SERIAL STORY.

Oxford Observer, Volume 1, Issue IV, 7 September 1889, Page 6

SERIAL STORY.

Specially written for ' The Observer.' STRANGERS YET. (Continued.) Ttt*S STORY.-4Ct'^TER 111. ; "Shi m her beauty above me hent, . In the pause pf a wild west country ball, She spoke to mc^t >uched me without inimt-V Made me her servant tor once and all." Christmas Eve arrived, but not the party f com Auckland, although they had b6eh most anxiously looked for duririg'tbe last two days. I-rian Forrest; 'had paid his uncle and, family a visit three years before, and it \\ras then hfe 'engaged himself to. Merrie, 7 who was but;'; ■seventeen, and her parents would not hear of her marrying her cousin until' she was twenty. He was how returning to. do so, and: Merrierr-^a's she glad her- lover was coming to wed her ? She did not know— si*;e tiad, like most young girls, felt flattered byVhis attentions to her, and had admired his, handsome face; hiiti somehow she alw xys felt a little aVid of .iiimy and iy a very great v'elieC wliaii he", let., and now she did hot' foel *so glad as she k'neyrshe ouifht at the th vug; it of see! iv 7 o .ie who was so. soon. to bo lieV Iiu Tjau 17 Ifut we mii Tit go r back to our ; 'tory'. it' is the night of the..cLi,nce. The guests are all there, and tjV woolshed is one blaise of light. Many colored Chinese lamps gleam among lovely tree-ferns and evergreens oi all kinds, witli .which New Zealand abounds. The _carlet blossom of the rata and pohutukawa (the latter called "The bottlers' Christmas Tree ") ', the golden blpssom ql the rowhai, the pink of the ramajrama,. aud the purple of the tarata, with festoons of .the pure white clematis, together, with the bright dresses, of .the ladies,, make a scene which- Hubert Humphries thirik. perfect ibr'h^rhiony and color, as he comes m ait tlie door -with Mr Forrest, about half-an-hour after the dancing commenced, Hubert's eyes at once fell upon a fair young girl m a pale blue dress,; who was coming towards them with a great wonderment ih her large hazel eyes; She was a tall graceful girl, with hair an 4 eyes to matoh m color. Very fair indeed does sweet Merrie' look to-night, and so Hubert evidently . thinks, for* his eyes rivetted on her face ii} deep admiration. V W&l, father dear, I knew you would get back m tome somehow ; but where is Brian, is hVin the hpuye? ". •« Ah ! Merrie, little one, having a good time t How bonny, you look tonight 1 I liave brought you such A nice coak-^ little Irish girl, Kitty O'Connor; she came out m the Otaku" '«. ■ ---"*< " I'm veiy glad, and hope we shall be able to keep her," said Merrie; and they did, for Kitty lived with the Forrests for twelve" long years. " And here," continued Mr Forrest, turning to Hubert, " Is another Otaki ! Humphries,- my daughter Marjorie.

Take him away, Merrie, and fi'id him some partners !" . Merrie. acknowledged -the stranger, and then, turning to ask her father where, her cousin was found he had disappeared. . Y.M r Forrest, has gone back to the house; I..li*nk he is weary with bis journey. A waltz has just struck up, shall we dance ? " " Oh, ; lam sure you must be tired, too —too tired to danee — after such a long journey ; will you not come to the house and get some tea ? " " Thank you ; I have had a splendid tea, and a good dance will be the very best thing for me after the long drive." "But," and Merrie looked most puzzled, " If you are Brian's friend you oan tell me where he is." ' . He did not come up with us. You are to hear all about it to-morrow. Shall we not dance ? We are losing all this delightful, waltz.", .They danced, together, and the old old story began anew that night m the woolshed of the.farVNew Zealand home; for,, before the waltz was ended, Hubert Humphries, had quite lost his heart to sweet Merrie Forrest. They had but that one dance together, for Merrie had to be everywhere, and see that a l l the guests were well cared for. It was a most delightful Christmas party, and Merrie was- the life and soul of it. Ah, Merrie ! bright, happy Merrie! Make the most of to-ni^ht fair girl ; little you dream of the soi rows and changes that are even now beg ! * vning for you. Well is it for us, dear reader, that we can only know from day to day. How many of us, could we know the sorrow that awaits us, would wail out m bitterness of &oul — "O, life! Enongh! *» Enough of life m so much !— here's a cause For rupture — herein we must break with life." (To ibe continued.)