A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1523, 19 March 1886, Page 4

A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Agnet Ford had learnt a smattering of everything, and, a? a natural consequence, excelled in nothing. She could speak French, German, and Italian, though it is doubtful if she would liavo been able to make herself understood in the respective countries where these language? are spoken. She played the harp passably, and the piano bnlli'in'ly, and coiil 1 paint m water-colours and sketch in chalk?: »o that she was considered decidedly accomplished in the most exclusive circles of Wardham Wick.

The time had now arrived when Mrs Ford looked anxiously foiward to the realisatioi of certain aerial castle* which she had been for munv years building. At a distanco of abnit three miles was the residence of a rich Baronet, Sir James Maybury; and in him centred all Mrs Ford's hopes and aspirations for her daughter's future. To see her beautiful child Lidy Muybury wa* the one steady aim of her life, to a x-imp i.~.. l!;is sho would willingly have undergone any amount of suffering and privation, and she had some reason to think that li-r intended victim was not entirely disinclined to fall into the trap she hid so carefully l«id for him. But unfortunately he wus excessively bashful, and would certainly require an immense amount of encouragement before he could be brought to the required point, and herein lay her principal difficulty. Agnes was romantic in tho extreme, and cherished in her heart a beau ideal of manly perfection as little like Sir James Maybury as it is possible to conceive. He was, in fact the very reverse of all her fancy loved to dwell upon. Her favourite heroes were of the Bvronic style, dark-haired, pale, and, above all, melancholy—that wa* absolutely essential. A genial, buoyant, high-spirited individual, who could eat a good dinner, ting a good song, and enjoy a loud laugh, was her especial horror; and, unluckily. Sir James answered exactly to this description at least wherever his extreme nervousness allowed him to develop any individuality at all. His complexion was decidedly ruddy, his hair was many shades lighter than Agnes approved —inclining to sandy, in fact—and, worse than all, he was actually stout, an I this promised to be an insuperable obstacle. Still h<>r mother would not despair ; a lover in all respects to her daughter's liking, and owning a clear rent-roll ot twelve thousand a year, could scarcely be expected to cross her path', so she determined to redouble her efforts, and to leave no stone unturned or no methods untried to accomplish the obj-ct she had in view. Agnes herseif was utterly unconscious of her mother's manoeuvres, who wm far too acute to risk the success of her plans by a premature development, and waited as patiently as she could for the natural progress of event*, content, at lea t, to know that there was no rival in the field. In the meantime Sir James found occasion ♦ o drive into town to see his lawyer much more frequently th»n formerly ; and at last he dropped even the pretence of business, und began to call once or twice a week, some* times joining the fuinily at luncheon, and once even staying to dinner, after an elaborate apology for his morniDg costume, which Mrs Ford would hardly have tolerated in an ordinary mortal. But Sir James was not an ordinary mortal; hj» was destined to be the restorer of the fallen fortunes of the Fords, and, as such, would have been eagerly welcomed had he chosen to sit down in a stable-jacket. Agnes conducted herself on these occasions with the most queenly indifference ; and poor Mrs Ford's ingenuity was taxed to tLe uttermost to draw her daughter into a conversation which consisted, on Sir James's part, of short jerky sentences, and to which tho host contiibuted only a few dry uninteresting remurks on the topics of the day A general election was in prospect, and the member, Mr Archibald Barrington, and the Lady Alicia, hastened down into the country, and issued invitations to a ball. " There is no knowing," said Mrs Ford, whom you may meet at tao ball; you may be introduced into the very best sets, for Sir Jame* is to be there."

" Sir James—oh, I forgot him," returned Agnci, with supreme indifference, " Yes, I suppose he will." Mrs Ford chafed inwardly, and an angrj retoit rcse to her tonguo j but Agnes, quiet assleseoned, could show both spirit ami obstinacy, and it would not be wise to drive her to de.-peralion 5 so her mother went on without heeding the interruption. " I think ho is in some way related to Lady Alicia; and her countenance would soon bring you into notice." "Oh, I am of too lit tie importance for that!" said Agnes, with a slight curl of her lip. " Don't you remember that day we met h<r in the street P Just as we were about to speak she passod on haughtily, a< though utterly unconscious of our being near, although cur dresses nearly touched her as she sailed by." " She did not see us, Agnes," averred Mrs Ford, flushing slightly. "Don't you know how short-sighted she is P" "It seems to me, mamma, that great ladies often are," replied Agnes, with a glance »t hir mother's flushed face.

11 Now, those are your father's notions,' esclaimed Mrs Ford, rather crossly. '■ Jr »y don't let anyone else hear'you siy such things And now pet mo my desk, and I will wri:e to Madame Yernon at once."

And, while tho busy matron knitted her brows over her epistle, lest Madame Vernon should by any chance mistak« hor instructions, the object of ull this care seated hersolf on a cosy lounge, and soon lost herself among "the joys and sorrows of an imaginary hero and an impossible heroine. The momentous day arrived at last, and, just before luncheon, Sir James Maybury was announced. Mrs Ford received him in her usual gracious manner, and Agnes languidly presented the tips of her delicate fingers, a sight which chilled the m ther's heart with ♦error. But she needed not to have fe irod ; a contrary behaviour would have been fur more than likely to scwe away the shy bird she was so aniious to cage. Coversatiou genera'ly flagged with the Baronet, but Mrs Ford was more than equal to the emergency, a;id for a full quaiter of an hour her stream of small talk glided quietb by until the boll rung for luncheon. Then Sir James, with heightened colour and fluttering breath, ventured an original observution —

" Tou go to the Castle, this evening, of course, Mrs Ford, and —an! Miss Ague*? " Oil, yes, Sir James, and I hope we shall see vou there!"

" Yes, I think so—that is—oh, yes, certainly ! And I was going «o say, if you would'nt mind, would you allow me to take you up in my carriage ? And I would leave at any time you liked, of course." " Oh, Sir James," exclaimed the delighted mother as her visitor stopped for breith, " how very, very kiud. We shall be charmed, I'm sure!" And in the exuberarcc of her feelings she was very near forgetting the part she had to play. Too evident encouragement was a dangerous thing to a lover of Sir Jainc s's stamp. " And," said the Baronet, with a nervous glance at Agnes, " I've brought a few flowers —a—a bouquet, in fact. If you'll allow me, I'll ring for them." Even Agnes Ford warmed into admiration at the magnificent bouquet of hothouse flowers, in a silver holder, which Sir James rather awkwardly < ff-'red for her acceptance "Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed with heightened colour and a sparkling glunce which went straight to the poor man's heart. " How very, very kind!" repeated Mrs Ford. " They are really most exquisite, and the holder, too—ah, Agnes, you will be the envy of the whole room. And now let us go down to luncheon ; you will remain, of course, Sir James, and then we can talk over our arrangements with Mr Ford."

How eices-ivcly hard it was for Mrs Ford to comport herself with her usual dignity and composure at that mea! only herself could tell. But it was over at last, and she was at liberty to relieve her excited feelings by pourinto her husband's ears a full account of her anticipated triumph. " There can be no doubt now—none at all," she exclaimed, as she wound up her narrative of the morning's adventures —" at least none as far as Sir James is concerned. How Agnes is inclined 1 cannot tell." " What do you mean ?" asked Mr Ford, roused from his habitual indifference. " She will never be such a fool a 9 to refuse such a min as Sir James Maybury. If she does, she must take the cousequences. She will never have such another chance."

But Agnes had her own ideas on this subject, and nothing certainly could have been farther from her intentions than marrying to please anybody but herself. If ever Mr 9 Ford experienced unalloyed happiness it was when, attired iu tho rich costume befitting her age and station, she entered with matronly dignity the Castle ball-room, leaning on the arm of her anticipated son-in-law, an 1 followed by her husband and her lovely daughter, the latter attired in tho silvery gauzes and deli ate laces becoming her youthful charms, her flowing draperie* caught up by opening rosebuds, and Sir James's bouquet in her hand. The gathering was rather a mixed affair; and those who were in the Ford's s-t shrugged their shoulders significantly, and gave utterance to divers little speeches in the true spirit of envy and malignity. " Poor fellow!" sail one. "I wonder if he has ever heaid of the spider and the tly." "Pooh, nonsense!'* txclaiined anottier. " You don't suppose they will ever spin a web strong enough to catch a fly like that ?' As the evening wore awny Mrs Ford's satisfaction became rather less complete.

Among the party more immediately be« longing to the Cuetie set wa9a certain captain Crofton, who had managed to creep into her ladyship's good graces in town. Being a pleasant, gentlemanly man, he had received an invitation to pay a week's visit to the Castle. Agms lost her heart at first sight. Ho was the most romantically handsome man she had ever seen, aud she danced with him again and again. " Agnes, my dear, you will be tired," said Mrs Ford, in her blandest tone. " May I trouble you, Captain Crofton, to get her an ice ? " And, drawing her ample skirts around her, she signed to her daughter to sit down be-ide her. "My lore, don't make yourself conspicuous" she went on, when the Captain was out of hearing; "you have scarcely danced at all with any one else, and people will begin to notice it." " But what can I do, mamma, if he aski me ? " returned Agnes. " You know I cannot say I am engaged if an not." '• No, my dear, but you ought to be. Here in Sir James coming up—and you certainly owe him a little civility." Agnoi glanc.'d down at her bouquet, and rather ungraciously acknowledged the reccesity. "I hope you are enjoying yourself, Miss Fold," taid the Baronet, rather coldly. " You have darced a good deal, I see. I hope you find the Captain a pleasant punier? " "Oh, Sir Jamis," laughed Mrs Ford, " necwi y of I aring to dauce so often with the same partner! Sir James glanced at the flushed face, and felt his anger fust melting away. ' But what is the uectssityP" he asked. "If Mi*s Ford will do me the honour I shall be d lighted, I am sure!" and he held out his hand for her programme, utterly unconscious of th<- r proachful look that met her mother's imploring eyes. "I am afraid I'm engaged for so many," hesitated Agnes. " I did not know you oared for dancing, Sir James " •' T don't think 1 do, in a general way," confessed Sir James, longing though not daring to venture on a more direct compliment. " Mav I say the sixteenth ? That is a valse, I believe j" and, very unwillingly, Agnes allowed him to write h s initials. But she was ruffled and annoyed, and Sir James r> quired a great deal of "drawing out," so the valse was a decided failure, and -he was very glad to find herself claimed by the Captain for the next dance. Poor Mrs Ford did her best to make amends for her daughter's perverseness j but Sir James was evidently put out, and she was very g'ad when, at a hint from her, he proposed to call the carriage. The ride home passed almost in silence. Mr Ford was half asleep, Sir James scarcely said a word, Agnes, with dosed eyes, lav back in her corner, trying to recall syery word, look,

and gesture of ber handsome partner, and Mrs Ford chafed inwardly at the threatened downfall of all her hopes, and felt, almost inclined to ask herself what she had done to be plHguec 5 . wirh such a rebel!ious daughter. That night determined her to bring matters if possible, to a crisis. Accordingly, after tlieir lato breakfast the next morning, she prepared to commerce the attack. " Agnes, my dear," she began, in ber most nff ctionate tone, "you look sadly tired this morning, aud no wonder, after such incessant exertion. That Captain Crofton seemed to have no raercj on his partners. By the-bye, who is he ?"

11 A friend of Lady Alicia's, mamma," said Agnes demurely. " Yes, I know that—at least, I know that he is an acquaintance of hers—but I mean, what are his pesi'ion and connections? Because— unless you really know something of him—l mean of his family and fortune —it was ecarrely prudent to dance with him so very often. Sir James seemed quite dull, poor man, and no wonder." " I don't eiactly see what Sir James has to do with it, mamma," retorted Agnes in her mrgt scornful tone.

" Then I do, my dear," returned her mother, sharply. " You can scarcely affect to be ignorant of Sir James's intentions —and most certainly you have never discouraged them. Now don't interrupt me! I only wish to remind you that you have no v such a chance of getting settled in life as you can never eipect again, and certainly such as no girl in her senses would refuse —a kindhearted, sensible man, by no meana badlooking, in fact, rather the reverse —absolutely his own master, and with a rent-roll of at least twelve thousand a year. For Heaven's sake, Agnes," pursued Mrs Ford, warming with' her subject, "do be reasonable. Your father can give you n0 fortune, and you may depend upen it there are very few men who would take you without." A few days before such an appeal might have had some effect; now, however, it was utterly thrown away- Agnes saw in imagination a pair of expressive dark eyea and heard a low tender voice, and the idea of Sir Jamea Mavburv as a lover, or, worse still, a husband, seemed more than ever repugnant to her. "I cannot love Sir James, mamma," ah* plende 1; " and surely you would not wish me to m .rry a man I do not care for ? "Nonsense, nay dear, aaid her mother, impatientlv —" that is all the merest fancy. I am sure, when you come lo think it over, your own sense will tell you lam right. And now go and rest yourself; or perhaps a short walk would do you good. But don tbe late home, as Sir James will most probably call this morning." Agnes walked away to her room, but not to rest; she indulged in a long fit of musing, after which she came to the conclusion that she was being tyrannised over and persecuted, that Sir James a was sort of ogre, and that Capt. Crofton was the fairy prince who was destined to deliver her out of his clutches. She half expected her prince to call, and Mrs Ford, in dread of such a possibility, declared herself " not at home " to any one except Sir James. But day after day pas'ed on without bringing either of them, and Agnes was beginning to despair of the one and Mrs Ford to be anxious about the other, when, just a veek after the b ill, a stvlish equipage drove up to the door and Lady Alicia herself alighted. It had not often happened that, the lawyer s wife had been so honoured, and never without some ulterior object, which was the case now. After a U f tle desultory small-talk, her ladyship, in a rather roundabout way, came to the poinN . , " Bv-the-hre," she said, as though the thought had'only just struck her "we are goins to have a little theatrical entertainment —quite among ourselves, you know—and it has occurred to roe that your daughter—i charming girl, re dly, Mrs Ford—might not object to help us. In fact, the part of Juliet —we begin with the balcony scene in Shaksexquisife play—is not yet filled up; and in truth Miss Ford is precisely the ideal one conceives of that sweet character. Lady Alicia omitted to say that she had been disappointed at the last moment by a cousin of her own who had been originally " cast for the part. Mrs Ford hesitated, and juit then, to her mother's secret, annoyance, Agnes entered the room. The great lady greeted her with the most gracious condemns on, <ind commenced a<;»in to expatiate on her "dilemma." "She has never done anything of the kind," observed Mrs Ford, with a doubtful glance at her daughter, 1 and I fear she would not have nerve enough to undertake the part." .... " I assure you it is the eas : est thing imaginable!" declared her ladyship, eagerly. " With such a Borneo, ao completely at home in the character, she would have no diffionlty at all."

" And who is the Romeo, Lady Alicia P" asked Mrs Ford.

" Oh, didn't I tell you P " exclaimed her ladyship, with a lit'lla laugh. "Captain Crofton, of course. He performed it last season, he tells me, at the Duke of Dorminster's j and, in fact, it was he who first suggeited it." " Does Captain Crofton live in this neighbourhood P " inquired Mrs Ford. " I fancied he was quite a stranger in this part of the

coun'ry." " Oh, so he is indeed—quite so!" replied Lady Alicia. " But we have discovered that we have eo many mutual friends that the wonder is we have never met before. And he is a man of high family, too, and good private fortune. But I have anothor call to make," she concluded, rising and turning with her most persuasive smile to wards Agnes. " May I count upon you, Miss Ford P " " I think, my love," interposed Mrs Ford, rosorting to her usual plan when she wished to gain time, "we had better oinsult your p'ipa, and we can then let her ladyship know." So her ladyship was fain to declare herself p rt'ectly ?a*isfled to leave the matter in the I ands of her " good friend Mr Ford," and descended to her carriage after a cordial shake of the hand and an injunction to Agnes to commence ttudying her part at once. "For we shall have a rehearsal the day after to-morrow, and I will not for a moment suppose you will disappoint me."

It was no easy matter for the anxious mother to decide as ebe considered for the best. But, after long and earnest deliberation, an d a thorough conviction that any attempt to bias her dmghter's mind in Sir James's favour would be utterly futile, she determined to let the c >urse of true love run as smoothly as the natural course of events would allow.

So a little note was despatched to Lady Alicia, and A jnes was soon absorbed in the delightful task of conning over the impassioned lnnguage of the wondrous bard, and listening in imagination to the thrilling tones of the hand ome Captain. Rehearsals, of couree, were inc. ssant, and Agnes, enjoying for the first time the luxuries of an ariatocratio mansion, began insensibly to imbibe notions best calculated to further her mother's wishes " I cannot imagine what has become of Sir James," remarked Mrs Ford on the evening before the performance. "He has never called eiuoe the night of the ball."

" No mamma," explaiued Agnes, quietly j " he is gone on a yachting excursion to Sweden and Norway." (ft U oontmri,)