THE ARRIVAL OF LORD ONSLOW.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 266, 10 May 1889, Page 2

THE ARRIVAL OF LORD ONSLOW.

'— . — _ ♦ r._ : ■*■•--.. Brilliant weather greeted the Go • . vernor's arrival in. Wellington , which . took place at 2:20 p.m. The ceremony at the railway station was of the- briefest description. Mayor .Duthie received his Excellency and Lady Onslow, who at once stepped into a carriage and* drove off with the Premie* and Mayor. The Heretaunga Light Horse formed up k| , front as an escort, proceeded by the friendly societies and pupils from the I Wellington and St. Patricks Coi- - leges, &c, and behind these came . - ■Jh&_jM>»^ror*-<4-the Harbour Board ■ and City Oounbn^anu~7KhTwr^b^e«^~ The procession moved ' along Thorndon Quay, past the wharves to Lambton Quay, where it turned and marched down to the Government Buildings. There a little delay took place waiting for some of the official • addresses, but at 3.10 Lord and Lady Onslow and party appeared on a platform erected under the principal portico. In the absence of Mr Goring, clerk of the Executive Council, Captain Fortescue, formerly aid* de camp to Governor Jervois, read the commission appointing Lord Onslow Governor, and the oath was then administered by the Chief Justice. The City Bifles and other corps. forming the Guard of hooour then presented armsf and the arti*lery*firedasalut\of 17 guns, the , band meanwhile playing the Na- •••*■'•' tional Anthem* The Town Clerk '* read the formal address on behalf of the Corporation, and the Mayor bnefly . expressed satisfaction at His Excellency's arrival and the appointment ofa man of suoh rank aud political experience. He incidently alluded to the ,dawn of prosperity in New Zealand which Lord Onslow had arrived in time to share in. His Excellency's reply was as follows: — ■'Sir,— I lleartilly thank you as the representative of the citizens bf Wellington, for the cordial welcome which you have been good enough to. extend to Lac(y ''".' Onslow myself, andmy family, wMo n ior some years to come are likely tp be resident in your midst. . I am , further indebted to you for the man- '' ncr in which you have extended that welcome to me personally, fori can Inot doubt that, even if your address did not reiterate the sentiment, that -.*, your loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen does not depend on the in- * dividual who may have power temporarily tb ; represent her in the i colony, I tbauk you for the ex. i-.' pression of hope that my term of office may be a pletisantund successful one.- ■/*' I have little doubt »*nt tb * t the Well- ' known amenities of New Zealand will so far an I am concerned, fulfil ,the first of these desires,, but whether it shall be successful or not depends largely on your forbearance, but a feeling of confidence that I may, from the words of your address, rely upon your support encourages me to perwyere .in the deterntination to exercise the duties of Governor in an impartial and constitutional spirit, so as to merit the Approval and confidence of the people of New Zealand. His , Excellency added ji -few words in praise of the great national resources and/features of the country, which he had already been able to se.% and alluding to tho fact that he had been called by some •f the papers " Our cheap' Governor," taidhe sympathised' with the diffi** enltiesr New Zealand had Mg« .... . .•- .•* • - • •' " •

it was difficult to a^stinguiah his features ; but I notice-iiESt %$ I*9* of athletic, build, and;; that blonde moustache dfoojfid fromliis upper lip. Just asih^; had passed,' he turned, and to mV surprise Maud.; uttered a low, half -choking exolamation, and drew close to my side. The man turned h^lfly*tipon hisj heel and hurried on. f. ilUOoled into: Maud's face for an *^^f|f*p^^^': her gaze was vacan^^aoV: 4^_7r though her -cheeks were deadbr 'ss*•_' I waited for her tojJ|eaj£,; "^ut sljtf walked on in sileajp " Politeness forbade interroga*do|f .tlvsreforei I restrained my intense curiosity and broke the pause *w-itlr some trivial, remark. " Mystery upon mjsteTy^' ,I** i thought, as I sat at my* w&dow late | that night listening to the musical j "baying of a pack of foxhounds l<en- j nelled a mile away. " "Wlip * #asJ the stranger ? Why was Maud so agitated ?" I ccrtfld 'fix oh no soiuidon; but the events of the next night half opened Imy >. eyes iHo -the tmth in all its hid^ousness. . :'■ , l *j. It was a wild da^ioaridraistaimbW^ tempestuous night followed upon it,? The wind moaned round the od hall, and roard and raged among the elms in the park, now and again tearing and hurling great withered[ limbs to the ground with alanniflg crashes. I had shot through, tyo big coverts that day, and, though the storm howled without, my physical fatigue induced by the long hours of air and exercise acted as a welcome soporific. I slept soundly until daybreak ; but when I woke it was with a start, for I bad been dreaming, though of what I could not tell. A feeling of general uneasiness took possession of me, anct ds 'my senses merged into full wakefulness, the idea fastened U| on me that some one had been witbin my room during the night. I leapt out of b.ed and; sensed it. -It was a piece of pink note paper, and upon it were these words in Maud Lemaistre's handwriting : — When you find this I shall be miles away. P-.ay that you may never find me. I let the paper fall and almost reeled to the floor. Maud gone 1 Hastily thrusting on my clothesj I ran noiselessly to her room and tapped at the door. Receiving no answer, I knocked loudly, and finally, being full of grave apprehensions, I turned the handle and entered. The room was vacant. Drawers were open, and some of her wearing apparel was upon the bed, which had not been slept in. Without a second thought, I ran to the btables and saddled Iby ,' hunter,. In ten minutes* TP 49kd * passed through the lodge gates, and giving my horse the spu«, I galloped at full speed along tbe turf ü by the roadside. It was five miles to Thame, the nearest railway-station, and it was thither that Ifelt con*-* vinced that Maud had gone. v . I)ismounting hastily and laro^Hmy' panting steed with the fiM*n«!rangf over the spike of a fence, I rushed into the station, andVsaw. (bf *tble clock that I had ridden tlie five five miles in eighteen minutes. The train was steaming into the station but Maud was not there. Disappointed and dejected-,' l'rode black to '' Wildmoor, reaching there at tbe breakfast hour. Miss Savill was astonished when I told her the strange news of Maud's flight. What can possess the girl ?" she said. " But nave you --not noticed' how depressed she has seemed of late ? I have tried to rally her, but* without success." A horrid suggeston of suicide fell upon me, and I wandered by the. lake all the morning peering into' ' the deeper parts, and feeling that my senses were leaving me that unless I could assure myself 'of 'my darling's safety, I should go mad with suspense. c _ Was vshe lying amongst the crue^ -trailing, v slimy weeds at the bottoln df the lake ? y J rushed from the black water's edge. ' Two days passed, a*qd though evary possible inquiry was made ait Miss Savill's and-my.-own fjsse^ion, no trace could be fpund pf the runaway. On the Eqorning of .the third day I met Atmsleigh and told him what had happed " What an extraordinary, !" he exclaimed. •• What on earth can be the poor young lady's trouble ?" 1• 1 wish I could tell." £/said ; .«■) I would remove it if it l&y in my power." lU}< ... " You say she was young, only three and-twemy, and pretty ?" he asked thoughtfully. r , " Tes," I answered ; "here is. her i photograph," and . took it from my pocket ' : •• Merciful Heaven 1" he ejaculated as he looked at it, " c,*j^*^you^ft6SßiblV know who aud what thfs creature Is t" 1 " " A lady whom I rmfflyt" I said hotly. "My i oor lad," he answered kindly,"! am more sorry for ycu than I can express for your fxce tel' a me that yon have fallen into tbe toils of a false and designing woman," "Prove what you say," I said, trembling from head to foot, and wrenching tbe portrait from his hand. v,\\* " Your indignation showAme, how , , deeply she )>»s fooled you-, how skilfully she has payed her cards. 'T-nis' ' woman I know to be one of the most debased and immoral cbaf¥mrs/ . lately living in New York." \_lq b« continued.) ,