SHARING THE PROFITS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2736, 25 January 1890, Page 5 (Supplement)

SHARING THE PROFITS.

IN THREE MOVEMENTS. CHAPTER L— Andante. I think my dear," said the Captain to the wife of his bosom, " that a change would be of infinite benefit to me iu my present condition." Now the Captain was a man who had served Her Majesty from his early youth, and was one of those who would rather have fallen a thousand times than have fled from the enemy of his honoured country. Hβ had seen service in. the four quarters of the globe, and was now enjoying a well earned repose, living , upon the pension that a maternal country had lavishly granted him. Hβ had been for some years living in retirement in a .very secluded and out of tho world part of Her Majesty's dominion. This fact of being out of the world was to a great extent the cause of the gallant Captain's ennui, and he sighed far a change.

" I think, my dear, that a change would be beneficial to both of us, and I feel sure that I am threatened with a return of my old complaint." Now, what that old complaint was, may not very much interest the gentle readev, suffice it to say it was not the same as the Captains, and the idea did not appear to chip in with the variety entertainment the Captain had mapped out in hia mind's eye, the Captain was too good a General to allow his tactics to be discovered, even by the lovely woman who stood by him. She had been the partner of his joys and sorrows for many years, and was the mother of his numerous family of well grown, good-looking young men aud women.

" My dear love," replied tho captain, " I had no intention of going anywhere without you. Where would you like to go and when would you be ready to start, sweet?"

''I can be ready in less than a fortnight. I shall not require more than four new gowns, and Mrs Spinks has always promised she could make two in a week for me, so that I shall have no difficulty in. getting four mado in ten days."

After the customary amount of discussion as to the most desirable place of resort, it was finally decided that they should start on the journey fourteen days from that time.

The house occupied by the captain and his family was one of those old-fashioned, rod brick, Elizabethian, quaintly-designed houses, with chimneys of various shapes and forms, with gable ends and the usual projections of this stylo of architecture, always suggesting to the writer that they had been elected when the owner was in a less important station, and that as his wealth and necessities increased he had added to the establishment the required apartment". The grounds were laid out in the most lavish manner, with terraces one below the other, until the level of tho aurrounding country is reached where lies embowered a fine sheet of water of seven acres in ostein, in which wero quantities of fish, indeed this was at first tho principal reason of the Captain's choice of tho Manor House as was called, he being a passionate piscatnr, if I may use the term in its true senee. There was a carriage drive round the lake leading to the high road, at the entrance was a gate-keeper's lodge, the gate-keeper's duties devolving upon the wife, while Ihe husband acted in tho dual capacity of gate-keeper and gamekeeper as well.

This man, who's name was Sims, had a numerous family, some of whom where grown up, and at service in various capacities in the neighbourhood. Sarah, a girl of eighteen, of true English yeoman type of beauty, her complexion the rose and lily combined, of graceful and developed form and most winning manner having been born on the estate it was quite natural that Sarah had become an adept in the gentle craft, and although employed in the house as servant, the Captain frequently sought the advice of Sarah as to the best fly or bait required for that particular condition of weather, indeed, she frequently went with the Captain carrying some portion of the paraphernalia considered necessary when a gentleman goes afishing,. Sims, the father of this girl, waa a never-do-well, who had a fair education but had neglected his opportunities, with the result that he was at last reduced to think himself fortunate in obtaining, by the assistance of some of his relatives, the post of gamekeeper n f . the Manor House. Sarah was his favourite child and he was always pleased to instruct her in various branches of learning, among which botany formed one of their most pleasing studies. Many a ramble would the gamekeeper take through the woods accompanied by his dear little Sally, who eventually became quite an authority ou the various orders aud structural formation, of the wild flowers growing in her native woods and meadows.

The Captiin was preparing a work that was to astonish the botanical world with its profuse and beautiful illustrations pud letter press of the most approved type, the title of the work was to be "The Tropical World of Vegetation, compared with that of the more temperate regions," and was expected to gain at least the F. 11.5. to the captain's numerous qualifications. One day while S:untnie, as the Captain playfully called Sarah, was bailing , tho hooks for tho Captain, who was fishing for perch in the lake, he observed some water plants, and enquired of Sammie what was the namo used for the plant in that locality. To his surprise she gave the correct botanical name, and explained that it belonged to the Ranunoulacea, one of the most important orders of the vegetable kingdom. On further questioning her he elicited that she was quite an acquisition for accumulating information to the great end of his present existence, the publishing of his stupendous book on the comparison of plants. Tho captain found that Sammie knew where to find like Caliban, the fertile spots, fresh springs, etc, but oh ! How different and how much more pleasant a companion. After some consideration, the Captain determined that Sammie should accompany him in his botanical rambles in the woods, and on talking the matter over with his wife, she agreed it would be much better that the Captain should have some one with him in his wanderings, as since his last attack of illness he had not been quite the same, and waa occasionally troubled with a giddy sensation, that sometimes carried him quite out of his natural self, and as Sammie explained, making it quite necessary that she should go with him, just to see all was right. CHAPTER ll.— Alleoiio Vastouvlle. One very lino summer afternoon the birds had ceased to sing, for the heat was so excessive, there was scarcely a buzz of insect life. Mrs Sims had finished a hard day's washing, and was regaling herself with a cup of tea, when her husband entered with a troubled expression, after divesting himself of his gun aud various trappings, he said very bluntly, "Bain't going to have Sally at the Manor House no longer." Mr Sims, although having had a liberal education, by long association with people beneath him in point of station had acquired their uugriimmatical mode of speech.

" Sarah shan't go up that Manor House no piore !"

His wife, looking at him over her cup of tea iu an astonished manner, said, " Why I what ails thee John? Has any thing gono amiss with the laaa ?" " I can't exactly say; maybe there has and maybe there hasn't, but I don't like the look of that there Captain, so you go up to the house and tell Sally to give 'em a month's warning, and tell the missis not to let her husband go a hunting after them wild things along o' our gal apin. What I says is 'taint proper and the Sims have always had a good honest name both male and female, they have, and I a'int agoing to have our good name spoiled by no captains nor none n' them sort, you* go and tell her to give notice and tell the lady what I says," Mrs Sims knew only too well it would be useless to disagree with her husband when in this kind of mood, so agreed to go when she had finished the remainder of her washing, accordingly she promptly departed in the' gloaming. When nearing the house she met Sally, who was quite effusive in her greeting to her mother and soon ascertained the object of her visit to the house. She told her mother she was tired of her missis's ways and would be glad of a change. She admitted having a certain amount of regard for the Captain, as indeed who would not have towards such an "entertaining:, gentlemanly, fino old man." It was finally agreed that Mrs Sims should not disturb the mistress, who waa as Sarah alleged, suffering from some indisposition. In the course of the evening a telegram was received at the Manor House, " Called away suddenly, letter by post." The next day in the mail bay was a long lettor from the Captain, stating that he had been called away on military duties. After a long letter couched in the most endearing tenns, " In conclusion, my pet, I uhall ountinually have yon in my innermost heart of hearts. When pursuing my researches for my book, which has beon spoken very favourably of by Messrs Bsntly, my publishers. Is not this good news my chick." The Captain was very fond of pet names as wo have before observed. "In conclusion I must ask a favour, which I know darling you will bo, as you always are, only too ready to graut. I want my portmanteau packed; let Sarah pack them, she will know what I require, and send her with thereby fast train to-morrow as I leave for the far North the day after to-morrow with"seakd orders to a Northern Court."

Tb'e next day tho Captain could have been seen taking , lunch at the buffet of tho terminus station, occasionally inspecting, bis watch and comparing his timo with the big clock at tho end of the platform. On the arrival of the 2.15 express the Captaiu mingled with the crowd, who were waiting for their friends and was lost to view. CHAPTER lII.— Presto Fuuio.so and Finale. Shortly after ton o'clock fcbat night anxiety was expressed at the Manor House at the nou-arriviil of Sarah. Her mUtress expressed herself that Sarah was always euoh a good girl that she felt euro nothing short of ii collision somewhere ou the railway could ln:,vo detained ber. The night dragged wearily along, and tlio rosy morn began to tint the hills and eventually adding a celestial glow to tho golden-hued harvest fields, the hedgorows throwing out their greateet brilliance in their autumnal tints, while tho hills and woods appeared to endeavour to outvie the valleys in gorgeously coloured splendour. However, little were tho beauties of Nature regarded by the lady of tho hou.se, whose only anxiety was the non-appearance of her favourite Saruh. As soon us it was time for the servants to be about a man was despatched to tho Lodge to ascertain if Surah had been heard of. This was the first intimation that Sirrs, Ilio gamekeeper, had that, his daughter had been allowed togo away with the Captain's trunks, he had not yet left his cottage, for his morning round, wlu : n the butler made the enquiry as directed by his mistress ; went away yesterday with the Captain's things, did she, then you may tell your missus from me, that it is a thousand to one her fine geutleman Captain has run off with my poor little girl, and if T evur set eyes on him, I'll spoil his line gentleman looks for him," the butter at last began to feel, after Sims had railed against the Captain in particular and fine gentleman in general, that ho .was to a, cprtain extent, responsible for tho poor man's distress, but his sympathetic endeavour only caused Sims to exclaim in a more violent manner, " Why did you let her go?" he said, turning suddenly upon his wife. " My dear," she replied, " s-he never told me i-ho was going before the end of the month, when she gave notico to leave her place." The butler finding it impossible to pacify Sims, returned with his report to the great house, omitting to give the same keeper's message, which appeared to him much too expres-ivo for a ladv's beurinsr.

Two days nfter a leUer'wafi received :it tho Manor House, dated on board tho North Star h.s>. '■ Dnarn.-t wife," it read. "I hasten to write to you, us wo are rM the coast, When I say we, of course 1 mean Sarah mid your fond b'lHbund. I found myself re utterly incapable of pursuing iny studies* without her Hint I have induced her to accompany mo by giving her a share in the profits of my work when ended."

The Captain's wife, although still very beautiful, was portly withal, as may be imagined, she having what is known as n matronly appearance. When she reached so far in the letter as share ! profits ! ! indeed ! ! ! the upheaval of her fullydeveloped bosom could only be compared to a terrific tempest, the rising and spasmodic falling of the breakers of the ocean, or the outburst of a newly-formed crater in a country that had hitherto only been in a placid condition, free from turmoil, and beaming with and reflecting Nature's best gifts in all abundance.

" Sharo profits, indeed," sho reiterated, and then her eyo caught, the word " sold !" "Ah !" said she, "it is I who have been sold ; and by that minx too. I always enid those people should not be about a gentleman's house," then rushing to tho bell she rang up the butler and bid him go at once to the Lodge and give those Sims' people notice to leave next week. She then started for town with tho letter, which she referred to the family solicitor who informed her that it was quite sufficient to set a divorce, which was at once undertaken, the Captain being co-respond-ent. A decree nisi with costa was granted, the Captain to allow £500 per annum to his wife, but as he sarcastically remarked when writing to ono of his friends, "they cannot prevent Sarah sharing , the profits with me."