CHAPTER X.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 268, 30 May 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER X.

A \KW ACQV VINTVNri:. Tin: days pass on, each as it corner \.irying little from the previous ones in thib colonial ciLy.'[, Aslley and Et-combe are, of course, much together. They walk, vide and drivo, and, as may be imagined, people make inquiries* who that handsome young fellow with Evscombo^ih Vaiioua are the rumours afloat concern ing him Of course the Dakin clique speak no good word for him. His history, in ditlerent forms, is soon tolerably widespread. Here, it may be remarked, that ' ( olouial.s ' are in nowise behind the good folks at Home in appreciating any new scandal, especially .so prime a bit of scandal as thi.N. A iea'l live corespondent from the old country ! Such a handsome fellow, too, and so young ! Husbands and fathers are, with some exceptions, up in arms against this dangerousjyouth. Wive& and daughters discuss the matter. Look out for the last Home papers, and eagerly do\our the account of the divorce case, ' Ashfovd nr^rus Ashford and Berwick.' Young ladies look askance at Astley. Mothers gaze determinedly downward as they pass him. Such a sensation ! Astley lias made several new acquaintances —men' —who with him are very jolly and sociablo; but, generally speaking, they are rather shy of him. They like him, however, and heartily wish rumour had let him alone. One day, as the two frionda were walking leisurely along the street, they met a lady to whom Escombe introduced Astley. This was Mrs Bernard, the ;

lady at whose house Escotnbe had spent the evening following the day 6n which Astley had confided in him. The three chatted together for some time Mrs Bernard was very agreeable, and asked Escombo to come over and see them soon and bring his friend. ' When avill you come ?' she said. ' Fix a day so that we may be at home ; and if you can put up with onr quick ways for a day or two we have plenty of room, you know. Bhall we say Thursday ? then you can have Friday and Saturday to look about you a little, and be back in time for church on Sunday morning. Will that suit you ?•' j fto it was arranged. Astley had some scruples which he confided to his friend. ' Nonsense ! my dear fellow, that is all right. They know all about it from my point of view. They wouldn't ask you if they didn't mean to be kind. They are 1 good people, Astloy, all round.' It, would be untrue to say that Astley did not ieel elated at the prospect ot entering, ah an honoured guest, the doors of a private house, and as a visitor to such nice people, f-fc felt more like the Astley Berwick he used to be. He had not yet decided upon doing anything. He had determined to look about, him a bit and try to become more settled, before making any venture, to see Llie manners and customs of the people, etc. 'And he was right. Many men entering a new colony rush too huniodly into speculation, and either burn I heir lingers or find they have entered into a lino of busine-s they are not at all fitted for, and that they cannot ' back out' without^ great lo«,s, yet they feel at the hame time that to go on will be very unpleasant, to .say the least of it. There is nothing like taking a look round if you can afloid it. Astley wa* fortunate, exceptionally so, in having a j wil friend. The friendchip of man to man is often hollow and in--mceie. When slander has done its worst we i arely find new friend* in our fellow men. Man is eruei and selfish. How different i-> woman \ A good woman friend is a gicat wealth. If ever you have suffered from calumny and ha\e recovered therehom, l i.ieo back th.it lecovery to its beuinningj.and in ninety-nine cases out of a huruhed you will h'nd that woman is your champion- not man. Woman looks below the .-urface. Man heai.s, believes and condemns. M,in is by nature, and (oo apt to belie \e ill of hi* fellow creatures faking all for granted, and considering it too much trouble and ' no affair of his' to -a\e >ou, or turn the tide in your favour by lifting out the iiuth and letting it float with the hc>. Foi Innately there aie exceptions. How often fi om -heere.'irele-.sness and indifference ai ill a man let a fellow-creature sink down, down, helple&.-ly -trugglmg, hoping against hope, until he is floundering in despair and has lost his (Jod ' It is a sad truth that many of u c , who live in these times, when Chiisfcianity io said to have done so much foi us and ro havead\anced with such rapid Mtiide- — we, so-called Christians, of the nineteenth century do our duty to neither oiu (rod noi our neighbour. How- truly foi lunate, then, was Astley in having the ti uc fi iendship of a tuio man— so rarely met with in ad\er.-ity. (7'o In Conhnudl.)