CHAPTER I. JOHN FOSSDYKE, SOLICITOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2200, 14 August 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER I. JOHN FOSSDYKE, SOLICITOR.

M Ought to have a theatre, air— of course, it ought to have a theatre — the idea of a thriving go-a-head place like Baumborough being without such a thing. We've a mechanics' institute, assembly rooms, hospital, college, covered market, •Conservative club, public gardens a town band— the most thick-headed and irascible municipality in the kiugdom, school •of att, and all the latent fads of the times we live in, and no theatre. It cau't be — It mustn't be. Do you mean to elevate tb.6 masses, or do you not ? Are these aot days in which culture is everything ? What are mutton-chops to mezzotint*, or ducks to dudes? Who would think of table sensualities when the intellectual banquet of Hamlet by the great Dobbs awaited him. No, Baumborough, with its thirty thousand inhabitant*, is astir with dramatic interests. We have local artists, sir, who only want opportunity ; suckling Shakexpeares in our midst who merely want some slight study of stage craft to blossom into metropolitan fame. !No, Mr Ingleby, despite the supreme •tupidity and obstinacy of the Corporation, you and I have pulled through a good many ticklish matters, and we'll work this. Baumborough must have a theatre, and when I, John Fossdyke, tell you so, you know the thing will be." That was the keynote to John Fossdyke's career — his indomitable self-asser-tion. Fifteen years ago he bad settled in Baumborough n« a solicitor, a young man with no introduction*, not an acquaintance, much less a friend, in the place, and now he was practically their leading citizen. From the very commencement it signified little what it might be, but whatever there might be to be done in Baumborough, about jt Mr Fosttdyke had much to say. Sbrewd, hard-headed, pachydermatous and a fluent speaker, he bad proved from the -first totally irrepressible. He began as .naturally all leading citizens do begin in tthe opposition, and speedily demonstrated that to have John Foasdyke's fluent tongue and keen brain against a thing waa to make its accomplish mint a matter of some trouble. A man this to be propitiated, and cookers and contrivers of map local jobs came quickly to the conclusion that this was a man to have on their wde, and made overtures accordingly. Energetic, irrepressible John was iv no humour to turu up his nose at wellbottercd bread, and speedily had not a finger, but hi* whole fist in every pie worth baking. Practice came rapidly to him, and he had plenty of ability to take advantage of it, and having succeeded in marrying the daughter of a well-to-do clergyman in the neighbourhood, who had inherited a nice bit of money from her de«OHHed mother, he conjoined the lucrative profession of moncy-lendtug to the selling of law. It was soon spread About j\m<«njc«fc the farmer* round Baumborontfb that lawyer Fossdyke had cliecit« ready to advance a Jittie monry on deceat i»eeuTity should the banks prove rusly, #nd in )>i* e»rl.V d»V« John Fosirtyke touk ««re to outbid the banks aud demnud one per cent, less iv interest thun thoy 4 id. Ho throve and waxed fat in subrfai.ee year by year, as men with this Y«hemeuce of clutch always do, obtained the appoiatment of town clerk and a wonopoly of all legal picking* connected with the Banmborough municipality. At the time this narrative commences, and V[r Fonsdyke feels it incumbent on him to i tpress hi* sentiments concerning the *. action of a theatre for Baumborough to t; » esteemed iriend, Dr. Ingleby, he had \L -uired for himself a pleasant villa about «\u He outside the town, wirh about a Hun ired acres of «ras< and pleasaunoe " vJJ dit, and was as leading and prospero^aman ftg any [ n Bauraborough.

The building of this theatre, which now ocoupied his restless mind, was another of tho.se looal improvements whioh he so persistently flouted, and which had in no little measure made him. His fellow-townsmen appreciated the public gardens, mechanics' institute, *c, all of which were in a great measure brought about by his unwearied asritution, and whirh he took good care should more or less contribute to hia advantage. " A warm man, and a good sort, and likna a bit of sport," said that large country side of which Baumborough was the market town, and the popular solicitor so far endorsed the latter laudation as to be ever open to the offer of a day's shooting or couning, and to generally put in an appearance at the cover side, when the hounds met within easy distance. But with all these virtues there was one allegation sometimes made against Mr Fossdyke, namely, that though he doubtless had made a good bit of money, he waa a very difficult man to get money from. These detractors were chiefly the tradespeople of Baumborough who, though perchance mftre scandal-mongers, it could not be denied were certainly in a position to form an opinion. 11 Well," said the doctor slowly, after a pause, • ' J suppose if you have made up your mind, Fossdyke, we are to have a theatre, a theatre we shall have. You generally carry out what yon go in for, but it's no use pretending your schemes are always successful. You shook us up to begin with. We had got stagnant, and the municipality wanted new blood, but you're over doing it now. The assembly rooms are not open twice a year, the covered market draws no custom, and the public gardens so far are mere sand, ashes and sticks." '•Things must have a begtnniug," rejoined Mr Fossdyke cheerily. " You must educate your public to prefer legitimate space for dancing to the delights of crushed and torn flounces. Tree 9 must have time to grow, while as for the covered market I'll leave the climate to bring that into fashion. Walk out to the Dyke with me, have some lunch, and discuss the theatre.'' But Dr. Ingleby declined that offer, and the prosperous solicitor strolled home by himself. Prosperous, well-to-do men's houses are not quite so pleasant inwardly at times as their exterior would indicate. Good Lord 1 there are many things we hanker sadly after that could we only take a peep behind the scenes we should never wish for more. John Fossdyke had married well, so said all Baumborough. It wan regarded as a considerable step tip the social ladder when he, at that time a struggling solicitor, won for himself the hand of the only daughter of the Rev. Maurice Kimberley. J.P., and rector of Bimby, a parish lying some two or three miles outside the town. It was true Mary Kimberley was no chicken, and some years older than the aspiring attorney, but still Mary had a nice bit of money and was considered at the time to have thrown herself away rather, although it did not seem quite so clear what other matrimonial alternative was open to her. Marriage no doubt is no necessity for women, but when she has passed five and thirty, if she has any inclination that way, it behoves her to give due consideration to such proposals as may fall to her. Mary Kimberley was a little tired of Bimby rectory ; life there was somewhat stagnant, and she had a vague longing to change it for a world with somewhat more "go" in it. She was a sensible young woman, and when John Fossdyke asked her to marry him replied she would give him an answer in twentyfour hours. She had "a good think" over the business, and having arrived at the conclusion that there wore only three courses open to her, namely, to remain mistress d£ the rectory, to marry some impecunious curate, or say yes to John Fossdyke, made up her mind to the latter, and said yes the next day. So far Mary Kimberley had shown wise discretion, but the pity of it was that as Mary Fossdyke she forgot to continue it. Many a man has been indebted to his wife for his first start in life, tut if ever & man feels that he has borrowed the capital that floated hitn at usurious interest it ia when his wife persistently reminds him of the fact. Mrs Fossdyke always kept before her husband that it was her social preeminence that placed him where he was, that it was her money which was the foundation of his fortune. Perhaps it was ; no doubt there was considerable truth in it, but the perpetual recapitulation of conferred benefits is about as trying as any known method of exasperation. Nobody accused the Fosadykes of living a cat-and-dog life, but it was generally conceded that Mrs Fossdyke, though a well-meaning wpman, was a little trying at times, while it was urged on her behalf that she had fair cause of complaint about the manner in which she was often left alone for weeks at a time. Mr Fossdyke's business was extensive, and by no means in these days confined to Baumborough. He was a man with a good many irons in the fire, and such irons, as we all know, require constant watching, nad energetic John Fossdyke was not the man to let the kettle boil over from being out of the way. Mrs Fossdye, dear good lady, although honestly fond and proud of her lord, could no more resist that irresistible luxury, a grievance, than the rest of us, and was wont to murmour over these constant absences in a plaintive manner to her intimates. "After all I've been to him, my dear," she would say, "after my lifting him into society, after my even finding him the money with which he was first enabled to embark in these great undertakings. John's clever, there's no denying, energetic I grant you. Few men, even with all his advantages, would have acheived what he has done, but John is not considerate. He should remember what I have been to him, that I occasionally require change, an 1 am not above roughing it a little when necessary; in short, he might, I think, take me with him on some of these buaines33 excursions." But John Fossdyke remarked impenetrably deaf to »U such hints as the.ie. When his business required him to leave home he went, but never found it incumbent on him to take Mrs Fo-wdyke. That estimable woman possessed the advantages of a steely grey eye, in aquiline no*e, and much fixity of purpose, but was fain to admit in moments of confix deuce thut John would have his way in some things, and one of the.«e thin*?* whs the transacting of bu*iue4S without counsel from his better self. It had taken some time to instil thi* into the good lady 'a mind, for «he was by no mennn diffident concerning her abilities to ccmduv.t anything, of any kitul, and from laying out a flower garden to the buying or selling: of Egyptians, from the cookmg of an omelette to the question of what had become of the lost tribes of Israel, never hesitated to express a decided opinion. About this hut question, indeed, she waa delioiou«ly feminine and illogical. She «aid the Jews were unbelievers, and therefore not entitled to credence, consequently there was no roal reason to believe that there were any lost tribes, such evidence as there w«h concerning 1 them beinjr utterly unreliiible— an ingenious hit of sophistry more easy to deny than disprove, and which caused Mrs Fossdyke to be spoken of by the surrounding- clergy as a clever woman, but with rather uusouud opinions. So John Foosdyke went his way silently and solitary on these business excurs'ons,

while his wife aired her imaginary grievauo« with much petty satisfaction. She was not exaotly the woman to take a real wrong quietly, and, though she was very far from suspecting it, neither was John Fossdyke the man to put up with anything but absolute tmbmisaion to his will when the occasion waxed strong enough. People may live a long time together, and whilo life progresses in the ordinary grooves, form a very mistaken estimate of euoh other's character. The indolent man thoroughly roused for instince, the dictatorial bully sharply collared, the meek patient woman at last outraged past endurance, or the shrinking shy girl, suddenly oal'ed upon to play a heroine's pare, constantly astonish those who fancy they know them thoroughly. It in some sudden discovery of her nature, whioh, labelled incompatibility of temper, very often furnishes employment for the divorce court. . Seated in the drawing-room at Dyke, in desultory conversation with Mr* Fossdyke, was a tall rubicund- elderly gentleman, who, said to say, was wont to be the cause of some acrimony between the lady and her spouse. Mr Totterdell, by appearance, should have been devoted solely to his own oomfort, the pleasures of the table and port wine. So he was, but he unfortunately conjoined with these tastes a most insatiable curiosity. No child could have been more exacting an to " the why " of this, that, and the other, and his presence on the occasion of the packing of John Fossdyke's portmanteau had driven that gentleman to the verge of mudness. He wanted to know why ho took dress things with him ; why he took shooting boots, when he said he was goinsr to London. Whom did he expect to dine with, &c. ? In short, he possessed one of those petty enquiring minds that are very trying to a quick, energetic temper. He was Mrs Fossdyke's godfather, and made a comfortable bit of money at some business in the oity, and had now retired and settled at BaumborouK'h, where his principal occupation was the supervision of his neighbours' affairs. Notably was ho much exercised concerning the goings and comings of John Fossdyke, and that energetic gentleman was the last man in the world to succumb tamely to such supervision of his affairs. What with Mrs Fossdyke thinking that her ad rice would be invaluable and old Mr Totterdell's doddering curiosity concerning them there was a good deal of friction in the domestic life of John Fossdyke. " He's too venturesome, Mary ; I've said so all along ; he's always starting something new in the town," wheezed old Todderdell from the depths of his easy chair. " What does he want with all these new notion* down here ; they are all very well in London, but Baumborough can't support such things. I have heard that a theatre is a profitable speculation in the metropolis, but we don't want one, and what can John know of matters theatrical. Mark me, my dear, I don't was to oroak, but your husband will get into trouble by meddling with matters he don't understand. What is all this business that requires his per* petual absence? Something Mary that he knows his old friends would pronounce hazardous if they knew of it. No, 'no, you ought to exert your influence. A wife should be her husband's confidante." "It's too true, godpapa, and John makes me miserable by the mystery in which he insists on enshrouding his business transactions.' "Not only those, but I can't understand him at all," returned the old gentle* man, fidgetting in his chair, and toying with a heavy pair of double gold eye glasses. " I have only settled down here about a twelvemonth, and can consequently claim no longer acquaintance with your husband than that, but now who is this companion you have got? Where did she come from ? Nothing wrong in it, no doubt, but still where did she come from ?" " How should I know," rejoined Mrs Fossdyke. " Miss Hyde's account of herself is plain and straightforward enough. Her people are not rich, and she was tired of living at home. John, and it was kind of him to think of it, thought it must be dull for me while he was away, and suggested I should have a companion. Miss Hyde answered our advertisement, and here she is." "And a very nice looking lady-like girl she is to look at, I admit ; in fact, if anything, perhaps a trifle more good looking than most ladies would care about as a companion." " Don't talk nonsense, godfather,' retorted Mrs Fossdyke, sharply. " John has never made me uncomfortable in that way, and Bessie Hyde is no coquette." " Quite so, my dear, but still where does she come from ?" "Good gracious what can it matter. She's a nice lady-like girl, and whether her father is a retired tradesman or a broken down professional man is no consequence, and Mrs Fossdyke's foot tapped the floor with somewhat unnecessary vehemence. Her godfather's insatible and absurd curiosity occasionally exasperated Mary Fossdyke, but there wore, unfortunately, times when it roused distrust in her surroundings. The old proverb of the Romans tells us that the constant drip wears the stone • the constant friction breaks the spring, the nerves, or the temper, and when once the why of all the actions of those with whom we habitually live becomes matter of enquiry, suspicion must be the inevitable consequence. This was exactly what was gradually arising in Mrs Fossdyke'a mind. She had in* dulged in natural curiosity concerning the business that took her husband so much from home in the early days of their wedded life, but when also it was made manifest to her that John Fossdyke brooked no enquiries into his business affairs, she, like a sensible woman, made up her mind to acquiesce in this decision. When he suggested that as they had no children it would be pleasant for her to have a young lady as a companion, Mrs Fossdyke felt very grateful to her husband for his forethought, and she had found Bessie Hyde as bright, pleasant, and good-tempered as it was possible for a young lady of nineteen to be. Miss Hyde had arrived at Dyke nearly two years before the commencement of the narrative, while Mr Totterdell had settled in Baumborough some twelve months later. It is necessary to mention these facts to explain the manner in which Mrs Fossdyke, who was in the main an honest, good-hearted woman, gradually allowed her imagination to be inflamed and her judgment to hi perverted by such a cackling curiositymonger as Mr Totterdell. That gentleman Biuc« his retirement from business found time to hang heavy on his hands, and endeavoured to lighten it as best he might by a laudable watch over the concerns of his neighbours. He inflicted a considerable amount of his leisure on bis god-daughter, and though Mrs Foasdyke was by no means enchanted by the atten. tion she bore with it for prudential reasons. The old man had beyond doubt a comfortable sum of money to leave behind him, and Mrs Fossdyke was about the nearest relative that he had. But the result of Mr TotterdelFs perpetually "wanting to know" had slowly resulted in engendering distrust in Mm Fossdyke's mind. She had got used to her husband's constant and at times long absenses from home, bub TotterdeH's perpetual specula* tion a* to what, ha went about hai brought back uncomfortable thoughts to her mind-that she had long since done away with, whil • his perpetually harpin/ upon *' .where did Mm Hyde come fcora"

was inoculating" her with unwarranted suspicions concerning the girl. Mrs {7ossdyke was half-ashamed of both those feelings herself, but nevertheless she could not help showing them to the two people from whom it most behoved her to conceal them—her husband and Bessie. The former resenting all reference to his movements fiercely, speedily discerned who it was that prompted hia wife* interrogations, and was rude and curt euough in his remarks to Mr Totterdell to have banished a more sensitive man from his house, but that old gentleman in his thirst for information was accustomed to encounter rebuff ; he was case-hardened, impervious to snubbing, and callous treat* meut, and short of telling htm in plain English that you would have none of him, was no more to be got rid of than Sinbad'a " Old man of the sea." To shut your door against you wife's relations requires some justification, and when you belong to the community of a country town the ordering of your menage is public talk. Jobn Fo»sdyke, though not a man to bo cowed by popular opinion, did see that to close his gate ugainst Mr Totterdell would by no means close that garrulous old gentleman's mouth, and as the broadest hints that his company was undesirable had proved useless, had finally elected to bear it as best as he might. Still his face darkened a little as. he entered the drawing-room and discovered his bete twir ensconced in the easiest chair, babbling, as he , had little doubt over his, John Fossdyke's, affair*. A dark, portly man of florid complexion, scarce a tine of gray in his black hair, aud which an eye keen as a hawk's, John Fossdyke looked what he was— -a prosperous man ; shrewd, with an air of bonhommie that disarmed suspicion. He nad a rich, mellow voice, could, indeed, troll out songs of "the jolty nose" type in rather superior fashion, an accomplishment that stood him in good stead amongst the farmers of the neighbourhood, who, moreover, I liked the jovial attorney none the worse because, if he could snatch a day, he had rather a penchant for attending to the local races, and having what he facetiously denominated a few "ipangles" on the principal event. "Good morning, Mr Totterdell," he said, as he advanced, " What U the best news with you, to • day." ••Dear me, I've heard nothing, positively nothing at all ; nor h»s Mary, she tells me. There must be something new to talk about. What have you heard, my dear friend ?" "I have nothing to tell. I bad nothing to do out of the office except attend a meeting about establishing a theatre in Baumborough j of course there are obstacles and there is opposition, there always is. We shall overcome them, people always do who persistently stick to a thing, and I'm a rare sticker." " But godfather is quite sure a theatre I in Baumberough can never pay, John," interposed Mrs Fossdyke. " And pray what does Mr Totterdill know of either theatricals or Baumborough. He has only been a twelve month in the town. I have been fifteen years aud more." " I never heard that you had any experience of theatricals," wheezed Mr Totterdell. 11 1 was very fond of them as a young man, and knew a good many theatrical people, and occasionally look in at a theatre now when business takes me to London," replied Fossyke a little tartly, i " Then all I can say, John, it's a great shame that you don't take me with you when you go away, when you know how I enjoy a theatre," chimed in Mrs Fossdyke. "Eh ! you mixed a good deal with theatical people in your early days ! Now, what made you do that ?" inquired Mr Totterdell, eagerly. " How did you get thrown among them ? Tell us that, it will be very interesting! " " I shall not gratify your curiosity in any way,'' rejoined the solicitor. "I only mentioned it in proof that I had some slight knowledge of matters theatrical. As for your accompanying me, Mary, on business trips, it is simply impossible. I rarely know when they may take me to London, and I have told you before that you would be only uncomfortable and disappointed." "I should like to go once though," rejoined Mrs Fossdyke, like a true daughter of Eve, none of whom would ever flinch from discomfort to see what any man they cared about might be doing under any circustances. "Are theatical people pleasant acquaintances?" inquired Totterdell, who was all alive at the bare idea of getting a little insight into Fossdyke's early life, a subject on which he was singularly reticent ; indeed, even his wife knew very little of his career previous to his settling in Baumborough, and it was the knowledge of his goddaughter's ignorance on the point that so whetted the old inquisitor's curiosity. "Cultivate them and judge for yourself," rejoined Fossdyke brusquely, who, though a genial and tolerably goodtempered man, was wont to wax irritable under Mr. Totterdell's endless questions. "Much doing in the office ?'' croaked the insufferable one. "Psha !" ejaculated the solicitor. "Whatever may be doing in the office you surely know is not to be talked about. I shall go and look at the roses, Mary. Send and let me know when tea is in." "It's very Jodd," remarked Mr. Totterdell, as Fossdyke stepped through|the window, "but that is just what Miss Hyde went to do half -an-hour ago. Bad tempered man your husband, my dear ; bad mannered too, rather," and the old gentleman sank back in his chair with a benevolent smile on his countenance. "He's not bnd tempered, godfather,'* rejoined Mrs Fossdyke, firing up, and by no means as yet prepared to hear her husband found fault with by anyone but herself. " He can't bear being questioned, and you always irritate him by doing so." "But, God bless me, how's conversation to be carried on without you ask questions," rejoined Mr. Totterdell. "I thought he would have been delighted to tell u« nil about his theatrical life. I dare »ay he wa.s HOtnethintT iv a theatre." "He was nothing 01 the kind, and it's downright wicked of you to suggest such a thing," cried Mrs Fossdyke, indigantly. John Fossdyke made his way amidst the flower beds to the further side of the trimly kept turf, where the grass ceased to he studded with the gay masses |of colour and ran down green and velvety towards a prettily planned rosary, the denizens of which were now in all the glory of their summer bloom. In their midst a tall, dark-haired maiden* her hands casee in gardening gauntlets and armed with a large pair of scissors was busy, snipping off the faded blooms and casting them into a small basket at her feet. " Hard at work again, tending your favourites, Bessie? I ' said the lawyer, as ho advanced. "Yes," returned the girl, as she we corned him with a smile ; " they are worth taking care of this year. Did yoti ever see a more magnificent show than they make— but you are home early toi it day." " There was little business to ba done, but old Totterdell cross-examine i me out of the house, and here I am. How m.» wife can endure that garrulous o d nuisance I can't imagine. He ought to leave her a good bit of money, aad not be long before he does it, I'm sure. Does he over bother you, Bessie ?" " Yqp, ho embarrasses me, at times j he

want* to know so very much about my antecedents. Bat I usually escape on the plea of seeing about some household duty ; and Mrs Fossdyke is very good, she generally acquiesce* and covers my re* treat." " Quite right ; whatever you do, make no oonfidaut of him. My wife never troubles you in this way P" inquired the lawyer, burying his hands in hi* pockets, and casting a keen look nt the girl. "Never, MrH Fossdyke, after the first, has never questioned me about my home. But is it not time for tea ?" " I suppose ho ; and here comes Robert to tell us ;" and the pair sauntered slowly bank to the draw ing* room windows. There was nothing tnuoh in this conversation, and yet, if Mrs Fosadyke had heard it, she would have deoidedlv thought there wait something in her god* father's suspicion* after all. There was no sign of the slightest flirtation between the two, but the few forgoing' sentences did rather point to an understanding of some sort between Fossdyke and Miss Hyde. His oalling her Bessie rwas no. thing ; both ho and his wife had com* mencod doiug that before ahe had been six months under their roof, and made no disguise that they were, very loud of her, and regarded her more in the light of a niece than a dependant. Still, it was not difficult toother, from those few words which passed between them iti the rosary that John Fosadyke knew more of Miss - Hyde's antecedents than that young lady had thought fit to confide to his wife. And it may hare be at once stated, in justice to a very charming girl, that Bessie was no impostor, and that her statement was in the main correct. She had been brought up by her aunt, and had got on very well with- her cousins until she arrived at the age of seventeen, a,nd commenced to mingle in such society as her aunt, the widow of a well-to-do partner in a large "ilk and millinery •stablishmect at the West End of London, had ariived at. Then her superior Attrao* tions and attainments dwarfed the goods her two cousins had to , display, and it was the old story of Cinderella . and her sisters. They made home uncomfortable to her, and ohe sought to leave it. She had a skeleton of her own ia the closet, but there's few of us have not, likely if discovered to prove detrimental to obtain* ing «uch a situation as she wished to ob> tain. It was no great harm, but society has its prejudices, and no country on the face of creation is so miserably cant* ridden as England. She knew John Fossdyke, and consulted him. His answer was prompt and decisive ; he knew all about that skeleton. 41 Say simply that you were brought up by your aunt, Mrs Lewisham, and are tired of home. Say nothing about your other relatives, and above all never hint that you have any previous knowledge of me, and I will find you a comfortable home in my own house. My wife ia a good woman, and will be kind to you, but if ehe once suspects I have any previous knowledge of you she will want to know the whole particulars, will never rest till she does, and then, poor thing, she has her prejudices, and, Bessie, I doubt whether she would tolerate you at Dyke." At first the girl flamed fiercely up at this, but gradually John Fossdyke made her comprehend that let her seek a situ* ation where she might, it was imperative that skeleton should be kept out of sight. "It is prejudice and sheer nonsense, child, of course, but we cannot convince people of that. They will not want to see what you are, but will at once decline your application. You may just as well be mute about it in my house as another," and at last Bessie consented, and at the end of two years was fain to confess Dyke was more at home to her than any other place. The tfossdykes treated her precisely as if she was a near relative, and being a handsome, lively, attractive girl, Baumborough generally made a great deal of her. At the time this story commences, the Fossdykes very rarely got an invitation in which Miss Hyde was not included, " Gome and pour out the tea, Bessie, dear," exclaimed Mrs Fossdyke, as the girl stepped through the window. ""We are quite ready for it." "I hope I haven't kept you waiting, but there was so much snipping to be done X forgot how late it was getting." "Anything new this morning in"*— Baumborough, Mr Totterdell was about to ask, but John Fossdyke's darkened face checked him, and, turning to Bessie, he concluded his question with "in the rosary ?" " Yea, caterpillars," growled the law* 1 yer. Bessie bit her Hps to control her | laughter. Totterdell, beamed benevolently, as if it was something even to learn that ; while Mrs Fossdyke frowned meaningly at her husband. A few minutes later, and Mr Totterdell rose to take his departure, not influenced in the slightest degree by the undisguised irritability of the master of the houses but simply that no further question occurred to him, indeed his last, if completed according to his original intention, was a mere repetition. He shook hands affectionately all round, and then rolled out of the room with all the assured manner of a favoured visitor. "Your godfather, Mary, is getting more unbearable every day," remarked John Fossdyke snappishly, as the door closed behind the old gentleman. "He is somewhat trying. I admit, but we can't well close our door to him ; besides, some of these days, he will leave something very comfortable behind him, and I don't know how it is, John, but we always seem to be in want of money, considerable though your income must be. 1 ' John Fossdyke uttered an impatient pshaw. Even to the wife of his bosom he was extremely reticent about his affairs, but she did know that she brought him a nice bit of money, and that he held the appointment of town clerk, which carried a very handsome salary with it. then surely his business as a solicitor must be tolerably profitable, yet she knew from practical experience that he always parted with money most grudgingly, and was wont to be querulou* even 6ver the household expenses, an eccentric trait this in John Fossdyke' f» charncter, men of his genial temperament being usually free handed, unless compelled to be otherwise from circumstances, and that could hardly be his case. "By the way, John," s*id Mrs Fosv dyke, after a slight pau-e, "Godfather told me he had been asked to come forward us a candidate for the municipal council." "Her.'exclaimed her husband. "I trust he won't think of such a thing. Ho'- very unfitted for it. V?e have a great deal too many fussy, interfering iooU there as it is. Besides it ia rather infra dig. in a mau of hi« position. Mind you impress that upon him." "I feeiaure I couldn't. It wai» the height of his ambition to achieve that dis* tinotion in London, though he never succeeded. I assure you he is quite keen about it ; besides, he has nothing to do, and it will amuse him." "You won't find him more untract' able than some of the others, Mr Fossdyke," remarked Miss Hyde, " and you know you contrive to have your own way pretty much with the council." "Nevertheless," he replied decidedly, "I don't want Totterdell there. Remember, Mary, if you can choke him off it do. You also, Bessie, dissuade him if you have an opportunity. As for me, I shall endeavour to prevent his eleotion." "Lor'! John, it surely can't matter much to you," exclaimed Mrs. Foeadyke,"

" Please do what I ask you. It may be a small matter j but, believe me, I Have my reasons for not wiHhing to see Mr Totterdell on the council." (To be continued.)