LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7757, 8 March 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

iEYMOON EWSODE. j S| ph, all aftemooni? One ooon all alone without a %v i terrible place to talK Sl ou read, dear '! " p i make my eyes and head U perfecUy 'provoking of n r to fall ill just while we ci honeymoon. He should a consideration. Ralph', n carriage ; you'll whip up dear, won't you ? Oh —a ar little bride was alone, a "ospect of a lonely after- h ■sell: which prospectt, in d in a town where one ' w a soul, and when o'.e * honeymoon, is not a>i on- t as any unbiassed pel son 3' The bride of' three weeks ® opeless sort of way on '■ rerandab over-looking the nds. She wearily turned ® t of guests, which an at- 11 liteil had put in her hand, c s least, sign of inici"t">t in ® s. Suddenly an exclan'a- 1 it her. { Mrs Clifford l.i"isdale bat aloud. " Mrs 1 ous- c that is the reason of his ' 1 I've been tormenting n>yh:m—picturing his grief s eness, his anger, his ties- ' to find him married, in .' otel in which I tun spend- i toymoon. Oh, Cliff, what i 1 re fceen to' spoil ray new by worrying over you ! I ! t known the affection of j eyes and fair hair would 1 I the test of two years' ! >m the beloved object, any —than a schoolgirl of sev- . «rs when she is really in : t fan it will be to meet ae confusion on both sides :oßgratulat^ons—' Allow me my wife ' Mr Lonsdale, ind'— perfectly glorious ! see it all ! " And loanin heii chair, Editti shut . is if to enjoy the scene in i eye. B opened them agaia the nused enjoyment gave place surprise, lor a iew paces l her, leisurely smoking a mI Itonistakably the man nights. She startcJ up. at the sound, the object ce beheld the girl v. h jm of I od earth ho was least * » see. Edith stepped toi with outstretched hands. Clifford Lonsdale ! " ■ lOtole ! " i t her face was a 100ß of and a gleam of mischief, s was expressed amazement ith embarrassment'. Her and ear took in the situaice. le advantage of you, dear ! " was her mental ejacuI know your little secret, is safe—until Ralph comes r Lonsdale, hastily throw- i his cigar, took her proferwitile the embarrassment ; on his face as she gave ] a "soft pressure, and smW, elWeigned lrtt'c accent of | : •' Oh. Cliff, I cannot low glad I am to see Edith, who in the world . re thought of seeing you e managed lo exclaim, rhoyou, sir*, I am over- | i astonishment. Hut I'm delighted to see you, too. alone this afternoon. My angel if he want's to ean my chaperon, it's not ' she whispered to her conhad to go to see an inxther, and I didn't know >uld do to pass the time. that Futo has so kindly in my way, you must, you must amuse me. And to t I haven't seen you for ile years ! I've so much to ind to ask you that it will 3! Airl these beautiful lave just the loveliesit placwe can be all to ourselves, ee that large tree'? Let's s helplessly I'oKowod the rTant, with a [ his bride left alom uph a blinding headache, lie bis companion witk an cxie end of his tongue, but iras tripping ahead with the s of a nymph, and crying Hurry up. Cliff. Do conrn ! Here are some of the Ltlc dueled. See nrn't they ar, silver laugh rang out musical ring that he reso well, when the gill bct. budding woman of sevenI ho a slender youth of er devoted slave. The ex- [ on his lips and he joined ■gh, as the mother duck, y, start ted quacks, led he> of downy ducklings away ud, gtnuning silver blue' lie trees. , you are as much a child [ thought three years would ke oi young lady of you." VI shall never be any- * child, I fear. "But come, by; me here," and then as •wn on the rustic bench bc- " doesn't it seem like old be together once more ? n prepared to hear all the ly tell me, sir, what you doing for the three past pc I bade you a tearful fare- ' twine interest she followed 1 ot his varied experiences liardly won, obstacles overit difficulty, and ultimate fhile Lonsdale forgot time, :umeftances, everything in re of answering her eager and in asking news of old I mutual friends. She told listory of her life during years absence, carefully All that might lead him t a change in her circumAs often as he attempted > to the fact of his marUi -her t)uich woman's in- I what was coming, she in- , him with another question.: i I she been so gay, so aniad it was without effort, ■ wu, tor she really delighted in liv- 1 Ling over the past in company with , handsome old playmate. _■ For soine time their talk was mere*ly u suoh as might have passed be- ■ tween two old friends, and they Ijotli i enjoyed it thoroughly ; but Edith Bid i intend to let "her oid sweet- I without sonw punishment. gßeeing s careful avoidance of ten- | ™»er topics, she interrupted him in a ' of life in South Africa, land with a sudden change ot lone. '/mu: j/. -' y«9. Cliff, you men have much \ .the best vt it in a case oI this gidnd." What kind he was left to Sinter. *' When you are compelled to [ leave tiie girl you like, though • Mnay.jlfe a wrench at flrst, you have . tjBO muA to do and to think about, i Bvcs are SO full, tlvat you i f teve Utile tfme to greive ; while wo t. P°® r women have to stay at home no absorbing work to bury S ourselves and our troubles in, with nothing to do but to count the min-, r-ntes and wiHi the}" would fly Vaster. ITow, while you have Ijecn In a fark off land, like L'lysses, winning wealth glory (and a coal of tan, too, % Cliff, which is very becoming !) I, "'™°_ V ° OT I*enelollc 1 * enelo l lc have Saea spiu--ofoe —"• sfe I

Yams, I'll wager ! " he interIrupted, laugtaigly, " for they're the only tilings I've heard of your spinspinning." | She :oined in li'.s laugh, but added severely : " Your levity is unseemly, sir, when it spoils such a line comparison. Itut, seriously, Ido wonder sometimes,'' she went on, getting pathetic, " how I have stood the last thrse years—without you. I mean. But I don't believe you have cared one bit, ClilT ! " And she ; hit I a challenge from her blue eyes into ! his grey ones. Kuifli ! " Ik' waw about to add I a hasty remonstrance, when the realisation ol his position came to him, and lie remainVd silent. '"You say 'Edith' just as you to say it whtn 1 tormentud you so, when we were—children. I never used to like uiy name until you "told me you thought it pretty. Then. wfcnover you said it I used to think it the very prettiest name in the world.'SI;..- :.nid all this with a little droup of her head which struck a chill to his heart. The conversation was becoming dangerous. What should he do ? Edith evidently believed in the* reality of his attachment for !i''r,<uul meant to resume their relations at th-.; i>oint where tliey had been broken off when ho went to South Africa, to seek thy fortune which was to win favour of her guardian. A year's absence had calmed his youthful ardour and six months' companionship with the pretty daughter of his employer jhod given rise to another attachment which he realised was the grand pasI sion of his manhood, and not the impulsive affection of youth. There had been no correspondence between himself and Edith, according to the order of her guardian. It would have been an easy matter to write her the news of his marriage, but to tell il her with her eyes looking into his was a task before which he quailed. ! U she still loved him, how could he . bear to sec her face overclouded by ' the story of his faithlessness? ■ i He stole a look at her, and his . heart failed him. She was sitting on a root of the tree now, her hands [ at her sid« lightly touching the tree, and one little arched foot idly draw- , ing lignres on the ground, while a > smile curved her rosy, wilful mouth, i Sho wore a dark blue .skirt,and a blue l and wh'ite blouse ; this, with a blue ! hat and natty feather bolt, eoi.ii !eil\l a rallied masculine costume, wMoh suited tv perfection the trl.n, tlem'tr ■ figure. i 'Jhe sunlight glittered through the - branches, and gleamed upon !ir!' I .'. IT, which waved in a wealth ni . .|'ples upon her small, well-shaped Suvil. i t i'li'ord felt the old witoVvy <omi in;? over him, when suddenly re vu-ni- , ed to see the picture of a «!e-u" form, . tall aut 1 . willowy : one who>, w.uii.in- ■ ly in everything, never affected the - mannish mode of dressing, but preferred soft, clinging stuffs and dainty ■ laces ; one who was the light ami the ■ happiness of his life. In place of the , imperious, dark-ljlue eyes lie seemed I to see a pair of warm brown ones, -i w hose every glance told of a tender - and affectionate nature. Then he said t with a good deal of emphasis : ; | "I think it is one of the sweetest li names in the world." f | "One of the sweetest ? You usv.l t to say it was the very sweetest. Now - I believe someone has wheedled' you into saying her name is the sweetest. 1 ; Villain, speak !" with inock tragedy. 1 He felt that his opportunity had co mo. - ] "We'll, you sue, after the senior i partner came .out to Johanneii-urg • J I ustxl to go to his Tioui<e a good deal, f and he—yi/fi see, had a daughter,— and " t | "I thought so ! What was'her name - please ? " - I "Dorothy." v J "Su ! And you consider that name '• prettier than Edith ? I don't admire

■ your taste, sir ! Do you remember ' the verses you scribbltxl in my auto- ' graph book ?" 1 : Ilis opportunity for confession was l(Jst, and ho looked down at her in a 1 disheartened way, as she answered abj stractedly : "No, I've forgotten them." Her eyes glanced up at him with a > world of reproach in their depths. 3 "Have you really, Cliff ? And they " were so pretty." ' Ho felt compunction seize him-. ' >" Oh, yes, I ;do r«nember them ! " 3 he interrupted, "Don't they go like 1 this ? ■ 1 "She who comes to me and plcndeth, In the lovely name of Edith, Shall not fail of what is wanted. Edith mSeans the blessed'—therefore 1 All that she may wish or care Vor [ Will, when best for her, be granted;.' '■' There, I knew you coukln't have J forgotten them. Aren't they preitty? r I'm so glad my name means 'the blosi--1 sed ' ; and really"—her iace ligfeed i up—"it seems to fit in my case,now, , at any rate; for I have always wist ed to travel, and here I am In this i beautiful place, with the one I care . for most on earth -! " [ Her eyes glowed;, and Lonsdale,not . •dreaming that she might refer to any- . one but himself, was stricken with . horror at having a Hewed her to make . ! such a confession, lie nerved himself '1 with an effort, but!. Edith, pitying his > confusion, and feteling tliat she liaii . Igone so far that explanations must i ,inevitably fo.llow unless she made a diversion, rose hurriehly, and said "Listen, . dinner gong ? j Cliff did not, not" dill she, but \vßhj out waiting for his answer, she liur- . | ried towards the hotel. Lonsdale, rejviling his evil genius', fallowed her. . ■ She had used this ruse as a means of l 'escape, and felt conscious-stricken for the trick, but in a moment .all (qualms vunisfexl, for in it carriage just entering the courtyard she perceived her husband. At the same moment 1.0n.5-f f dale,, glancing towards the verandah', , saw his wife seated at one end, alone- , S-he looked in calm surprise at him the girl at liis side. Edith, no't- , >ng the look, smi>d to herself, and ; ! turning quickly to Lonsdale, said,' | ,with a meaning glance towards the 5 yerantiah : "'YjOuiU hotter ln.lrrv, KJl'iff ; \,'our . wife is waiting for you ! " ~ ! He started with amazement. , "You knew, then?" "Yes. Wasn't I clever to mislead . you so ?" Then, after another glance I at Mrs Lonsdale : "Keall.v. Cliff, I , muiit admire j'our last'e< SKc ia aa , sweet as—-honey. I'm awfully glad . for your sake, Cliff ; let me congratulate yon,'* I With a world of relief on his face, ! Lonsdale warmly grasped the hand .she held out', but flushed hotly nt her nest words. | "I'm very pleased and all that,you might Kave Qiqb me know before. How* long since ? with another interrogotory glance. He stammered. "Not .very long*—a few weeks —we are on our honeymoon now " "Why, how odd !" she exclaimed in mock surprise. "Two bridegrooms in the same hotel ! Do you sec that tall man just getting out of that carriage ? Well, he's on his honeymoon, too." "\ery odd." Clifford began, when a look at her roguish face stopped jhim, and he finished by saying; j"-Why, Edith, you little hypocrite : f I really believe you are—you must be | A wave of crimson swept over her face, and she hastened towards the man who BaH just aligKteft from Ker 1 j carriage; but as Lonsdale stood stanttg after her. with Jpeiplexity I written on every line of his' face, she threw (a cliarming look over her shoulder at hJw. I I \ou re right, I am." she said. I