A CIRCUS ROMANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3067, 12 March 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

A CIRCUS ROMANCE.

(By Mu W. H. Goldsmith.)

Old Timk had rolled along his inexorable coarse without in any way having helped to heal the saddening breach which had existed for ten long yeard between the squire of Branlingdale and the only tie of blood left him on earth. To return now to the opening of our story. Good morning," said Doctor Oheerington, the squire's medical attendant and warmest friend, as ho entered, unannounced, the room where we left the garrulous old butler indulging in a soliloquy solus. " How is the squire this morning ?" " Well, all things considered, doctor, I should say he was hay one," answered Gregson, utterly regardless of the aspirate. " Capital, capital," exclaimed the doctor, a jovial man, with a florid visage, and a twinkling eye—a face, in fact, which cheered many a desponding patient, helping him in his struggle up the difficult hill of slow recovery. "Yes, doctor," resumed the old butler, who dearly loved the sound of his own voice, " and he's coming downstairs for the first time. You said he might, pervided he had passed a good night, and Mrs Peters told rue hearly this morning that he had had a huncommon nice night." "And the weather genial." supplemented the doctor, " which it is most decidedly. Have you your box handy, Gregson?" " What a question, doctor. However do you think I could get along without that bit of comfort?" said Gregson, as he handed a ponderous old-fashioned snuff-box to the genial physician, who promptly conveyed a liberal pinch of its titilating con- . tents to his rather rubicund proboscis. "Ah, that is refreshing and no mistake," exclaimed Doctor Oheerington, returning the box to its owner. " A capital mixture." "My own invention," observed the gratified butler, with an air of conscious pride. "You take a hounce of ■" "Yes, yes," hastily interrupted the doctor, who had heard the formula dozens of times, " write me the receipt down; I'm sure to forget it." " So I will, doctor, so I will—one of these days." This was Gregson's stereotyped reply, " one of these days " remaining always running, however, in the dim and distant future. "It has been touch and go with vour master this time, Gregson, remarked Dr. Oheerington, gravely. "Just what I was thinking before you came, doctor. I was sort o' thinking to myself aloud, you know—what's the proper word? Oh, sorlilorquoising —as I was a decanting a bottle of the hextra special. You know it, doctor —the green seal." "Nectar fit for the gods, Greg--11 son. " Well, doctor," . continued the garrulous old servitor, "as I said just now, 1 was roominating to myself, quite permiscusly, about the squire's severe attack and I reckoned up that it must be over ten years since <:he master was taken so bad before—the time, as you will remember well, doctor, when Mr Harry (God bless him !) and his father fell out so orful about that cir—"

" Yea, yea," assented Dr. Clieerington, hastily. " Can I ever forget that terrible time ! Poor, good hearted, generous, impulsive, honest Harry ! Well, well, how the enemy does travel, to be sure ! Still, the wheels do not spin round quite so fast as you imagine, Gregson. It will be—let me consider a moment —yea, by Jove ! ten years this day by the callendar since Mr Harry left his home." "Ah, I thought I was not so far out of my reckoning. What a high-spirited lad he was, doctor!" "He was, Gregson, he was. Both father and son were far too impetuous. Too much impetuosity is not a good thing. Be guarded against indulging in it yourself, my good Gregson." " Trust me for that, doctor, answered the butler (who weighed seventeen stone, and was painfully deliberate in all his actions); "my mortar is slow and sure. Never hurry anyone's cattle, spec'lly your hown." " Heaven knows," went on the doctor, musingly, " I did my utmost to bring about a reconciliation." " Ay, that you did," observed the butler, sympathetically. "But not the least success attended my efforts." " More the pity, says I, doctor. " And on several occasions since that much-to-be-regretted time I have, as you are well aware, Gregson, made great efforts to get Master Harry reinstated in his old home." "True enough, doctor; and a hard matter it seems that your good intentions have never met with the encouragement they deserved. Ah, it's a queer world." A curious smile played over Dr. Oheerington's visage as he rubbed his hands together, saying in a very impressive tone : " Gregson, I am going to astonish you." "No." "Yes. You know, or rather, perhaps, you do not know, there ia an ancient proverb, or saying, to the effect that all things come to those who wait." " Then a waiter ought to bo considered a lucky hindiwiddel. I was one myself in my younger

days ; but all things didn't come to me, doctor?" exclaimed tho butler, with genuine surprise. "I said I would astonish you " At the present moment you might knock me over with a a cork—a champagne one !" " But I haven't told you all yet Gregson. I fancy you will be still more surprised." " Cto on, doctor ; let me know the worst. I hate suspense. " Nay, Gregson, Dot the worst— the best. Well, then, tho young master at the present moment is not so very, very far from here. The susceptible butler was so overcome at hearing this piece of unexpected intelligence that he unconsciously poured out a glass of wine and swallowed it at one gulp. " And," went on the now-smiling doctor, " with God's help I will bring him still nearer." " I second that," said Gregson, solemnly. " Oh, by the way, Gregson," said Dr. Oheerington, briskly, as though wishing to change the subject, " have you heard that the circus is expected back to-day ?" ".I can't say as I have, doctor." " It's true enough —I've seen the bills posted in the town. It is what is called a return visit, under most distinguished patronage, of course." " We shall have to be very careful,". observed the butler, significantly. "In what way, Gregson." " Why not to let the master know that the hoss-riders have come again ;it might " "Not on this occasion, I fancy, interrupted the doctor meaningly. " The squire is a changed—a very much indeed changed man since his illness." " He must be if he can bear to ' hear even the name of a equestrian establishment. It was all owing, we're pretty certain, to the circus being here before that master's bad attack came on, and you know well enough, doctor, ever since master Harry was ' ticed away by " " Be careful what you say," said Doctor Oheerington somewhat severely, causing the butler to inwardly wonder. " A better woman. Gregson, or truer-hearted wife never drew a breath than ■"

" Bless rae ; " broke in the butler, his round eyes staring in wonderment, " why 1 never know'd you had ever seen the—the —her." " Nearly let the cat out prematurely there," muttered Doctor Cheerington beneath his breath, Then aloud, he said— " Quite true Gregson, quite true. How could I have ever seen her 1 The fact is a very near, dear _ old friend of mine told me not long since that he had once met her in his travels, und gave me a most excellent account of her." " It is very unlike you, doctor," rejoined the butler, with a dubious air, " to take characters at secondj hand." " True enough, Gregson ; but in this instance I can rely implicitly on my informant. He is as particular in these matters as myself." " Ah, then, I dare say it will be all right. By the way, a thought has just occurred to me, doctor. I don't see why it should, but it has. Supposing the young woman that Master Harry made his wife should be among the circus lot, eh 1" " I—l hardly think that, Gregson, for one moment —no. You see this troupe is under the direction of a Mr. Dashwood, and Harry and his

wife, of course, are almost certain to be with her father, Courtney, you know. I believe he is abroad." " But," said the butler, a suspicion beginning to dawn a little on his not too ready intellect, " a few minutes ago you said that Master Harry was near here. Is he with- V' At this interesting moment the door was opened, causing Gregson to break off abruptly, greatly to the relief of Doctor Cheerington. " Ahem, they come," whispered the latter, while his companion became instantly absorbed in the polishing of an already spotless wine glass. " Ah, squire, I am very pleased to see you looking much better," said Dr. Cheerington, advancing to meet his patient, who was leaning upon the arm of a very pretty and interesting looting woman of near thirty. This was Mrs Peters, the nurse, whom Dr. Cheerington had engaged at the time the squire had been seized so suddenly with an attack which threatened to terminate fatally. The ensuing few minutes were busily occupied in placing the convalescent comfortably in a capacious easy chair, " Now. squire," said the doctor, "having got you downstairs so comparatively early in the morning, we shall be having you out in the garden soon, especially it the weather should continue in the same genial mood it is at present. All that is the matter with you now is weakness, the natural result of y°^ r severe illness. I think we shall be able to speedily overcome that with the aid of all kinds of nourishing food, together with a course of the particular port —the green seal. What say you, Gregson ?" The privileged servitor being thus as it were invited to give an opinioa on the merits of the wine over which he had control, was in uo wise dilatory in making his portly presence known to hi? master, towards whom he advanced, with every mark of reverence. '•Very glad, indeed, Sir, to see you downstairs, and if my hum-

ble opinion is considered to bo worth anything, I feel sure that the particular, which Dr. Oheerington has referred to, will very soon put you on your pins—legs again. If it doesn't, all I can it is old enough to know better." " Thank you," said the squire smilingly, to his butler, who had already commenced a retrogade movement towards his beloved sideboard. . " Ah, doctor," went on the invalid "I am indeed overjoyed at being once again in the dear old familiar room. There was a time when I really thought I should never have come downstairs again except when borne in my coffin." "You have been _ very bad, squire, there's no denying." " Yes, and I feel I owe my recovery, through the Divine Power, _ to the unremitting -watchfulness and devotion of this lady here. Ah, Mrs Peters," continued Mr Pairfield, putting out his wasted hand to his beautiful nurse, " you have indeed acted nobly to a poor, broken-down, crochety old man.' "Dear Mr Fairfield, pray do not speak like that. I am but truly thankful that my humble efforts have not been in vain. I have merely done my duty as your your hired nurse, and earned the the wages I agreed to receive for my services."

"Dr. Oheerington, you hear ? Do you consider Mrs Peters has merely earned her wages like an ordinary nurse ? " "My dear sir," answered the doctor, " Mrs Peters has without doubt been indefatigable in her attentions. She has, perhaps, taken more interest in your case than another might have done." " But why should she ? I am, or rather was, a perfect stranger to her." "Ah, why should she? "echoed Doctor Oheerington, reflectively ; adding, "You should be aware, squire" that Mrs Peters is very much in love with her profession."

The worthy doctor turned his head aside to indulge in a quiet chuckle, muttering at the same time, " Her profession ! Come, that s not so bad." " Indeed, she must be. But what has puzzled me not a little since I began to mend is how you managed to secure so invaluable an aid in a sphere necessarily so limited as that presented by so circumscribed a place as Westonfield." " Ahem," coughed the doctor, appearing thft least trifle embarrassed \ " you see we doctors have —hum— there are, in fact, in our profession resources which—" " And," broke in the squire, glancing admirably at Mrs Peters, " remarkably attractive resources they are." This direct compliment appeared to disconcert the lady somewhat, causing her to keep her eyes fixed upon the ground as though taking a peculiar interest in the pattern of the rich carpet. A rather awkward silence ensued for a few moments, broken at length by the doctor consulting his watch and saying, " It is now time for the morning allowance of wine, Gregson ; hand your master a glass of ' the particular.' " The butler promptly poured out the generous fluid with a solemnity duly befitting the occasion, and handed it to the squire in very ceremonious fashion. " I have a suggestion, doctor, to make," said the latter, after taking a sip ; " couldn't you cause the directions to read ' to be taken as often as the patient may feel inclined ?' " " No, no," chuckled the doctor ; "no medicine, however pleasant, may be used so freely as that. Three or four times per diem is the utmost latitude I can allow —for the present." " Gregson," said Mr Fairfield, " you may now leave the room." The butler seems to have been overtaken with a sudden seizure of dulness of hearing, which only left him after the squire had repeated his command.

As he very slowly and reluctantly left the appartment Gregson murmured to himself, " That's what I call tanterhsing. Just when there's a, chance of hearing something hinteresting." While the squire was occupied in slowly sipping his wine, Dr. Choerington seized the favourable opportunity to whisper to Mrs Peters— " Everything seems in good trim for the ultimate success of our little plot" " Oh, Doctor Uheerington," responded Mrs Peters in an undertone, "how grateful I feel to you ! By your skill and tact my husband will be restored to his home again. It will be a great load off my mind, for I have always felt as though I alone were answerable for the estrangement which has existed for so long a period between father and son.

" Tush, tush ! my dear, you must not talk like this! All will come right in the end, depend upon it." " Yes I firmly believe so. Whenever I have induced the squire, by the exercise of my sex's wit as nature has endowed me with, to speak of his absent son, he has on each occasion displayed considerable ] emotion. I feel sure he yearns to clasp his son to his arms once more." " And so he shall," said the smiling doctor, " this very afternoon. Leave all to me, my dear madam, but don't be surprised at anything. Above all, be near at hand when the time comes." "I understand," murmured Mrs Peters gratefully.

" Do you know, doctor," observed the squire, rousing out of the reverie into which he had unconsciously fallen, "do you know, Mrs Peters has been relating to me very much that is interesting regarding the circus people." " Indeed!" exclaimeid the wily doctor, in a tone of innocent surprise. "Yes, and what I have heard comes upon rae as a distinct revelation. lam now thoroughly convinced that there are amongst those who follow the equestrian art as a means of gaining a livelihood as worthy people as one naturally expects to find amongst any other class of the community at large." " I am quite sure," observed Doctor Oheerington, bowing with old-fashioned politeness to Mrs Peters, " that the circus people have great reason for congratulating themselves in possessing so able a champion of their cause as the one alluded to." " I assure you, doctor," said Mrs Peters, earnestly, " I told Mr Fairfield nothing more than the simple truth." " Exactly, my dear madam ; how could you do otherwise? As the immortal poet says, ' A plain unvarnished tale' you did deliver." " Precisely, doctor, and thus corrected the very erroneous ideas I had for years held regarding the mode of life and so forth followed by the professors of the tricks jf the arena." " Wonderful !" said the doctor, to himself. " This woman has done even more than I could possibly expect. Success is certain. It will be safe enough now to tell him the circus is returning to-day." Then with well-assumed carleessness the doctor said to Mr Fairfield— " I hear, squire, that the circus, which was here a couple of weeks or so ago, is about to make a reappearance in this neighbourhood j in fact in Westonfield itself,"

"Are you sure, docter?" asked the squire, looking up with a great display of interest. " Well," replied Doctor Oheerington, " I think I may say yes, quite sure !" Mrs Peters directed a meaning glance ac Doctor Oheerington, who returned the bit of telegraphy by a decisive nod of the head. " I am very glad indeed to hear it," said Mr Fairfield quietly. " I shall now be enabled to make some amends to the equestrian fold for mv past erroneous opinions of them. I have, I feel, been very severe on these deserving men and wonan. Candidly, now doctor, did I not say some very hard things of them on the occasion of their previous visit ?" " Well, squire,as you ask me to be candid, I am hound to admit you did speak rather severely of them." For which I shall, as I have just intimated, endeavour to atone by allowing them to set up their tent in the field immediately adjoining the garden, without charge." " A free pitch 1" exclaimed Mrs Peters impulsively, and very unlike a sick nurse. Then promptly realising the slip slid had made, she looked appealingly at the doctor, who seemed—curiously enough for him —lost for the moment in consterna-

"I beg your pardon, Mrs Peters," said Mr Fairfield, but did you not just now make some allusion to—a

—a to in fact, some kind of pitch ?" "I—l—really meant" stammered the confused woman, stopping short. Doctor Choerington had now recovered hia equanimity, and came to the rescue of his fair ally by saying— " You must be aware, squire, that Mrs Peters having been once much in contact with some members of the equestrian profession—" " Ah," broke in the squire, " she has told me modestly enoughmind you—how she bravely nursed an athlete who performed the ' Hurricane Jockey Act' through a

malignant fevor, which meritorious ] act—hers, Doctor, not the Hurri- J cane —nearly cost her her life. It was noble. The man who is lucky jnough to possess such a daughter ir wife is indeed to be envied! Che old man heaved a sigh, seeinng, for the moment, lost in thought. A. happy smile played over Mrs Peter's countenance while the doctor ippeared to be doing his utmost to •epress a decided tendency to inlulge in one of his quiet chuckles. As soon as he had got his tenlenay to risibility under control, he ■esumed: "Well, as I was just low saying, this truly conscientious ady having been so much among ihe circus people she, naturally tnough, learned some of their techlical expressions, and ' pitch' is me of them decidedly, meianing, if [ am not mistaken, the ground upon vhich they put up their tent." "That is quite correct, Doctor yheerington," said Mrs Peters, imilingly. " Oh, I understand now," cried he squire, " why Mrs Peters was so inthusiastic whon I announced my ntention of letting the horse-riders lave the ground without receiving tny rent. In her goodness of heart I ihe was pleased that her old ac[uaintances were going to benefit, hough only in a very small way. iVell, we live and learn. Hitherto . have merely associated pitch as a iompound usually not sufficiently leated when a certain unnanieable ndividual was pressing for paynent." " Ha, ha ?" laughed the doctor. ' Very good, very good indeed. But tre you really serious when you say

it is your intention to allow the troupe to pitch their tent in the Home Field 1 Why, it is not improbable you will hear the crack ot the ringmaster's whip, and the houp las of the riders." "Well, if I did, doctor, I don't suppose I should take much harm." " Harm, my dear Sir. Certainly not. Only I was thinking " " Oh, I have a pretty good guess what was running in your mind, my old friend," said the squire significantly ; " but let that pass —-we will say no more on that head." The diplomatic doctor considered that in this instance silence was indeed " golden," so wisely held his peace. After a short pause, the doctor announced his intention of departing. " I shall act up to your instructions," he said to the squire, " by seeing personally that the horse-riders—good old words— pitch their mammoth marquee behind the fences at the bottom of the garden." '' Thank you, doctor, for volunteering to take the trouble. It is the very tiling I should have wished you to do." Dr. Cheeringten, highly satisfied with his morning visit, then took his leave. Mrs Peters remained with her charge, whom sh6 observed beginning to exhibit signs of drowsiness. The squire shortly after expressed a desire to sleep, so carefully adjusting the pillows in the chair, and placing a sturdy oaken walking stick within easy reach of the invalid, Mrs Peters softly stole from the room. {To be continued.)