The Story Teller.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 197, 12 May 1893, Page 7

The Story Teller.

A COACHMAN'S STORYIt was my first regular place, sir, and proud enough I was as you may beiiove; I had helped groom the horses at Mr Leslie’s stable, and I had lent a hand at odd jobs around Mr Warring-ton’s fishing camp, but I never went as regular coachman until old Major Jugglelord engaged me at twenty dollars a month and my board, with two black livery suits a year thrown in. You may guess how pleased I was ; the first ten dollar bill I sent to mother up in Toronto, and me only two and twenty ; but 1 was always old-looking for my years, and had a steady way with me. It wasn’t the liveliest place in the world at the Major’s—Juggleford Hall, they called it—and the only bit of life about it was Trippy, Miss Gertrude’s maid. ‘ Well, Sam,’ said she, in that pretty, aggravating way of hers, ; how do you like your new place ?’ ‘lt seems about as wideawake as a deaf and dumb asylum, miss,’ said I. ‘Don’t call me Miss, Sain,’ gigged she. ‘ I’m only a servant like yourself.’ ‘ You’re a very good one to look at,’ said 1.

* Sorry I can’t return the compliment,’ said she, her black eyes sparkhng. And after that we were good friends, though old Mrs Mobbs, the housekeeper, was always planning and plotting to keep us apart : and it was through Trippy that I first heard the love story between Mr Warrington and Miss Gertrude. ‘ Do you mean to say you never knew it before ?’ said Trippy, (Her real christened name was ‘Tryphena.’) ‘ Not a word,’ said I. ‘ Oh, then, you ain’t going to help us V ‘ Help you do what ?’ asked I, ‘ Oh, stupid !’ cried Trippy, with an impatient shake of her curly head. ‘ Help to circumvent the old Turk, to be sure. Major Juggleford, I mean. For you see, he’s made up his mind that Gertrude shall marry Dr Darwin, who's old enough to be her father, and lie’s got a wart on the end of his nose. But lie’s rich, you see, and poor Mr Warrington has got nothing but his handsome face and merry black eyes. ’ Here was a full-blown love story to be sure — and I wasn’t long in giving her to understand that i was with her and Miss Gertrude and Mr Warrington, heart and soul. But, after all, what was there that 1 could do ? Major Juggleford never really trusted me. after he had heard that 1 had lived with Mr Warrington, and I had no chance at all to show my sympathy. But I used to gather fresh water lilies for her every morning —Trippy took these to her room — and I had set myself to work to tame a young fox chat I had caught in a trap, for her. There wasn’t anything else I could do I did not see Miss Gertrude until I had been nearly a week at Juggleford Hall. ‘ She’s delieate, Trippy, ain’t she ?’ said I ; ‘ looks like a flower that has grown in the shade.’ ‘ She ain’t a bit well,’ Trippy answered. ‘ Nor she won’t be, as long as they torment her so. Tt’s a burning shame to ask a girl to marry an old fogey like Dr. Darwin, while, all this time, her heart belongs to Mr Frank Warrington !’ : Is it that ?’ asked I, with emphasis. ‘ Oh. do be careful, Sam,’ said Trippy—for I was helping to set the studio to rights, moving the big carved cabinet and taking down the window draperies, that were faded almost white in the sun, and at the same moment I gave a yell like a wild Indian, ‘ What’s this ?’ said I, ‘ Is it alive ?’ Trippy nearly doubled up with laughing ‘ Oh, Sam !’ said she, ‘ you’ll bo the death, of me ! Don t look so frightened—don’t ! ll’s only a lay figure !’ ‘ And what is' a lay figure,’ said I, keeping as far away as possible from that queer looking, lanky thing, with its head bunging over on one side, as if its neck was broken, and its hands drooping straight down. ‘Tt’s what’s Miss Gertrude dresses up to paint pictures from,’ said she, when she could get breath enough to answer roe. ‘ You don’t mean to say you never saw one befoie ? ‘ Never V said I, keeping as far away as possible, for it sei rued as if it might come aliye any minute, and made me think of the

g.ios's old Grainy Magilton used to talk about. ‘ And does Miss Gertrude paint real pictures ?’ ‘ The prettiest you ever set eyes oh,’ said Trippy. ‘lf only her spirit was equal to it, and she wasn’t badgered about the old Darwin fudge, I’m dead sure she’d be a great artist !’ But now that it’s all over, I don’t mind saying t hat I was glad to carry the draperies out to the back lawn, where they were to bo dusted, and so get rid of the sight of that lay figure.. It was spooky, no mistake about it. The next day there was a great rumpus at the Hall. Somehow the Major had contrived to get hold of one of Mr Frank’s love-letters^ ‘ So he’s hanging about the premises, is he ? The shiftless good -for-nothing young vngnb nd,’ said lie ‘ But I’ll settle bis business for him ! Trippy, pack your young lady’s things at once. I’ll take her to Saratoga, where Doctor Darwin is drinking the waters for the benefit of his liver. She shall be married out of hand !’ ‘Papa!’ shrieked Miss Gertrude, turning pale as ashes ‘ I mean it !’ said the Major, stamping around in a fury. ‘ Lose no time. The stage comes past the gate at nine o’clock to-night. We can get t e train at CaUen town and be in Saratoga to-morrow morning, and you shall be Mrs Doctor Darwin in less than twenty lour hours ! I won’t he circumvented like this—l won’t be de - fied—l won’t be set at naught by anyone alive !’

Miss Gertrude burst out into tears and sobs that might have melted a heart of stone. Trippy wrung her hands. ‘ But see how it’s raining, sir,’ said she, I My young lady isn’t fit to-—— ’ ‘ She’s neither sugar nor salt !’ interrupted the Major, still spinning round like an elderly peg-top. ‘ Pack up, I say, and lose no time.’ Of course, this was very hard. Even old Mrs Mobbs owned as much as that, Trippy went about, looking as if she’d lost her best friend, and I gathered a double lot of water lilies when I went out on the lake to catch fish for dinner, ‘lt may be the last she’ll get,’ said I. ‘ And only to think, she’ll never see the fox go through the tricks I’m teaching him !’ ‘ What’s that you’re bringing here Sam!’ the Major thundered, as he met me face to fa.ee on the garrett stairs. I nearly dropped my load in my con sternation. 1 It’s Trippy’s trunk, sir,’ I stammered. < Take it back again ! ' roared the Major. ‘ She won't need it.” ‘ Sir ! ’ gasped I. ‘ Take—it—back —again ! ’ said he. ‘ Ain’t I going, sir,’ cried Tippy, who was waiting at the foot of the stairs. ‘ No, you’re not ! ’ said the Major. ■ Whose to take care, of her, sir? ’ persisted Trippy. ‘ She’ll have a husband to look after her soon,’ said the Major, smiling a grim smile. ‘ Until then, I’m quite capable of caring fo; her.’ I took the trunk back, but as I returned along the ball I could hear Miss Gertrude sobbing, and Trippy, poor soul, trying to comfort her. And all of a sudden the pitiful sounds stopped. ‘ She must be feeling better, poor young lady,’ thought I, ‘ I only wish wo could got word to Mr Frank ! ’ I don’t know that I ever was out in a worse thunderstorm than when the stage coach stopped at the gates of Juggleford Hall that night. -It was dark as pitch, and the wind blowing so that my stable lantern wasn’t a bit of use.

‘ The Major went first with a valise in each hand and a big mackintosh that flew open like the sails of a ship. I followed after with the trunks on a barrow, and Miss Gertrude came last, with Trippy almost carrying her along, ‘ I’m afraid your new travelling dress will be spoiled, miss,’ said Trippy. ‘ Hang the travelling dress ! ’ said the Major, stepping plump into a puddle of water, for the gravel walk was like a lake. ‘ Come on, Gertrude 1 What are you waiting for ? Don’t you see that the stage is here ? ’ ‘ Look alive ! ’ bawled the stage driver. And between them, he and Trippy got Miss Gertrude into a back seat. There was just room for one passenger inside, an i the Major was to go on the box, storm and nil.

• if it was raining pitchforks and pork barrels I’d go all the same!’ said the Major. * I can’t afford to run any more risks—eh ? Are we all ready ? Are you comfortable, my dear? ’ But Miss Gertrude never answered him a word. She sat silent and drooping, ‘ Are you crowded there ? ’ pursued he. ‘ Time’s up, sir! ’ said the stage driver, looking at his big s'lver watch. ‘ Sulking, eh ? ’ said the Major. ‘ Well, keep on it it amuses you ! Yes, conchy, I'm all right ! ’ And he scrambled up to the box seat with a good deal more activity than I’d supposed him to be capable of. ‘Good-bye, Miss Gertrude!’ shrilly called Trippy. But the wheels and the thunder together made such a noise that we couldn’t catch the answer, ‘ Don’t cry, Trippy,’ soothed I. ‘ Take my arm back to the house—the lantern has blown out, and Ihe wind is fit to take you off your feet. I’ll leave the barrow here until to-morrow morning, Don't cry, Trippy ! It’s a shame, so it is ; but ’ Sue jerked her arm away from me. ‘ Sam ’ said she, in a choked voice, ‘go for the minister at once.’ ‘ The which ?’ said L_ ‘ The minister, 1 say ! Are you deaf?’ ‘ Who’s ill ?’ said I, with my mouth wide open. ‘lf it Mrs Mobbs ?’ ‘ Don’t stop to ask idiotic questions !’ said Trippy, stamping her feet. ‘ Quick ! Run ! It may be too late ’! When Trippy got one of those breezy ways with her, it was no use opposing her will. The only thing-was to obey ; and I ran the short cut through the woods as fast as ever I could after the Reverend Mr Doty. He was just shutting up his iiouse for the night, and he put on his waterproof coat and came with me, when I represented the urgency ot Trippy’s message, ‘lt must be Mrs Mobbs,’ said h°, ‘ She has been anxious about her soul this long time. My sermons have done some good, it would appear Continual (troopings wears the hardest stone.’ It. was raining now harder than ever, but we managed to reach the old Hall 1 rippy was waiting for us at the door. ‘ Come in !’ she cried ‘ Quick !’ ‘ Is it Mrs Mobbs ?’ said the minister. ‘ Is she under conviction ?’ The next minute Trippy flung open the library door, It, was a blaze of waxlights there, and the table was all decorated with my water-lily bud 3, There, before our eyes, stood Miss Get trade dressed in white, and Mr Warrington at her side. *Wo wish to be married, sir,’ said lie. ‘ We are both fully of age, and there is no possible objection.’ Please proceed at once.’ And then and there they were mariied. Not until they had liven off in the carriage that was waiting at the back entrance gate did I collect my senses sufficiently to ask 'f lippy : ‘ But who was it that went in the stage coach with Major Juggleford? eh, Trippy ’ ‘Oil, Sam, you dreadful goose!’ said Trippy. ‘lt was the lay figure !’ 18 F RUN oil LIKE IRISII ? A a lory is told of a certain Mayor of Coik, who headed a deputation to the late Emoe.or of the French, and commenced an oration to his majesty in what lie conceived to be the French tongue, ‘ Pardon me,’ said the Emperor, alter he had listened to the speech with much patience, ‘ English I know fairly well, but, 1 regret to say, 1 have never had an opportunity ot stu lying the Irish language.’