A FAST RUN AND A DOUBLE KILL. A TALE OF THE FIELD AND DRAWING-ROOM. (From the "London Society.")

North Otago Times, 3 August 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

A FAST RUN AND A DOUBLE KILL. A TALE OF THE FIELD AND DRAWING-ROOM. (From the " London Society.")

" What a horrid day !" was my first exclamation, one dreary-looking morning in November, as my maid diew aside the windowcurtains and let in a dismal landscape of park and garden, enveloped in sheefs of mist, which came diiving up 1he yalley, and wieaihed round the crests of the wooded hills, shutting out completely from my sight the long line of the dear old moor. " How I do hate weather of this kind !" " Perhaps it will clear off. Miss," observed Margaret, in a consolitoiy tone, as she filled my bath But I knew too well what ihe thick giey mist portended, to be beguiled into hoping that we were not in for a wet day. I arose rather dispirited and what is commonly called "' out of sorts." Not that I am one of those people whose spirits are after the fashion of a barometer, rising and falling with the changes of the weather. As to caring for rain, why, from the time I was a scrap of eight years old, I have been accustomed to brave all weathers accompanied by my dearlybeloved brother Jack ; for ho ving no sisters. he had filled the placp of all other companionship to me. Little B >b, my ofher bi other, was nine years my junior, the deaths of intervening brothers, many years back, having placed this wide difference between myself and the " baby of the family." The constant absence of Jack, who was now in the Guards, gave Bob brevet rank during the holidays, and he and [ had consequently a fellowship in many pursuits. Perhaps, presuming on the knowledge that I was someti nes dependent ou him. Master Bob was disposed to be immensely patronizing. He appeared at such times to disregard the fact of my being nineteen years old — and " come out" — and would affect to pooh-pooh my opinions on certain subjects, resorting to the old assumption. " What can a girl know about such things ?" There was one point, however, which was rarely a subject of discussion between my small brother and myself, and that was riding. Bob was as plucky a little fellow as ever counted ten years, or bore home from school the traces of a hundred fights in divers decolorations about his round rosy face. He would have been the first to volunteer in ihe lead of a ftnlorn hope into ihe dangerous preserves of a tempting orchard, alt-hough the ent' ance to that paradi-e of schoolboys may have been guarded bv ihe most bloodthirsty of mastiffs. Bob was a little hero sans peur at sans reproche in all matters save one. He could not and he would not ride. Now rifling was the darling passion of my heart, though I had as yet had but a limited scope for its indulgence. My brother Jack was one of the ha'dest and most daring riders in his regiment. The amount of steeplechases, hurdle races, etc., in which he had distinguished himself, woe faithfully recorded in my own especial diary — a charming little volume bound in green velvet, with a real gold key. Bob declined taking this step in our direction. He had* a pony, bnt they weie on the mof-t distant terms of friendship and association ; and I have known the occasion when Bob lias been moved to tears on being forced by my fa (her to follow us over a very small gap in a hedge, where crawling vice leaping was the only mode of progression required from Ihe pony. It was in vain that Jack coaxed and bullied him by turns on the subject. Even Aunt Tabitha — of whom both Bob and myself stood in a certain awe — failed to produce any effect and she wouM observe, with the shade of a sneer in her voice, that " it is a pity Eleanor and Bob could not exchange tastes." I came in for my share of the sarcastic rebuke, for my love of the equine race, and a certain leaning to what Aunt Tabitha called " unfemininc pursuits," insured to me a long series of sermons preached by my aunt in the course of her annual three months' yisit to us. Aunt Tabitha was a maiden sister of my father ; and I sometimes think that the dear old governor himself was not quite exempt from the feeling of restraint which her dignified manner and fall gaunt figure had the power of impressing on those around hei. She looked many yea»s older than ray father. In fact, she was one of those women who could never have been young, and who seem lo be sent into the world for the express purpose of checking the natural impulses of youth on reformatory principles. Why is it that these moral brooms never sweep as clean as they are intended to sweep? Jack, and I used to say our catechisms to her ivhen we were children ; and it is qiiite shocking to think of the distaste to all religious duties with which Aunt Tabitha's teaching inspired us at that early period of our lives. It was not only that her aim seemed to be to convince us that we were two little sinners modelled wholly for the exercise of continued punishment, but that the paths of righteousness were so very steep as to make our attainment to them an impossible feat. So painful was her discipline, that it prompted the wretched Jack to exclaim one weary Sunday afternoon, " That if Aunt Tabitha was to be his guide into that narrow way. he would rather travel down the broad road by himself." It is scarcely necessary to add that he was forced to atone for his heresy in the sackcloth and ashes of solitary confinement.

And yet, poor Aunt Tabitha was a good woman after aU. In my mind there yet lingers a grateful remembrance of her kind nursing care of me during an attack ol measles, which happened when I was staying with her. How patient she was with, me in those irritable hours of convalescence when even old nurse exclaimed that " Miss Nelly was a worritin' little subject when she was bad !" Aunt Tabitha, under her frigid exterior, possessed a warm heart, of which my father was the idol; and on the latter point we would always meet without risk of opinions clashing. To my way of thinking, my father is a fine specimen of a thorough English gentleman— in manner, in character, in heart, and in pursuits. Generous to a fault, kind and courteous to all, he was firm and unflinching in matters of conscience and duty. ' Squire Vavasour,' was a name revered and loved by fi iends of high and low degree. No wonder Aunt Tabitha was proud of him. He was rather like her in person : (he same pure and classical outline of feature, but softened in my father's face by the kindly beaming glance of his dark-blue eyes, of which time had not dimmed the sparkling lustre. He was a keen sportsman, and alihou^h turned of sixty, C am proud to say that no younger man could ride straighter to hounds, or fly his fences with greater ease. He possessed also that rare virtue — consideration for his horse — which, in my veiy limited experience, I have observed is a very rare virtue indeed. Many a man can ride hard ; but, as Jack says, not so very many spore Iheir horses also — that happy combination being confided to the few. There is another advantage my father possesses over the mass of his kind. lie can talk on other topics beMcles huntiog ; differing widelv in this respect from our neighbor, Sir Ralph Kelly, who has but that one subject on which he cm converse freely. Whenever he comes to dine with us, I amuse myself by watching Aunt Ta'oitha's face whilst the worthy baronet drones on through every detail of a run — how he Ihought his horse Vagabond would clear some tremendous place, and he didn't — and how the hounds performed some feat, engrossing, no doubt, in reality, but frightfully tedious in description. It was a fortunate thing for his other guests that my father's port was fine and old, as I have heard, on the best authority, that ihe •' blushing fluid ' is a wonderful support under such ciicumstances. The potent spell, however, did not work its charm on Aunt Tabitha; and I could have sympathized more fully with her look of wea« iness and disgust, had I not felt disposed to be wickedly rejoiced that she was undergoing a fitting chastisement for her unpardonable offence towards myself. As ill-luck would have it, Auat Tabitln's visits were always happening during the hunting season. Now my chief fault in her eyes was my devotion to riding, which she called " being fast:" but I put it to any sensible, impartial person, promising to abide by their arbitration, if a woman cannot combine a taste for riding with inclinations of a purely feminine character, and if she shall not be able to appreciate a gallop with the hounds siud at the same time prove herself to be, when the occasion occurs, the most womanly and tender of sick nurses. By the way, when poor Jack came home wounded from the Crimea, he said I was the best nurse he had ever met with, whatever Aunt Tabitha may say about my masculiue tastes unfitting me for the vocations of my sex. But some women, especially old maids, are frightfully narrow-minded. Aunt Tabitha, however, so far succeeded in working on my gentle mother's fears that I was prohibited from doing anything more than goiug to the meets and seeing the hounds draw, although I could have cried when I saw them streaming away, whilst I was obliged to luru homewards, venting my grief in bitter complaints to old Isaac, my father's gioom, who had taught me to ride when I was only four years old. He sympathized in my distress with all his honest old heart, comforting me sometimes with the encouraging remark, " Never mind, Miss Nelly ! the young Captain will soon be home, and Mrs Tabitha will be gone, pei haps, or laid up, please God, with the rheumatics — when the old ca*'s away, the mice'll play." Certainly old Isaac was frank in his remarks on Aunt Tabitha. I did "get one or two capital days when dear old Jack was at home. He mounted me on one of his own horses better qualified for the occasions than my own quiet little mare, Daisy, which my mother's fears, heightened by Aunt Tabitha's wicked representations, condemned me lo mle. However, I nolnced my&elf with the reflections thatbefoie next hunting season, and in the absence of Aunt Tabitha, I should coax my father into the fulfilment of a half promise he had made of reserving Daisy for himself as a eoveri hack, and buying something for me that would go. On this particular morning my spirits were below zero. I had managed to coax the reluctant Bob into a promise of accompanying me to a coursing match at Htirstley, where we were to meet Charlie and Minnie Curzon —the latter my especial friend; and now this tiresome rain had come to spoil my promised pleasure, for Aunt Tabitha would talk all kinds of nonsense to my mother about my increasing my cold. So I was disposed to look despondently at life in general, and to wonder when ray tide of good for'uae was coming. My maid chirped a series of well-meant but inefF'ctual consolations, and I descended to i he breakfast-room in no very enviable frame of mind — only just in time for prayers. " Late, my darling !" observed my father, cheerily. " In my youn? days I was obliged to be down earlier," Aunt Tabitha found time to remark, before she assumed a devotional attitude. I am free to confess that my thoughts wandered sadly that morning during the progress of family prayers. I thought how disagreeable Aunt Tabitha was ; and I wondered if Minnie Cuzron had some equally aggravating relative always at hand lo add fuel to her particular little flame of the moment. "Why is it that, when one is slightly put out, every little circumstance should tend to jar peculiarly on one's nerves,->as if directed purposely and offensively towards one's self. As I rose from my knees I felt unaccountably irritated by the slow, measured, exit of poor inoffensive Mrs Benson the housekeeper, marshalling her force out of the room ; and the creaking

of Frnmpton's boots excited a most unreasonable feeling of annoyance in my mind, very much increased by Bob's remark — "I say, Nelly, it's no go, you know, today," and my mother's gentle addition — " No, darling, you cannot possibly go to Ilurstley to-day." My father looked up from a letter he was reading, " Never mind, my Nell ; here's something that will make up for the loss of ihe coursing match to-day." " I am sorry to think that Eleanor should care for amusements so unsuitable for a woman," remarked AuntTabilha; but the rebuke passed unheeded. " What is it, papa, darling ?" I asked breathlessly. " Lord and Lady Copplestone want me to idke you to Burton on Wednesday, as they have a large party staying with them for the ball on Thursday. Treherne's first meet is on that day also, so you are in luck, Nell. Your moiher can't go, as your uncle and aunt will be here on Wednesday." Even the presence of Aunt Tabitha did not restrain me from throwing my arms round my father's neck in the first impulse of my delight. It will appear, peihaps, inexplicable to many fashionable, young ladies of my own age, lhat anything so very commonplace as an invitation to stay in a country house for a country ball should have called forth such an exuberance of joy on my pirt. I must therefote esplain that since my first appearance as a young'lady, come out some few months since, I had only been to one ball. Lord and Lady Copplestone were very old friends of my father and mother, and I had frequently spent many a pleasant week at Burton ; but these visits had been always timed when their party was confined to ihe family circle. It is true that Lady Copplestoue had often pressed my moUier to allow me to go there when the house had been filled for the shooting season, or for some particular occasion of festivity ; but my mother had invariably refused while I was yet in the school-room. Now the case was altered, and the inteniict removed. My mother's kind face beamed with pleasure at ray evident delight, and even Aunt Tabitha's wore a look of satisfaction, I thought. " I say, Nelly, " suddenly observed my youthful brother, suspending the absoibing occupation of eating to make the remark, " what a sell it will be for you if nobody asks you to dance at the ball ! " " My father laughed. " What makes you think Nelly won't be asked. Bob ? " " I don't know, rejoined Bob ; " but what a pity you are not like Nancy Coles, Nelly." Nancy Coles, be it observed, was the daughter of one of the und3r-gardeners — a good-na-tured young woman of Dutch build and fashion, whose round red cheeks and merry black eyes had apparently captivated Bob's fancy, for he continued — " What a great pity you haven't got nice red cheeks like Nancy's. Yours are only pink ; and my gracious ! your hair isn't half as pretty as hers. She's got beautiful long black ringlets, like coikscrews, and yours is only wavy. You should just see hers all down her back ! " "And pray, Bob, when have you had an opportunity of seeing this splendid crop of hair all down her back?" asked my father, much amused. " I saw it the other morning, when I would go and look for the apples in her room, and she was doing her hair. Isn't she a stunning, good natured girl, that's all ! She gave me six raox-e if I would give her a kiss.'' " You are a precious young gentleman for ten years old, certainly," said my father. So that's your style of beauty, eh, Bob ? — red cheeks and corkscrew ringlets ! Aunt Tabitha, however, did not enter into the joke. She cast a look of withering scorn on the top of Bob's unconscious head, who ,had returned with unabated vigour to his breakfast. *' Really, my dear John, I wonder how you can encourage Robert (Aunt Tabitha rarely condescended to the more familiar abbreviations of our names) in associating with such low people. They ai e very respectable, honest persons, the Coles, no doubt ; but certainly Nancy is not a fitting companion for Ro'oei t. A young woman who keeps apples in her bedroom, too ; dirty creature ! " added my aunt in a tone of unaffected horror. "She isn't a dirty creature," cried Bob, flying valiantly to the defence of his favourite ; " She's a nice, clean girl ! And as to keeping apples in her room, why they give a beautiful smell to her things. I like the smell of apples." At which additional proof of Bob's very unrefined taste, Aunt Tabitha looked mutely disgusted. " And so Bob thinks you will get no partners at the ball, eh, Nell?" said my father, taking my face in his hands as I passed his chair. " Well, we shall see. Mind you take your habit with you; old Copplestone means to give you a mount. Here's a particular ; message for you in the postscript." I looked over his shoulder and read, u Tell my friend Nelly I am going to give her a mount on Thursday." My father gave a sly wink in the direction of Aunt Tabitha, which note of observation I did not fail to understmd, and flew up-stairs to give orders to Margaret. "• Well, to be sure, miss," remarked that practical little personage, " how fortunate that your new ball-di*ess is just come down from London ; and such a love of a dress as it is too ! And there's your white silk grenadine with cerise just finished. And dear me, miss, what a pity there's no time to send for a wreath of York and Lancaster roses to wear with it." " Never mind that, Margaret, there's oceans of red and white camelias at Copplestone, and the gardener will «»ive you as mauy as you like. But let me look at my new habit, I hope tJiat is all right. For goodness' sake let me try it." " Well, miss, I can't see that your habit matters as much as your dresses," returned Margaret, contemptuously, who being a mortal coward herself, held a different opinion on this subject. " A thousand times more, Margaret," I said, as I anxiously prepared to try on my habit — my father's last and most welcome gift to me. It was an unworthy distrust of the unrivalled powers of that master-genius Poole. A microscope could not have brought to view one superfluous fold or crease ; and, with a sigh of intense relief and satisfaction, I bade Margaret take especial care in packing it. (To be Continued.)