CHAPTER II.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 5 June 1873, Page 3

CHAPTER 11.

Thou art not for the fashion of these times, Where none will sweat but for promotion. Fjiom the esplanade of Aberhirnant one side-strcot only branches off, a short stmt ending in a chapel ; tins street hues the mouth of a little gorge running down fi >m the mountains to the eea One one side of the street is tlv bnnk, a three-cornered stone budding, on the door ot which is painted, m half-obliterated white letters, Mr Arthur .Rowlands, Solicitor, Stamp Office If jou followed the road beyond the Methodist Chapel, you presently came to a steep shoot, which ascended the side of a raTine, and lost itself among the hills. This was the old Aberhirnant and Glam^e) road, now almost doused, except bi fai n- ei s coining to market, as the new road follow ing the line ot the coa«t, and cut out in places in the face of tho rock, is much more safe and convenient, though not so direct. Arthur Rowlands, solicitor and distributer of stumps for the county of Caennion, is a young man of some four-ami-twenty years, residing at this present time with his father, the banker. It was well known in Aberhirnant that he was going to marry Mary Koberts, the prett> daughter of the rector of the adjoining parish ot Llanfeehan, and that the wedding was to come off on Clmstinas-c a., , now clo«c at hand. A house had been taken for him a mile or so up the estuary, in a pleasant little glen facing to tho south, and appropriately named Bodheulog, or the abode ot the sun ; and sundry van-loads of hirniture had akciidj arrived. All the people of Aberhirnant were in a state of chronic excitement as to the approaching wedding. There were to be triumphal arches and Hags; and the well-to-do inhabitants were to feast each other at the Wynnstay Arms, whilst the poor people were to be fed in the Wesley an Chapel ; and there were to be fireworks at night, and a bonfire on the top of Mynydd Maur, and all kinds of similar delights. Had it happened, indeed, that Menevia's Pride had been lost and her crew drowned within sight, and almost ™thin -~b«l of their homes, then surely this programme would have to be abridged very much, and the rejoicings entirely stopped. In England, the loss of a few common people, more or less, would not be accepted as a valid excuse for interrupting the enjoyments of their betters ; but in Caerinion they are yet uncivilised, still influenced by the sympathies of blood and race, still rejoice and mourn in concert, still own the ties ot kindred and affinity. Spite of all this, however, the people of Aberhirnant were specially addicted to backbiting and slandering each other ; and there was no man in Aberhirnant whose tongue was fiercer, and whose scandals were more virulent, than Dr Lewis Owen, usually known as tho Hen Doctor. Don t run away with the idea 'that he wasj a practitioner amongst poultry ; he was sim ply the ' old doctor.' The rival surgeon, whose current name was ' Jack Bach,' being a young and rising man, whilst Dr Owen was now nearly seventy, this title was given him as a distinction. The Hen Doctor was a tall, old man, with eagle nose and bald head ; he wore a conical white hat with broad flapping brim, a cut-away Quaker's coat, a bunch of seals at his lob, trousers usually very threadbare and very short, reaching little below his knees ; a pair of hand-knitted stockings, and low shoes tied with strings, completed his attire. You would have suspected him to be a Quaker till you heard him speak, when you would notice that his conversation was garnished with expletives to a greater extent than was customary among * Friends.' The Hen Doctor hadn't joined in the subscriptions to the funds to provide for the expenses of the wedding rejoicings. . , • Thej 'll be bankrupt before the year's out ; yes, indeed ! he g-owled in reply to any solicitation to contribute. Perhaps the reason why the doctor was so embittered against the banker and his son was, that ho himself had been a candidate for the office of distributer of stamps, but had been beaten by the superior political influence of Mr Rowlands. The office was a very lucrative one, as the county contained the cathedral town of St. Padarn, which had a local probate court of its own, and the distributer of the county received a commission on all the moneys paid for proving wills and taking out administrations. Tins year especially the receipts would be great. Old Sir Samuel Bopoak, the great millionaire of Manchester, had lately died at Ins seat of Castle Deudnant, in this county, and having leftthebulk of his property to an adopted son, the duties to be paid on his bequests would be something enormous, and the corresponding commission to the distributer & very comfortable sum. , , , The prospect of the comfortable sum of money had hastened Arthur Rowlands' marriage. It would furnish handsomely the neir houto at Eodheulog, and start the young couplo on their career with a sufficient balance in the bank. Arthur Rowlands and Mary Roberts had waited for each other for some years, for the old banker, although he w as not penurious, was very grudging of ready money. No ; he wouldn't lurnish a house for his son ; let him wait till he could save enough to furnish it himself ; that was the way he, Evan, had to do when ho was married. Evan Rowlands lived in a large ashlar-built house, standing on a terrrace cut out oi the side of a hill, and sheltered from the north and east. It commanded a magnificent view of the sea, of the estuary, and of the mountains bounding it on each side. A carriage road wound up to it by easy gradients, and by that road it would take you some time to get to the house ; but by a footpath running up the breast of the hill you could reach it from the town in a few minutes. By this footpath young Rowlands must have run up to the house, when he burst into the breakfast-room, shouting, ' Good news ! Good news ! ' 4 Ah, oh,' said the banker, looking out from that network of wrinkles which framed his eyes, with his peculiar glance, half-puzzled, half-shrewd ; ' good nows, oh ' And what is the good news? Something to do with Mary Roberts, do doubt.' 4 Wrong, father, wrong. Kate ! Winny ! guess what the good rews U. . t 'Don't torment üb, Arthur, please ; we give it up. ' Arthur's Bride, reported to be lost in the late storm, has just been signalled off the bar, and will come in with the flood. She has lost sparß and rigging, and is very much shattered, and will have to be laid up for repairs as soon as tho weather moderates; but she's safe, father, safe. Hurrah ! ' 1 Hhrrah !' shouted the girls. It wasn't to be expected that old Rowlands would shout hurrah. Perhaps the change that came over his face, as he heard the news, was caused by the revulsion of feeling arising from the loosening of the strain upon him, the rtjief from suspense and anxiety. However, he soon recovered himself, received the congratulations of hi* family with a smiling face, and muttering something about the calls of business, took his way down to the bank. 4 Arthur,' said Winny, his sister taking him by the arm, ' I think this is a good omen for you. I think Arthur's bride is destined to good luck, and I know that she deserves it. But oh, Arthur, think of the poor woman, Gwen, the captain's wife! That which makes us so glad must make her so sorrowful, for surely the wreck that came ashore belonged to either one or the other ; and if our ship is safe, where is Menevia's Pride ? ' But Arthur was too happy to have much sympathy to spare for Gwen Pugh, and went off presently to order his horse for a ride to Llanfechan. When the banker reached his office, it was not long past nine, and the bank was not opened ; he sank down into his easy chair hi the little dark back room which formed the parlour ; the shutters were closed, and the room in a sort of dusky gloom. Rowlands lit a candle, took out some papers, burnt one or two, and then resting his head on his arms, seemed to fall into a kind of mental stupor. He hardly stirred or moved for more than half an hour, though at times he would sigh heavily. Presently John, the chief clerK — there were but two, John and a little boy — camo into the outer office, and began to unlock the safes and take out the books and ledgers wanted for the day's work. 4 John ! ' said Rowlands feebly. 4 What's the matter, master ? ' cried John, hurrying in somewhat scared at his master's look and tone. 4 Is anything wrong ? ' John was the only man in whom Rowlands reposed his confidence. Ho didn't confide anything to Arthur or to his daughters respecting business matters, but to John he told et cry thing. ' John, I'm afraid Menevia's Priae is gone.' 4 Well, they do say so, Master ; but depend upon it, it isn't true. But why take on about it so ? You're too kindhearted, master.' 'No; it isn't that, John; but look here, I've underwritten M«nevia for three thousand ; she's lost. I insured Arthur for five thousand ; she's saved. ' Anwyl dad ! ' fcaid John ; ' three thousand pounds ! Name of goodness, what * loss to you ! But never mind,' he wont on briskly ; ' you'll make it up, Mr Rowlands, bach. You will give me a less salary for a year, I daresay — it was lucky you didn't raise it when I a«ked you latt week— and you'll dismiss Thomas ; no doubt it will be only a little more work for me. Oh, you'll make it up, master ; only don't fret.' 4 John, I can't help fretting. You know how losses have crowded upon me ; how these cursed ships that I took for Lewis's debts have been preying upon me. Bottomry bonds, port dues, refittings, and all kinds of pulls upon me ; and my captains coming home in ballast without a penny in their pocket, and telegraphing to mo for money. Oh, it's devilhsh ' Another five hundred at tho least that wretched Bride will cost me : and I had hoped to get five thousand by her.' 1 But oh, Mr Rowlunds, bach, jou didn't hopo that she was lost, did you? Oh, that would bo wicked; that would be going against the Bible. You that's a magistrate »nd all ! Oh, Mr Rowlands ! ' ' But, John, it would lm-ve saved me.' 4 Well, you know, master,' said John, 'you've only got yourself to thank lor it. You would go meddling with those nasty ships, and muddling all your money away in the sea.' .Rowlands groaned. 4 And didn't I warn you against going into the insuring business ? '

1 Name o' goodness stop your jabber ! ' cried Rowlands, angrily arousing. ' What good is all that chatter ? Why didn't you do this, why didn't you do that ? Gk> to your work you fool ! ' 'All right,' said John. 'In it worth while to lake down the shutters ? ' • What do you mean ? ' cried Row lands, looking at him with staring eyes. ' You know very well what I mean. There's three thousand pounds in gold, and that's all to carry on with to-day. Now, have you brought any more with you, Mr Rowlands ? — now ! There will be the quarry check* ccvning in directly, Mr Rowlands— now ! All gold then, Mr Row lands— now ! Ono me your orders, master — now!' 'John, ' John, if you'll begin to turn against me I'll give up. Am I ruined, John ? Is it come to that ? And the children and Arthur ? O John ! it w ill kill me.' The clock m the church tower hnrd by tolled out the hour —one, two, three, four, fhe; at the sixth stroke Rowlands sprang to his feet. ' Anwi/l dad ! and I forgot. John, tear the shutters down. Heaven grant there are no customers ' ' There was a clank and rattle of bars for a moment as the clerk let in the light of day ; the flame of the candle on the table disappeared m the glory ot the sun. The last shutter taken down was that of the glass half-door which opened from the bank into the lobby outside ; as that came down they saw framed in thowindowthe half-length figure of a man of eagle beak and long lantern jaws. The man was taking a pinch of snuff with one hand ; in the other he held a stout oaken staff uplifted, as if ho were about to strike the door. It was the Hen Doctor.

A worthy baronet in one of tho midland counties was lately returning home in tho evening from a \ lsit, and found his seat in the dog-cart rather colder than he expected. His coachman being attired in his livery great-coat, was desired by his master to let him put it on, and to take his lighter one, as he would not feel tlio cold so much. On the basonct's arrival at home and ringing the bell, the footman on opening the door, snd without looking who was in the greU-cout. says, "So you have left the old D 1 behind ?" " No," exclaims tho baronet ; " the old D lis here, and he gives you a month's warning !" ||A shoemaker of Aberdeen had fallen into a fortune, after having inllen into several misfortunes chiefly of feminine causes. He sought to divorce Ins wife, and she sought to divorce linn, and m the various suits some £2000 or £3000 was spent. Lord Deas, during a dispute about the wife's expenses, asked, " How would this shoemaker haye got justice it he had been obliged to stick to his last?" The Lerd President instantly answered, " He would have required to have spent his awl." Eagles fly alone ; sheep flork together,— so we have herd. This world is full of compensations. The more prices go up, the more we have to " come down " lor everything. About the commonest social vice, and one which is most abhorred, is advice. A young man who went West n few months ago has sent only one letter| home. It said, " Send me a wig," and his fond parents don't know whether he is scalped or married." Tho grave, — an ugly hole in the ground which lovers and poets wish they were in, but take uncommon care to keep out of.

A Sinecure. — Sir Boyle Roche, in wordy contact witn Curran in the Irish House of Commons, made some allusion to Currans honour. " Sir," said Curran, "do you speak of my honour ; lam the guardian of my honour." " Faith," said Sir Boyle, " I knew that some time or other you would accept a sinecure." A Lesral Conveyance : A convict ship.

Misdirected. — A boy of tender years and heart has drowned 17 kittens, tied tin pans to the tails of all the neighbours' dogs, and ornamented his chamber by pinning flies to the wall, cut. brickbats with his uncle's razor, blows up a pet canary w ith a fire-cracker, pulled the tail-feathers out of two roosters, been thrown into the top of an apple-tree by a cow that he was teasing, brushed his father's hat against the grain, told his sister's lover about her false teeth, and still his fond mother intends him for the pulpit.

De. Bbigut's PnosrnoDTNE. — Multitudes of people are hopelessly suffering from Debility, Nervous and Liver Complaints, Depression of Spirits, Delusions, Unfltncss for Business or Study, Failure of Hearing, Sigkt, and Memory, Lassitude, Want of Power, &.c, whose c*aes adn.it of permanent cuue by the new remedy Phosphodjne (Oxonic Oxygen), which at once allays all irritation and excitement, imparts new energy and life to the enfeebled constitution, and rapidly cures every stage of these hitherto incurable ahd distressing maladies. S-ild by all Chemists and Storekeepers Ihrougout the colonies, from whom pamphlets containing testimonial* may be obtained —Caution : Be particular to ask for Dr Bright's Phosphodyne as imitations are abroad; and a\oid purchasing single bottles, the genuine article being sold in cases only. — Adv