THE MAYOR’S DAUGHTER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4997, 3 May 1889, Page 4

THE MAYOR’S DAUGHTER.

LITERATURE

‘Oh dear no! Besides even if she has, directly I tell her she is quite at liberty to marry anyone but Algy, she wont care two pins for anyone else. These “yoang foolish things all now believe in the hackneyed saying that true love never runs smooth : and conversely they imagine that no love which does run smooth can be true, or what is more taking to'their ideas, romantic. And if it is not for money or romance, it is, in a large majority of cases, for some trifling reason that girls marry. It you could get half a dozen young married women into the Palace of Truth , “and ask them one after the other why they had entered into the holy bonds of wedlock, you would get these answers or something like them — No. 1 : “I married because papa was so ridiculous as to object to my dancing five times in the evening with the same man, and I thought if I married I’d be able to do as I pleased in such matters.” No. 2: “I married because Georgia Smith got engaged, and I was determined she shouldn’t be married before me.” No. 3. “ I married because widows’ caps are so sweetly becoming, and 1 wanted to take the first step towards qualifying for one.” STo. 4: “I was married because people would think I had never been asked.” No. 5 : “I married because I loved- ” ’ ‘ Ab, there you have the good oldiasbioned reason at last ; it is quite refreshing,’ said Lady Cecilia amused by this volatile prattle. ‘Don’t be in such a hurry, my dear Lady Cecilia. The fair confessor was going to say “ another.” In other words, married out of spite. But seriously, are you sure Master Algy has not already chosen for himself ? I’ve answered for my child ; can you answer for yoUrs ?’ ‘ 0 quite. Algernon is not one of those young men who find a dart in every pretty face. Besides, what opportunity has he had of losing his heart, even if it were of the most susceptible nature ?—which I am sure it is not. He went straight from his school to the regiment j and for the two years between joining and going out to the Crimea, he was, when not engaged in his professional duties, too much engrossed in field-sport for falling in love. He is not likely to have seen any especially fascinating young damsel in the Crimea, I should think ; and to imagine that at Puddleton, where he has] Ikch since his return, there can be any girl for whom a son of mine could care, is too preposterous.’ ‘ Of course it is,’ acquiesced the old dandy. ‘We may safely dismiss from our minds all fear of danger from Buddleton, or whatever the name is. And now having satisfactorily disposed of all obstacles, we may look on the matter, as an accomplished fact.’ ‘ Weil/ said Lady Cecilia,‘Algernon will arrive in the middle of the day.. You and Agatha bad better come and lunch with ns.’

The meeting between mother and son was affectionate, and Lady Cecilia was unusually demonstrative over it. Her heart, though desperately full of worldliness, was still a mother’s heart, and as such it could not but swell with pure loving paide as she surveyed her handsome and gallant yonne son. There iV no such health restorer as happiness, and for the last few days Algernon Warriner had lived in an Elysium. His face, when Lady Cecilia had last seen it, had been wan and weak with months of suffering, but now the glow of health was once more on his cheek. ‘lf Agatha doesn’t lose her heart to him, she hasn t gone one,’she thought.

‘ You will meet some old friends at luncheon,’ she added aloud, with more meaning ihan met the ear addressed. ‘ Old friends/said Agernon gaily, ‘delighted to hear it. I believe in “ auld lang syne.” • Who are they ?’ ‘Sir Tripton Madingley and his daughter. This is her first season.’ ‘ Sir Tripton, eh/ said Algernon laughing, for the old beau had always been a joke with him. ‘ Ah, what's the daughter grown like I haven’t seen her since she was a little girl in frocks/

‘ Agatha is a very nice "girl : seems to be admired but she is hardly my style of beauty, and hardly yours, I should think/ replied Lady Cecilia, carelessly ; lor well did she know that this was one of those cases in which ‘ faint praise ’ does not ‘ damn.’ It is much better to expect little and be agreeably surprised, than to expect much and be disappointed. ‘At all events/ continued * Lady Cecilia, ‘ it will be quite refreshing for you to meet people in society again : for of course, Algernon, you have no acquaintances amongst the people of Puddleton.’

‘Haven’t I though,’ said Algernon warmly. * Amongst others, there is as fine a specimen of a hearty old English gentleman as ever I met with—a jolly old gentleman of the name of Bolitho.’

‘ .Never heard of him,’ said Lady Cecilia, hs if her words were equivalent to a sentence ot social ostracism. ‘But now that I do hear of him, his name gives one the idea that he is always dancing the hornpipe.’ * Well he is jolly enough I can assure you, with that perpetual motion.’ ‘Very likely. Jollity is by no means an unusual concomitant of vulgarity,’ said Lady Cecilia, superciliously. 1 But he is not vulgar,’ retorted Al* gernon with warmth. ‘ So be it, Algernon/ Heated arguments over trifles are. He is not vulgar.’

‘ Pray, have you any more friends besides Mr Bolero,’ continued the lady who had a contemptuous way of nor being troubled to call people out of Lor own set by their right names.’ ‘ Yes, I have, the Mayor of Puddleton and his family.’ ‘ Dear me, Algernon. The Mayor of Fuddleton and his family. Well 1

confess thas does not raise the same lively picture to my mind’s eye as name of your friend Bopeepo did.’ ‘Well then, my mother dear. I’ll draw the family picture for you.’ ‘lf you consider it necessary to do so, Algernon, or it will afford you the least pleasure. I confess that in my mind a mayor and his family are nothing more than mere abstract ideas A mayor is something with an instrument of torture called address which he uses unsparingly ; a mayor’s wife is something that is very much overdressed, who stands by awkwardly bowing ; a mayor’s daughter is something frightened out of her wits that presents a bouquet ; and a mayor’s sou —well, I dont tliinkhe has ever obtructed himself on my mind, even in the abstract; but I suppose he is something that does something with a ledger somewhere.’ ‘ You will shortly know a little more of the genius,’ said Algernon ; ‘ for I may as well tell you at once that it is mainly on a subject very closely connected with the Mayor of Puddleton and myself that I have come up to talk to you about.’ ‘Ob I know/ said Lady Cecillia, languidly. ‘But my dear Algernon it is high time you gave up those boyish pranks.’ ‘ I really don’t understand you, my dear mother.

‘ Why I recollect now that a mayor of a town is also its chief magistrate; and you have got into some scrape with him, aud you’ve promised fifty pounds to some local charity as compensation, and you have not any spare cash at your agents. Am I not right ? Of course I must be. For what ether subject could possibly bring you and the Mayor of Puddleton into close intercourse.’

(To he Continued.)