That Dancing Girl.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 10, Issue 754, 9 March 1888, Page 2

That Dancing Girl.

Oswald Money was the. son of a poor dountry doctor, and he had to come to London to make bis own fortune. There was no inducement for him to fol'ow hia father's business, bo he had to go into trade and spent his day* on a high stool making up accounts for a large exporting firm. While he was waiting to become a partner in ttte concern he lived with his aunt Ursula tMoney, who compelli d him to keep earl; hours and to regulate his habits with mathematio exactness to suit her fancy. Oswald was not a sentimental youth nor easily impressed, but coming home from work one night he stopped for a moment to watch j» merry group of girls dancing in the parlour |g of one of the villas he passed. There was one iyball girl,. with dark eyes and black bair, who ||||eemed tOjje teaching the others a Spanish fflpance, clicking the castanets as an accompaniment. Oswald went on his way, but the memory of that girl went with* him. He was enthusiastic that night at the table about * what he had. seen, but Miss Ursula would hardly listen. 'Tut, tut! the subject is distasteful to me. Reach me the paper. Have you read the report of the Social Science meeting ?' She read. .Oswald lazily moved about the room. • Really !' she cried, ' I cannot endure your aimless fidgets. Haa Herodias bewitched you P* 'It is the dance, aunt, that has bewitched me. If I only knew the name of it I daresay I would exorcise my defnon.' • A. minuet !' The young man laughed lightly. Then he described what he had seen. • Castanets !' said tha old laiy sharply, ' I suppose so.' •Tarantella. — a witch's dance.' ' A fairy's dance, if you will.' Another silence fell, and Miss Ursula either dozed or ruminated — she certainly did not read) for the paper had got turned upside down in her angry contempt, and she never righted it. Presently she said suddenly — 4 Where did you see that foreign folly ?' 'The dancing in Lansdowne Villas. There were four fair girls and one dark one. Do you know any girls answering that description ?' He tried to seem careless, but failed. 1 1 may or I may not.' *■ • Then perhaps '—he took the •' may not ' for »imply being words thrown in for his behalf/ and therefore heeded them not — ' perhaps you may some day come across Herodias — i beg her pardon for so misnaming her.' •Do you mean to say that you do not know that Drayson's head-clerk lives there — io Lansdowne Villas ?' • Well ? Not at that house surely ? ' Oswald actually flushed. 1 i am ignorant of which your house is.' The old laay jerked her head as she set her gold spectacles more tightly on her nose. ' I know that he has taken some Spanish girl to ' educate with his daughters— a nice thing for 1 his wife to have a young Popish minx under* ' mining her family.' " '■'"* The family seemed hsppy under the procees,' carelessly said Oswald. •Pshaw l He'll repent^ it. Mark my . words.' . 'The daughter of one of our correspondents, I suppose,' mused the young man. „;.,-* Suppose nothing,' commanded Miss Ursula, grimly, f or you'll repent in worse dust' arid ashes than poor MrsKedoison. I'jl have.no Papistical dancing niece brought here •—mmd I .' She' only strengthened that vague term of fancy of which we have spoken. Such thingß may exist elumberoußly ior a long while, but. just give one flick of opposition to the fancy and it starts iaio a full growth at once. Oswald Money before long was a welcome guest, at the house of his iellow- clerk. The o'.d clerk would continue in clerkdom j but Money, all the world knew, would rise to mastership either in* Drayaon's' or in connection with ' Draj son's —a man may be glad enough to welcome such a fellow to his house when there are four fair young daughters with an unseen future before them. Alas and alas for the Reddison hopes ! It was Carolina, the Spanish girl. She was as full of grace and of all sweet charms in the clear light of championship as she had been through the misty October light. She it was for whom Oswald Money angered his aunt. Yes, without doubt be had offended her beyond any retrieving. She soon knew all, and s be spoke some few of her strong words. She turned Oswald out ot her house, and ahe altered her will. Things happen strangely in this world £ which looks so utterly common place. * Three years went by. Oswald was working hard, and would rise by his own worth and capability. Lina had left the Beddisons, and for six months went to stay at Brighton with some relations of her own who were in England. By-and by, she was of high rank, and her father was Don X . She was a girl strangely particular in the matter of lovers j she would need perfection. But all that could wait until she went home, when the relations returned to Spain. Perhaps she had some sure perception ot that perfect lover, tnough as yet no one had declared hioisslf to her under that name. Wo ; Oswald had hid ideas of manly honour —he was not rich yet. Mieo Ursula Money became ill, and the also went to Brighton. One day, driving along the King's Jtoad, her horses took fright at some hideous clang of so-called music, aud an accident happened. The old lady's collarbone was broken. Things are done with barbaric freedom at euch times j they carried her into the house occupied by a Madame Molinez. She might have been carried home almost as easily. Well, Bhe was not, andhere came the ordering of fate. A tall, dark girl, whose touch was gentleness itself, and whose voice was music, though it bore wnat once Miss Ursula would have condemned as a foreign ring, nursed her, or helped to nurse her. fc v The girl "was Lina P . Miss Ursula thought her name was Molinez, and that she waa a daughter of the lady who so courteously housed her — the invalid. While this was going on, Oswald Money got his promotion— would he except the post of manager of the branch house at Lisbon, becoming thereby a partner in the house of Drayston & 00. ? Accept?— of course ha accepted at once. He wrote a letter home, and he went off at once to Brighton. He knew enough ol Senor Molimz to be able to call at his wife's house. Mibs Ursula was weak and fretful. She heard sounds about the house, and she missed her sweet young nurse. • Why do you not stay with me ?' she called, when Lina came back after a long absence. The girl was flushed, and tears of gladness flhoae in her eyes. • What is it ? Are you ordered back home P You do not want to go P Come aud stay with me in London.' fhe old lady spoke Bharply, but not unkindly. ' Yes, I go/ she suid. * But many things ere changed j I do not go to stay at my father's house '— 'Some marrying nonsense !' snapped the eW lady.

Lina laughed, then she directly after began to cry. ' I will not cry !' she burst out ; ' I am too na PPy 5 but ith ! how can I tell you all ? I will make you angry with me — hate me !' • Stuff ! Who are you goin» to marry ? Is he a Kentlenun ? — is he an Englishman ?— is he .iohP' 'Yes— yes — ;yes. All three — yes. But you do not think I care about the last — do you ?' ' I do. Lovers are fools,' growled Miss Ursula. 'la the creature in the house ?' • Yes.' Lina's face was a study of brilliant purpose. She clasped her hands energetically. ' Bring him to me. 1 ' And you will say he is good ! You will say that 1, Lina, am good, too ? V.m will not be angry with me? You will not say, ' B»h ! 1 will have no foreign niece ?' • Ah !' Lina was gone. The poor old lady was weak ; she fell acrying, and so they found her — they, Oswald Money, her nephew, and L»na X——, her future niece. • You !' she cried, &n<\ she brushed her unusual tears away. ' You,' and she shook her hand at Oswald. ' She's taken me in altogether, and — and — there ! give me a kiss, child !'