A Slight Misunderstanding.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3772, 29 January 1881, Page 1

A Slight Misunderstanding.

By Bell Blossom

I am naturally of a retiring disposition, and apt to <-hun ladies' society; therefore it was with something bordering on a shock that I read the following letter from my old friend and college cbum, George Arnold.

• We bad been Damon and Pythias in. those ancient days, He was a wholesouled, true hearted fellow, always mixed Up in interminable lore affairs, from winch roy cooler head and hand were iv constant requisition to release him. He was a handsome man, too; therefore it was with little wonder that when absent from my restraining influence I learned that he had committed the fatal act of matrimony. But to return to the letter. I spare my 'reader that part of it which eulogised the charms of the wonderful creature who bad linked her life to his, the ecstatic bliss in which bis days were spent, his fervent adjurations that I should follow his Benedictine example, and proceed to the subject matter, on the thread of which hangs my story:—

"Seeing is believing ray dear fellow, therefore I will not take no for an answer, in my desire to have a visit from you in our new home. I don't think I shall feel my happiness quite assured until I have felt the honest grip of your band, and watched the envious look in your eyes.- I will meet you at the station next Friday morning at ten o'clock, in the dog-cart, and leaving the ladies at home, will show you a little of the country behind my bay team before introducing you into their august presence." % The ladies! I gasped, and re-read the words. There must be some mistake. Surely my friend bad not become a diaciple of Mormonism. ' ,

But, at any cost, I must go. In reality, I had no excuse to offer for a refusal, and our friendship was too old and dear to lightly refuse so cordial a request.

I bad forgotten the feminine noun in. the plural number when, in obedience to George's orders, I stepped out of the train on the morning designated. He was standing, on the platform waiting for me, and I had no need to look twice into his handsome face to see that the happiness of which lie spoke bad left its impress there. His groom, close by, stood holding the beads of as fine a pair of horses as would make any man forget womankind in general, then scrambled up into his seat behind, as, settling ourselves upon the cushions, my friend gathered up the reins and we bowled swiftly off into the open country. , Two hours later we turned into the private grounds of a beautifully appointed country seat, pnst the gothic lodge, and up the gravelled drive, until before I had time to ask a single question, my friend sprang out almost before the horses had fairly stopped, and embraced-r-yes, embraced—two ladies, who were sitting upon the porch surrounding the spacious and handsome house.

I more quitely followed suit—l mean as to act of discending not as to the embrace—while George turning round and introducing me, with much warmth and manner, to his sister and his wife

The mystery was explained—there was a sinter in the case. Which she was ? Small need to question. His hand rested with an air of proprietorship on the shoulder of the young lady to whom I stood nearest. . She was prettier, too, than the other, and I had great confidence in George's taste. Her cheek had the faintest rose-blush upou it; her mouth the most eiqui'jto curve ; her eyes were dancing with mis. chief—and such eyes! Gray in colour, but at night looking black—a delusion the long, sweeping lashes helped to strengthen. She was, in a word, a beautiful woman; and I no longer wondered at George's proud happiness. The other was pretty, too—not tanlilre

her gister—bat a prettiness which paled ia Mrs George's more dazzling charms. J The afternoon and evening passed delightfully, George was remarkably unj ■elfish, and allowed me to almost monopolize the 1 lovely creature he called; Wife. — , \ This put me more st'my ease and banished the restraint from my manner,! 'Which was apt to characterise it iH {fiyf interview i!with young, unmarried women. ! ■'* She sang; too, delightfully, and, bending, 'Over'her at the piano, I discovered a. feeling tugging at my heart closely akin! to envy. ' ' . rpuring the,next few days, I fancied that George watched me with something; of amusement in hie manner; but, spite of my most careful scrutiny, I could' detect no passing shade of jealousy. ; .'.".".One day, going into the sitting room, I discovered my friend's wife gazing out of the window, with a look of painful, ab-j ■traction 1 on her beautiful face. j It was so new an expression to find itsway there that X followed the direction of, her 1 eyes to see what had caused it. '\ '/.George was seated in the Summer-: house, plainly visible from where we stood,; and by his side her sister, with his arm' about her waist. _ \ Could it be that Clare (I had learned, this was her name, though my lips had' never dared venture to utter it) was! jealous? My heart throbbed with indignation .for her. Did she feei herself, neglected P However this may have been the moment she defected my presence she turned to me with her old glad smile, and; in that moment the mask I had so persistently worn over my own heart dropped . and reveaved to me the truth.

, : I was madly, passionately in love with my friend's wife. Something in my eyes, perhaps, told her the truth, for a vivid blush mounted to her face, and, with some incoherent words of embarrasment, ■he ran from the room. I stood mute and despairing in the spot where she had left me. George, in his nobility and honour, had trusted me. I had shamelessly betrayed the trust. What was to be done. Mechanically I put my hand in my pocket and drew out the time-table The next train left at four, o'clock in the afternoon. I must make a clean breast to George—we were too old friends to resort to subterfuge—and take the train to bear me away from this Eden, with its serpent of disappointed hopes curled among the flowers. But I could 4 not look into his manly, honest eyes and disclose the story. 80, I must write, and in my note I would warn him, too, of that expression I had surprised in his wife's' face on watching that scene in the summer-hquse. I found it a more difficult task than I had imagined to let him know. I was unworthy his friendship ; but so only could I redeem my fault, and I persevered boldly, the perspiration; standing the while in. great drops upon my forehead, until my letter lay directed on the table, and I threw myself, with a deep groan, upon my couch, to try and compose myself for my journey. The voice of the man I<had wronged aroused me- Before I had time to move, he was in my room. "Hello, old fellow! You're not ill, surely P Why, what's this?" his eye fulling,upon-the note I had left carelessly upon the table. " A note to me, and in your writing P " " Yes; read it," I said, hopelessly, trusting that he might challenge'me. and determining that I would fire in the air, and pray his bullet might speed to its mark. Then I buried my face in my pillow and waited. Ido not.know whether it was a minute or an hour, until his hand fell on my shoulder, and I turned around to see him smiling—yes, actually smiling in my face. ' " It's a slight misunderstanding, my boy," he said. " You have got the parties a little confused. Tlt is my wife's sister, not my wife, who has worked you all this trouble. Will you take the four o'clock train now P Shall I order the dog cart to be got ready ? " I could only stare at him in. blank amazement. " Not your wife ? " I questioned at last, feebly.. "JN o. Clare discovered your error on the first evening you arrived, and begged me to not. undeceive you. Sbe is full of mischief, and thought it would be fun. Perhaps she, too, has discovered it a more serious matter. I leave that for you to find out." My joy was as great as my despair had been, and it is scarcely necessary to add that the four o'clock train did not have one miserable passenger added to its living freight. In fact before that hour I had discovered Clare in the garden, and though I could not refrain from a little justifiable revenge in making her suppose that I was making love to her in the character she had assumed—that of George's wife—and thus bringing the lily and rose alternately in her c eek, I soon convinced her that I had penetrated her disguise, but that I had found her so fascinating in the role of a married' woman that I wished her to asnume it as* soon as possible. -<But never since that day has my wife or I had any cause to regret "A Slight Misunderstanding."