The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7899, 15 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

The Match-Maker.

A low, rambling cottage. Quaint porticos nearly covered with clirabfa* roses. and a long verandah shad(A with try. saw » cool inviting look to Mas little home. From one ot Mm verandah columns and a large

tree a Jew leet away swiug a gay ■ammock. Halt reclining in thts was a young girl-a sparkling, dark-eyed IniMtte. One elbow rested carelessly on aa open magazine, while a Mt of embroidery lay at her feci. Her eyes were absently fixed on ttc stately house which could be seen through the Intervening orchard. "What a pity it is Mr Browning is such a confirmed bachelor !" she mused. "It fca wouW marry some nee voting person, how much con> lort we might take with her. His sister) toWl me herseH, not* i rut wncithat she wished John would marry. Tten she could go tof.ier daughttr in London." 1 Here Miss Muriel bestowed a very disapproving frown upon the aforesaid bowse. Evidently its owner's shortearnings did net disturb its Oiuaniaity. It never flinched. Muriel's face cleared, and she sat treet.

"I nave it!" she exclaimed half tlovd. "Cousin Wirmie ! She's the very one for him ! I will invite her up to spend a few weeks with us, and it her big blue eyes do net melt his heart, I stall conclude it is made ■I stone. We'll have him to tea often while she is here. I will get up a picnic in their honour. It will be « fine match for Winnie, and I shall Ufie a great deal of credit to my~ slef for having brought it about." The magazine fell to the ground.. » The hammock gave a backward lurch and Muriel was half way up the steps, stooping to pick a rose as she passed. "Mamma, mamma' Wliere are vou -1 " she called, as a hasty glance showed the little sitting-room opening from it to be without an occupant: "Rohert,'- she called to the gardener, "Have you seen Mrs Gilday ?" v She's gone to see Mrs Dake, miss, I think," replied Robert, with a nod of his head towards the neighbouring house.

Muriel returned to the sittingroom. "Mother and Mrs Dakc seem to haw become quite intimate oi late." she thought. "Mrs Dafce was here yesterdav. Perhaps mamma wouldn't. it phrased to have Mr Browning marry and his sister go home. I will wt sav anything to her of that brilliant idea of mine. She will be very pleased, however, to have cousin Winnie here (or a visit, so I'll write to her at once." . A dainty, perfumed envelope, ' addressed in flowing characters, soon toy upon the hat-rack in the hall. TTie side door opened, and Mrs Gilday entered. One looking at her sweet face and shining bands of brown hair would hardly suspect how tragical had been her married life. At/ twenty la tride.iat twentylive a widow. How much of sorrow, suflerng. and humiliation had,'{been crowded into that brief time it would bo hard to estimate. Only once Muriel had ventured to ask about her father. She had not forgotten the look that came over her mother's face. • "He dirt when you were a baby, dear," she said. Years after Muriel heaid from an oM nurse who visited them that her father was a gambler who bad spent most of her mother's fortune and died from the effects of drink. Ever since she could remember thev Itad lived in this pretty cottage at CHen Park. Her mother had given music lessons and superintended the care of the orchards. A small legacy bad been; left.her, sufficienti to keep her daughter and herself from porertv. "Hallo, mamma!" cried Muriel gaily, as her mother entered. "Yo« look as young and blooming as a girl of sixteen. Someone inquired th. other <tay H we were si>ters, and methinka I shall soon be asked if you are my daughter ! You needn't blush I It reminds mc of my own inability in that line." Mrs Gildlay smiled at Muriel's nonsense. "Have you been writing ?" she inquired. "I notice your desk is open." "Yes, to cousin Winnie ; asked her if she could come out for a visit. She must be dreadfully tired of sew-

':■ feu. H'willjdo her Rood to take a :• fcoKday. Don't you think so, mam- *' ttia ?" 1' "Yes, certainly. I had thought of I Jtrtting ber to sew lor us after a Wt,. liut she shall have her visit first ~*that Is, il she can arrangeiit." The Fates seemed to favour Muriel's Kttlc scheme. Cousin Winnie .wrote: "What a kind-hearted little person you are! lam tired of sewing. I ■hall be only too glad to accept your kind invitation." About this time Mr Browning gave up bis daily trips to London ami took to making forwent calls at Mrs GiMay's cottage. They were all busi- :; Bess calls. A letter to deliver ; some

* inquiry in regard to the care of his ,' poultry or his garden. Mrs GiMay | was an authority on such subjects. i. Or perhaps Mrs Dakc sent eoroplcmen is, and would they all come over to tea that evening ? 1 Winnie noted with great cotnplacency that he never seemed in any f baste to terminate these calls. On one occasion he lingered all the * aiternoon when lie had merely "dropped in to borrow Mrs Gtlday's pruning shears." •Surely Cousin Winnie's blue eyes and pretty, quiel ways were producing the desired eHect. Ire was another affair which d to require a share of Murlotice at this time. The atlenof a certain young man named Evans were evidently becoming rhat too pronounced. He and I had been to school together, d their dinner in the same hasind quarrelled as to who should the basket home again. Later had escorted her to parties, s, and other merry-makings. itill exercised the sisterly right, she had always claimed, ..[ 5 him her opinion of his acSo now, when lie took to lin- ; on the door-step in the earlv ngs when she kn.w lie had ■A for his father's office, she d her disapproval, and cm one on told him plaiirtv I hat lie it to br at work." started on, laughing protcstin<;Mlc after his departure Cousin e said deprccatingly. >w, Muriel, ttiat.was too bad ive him off in that wav.' What I your mother say if she had it ?" iven't any idea," replied Murirelessly. "It's the« truth I told He is not rich, and tie ought at work instead of dawdling lomings away here." To herself *oed, "I hope he isn't going to W»y ; that would spoil him ly. He is nice enough to take hoot, but when I marry it will And she was lost in a reverWhioh a tall, fair-haired hero a military bearing was nietaally dying to have her accept une and fortune, weeks sped by, each filled with usual number of drives alter teas, and tennis parties. Murs very busy in these davs Tie nt tctc-a-tctcs enjoyed bv Winv.i n * OWBfn 8 *"e brought \* the tact of our enterprising |» bad announced thai >h r I return to town the following The long-Ulked-ot picnic w d s Red tor the Thur.sdav previou, f departure. tS' . la s. ils P red «wsors, was and cloudless. The occupants oi Md cottage were astir at an hour Everybody was K «'-paat »ine, various traps filled young;* M*. all in & <W te W* Wending tieicway

down past the park to the toot ol j | the neighbouring hills. At last Hi* appointed place was I reached. Here the horses were tied, and the party began explorations for a suitable place for dining. After that most important feature Of ;a picnic was over, the younger members of the party.declared their Intention ot pushing on -to the top of the wooded hills. To Muriel's disappointment Mr Browning counted himself among ttiose who were'"too eld for such a scramble." Muriel, Frank Evans, and Winnie started on as leaders of the party. The two former were quite accustomed to climbing hills, but Winnie

was not, and before half the distance was accomplished scaled herself on a fallen tree, declaring that "she could not go another step." Frank gallantly offered to keep her company while the rest went on, Muriel clambered on, out-distancing

the others. When the o> ertook her they sard that Frank 3"' Winnie had decided to come on ; so on their return Muriel sat down behind a dump of hushes, int-rr'ii'-' M wait for them.(Soon she heard their voices, but she did not at once retrace hvr sivps to join them. Just then she heard Frank say :

"I have loved you, Winnie, ever since you were here a year ago." "Good Heavens !" exclaimed Muriel

to herself. "Is that possible V' «*• Of Winnie's reply she only caught the word "Muriel ?" "Nonsense !" said Frank. "I have only a hrotlicrly interest in her." I "My sentiments, too," thought Muriel.. "Shall I rush out 1 No, that will only startle them. It will be embarrassing enough for Winnie to have to refuse him." But the next words she heard were a double surprise. Winnie had accept-

cd Mr Evans. I "How can she think ot him?" groaned Muriel. "He is not to be

compared with Mr Browning. Young, poor, and—such a tiny moustache! Toor Mr Browning ■} What will he do now? Such a nice man, too !" With these ami similar reflections, Muriel left her flowers on the stones where they had fallen from her hands and hastily emcigvd from the bushes. Frank and Winnie had passtd, utterly obvious of everything but themselves. Muriel hastened on, joining the party she had i let'** only a few moments before. That evening, to Muriel's surprise, John Browning stopped to tea with them. After that was over he went out to the verandah to enjoy the moonlight and a cigar. Winnie ex-

•used herself on Hie plea of "packing" and went 1o her room. Mrs Gilday and Muriel remained in lie ilrawing-room to unpack the '•ampers and set things to rights. "Mr dear," began Mrs Gilday, emptying the contents of a saltcellar in'o the sugar bowl. "My dear, I have omething to tell you. Perhaps I ought to have told you before." Here she dropped the saltcellar on 'he floor. Muriel looked 'at\ her mother in surprise. Never had she seen '>er show such evident embarrass'iient. "1 hope you will not be displeas- ■ d," she Went en, "but I have promised to marry Mr Browning." Muriel gave a little gasp. "Dear mamma. I am so glad !" she firmly ejaculated. "Are you really ?" said Mrs Gil'ay, with a relieves! expression. "I K-ax afraid you might not be pleased."

"I am—quite pleased—ami surprisHere Mutiel dropped into a chair ind began to laugh hystericallv. "Wlial a matchmaker I am,.io \be ure '" she thought. Then she ex'•laimed aloud : "Mother, I have found mv vocation—the management of a Matrimonii Bureau '"

In regard to the fatal duel at Bulapcsl, it appears that Count KcgVvich refused the proposal that Hie luel should cease on first blood being drawn, and that Hie use of the •oint should be disallowed, and the ondiviorre were that the 'Weapons -hould he sabres, with the use of Ire point, and the continuance of he content till disablenvrnt. Count 'veglevich, though 65 years old, was -ockoncd a formidable antagonist. <nd be justified his reputation bv iolontly attacking M. Hcncz, a Her--nlean voung man of 28. At the nit f tort? minutes, Count Kcgievich ''mged so impetuously that Ire im•aktl himself on his adversary's word, which, piercing the heart, feme out through tin- back. The un•'ortunale Couni sank to the ground -iri expired almost immediatrlv. "resident Justh announce:! the sad xcurrenee in the Chamber, and inited all the members to assist at Hie funeral, and to lay a wreath on the bier in the name of the House.