it had snowed for hours ; the air was full of blinding mist from the thickly-falling flakes, which the wind drifted into masses through the cold white streets. The office-clock pointed to a quarter-past ten on the bleak November morning when Stephen Hardman left his desk, and, readjusting his gold-rimmed spectacles, placed himself at the window, as he did every morning at the same hour. No matter what might be his occupation at the time, it was made to yield to the indulgence of what appeared to those about him a most singular whim. When the quarter had advanced to twenty-five minutes past the hour, he took out his watch and compared it with the office-clock; as he expected, they agreed to a second. “ Not coming,” he muttered; “ I never knew her to extend more than three or four seconds over the quarter; so punctual to her time that X might almost set my watch by her. Not coming ! Well, it’s not fit weather for one like her to be out; she’s too small and delicate-looking. If she belonged to me I’d take care Why, bless me, there she is!” the old merchant added, in an eager whisper, as a young lady came into view. • She was on the opposite side of the street —a slight, girlish figure, with a peculiarity of dress that might have attracted attention in places less tolerant to varieties of costume than a busy little town. This was a scarlet-cloak, with the hood drawn over her bonnet, and fitting round her face like a frame. It gave out a warm gleam of color against the snow, and invested its wearer with some resemblance to the Red Riding Hood of the sweet old fairy tale. Standing there, with his hands resting on the edge of the wire blind, the merchant had watched, morning after morning, the passing of that picturesque figure, and noted that the fresh, pure face which had first attracted him was gradually growing paler and thinner. This had gone on for weeks, until it became a part of the day’s routine to watch

for her. She was invested with a strange kind of interest to him by a fancied likeness between her and a favorite daughter of his own, who had faded in her first bloom. As he watched the advancing figure he murmured, “ Every day she grows more like my little Helen. I could almost fancy it was herself, getting paler and thinner; poor child ! I wonder if she has any one to care for her.” At that moment a group of boys rushed towards the young lady, the foremost' of the noisy crew exclaiming, in derisive allusion to the red cloak “ Hallo Bill! let’s put out the fire.” The words wore followed by a loud laugh and a shower of snowballs. In the effort to avoid the snowballs the young lady slipped and fell. With the fear of a policeman before their eyes the boys scampered off, leaving the prostrate figure on the ground ; but aid was at hand. A youth with a pen behind his car made a rush from a building on the opposite side of the street, followed almost immediately by a white-haired old gentleman, who showed considerable anxiety and solicitude in ascertaining if the young lady was hurt. “ Not much,” was the murmured reply, while the sweet voice added some words of thanks for the assistance which had been rendered. Her hurt was more serious than she was aware—she had severely sprained one of her ankles, and the effort to stand caused inexpressible pain. “Let us help her into my office, Thomas,” said the old man, “then we will see what can be done.” (To he continued.)