CAMELLA; OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2906, 28 February 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA; OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

15y Mrs L. Frost Rattray (Autlu>r of " Lristondell.'') Gil AFTER IX. (eoN'mTioD). Hktty rode up wit Ii her father the next morning to Ruamoa, meeting MrTallot on the way, and taking him back with them. " Arc you going to the wedding, Mr ilamley V he asked. "No, indeed, I cannot waste time on any such nonsense. Stanley would have done far better to put it off, and come straight home."' " Ttwill not hinder him long," said Mr Tallot, soothingly, " I understand he will bring his bride at once to Ruamoa,''

" JJid lie give you any orders about the house ?" asked Hetty.

" Yes, lias sent directions as long i: my arm—my whole one, I mean."

" Mrs Ilamley thought one of the girls had better come up and see what she could do to make the house nice for the line lady that is coming, said the father, grimly.

Mr Tallot did not think the uncle was displaying very good teste, to

my the least, in these references to his nephew's betrothed, but he merely said, " I am sure it is very good of Miss Jletly to take the trouble to ride over this hot morn ing, I feel certain that Stanley will appreciate any kindness of that kind.''

.Hetty Hushed a little. She knew that no generous motive prompted her visit. She was really going to ituamoa to say good bye to the longcherished dream of hers, of reigning there as its mistress, and .she sighed as they rode up the drive, which, though very badly kept, looked exceedingly pretty; the pines in their dark green coats, contrasting effectively with tile English oaks, in their delicate pale green dress. Here and there, an oleander peeped out, and nearer the house, there was a mass of camellias, some of them badly in want of the shears, as they were spoiling their neighbours. They were liner than those at Awa 31 oa, Mr Ibimley's place, and the girls had hitherto regularly taken the best Mowers for tliems-ive?. Next winter, that would pio'-ably not be alio week

Hetty 11 i:-]lllillilli 1 ni. ike front door, and the g, iiilenn n went oil to inspect the [ariii. She stood for a minute on the steps, looking out with a wistful eye on the pretty country scene. Part of the property joined the bush, separated from it by a crcek, the same that .souie way further on its course passed through the Awa Moa paddocks. All looked bo fair and peaceful, that oil most people it would have had a soothing ell'ect, but it seemed to produce a very different result on Hetty Ram-

" How I hale her,'' she said aloud, " Stanley says she is lovely. 'Ugh 1 1 know the little, vain, stuckup thing she will be, lording it over us with all tho useless rubbish she lias learnt at Cambridge. Well, it shall not be my fault if Stanley does not wish ho had chosen me instead of her. How I would have enjoyed being mistress here 1 Well, I will make her sorry she ever interfered with mo. Hateful little eat !"'

Wrapped in these charitable thoughts, Jletly went into the house. It was a comfortable, bachclor like establishment. (>n the left was a good sb:ed room used as dining and sitting room by Stanley and Talli.il .1 in- iii:;'it!< pkee was bbe rally (lei orated with various ■pipe... fi'ijiu the shurt bi.'-.-k day, to the new briar which sill! reposed in its ease. >fe' "b 1 "'M'.". v/erv fi'etjy scattered about, 'laMvi. hn-.ing a great obiection to throwing uw:tv any that were empty, always say• ing that you could never tell when thev might eonio in handy. There was quite a collcction of them, and the handy lime had not vet arrived. The window eur

r.iins were not. eonsnii.-uous tor their cleanliness, and I lolly shrugged her shoulders as she looked at theni and remarked. "She will never notice how they loolc. "Why should I trouble about f her,i. ;

The room opposite was unfur nislied, arid had been ii'ted re; ri serf of I'enml record ion-room for nnv-

thing v.lii ii was not iit l!i r ' turn-, re i|itii'cd, or v,\i, jr.it there to av.-;iit a j lei.-tire 111■ iill< 1 11' tor r• •;i;ii r.■. An uhl j S;i' I ■ 11(' Hi:" < r, Of j tin 11' V. liijilL fi'-.v 1 ' l.if.i (it bii'its I}i;i 1. wrii' ; Iv-.IVS fiiii- ll'i-11 to be scut tu a I ■'*i'■ i• *''- A pile of u.-.v.,- | IV , ill,u ..' .111:' l! i. ,1< -1 il!' ii-'ili: !i».>k inv< 111,\ id i. and a ink evil,-ne-otis col Iculimi nl ,irtii■!> - ;<i-> iii.tllll r"'d.-; to dr:. i -i' >i - \',-i-|i' ill 11.! I<' t in!'. 11, this in- of gl'jri'in.i i uiitii -:uii i K't ty fii'.nid ill'- 11< ni: ■k• <■ jll i". "I I 1)1 H I lll'jl llltlg ,'il 1 .1 1 li't, ..In' ;,aid, " v,lM.i, uie vijll tl'iiii.-; .' ■ iih ; i th.it you. .M i.;; 111 ty And y.rl iis;<y wri! a.ilc v. hit I am doine. 1 favi- you !..-nrd th" ii"w r .' "Vi u 11;'-; iii -dr 'j'allcrson gciog to he liiariivd, ."-.aid l.'ctt.y. coldly. " That's it. And v. hat I can't make out is why he should have gone a-ioamitig round the world for a wife. There's plenty of girls in this part. [ nvhoa who<l have juniped at. him. ••It will make a giv.it change io you, ]\frs J'ritt, said i Felly sjute fully, " having sunn-one to onler you about, instead of getting your own wn.v as yi.ai do now.

J. Ii ttiko no ordering, tis you cull it, iMiss Jfi'tty. I've lived with Mr Tallbrsoti this twelve year, and I til not going to be ordered about by no one.'' '•You have not been here move than eight years. What arc you trying to do in this room Mr Stanley wants it for a drawroom, 1 think "Mr Tallot said, anyway, lie told me to clear it Out and clean it.

" A drawing-room,' - said Hetty, " she must be a line lady." It did not seem to occur to her, that C'amella would want a room in which she could rceoivo her visitors, quite as much as tho liamloys' did. whose old-t'a.-iliioned, stiff draw-ing-room had never a welcoming look about it.

Hetty next peeped into two bedrooms- One was in the approved stato of an unoccupicd appartment, everything' covered over, find the wliolo furniture disarranged, the other was empty, "I've been a-cleaning of this room," said Mrs Tritt, who had followed tho girl, "I tliiuk some new furnituro coming for it too."

"I cannot seo what they want to make such a fuss about," muttered lietty, and she was just wondering whether sho could steal a look into Mr Tallot's very nicely kept room, when she heard his voice at the front door.

"Yes, Mr Rainlcy," he was saying, " T am very glad. I think a house is ever so much nicer with a lady in it ! '' "That depends on who she is, said Hetty coming forward. "We think it such a pity that dear cousin Stanley should have selected so unsuitable a \v ife.

" but how do you know that she is unsuitable '. asked Mr Tallol, manlike instantly Inking sides with the atla'.ked nitd absent party.

Hetty shrugged her shoulders. "It is pretty evident from his letter that she is a sort of l.lue-stockiug ; one of those dreadful women who always neglect, their homes to go and lecture like men. I fear site will lead poor .Stanley a dreadful life, don't you "If he is satisfied, ii is no business of ours. Come and have some lunch As Hetty rode home with her father, she was revolving various schemes whien. had for their object the destruction of her rival's happiness. She ehoso to regard C'amella in this light, though she knew very well that it was by 110 de.-ign of hers that Stanley had not married one of his cousins. \ cry likely, she did not even know of their existence, until she had actually accepted him, IJut ll.ctty obstinately refused to allow this idea any place in her musings. She was annoyed with Stanley, and as shodidnot want-to quarrel with him and must vent her disappointment on someone, she selected the innocent cause of all the commotion as her victim.

Mr Tallot surmised that Mrs Tafforson- -when she really owned to that appellation—would not lind lifo at luiamoa altogether tt bod of roses, and ho resolved that lie, at least, would try to make things as pleasant as possible for her. It did not occur to him that a man's championship, however well meant, is not always conducive to a woman's peace where there are many spiteful tongues, and where already a strong prejudice exists against her. He asked Mrs Pritt what orders Miss Hetty had given, and tinding there were none, took upon himself to insist upon a thorough turn-out of the whole premises, until the housekeeper declared ho was far worse to get on with than an old maid. She specially objected to washing the dining-room curt iins, but Mr Tallot took them down himself, and

forcibly thrust tliein into hor wash-ing-tub, amongst various coloured articles. Grumbling greatly, Mrs Pritt was reduced to compliance. (Stanley's orders were aUo carefully carried out. f T" huau.i lia.i Ml. C iluc »(.li l li.i 1 U). lil.i! lull., v. jl It 1 in- i i ;ht I" ' nhf'.r ilc-jic:' ■. M! Jm '< 11n'.'ut lug 11;''11' !•_• : l.'.uli', b". : :»».i an. n-d uti, l. ii. 11i i! t !jj 511 .did J' l iLc I'.: !j .1:.: i . {.»..■ Y'..i si'*.::.*!:; \ V II U„;d .' i r , ! '! (,\:.\ .. ■ i;.i. L .• »it h^w 1■ ■ ii., ■L.HJ: ;i/. l! : :1 . :■■■ i;■ . i:i;> null!H* l lliul Ity (:!0 lI'J'.V ! V 5 »; ': • * V -ICOi> -t ul Klri-Un • Mo'iv.di t:i W HI, ; l11applied and i»:»inilms \<»r at A! i. N!Vi;-o\\;:Y. .\ : I• >. :.i:d p.Hn}>hli»t iuo fri'in J 'i - t ;ic.-. ■'i Jirt It-"/ (.'-ilim-'-sdrod MM-n r.-\ M. .niiiiC'-nt. tosliinmri,'.! •. \. 1- -1,,f. -.r JI ;\r\''\y'> I'if'ctric; Ifo:iiI I'ill. iy i-; «.,,!>• "it; 1 patented hi»r.il:li"id 1 h.* w-wM. V! it v\ c.M ir-i::!y fn;t\ A- U nuy of y«»'.-r *':u • . 1 ' > r -:uiir'U at-il l : .i'lWi'l) !; ;vc is up.,-:':):.--!! fur ;u:d wiv I - '"tir.'.bu' cc,m. t:; on i :Yo'-! c.junlry •Mistomi'js on i bi'ir oy.-.-lh-nl p,». nf r'urnii:r.\ Crorkorv, r:.d (*>•. I ami 'iin 'We: t t'» f:r *• m •• •.%>-:*i] ;v::ifr:ihrr ; (1..- :Vk '1 ('r.• i. - • : : : •>. • ' ri• ' ,vi .• : . i-V , 0 -• ii . i;r. . llU ,l Jl .» V- •' s.ir.t '. Ii yu ir he- <m : ; tu'.ti'l'/ I.ni.'i:'*.l. <•!", }>'-n :ir-* 1k :t i:i:ir« t. ,t , i 1 'UM IM r•'t' ? /UndJ-U'd. I ('I J iji . L.i'.c a .-at 'aw.