Chapter I.

Otago Witness, Issue 1003, 18 February 1871, Page 20

Chapter I.

" Wanted an experienced editor of Liberal views to conduct a journal in the provinces."

Such was the announcement that struck ray eye as I glanced on the front page of a literary journal. I wanted an excuse for leaving London, and thought this post would just suit me. I had a small income independent of a remunerative connection with reviews and periodicals, and if the situation should turn out to be a poor one in a monetary way, I could afford to., put up with it for a short time., I called on the agent to whom the advertisement referred.

"Well, sir," he replied to my preliminary questions, " I doubt if the place will suit you ; the' salary offered is very small."

" I don't so much care for that .-at present. Where should I have to go to, and what is the name of the 1 paper ?"- • - 11 Hers is a copy of it, "

"Why, this is in Ireland 1" " Yes, sir ; we have had many gentlemen calling here, who inquired no further when they ascertained that fact." "But how is it the proprietors are willing to employ an Englishman, as I presume they are from your agency in the matter ?"

" I can scarce tell, sir. My correspondent on the subject is a lady, who writes as if she were the owner of the journal, and perhaps she is."

The Castletown Eagle— the name rather tickled my fancy, and i had no objection to go to Ireland. It would serve my purpose as well as any other quarter of the globe. The man seemed astonished at the alacrity with which I closed with the miserable terms on which the desk of the Eagle was offered.

"You can write," I said as I was leaving. « to say that you have secured an editor, and a cheap one. With reference to qualification you can say whatever you like ; but, on second thoughts, perhaps you had better simply state that you believe I am capable of doing the work. "

" Very good, sir. I shall let you know when they are ready for you."

A week after this I had taken my seat in the ''Wild Irishman" train, from Euston terminus, bound for the extreme south of the county of Cork. As I leaned back in the carriage, I felt a certain boyish delight at my escape from the London round of life, which was becoming more or leas wearisome to me. On arriving at Holyhead I noticed three ladies on the platform, who seemed in a distracted state with their luggage. There was no gentleman with them apparently, and the porter was listening in a surly and uninterested manner to their nervous description of a missing box, I went forward, and inquired if I could be of any assistance. They thanked me, and explained that they had put the box into the carriage with them— where it was ultimately found, shoved far back under a seat, when the surly porter condescended to search for it. One of the ladies, while directing the man, had given me a shawl and cloak to hold, and when the little incident was over, I found myself following the party on board the steamer. They went down to the cabin, but I remained on deck, and was about to hand over ray charges to the stewardess, when the owner of the shawl reappeared. "Thank you," she said, smiling, as I offered to help her on with the cloak and to wrap her in the shawl ; "I could not remain below, the morning is so fine." "I think we are pretty sure of a calm passage. " "I am glad of that for my companions' sake. lam a good sailor myself." " Are you not afraid of the chill— there is always a cold mist over the sea at this hour?"

" O, not the least afraid."

I remember with a queer distinctness how out conversation grew, but I doubt whether it would be as interesting to others as it was to me. In fact, before the sun rose— and a beautiful dawn it was, flushing over the far edge of the green waves— we had become strangely confidential. Perhaps I ought rather to say 1 had. The lady listened with interest enough to encourage me, and at last I told her what was bringing me to Ireland.

" I am to edit a paper for an old woman."

" Indeed ! it was a strange notion of yours, this adventure. How odd it would turn out if she were a widow and you were to marry her ! There is a subject for three volumes for you at once." " I should be porry to marry in Ireland. Irish ladies, I understand—"

A little nod of the head, half satirical and half coquettish, warned off the blunder I was about to make. " But I didn't think you were Irish." " Yes, quite Irish ; and very proud of the fact, I assure you." I hastened at once to apologise for the tone in which I had spoken. She took my explanation in the best good-humour.

The bay of Dublin was now opening before us, and I can at this moment call to mind the loveliness of that summer morning : the deep emerald tinge of the sea, the Wicklow hills, like purple clouds in the distance, the heavyeyed gulls floating curiously across, and something getting tangled in the smoke and seeming to dissolve in it to the size of white butterflies. There were as yet very few people on deck ; but the quay draws nigh, and one by one the passengers appear.

"I think I had better say good-bye to you now." And she held out her hand to me with a sweet unconscious frankness.

" Good-bye. I trust we may come across each other again. Perhaps you would tell me your name ?" She smiled for a second, and then, with an expression full of fun, glanced from me to one of her boxes lying outside the great deck pyramid of luggage.

I understood her at once. We parted, and I carefully wrote down, %< Miss Wentworth, Mountjoy- square, Dublin," the name and address inscribed on the trunk.