Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 213, 13 September 1904, Page 4

Literature.

« | TEVERIL'S STRATAGEM, P "I have done my best lor her, and %■ naturally I am sorry that she has I. made such a mess of it," said Laxly r OwjacE plaintively, f She was alluding to Jennie Chasp mere, the daughter oi an only brother whom she had -assiduously cha- i pero'nad through the first six weeks of the Season, and who was at that moment eating strawberries aoul Scream at a smart "girlsi' luncheon" to which she had been bidden in Pol-more-aijuare. "It is really wonderful that Jennie should have had so many chances of : marrying well," continued Lady OnJack, confidentially. "She hasn't a ! ffeature worth mentioning, don't you know; she w o n't powder her nose; «ad she cannot play bridge half as cleverly as my maid." >; "Miss Cbasmere dresses charming- ' .jy " suggested Myra Tynan, who was 1 equally renownad for the loveliness 1 •of her face and the hideousness of : the garments in which she delighted tt> array herself. 'r "I put her into La Gonne's hands >.■ directly she arrived, and a nice bill t v my poor dear brother will have to pay. But her travelling attire—a Short alpaca skirt and a washed pink ► * blouse, which I'm quite convinced she made 'herself—gave 11:0 quite a shock.' !' "Yet I don't suppose there are * two other girls in London who have f i had more social triumphs this sc&v- son "than your niece. All the men adr mire her, half of them are in love s i with her, aind most of the women ' have been civil, haven't they ? " "That is the aggravating part of it."- Lady Onjack leaned back upon ■ : her cushions witii an aggrieved air. ;.i.. "To t.TiinV that a relation who is . positively beamed upon by that stifl ; (rump, the Duchess of Tubham, and who might have married a millionaire with authentic portraits of his »» great-grarudparents hanging in his •( -hall, should be so idiotic as to en- ■ gage herself to an Impecunious poli- ■ Dician like Bay ward Peveril ! t * i '''And she means to marry him, if doesn't she f > "If she can get round her father. r 1 Of course he could, affld he would,

made her a 'good allowance ; tout unless much more amenable than he used to be, I fancy he will not be easily moved to smile upon Mr Peveril," "He is a wee boy," murmured] : < . Mrs Tynan, amotteriqg a aigh. She had married a middle-aged i widower, with an Imposing income, " and traS generally considered to have k-done remarkably well for herself. , '' TeracmaUy, the yoUng man is all right," Lady Onjack admitted. "It »••• is only his' prospects and opinions I object tip, Jennie has no idea of economy, and her fiancee's socialistic

jyiitfM? are really appalling ! You car k have no idea of the sort of people he insists upon asking to dinner. And h i Charles—Mr, Chasmere—is even more 1" , old-faMilbned than myself !" ' 'Nevertheless, I see myself adding another to the list of wedding pre-

> • Bants whose purchase has nearly rui , toed me since Christmas. Miss Cha&-1 'J- ipereaiid young Feveril strike me as [j.rr - a deferminad couple." fe,- >Well, Htwill toga be settled one i. , ..way,, or, the other—must yqu really >'i , go, Myra ?—oa her father comes to ; town on Tuesday. He is one of i<: those -collecting' maniacs, and L'.i goes in wildly for some absurd fad .!< in crockery. He is running up for iv., the sale next week, and does not "* know 'yet of Jennie's engagement. ■, He Witt make a scene, of course, and I; I can't blame him ; it is too disap--5 pointing. ! v '" mere's belated train steamed into m -Waterloo, his gratification at observ- * ' ing (his daughter dutifully awaiting him on the platform, an attention he hod not expected, was alloyed by !(-' the spectacle of a good-looking * . young man, clad, ia a green frieze suit illuminated by a magenta tie, eager't ly conversing with her. Mr. Chase'j 1 ■ -■ mere was always prepared to be - ■ * bored Iby the youth of his own sex, .'V and a rapid survey of Hay ward Pev- .. erii'a aerthstio outer, man 3id not in- '* ckna him to anticipate more pleas- .. ure than usual' ia the society of this particular specimen. Jennie, naidiaart in a spring frock of ' deceptive simplicity, greeted her fathec vivaciously, «•••• " "It is lovely to see you again—end, papa, this is Mr. Hayward :■■■. ' Feveril." > The latter emerged from the sha- " dow of the bookstall where he had ■■ nervously sought a temporary shelter, and received a limp shake of the hand whioh Jennie's tone had in Some way induced Mr. Chasmere to extend. The trio walked down the crowdeS platform to the spot where •j' ■ Lady Onjack's motor was standing, si*- > ■ ' Miss Chasmere having that morning *i ihorrowed the vehicle and commandeered Peveril as obaflemy p * Am I to riide la this—this . thing?" asked Mr. Chasmere, ;■ grimly,

41 Yea, please.: Oh >! I forgot you didn't like motors," exclaimed his . daughter, perjuring herself. Feveiii'g skilful steering, however, . moved Mr, Chaflmere to commenda- ■ tiona, and the young man diplomatik' cally diverting the conversation into channels which led naturally to a monologue from the oMer man on his pet hobby, china sauce4>oats, Jennie felt that the first step, proverbially the most difficult, had been ,siic|eaa(ully accomplished. * PeVferfl, learned though he might be oil the subject of Education Acts, fiscal and metric systems, knew aa little about chain saucenbocuts as he did 'of tl» Wrosjraphy of Kamsohatpa, but he played his role of interested listener so intelligentaHy that Mr. OBaamere parted from him convinced that the young man's evident thirst (or knowledge promised his ultimate development into a Sevres and Old Worcester Connoisseur' of no mean merits « How do you like Mr. Peveril ? " aaked Jennie, es her father sipped a -■■■' jglasa of milk which superhuman efforts on the part of the butler had managed to convey to the library fog the visitor's lujoch.' Lady Onjack, by the way, was still in the throes of her morning toilet. He is by no means such a fool aa he looks." The phrase pleased him so much that he repeated it. " By no means guch a fool as he looks, my dear. But albout this sale at Bibstay's. Thß Ju-Ju sauce-boat to be offered Is in perfect condition, I'm told. Its acquisition will be the coping-stone ol my collection Do you know what time— ll -Ifjl'. don'iy* said Jennie* bluntly. Her Itoae implied that she did not -II r! oafe, ritheifc lam so glad you l'ike Hay—Mr ( Peveril, papa. But I knen you would get on. He is awfully clever, don't you know, and —txttli you and I detest stupid Cbasmere put down his tumbler abruptly and scrutinised his ' daughter, Jennie felt that her ' turning pink.-

Mii seema almost as if " —he chose his words carefully as a suspicion of thß trutb assailed hdm— '* you <•»<! tliiugM' it—al importance—that Mr. —ez^PeVeril l and myself—should, as ypu exptesa It—get on." ftaa asserted, bold- . have promised to hauodnfcjfysljja' explained calmly. * Thd' fl mcteris' you have ! " ejaculated Mrj piiasmepe ? startled for once »th | decorum. " And you ' decency even to .write and JwJI. me f SnifrtfiHive only..toeen oogaged a aJSatt.'-jf !lhwi|pht it would be }#J3o%iU«#ii4fett)W :, fo ' 'wait and see you. *vA "Mepe l, WS9 rf 'MfinMf'that' you might baa O# against V HaywaixJ, • s |fflil' ! ?ott i: i{&i'€ l things TtMvt f? b S" ■ mean6;m^ a Pß»fi r . stated Mr. But .»■ a X#hc(u;d be .fcalcfjo e«*»Wte .tWS*-?#"■• E' fabdiiSßeMUft&Pnravß baa |L .. .. swM>.uii)iiwna-----