CHAPTER XXVII.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 48, 3 May 1884, Page 4

CHAPTER XXVII.

Chester Harris's return. Chester Harris missed all this romantic and exciting denouement in London. He sent a brief line, stating his good fortune and proposed departure, and went directly to Liverpool, and thence by the first homeward bound steamer. Mary Converse meanwhile had waited in a daze of tremulous hope and fear after the receipt of those strange, enigmatical letters ; and Mr Smith had fumed and fretted — all, however, of no avail, because Mary had said, in that grave, steadfast way of hers : 4 c Mother, I will keep faith with Mr Smith if Chester Harris will give me back my plighted word. I cold you — I told him I had no right to promise anything until I had heard from Chester. You must abide by that." " Why did he not give an answer? It is very selfish and unkind in him. He has no right tp keep you out of a comfortable home," said the mother, peevishly. "He will not do it," answered Mary, sorrowfully. " I know him too well to believe it. If he cannot give us as safe, and happy, and comfortable a home as Mr Smith offers, he will give me back my plighted troth." " Then everything is safe," declared Mrs Converse, "for we all know how poor and helpless these Harris people are." Mary said no more, but there was a fluttering hope in her heart that gave her more restless hours than all her previous sorrow had done. Mr Smith had really no solid ground of complaint, and he tried to appear confident and satisfied ; but there was an uneasy feeling in his heart, and he used every art to strengthen his position. Ho sent over some new gewgaw every day, until there was really some danger that Mary Smith would start upon her married life in altogether too extravagant setting for her husband's means and position. A particular restlessness seized the bridegroom-elect on the morning of what was to have been the wedding-day. Did [ he calculate that an English steamer was !due? | He slipped down early in the morning and coaxed Mrs Converse to have Mary arrayed in all the bridal finery, promising to drop in as if accidentally to behold its effect. Did he mean to call up one of the strongest foibles of a woman's strangely capricious heart? Did he hope, in case the troublesome Harris appeared, that Mary would find the costly dress a powerful ally on his side ? However it might be, Mary had finally yielded to her mother's persistent efforts. The hatefully shimmering robe was brought out, the pretty cobweb laces unfolded, even the dainty, white kid slippers donned, and Mary, pale, cold, and listless, stood up in patient endurance, while the mother and maid chattered around her. "Ah! was ever anything more lovely?" cried out the proud and satisfied mother. "Nobody would ever know you, Mary." She was stooping to shake down a fleecy flounce, and hearing the door pushed softly open and a firm step entering, she' said promptly, taking for granted that the contemplated programme was being carried out : "Ah, Mr Bridegroom, have you come? Now say if you should dream our Mary would make so fair a bride ?" She did not see the new-comer nor oould she See Mary's face turning from ghastly pale to fever-red, but she knew what had happened before she heard the glad, cheery voice : •« Did I know it ? Of course I did. Mary, my bonny, bonny bride, now you look more to my mind ; you were too white and cold a moment sinoe. Oh, my darling, come to me. Weep out your tears upon my breast, for your cares are ended at last. " He caught the wavering figure in his arms, and held her close, needless of the rumpled laco and flowers. "Mr Harris !" exclaimed Mrs Converse in her sourest tone. " Yes, madam, Mr Harris come home to claim his promised bride, and come back, thank Heaven ! with a fortune in his hand, i with which to make her and you and all of us forget these pinching wretched times we have known," declared Chester, wisely resolving to spare Mary from hearing anything between her mother and himself that would be unpleasant to remember. Mrs Harris stood twisting her fingers together nervously. . "A fortune!" stammered she, and stopped again. "Yes, and not a small one either. The Lord be praised ! I bring home more than a competency from the often reviled. Welsh mine. Maryi dearest, you have not said a word of welcome yet." " "-Chester, o\ phester," faltered Mary, and something choked dow# the pest. ' But » thp gentle head rested, oh, how thankfully/againsthjs broad shoulder, and the Worn, industrious little, fingers, nestledlovingly in jiis,; «L j.-'t i>J \ ; i<* lm shall send' up Lawyer < Stone. to show* youthe proofs of my statement?, MysCpjiv verse'i Remarked: Chester,. 4s£ tjh&.mosj? busineBs.liketonp.r 'tA^d^aWglY^^' a' oheque fa ww e #vlW* PJBF good mv^ ft advWo^;fund|4o^

pretty finery of Mary's We'll use it.iust as quick as I can got my sister in the like trim, and a handsome house for us all' to live in. I'm in as great a hurry as anyhody I assure you. And — " i rAhem!" This time the poor blind woman knew in advance who was coming. That was Mr Smith's gruff voice, and no one's else. How thankful for once she was that the blind eyes could not see the rage And chagrin on his face. Chester gave the purple, angry face one contemptuous glance, and dexterously drew Mary through the other door, and turned back to say : " Ah, Mrs Converse, I don't believe but this is the very individual. Ask him to make out his bill with a percentage for his accommodation. I won't forget the good turn he has done my wedding in getting the bride ready." Safe with the closed door between, Mary threw herself again upon Chester's faithful breast. " Oh, Chester, Chester, tell me it is true. You have come back to save me." "With a fortune, and after a fortune. Mary, my dear, sometime I shall let you show me what offering I can make to prove my gratitude to Heaven that my pearl of price was not snatched away from me. Come now, and help me break the good news to my father and sister." "It is so beautiful, so beautiful," whispered Mary. "Oh, Chester, I wish you could tell me that that lovely Yerrington was happy, too." "Something astonishing has developed, for Stone was chuckling about Si Green's getting the reward away from me. I couldirt listen to anybody else before seeing you> but we'll hear the rest to-night." It was on Mary's wedding-day that the long letter of joytul explanations came from Helena Yerrington. "Ah," said Chester then to his sweetfaced wife of two hours, "this is the most charming wedding gift we could have. To know that those other lovers are happy, too, completes our content. I do not like to think there are any miserable ones anywhere in the wide world on this blessed day." " Not even Mr Smith ?" asked his sister, archly. But Mary's blithe laugh showed Mr Smith's discomfiture did not lie heavily upon her conscience. Even Mrs Converse was presently heard to say : * ' There's none to blame but himself. Mr Smith might see that, if he were not so set in his opinions." ' There was another pair of lovers, though very quaint ones, and they were undergoing a very melancholy parting almost at the tune of Chester's remark. Limber Tom had stopped over in Baltimore, and hunted up Sal Chisley again, and he said, in his quick, decided way, while he thrust a gorgeous dress of rainbow tints into her arms : " Now you look here, little Sally. I'm acoming down here after you jest as soon as I get settled in that fishing-smack the gentlemen promised you. Co you jest keep a lively look out for me, and don't yer fo to fretting. It won't be a year now, tell yer, if I get the good o' my name ; and we'll jest show 'em a couple as won't do no quarreling for common put outs, now won't we, Sal?" And Sal laughed a little and cried a good deal. Limber Tom made good his words when \ Conway Searle and his bride came home to America to take possession of the property that Colonel Rivers' will had left to Helena, and to find the packet of confessions that made all the mysteries clear, and proved beyond a doubt what black plots Charles Blair had daringly conceived and wickedly executed. Si Green, as happy a creature as the sun shone on, took them to the neat little sea-shore cabin, where this youthful pair had gone to house-keeping in good faith and utter content. And, with a sly glance at Helena's happy face, he said : I "And who's going to say? I'm puzzled to tell sometimes. I ain't over sure but these be as happy a couple as any of ye. Anyhow it's part of the beautiful coming out of a black time. MyFranky a gentleman painter, and Si Green comfortable, and Miss Helena as happy as a queen, and all coming out — you may say of a bunch of pansies. It beats all, it does. I always pay my respect, wherever I see 'em, to the pansies." [the end], " k

In a letter from Mr Domett, author of "Ranolf and Amobia," to Sir George Grey, the New Zealand poet describes a vipit to the Poet Laureate. He says : " I paid a very interesting visit in November last to Tennyson at his place, Aldworth, near Haslemere, Surrey — the place itself being in Sussex. If you see Harper's "Monthly Magazine " you will find in the December number some views of the house, &c, portraits of his wife and sons, &c. . . . Hallam (T.s eldest son) seemed manager of the house, Mrs Tennyson being an invalid, and Tennyson no doubt not caring to be bothered with it. Mrs Tennyson is a most amiable, cheerful, and, I can't help saying, dear old creature— so gentle, intelligent, and, to use a phrase, is fond of using sympatica. The son is a nice, frank, young fellow. There was only an old maiden lady —old friend of the family— a Misb Boyle, there besides, so we were just six in all, and it was all delightfully unceremonious and familiar. "Don't dress," said Tennyson, "to-day before dinner." I had one or two quiet confidential chats of a literary and poetical character with the "great bard," and think him quite natural, frank, and unaffected, without any particle of vanity, however quietly and properly proud he may be. I was glad to see how " well he wears," as the phrase is. A tuft of curly hair on each side of his lofty bald head — quite brown, hardly a hair turned, thick moustache, scarcely changed either, beard quite grey towards the end. He looked thin and a little shrunken at first, but his face and eyes seemed to relax and expand as our conversation grew more familiar and mutually interesting. On his being made a peer the other day, I wrote him my feelings about it, of course complimentary, though not over estimating the distinction as conferred on one of his reputation. His reply (last week) was short and sweet, I think.. Tennyson takes long walks of five or six miles every day — on which I,unfortunately, could not accompany him, being dead lame still from that stupid accident of mine in May last (kneecap, muscles.or tendons internally damaged). I manage, however, to stump along (like a Diable Boiteux on two sticks, or rather one j stick and an umbrella used as such)about two miles every day. Tennyson, perhaps you know,istwoyearB older than myself and three than you." It is a rather interesting circumstances in connection with the foregoing letter, and one of which Mr D,omett was unaware, that the Miss Boyle, mentioned as Mr Hallam Tennyson's intended bride, was a daughter of the gentleman who be.ld the office of priyfjte secretary to Sir G.eorge <Grrey when, Governor of Cape Colony. Mfss Boyle was then about three year's olq, and was « great pet of Sir Gfeprge's. Stye afterwards sent him a little souvenir pf Her affection, which he gtjlj preferyes.J