JACK HAVILAND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1086, 24 September 1869, Page 3

JACK HAVILAND.

IN FOtfK CHAPTEBS.-f-CHAPTBtt W/' 1 •'' ' ___i_ '-'-'-■'• ~''-it!W i-'-Vti -■■.',■ •• '- );'■; '-"(uV tfWKt ' , , (From "Chambers' Sovama^Sua^S^ ()i Me. Chatfield left Jack's cottage » with a host of new reflections in , his mind. For the first time in his life he begp to suspect that there was something, ,on earth as honourable as ; ;birth,!i great wealth, or famous talent, and that was plain, unboasting honesty. He had never been; a hard man; on the contrary, he. passed for generous and feeling ; but in common with ; most men in this mercenary age, he scared the idea that human merit was always to ; be measured by the standard of gold, and tiat where gold was wanting to prop ; if, virtue could never be very strong x>r very^steadfast. He had always felt a certain contempt for poor men, and he grounded this feeling on the incontrovertible fact, that those who are obliged to battle continually against want must become narrow-minded at last, from the perpetual struggle and contact with petty miseries. It had never yet occurred to him that wealth was. only a relative condition, and that some men could be richer with hundreds than others with millions. But, above all, it had never yet struck his mind that a man who brings to his wedding contract a spotless name, :a rigid inflexibility of principle, and a cheerful heart, happy with little, and free from greed, lias more to offer than any wealth that can be'expressed in figures. ;•.,,-. '•.-..', h

_&fisv ifßadeiiag about some ;time_ and nearing his house, he turned suddenly back, and went again, towards ,the town.l/i He knew several people amongst the leading families, and he called upon them, all, one after another, to gather information about Jack Haviland. Everywhere he heard the same thing. If ever nature had. made -a good, honest, and amiable character, it was certainly Mr. Haviland's. No man was so ready to do good ; no one was so kind and even-tempered; no one so thoroughly unselfish; and so completely indulgent, for the failings, vices, or caprices of others.. The world is not altogether so ungrateful as it is painted. People do not always delight to repay kindness and service by slander. The astonished merchant saw more -than one eye glisten with genuine tears of emotion whilst Jack's honest virtues were being descanted on. It began to be remembered that on no one occasion had Jack ever been heard to say an unkind thing of any one ; whilst, on the other hand, it was everywhere confirmed that he was invariably first to take the defence of those who were accused or maligned. Again,. many acts of rare and touching delicacy were quoted of him ; quarrels had been appeased byjus means, reconciliations effected, and deeds of large and generous charity were attributed to him, the more surely as he had always denied them.

Mr. Chatfield returned home towards evening in a silent, thoughtful mood. He found Lucy with her eyes very red, and her pretty face quite sad front weeping. He kissed her, and told her not to cry ; but during dinner he scarcely said a word, and as soon as he rose from table, he shut himself up in his study, and remained there walking up and, down for nearly two hours. When he came out, his face bore an unusually serious though mild expression. He held a letter in his hand, and rang the drawing-room bell. " Take that to Mr. John Haviland, at the Cliff Cottage, l^ he said; and when the servant had gone out, and when he had heard the house-door close on him, he heaved a sigh of relief, like a man who has done a good action, and has reason to be pleased with it. " Come here, Lucy," he said in a Jgentle voice ; and when the poor child had begun to weep again at hearing him speak so kindly, his lips quivered, and it'wds almost in a whisper that he spoke his next words: "Do you think, my darling pet, that I would ever willingly cause you a moment's pain ? Do you not know that you are my only treasure on earth, and that there can be no joy or pleasure for me in life unless you have your share in it ? Do you think that anything could compensate me for shedding one of your precious tears ? And do you not feel that for. a single one of your smiles, I will do alll that is humanly possible ? Then trust to me, dear child, and never fear but that your happiness will be the sole guide to my actions, the only end to which I shall look."

Lucy went to bed a little comforted, bat with her heart still very heavy. Mr. Chatfield waited till the footman had returned from the cottage ; inquired if the note had been delivered safely, and then retired too. For the first time for many years, he retired to rest without reading the money articles in the weekly reviews, a task he always reserved for Sunday night. The fact was, his mind was very far from scrip and share that evening. Jack was silently and sorrowfully packing up his boxes when Mrs. Nuffin, who had been apprised of his departure, and thrown into a state of trembling wonder by it, brought up the merchant's note. Jack broke the seal without much excitement. The letter contained only these words : — My dear Mr. Haviland— l should be very glad if you could call at Beauchamp Villa to-morrow towards eleven, for x have something to say to you.— Yours sincerely, Bobebt UHATFtEM). Jack put the letter in his pocket, and continued to pack. He did not go to bed at all that night — sleep would have been impossible; so he passed his time. in looking over all his domestic treasures, laying by a number of things which he intended " to send as " keepsakes" to the numerous children by whom, he was known and loved. He wrote also a few letters to different friends, asoribing his departure to a desire to travel — which indeed was striotly true, for he could no longer have borne to remain at Shingle. When all this was done, he slipped out of the house towards midnight, and went down to the beach, to the most deserted part of it, where he had ! taken his last walk with Lucy. He remained there listening to the monotonous but soothing roll of the waves till daybreak ; and no one who had met him, as he returned home peaceful and composed on the morrow, could have guessed how .deep and real was the sorrow that lay under his placid features. ■ One of the moat trying moments was the parting with Mrs. Nuffin, who; was ndt>|it all to be comforted with the gift of Jack's cottage and furniture. The good wonjan invoked all the principles of common law and equity against the abandonment of an old nurse,, . It was contrary to the justice of the land, she affirmed i and as she was

time to Jftre» s Jaok might very well have "waited until she died before beginning his ramblipgs abroad. Jack, y\o <#$# n °t trust himself to remain calm a single moment where others were crying, was obliged to siiktctt 'himselif away witnout listening. ?''.K/«prive to Beauctiainp- Villa," he said to • the* driver on whose fly his boxes were piled ;; (t and after that, you'll have to take - me to thestation;" v On<reaching the villa, Jack Haviland's heart began to beat so fast that he ' had scarcely : strength to knock. He •■was shewn into an empty parlour, 'fcut'a minute after the footman returned, ' and requested him to walk up to the draw-ing-roomY Jack followed, hanging his head despondingiyi and wishing he had been spared the last trial of coming to that house; .into f which he never more would enter. The servant announced him in a ■formal tone, and withdrew. Jack raised 1 his eyes doubtingly, and then turned ashy pale ; he was in the presence not only of Mr. Ohatfield, but of Lucy. His first impulse was to rush forward ; but he remembered his promise, and remained motion- ' less ; only, he was obliged to lean against a chair for support — he had not been pre-pared-f6r this emotion. ■•*''■ Lucy looked at him wistfully, but at a gesture of her father's, she walked slowly towards him, and held out her hand: «-Papa sayd I may shake hands with you, Mr. Haviland,'- she said faltering. ;^ He looked up at her, and a look bf pain fitted across his face. ** Good-by ev-Miss ; Chatfieia,* 'he sobbed, with a desperate • effdrt.to control his voice. '! • ! - Mri Chatfield appeared moved. "Mr. HavilandV' he said quickly, "I have sent for you to propose that instead of leaving ■ ; England,' and so abandoning- the chance of ' eirer betteririg your fortunes in this land, you should come with me to London and ' entei my officte. We can find plenty for • you to ! do there, and you could begin on a Salary of three hundred pounds. By-and-by, there is no knowing, you might become my partner. I have' heard a great' deal about your uprightness and steadiness of conduct, and you are just the sort of man I should be pleased and proud to work with. Do you accept r" Jack looked inquiringly, first at the merchant, then at Lucy, who seemed as much astonished as he. '"Ah! by the -flay, though, there's a condition I forgot to mention," added Mr. Chatfield ; " but it's a condition about which I hcipe you'll make no difficulty." "What is that, sir?" asked Jack in amazement. " That'you agree to marry my daugh'tw"",'' 1 ' ■•■'• '