THE STORY-TELLER. CECIL ORMEROD'S ADVENTURE.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 3, 23 June 1883, Page 4

THE STORY-TELLER. CECIL ORMEROD'S ADVENTURE.

When young Ormerod knocked down ft drunken bully for insulting a poor girl in the streets one night, his friends highly applauded his chivalrous conduct. The affair caused some little stir, for the parties wore taken x before a police magistrate the. next morning, and that worthy improved the occasion by delivering a lecture anent street rowdyism, in the course of which he complimented ynnng Ormerod for interfering for the poor girl's protection. The latter gave evidence ou behalf of her champion, and thanked him very modestly and gratefully for his kindness. Her appearance created a favourable impression in court, for, in spite of her wan cheeks, hollow oyps, and threadbare attire, she was yonng and pretty, and had a look of refinement, which was borne out by her manners. Jt transpired that her name was Mary Jones, and that she was a supernumerary jit one of the minor theatres, at present out of an engagement. The papers described her as ' a young person of prepossessing appearance, but of no occupation,' and as it happened to be the silly season of the year, they enlarged upon this particular cas=e as illustrating the dang-ers of onr streets late at night, and the inefficiency of the police. Cecil Ormerod 's trifling adventure was consequently magnified into undue importance, and to his great annoyance he found himself for a time regarded as n sort of popular hero. Cecil Ormerod w»3 a rising young artist, well known in society. He was good-looking, could dance well, had a fair voice, and was decidedly popular. He was, of course, overwhelmed with inquiries about the fracas in connection with which his name had appeared so prominently in the paper*, and young ladies were very inquisitive about the girl-Jhe had rescued, as to whether she was, really pretty, and so on. It was noticed at the time that Cecil Ormerod was strangely reticent on the subject of Ins protege, and prudent matrons appreciated hi? discretion. Evidently the poor creature was a bad character, and the less said about her the better. But young Ormerod's male acquaintances had heard rumours which made them look grave, an 1 presently it oozed out that, not content with the chivalrous service he had rendered the girl, the foolish young man actually contemplated marrying her. According- to his account, the girl had a sad history, and besides being honest and virtuous, was by birth a lady. Needless to say, however, bis friends j declined to accept this statement, and shook their heads ominously. All j invitations suddenly ceased, and young , Ormerod found himself ruthlessly ignored, tabooed, and cold-shouldered • on every side. Many of his former hostesses professed to feel personally aggrieved and insulted at his insane project of marrying a girl whom he had literally picked up in the streets, and his conduct was generally regarded as worse than Quixotic. Cecil Ormerod was too much a man of the world to be surprised at this treatment, but he was, nevertheless, extremely indignant and angry. Being honestly in love with the girl, and implicitly believing her story, he became furious with every one who ventured to express a doubt about it. The consequence was that a coldness sprang up between him and his most intimate personal friends, and his position became more and more isolated. He assumed a defiant attitude towards society generally, and in all probability — having no near relations to interfere with him — would have got married offhand, when, by a fortunate chance, he one day ran up against an old friend end brother artist, Bob Haydock. Now Bob was one of those naturally clever, indolent, good-natured individuals who, though they have not acquired tjhe knack of helping themsejyes, seem constantly to be in the way ,of doing services to other people. It was said of Bob Haydock that his best work wjw to be found in other men's pictures, and it is certain that he never contrived to do justice to his own. Yet he was a painter of singular originality; find with occasional flashes of ■ genius. He was a good friend to all young artists, to whom he acted as a lenient mentor, giving really excellent .advice, which was very seldom taken, and frequently proving himself extremely useful in getting young fellows out of £wa}.es ; pecuniary and otherwise. For

with all his indolence, Bob Haydock was very shrewd and worldly wise, and^ during the forty years of his life, hnd contrived to gain a stock of most valuable and ont-of-the-way experience, which he always held at the disposal of his less gifted Friends. ' The very man I wanted to see,' he remarked, on meeting Cecil, who was rather a favourite of his. ' Come and have a chat. I hear yon are making a most infernal young fool of yourself.' Young Ormerod was rather taken aback at this greeting, which clearly showed that Bob was not sympathetically disposed. He was disappointed at this, for Bob was a Bohemian of Bohemians, and a democrat of the most uncompromising description. If any man would be likely to applaud his conduct in marrying the girl lie loved in defiance of everything and everybody, one would have thought Bob would. However, Cecil Ormerod had no leisure to meditate over this unpleasant surprise, for his friend took him by the arm and forcibly led him to his studio, which was close at hand. ' ouVe heard the news, then ?' said Ormerod, when they were alone, ' Before you say anything let me explain the circumstances.' 1 You can save yourself the trouble,' interrupted Bob, filling a dirty clay pipe, and parsing t.Jie tobacco across the table. ' The circumstances have been explained to me fifty times. I'm sick of hearing them. Fellows come here and jaw by the hour of nothing else ; and I may tell you for your consolation that all are unanimous in deprecating the step you are about to take.' ' I see that you join in the general verdict!' exclaimed young Ormerod, with bitterness. 'Heartily; so much so, that I'm about to do what I'm not in the habit of doing — I'm going to offer you my ad /ice unasked,' said Bob, coolly. ' May a moment !' cried the young man. ' Have you heard the poor girl's story ? Are you aware that she is as pure and virtuous as — as your own sister V ' Yes ; I've heard all about the weak father and the ternngant stepmother, and the privations the girl has suffered since she left her home in her endeavours to earn an honest living,' returned Bo 1 . 1 I've made inquiries about her, and I've no reason to doubt her story. I believe she is good and virtuous.' ' God bless you for that speech, my friend !' cried the young man, starting up and wringing his companion's hand. ' Don't be in too much of a hurry j with your blessings,' cried Bob llaydock, waving him aside lightly, but evidently touched by the lad's emotion. * Notwithstanding what I've said, I am most strongly of opinion that this marriage is out of the question.' 1 What ]' When you know the young lady to be everything that I describe her !' exclaimed Cecil Ormerod, incredulously. ' Unfortunately what I know or think has nothing to do with the question,' I returned Bob. ' Your friends, and I society generally, have a different opinion, and that is where the shoe pinches. Nothing will ever convince your friends that the young lady's story is true, and therefore, in justice to yourself and to her, you must give up all idea of marrying her. But for those infernal newspaper paragraphs which you were so proud of, nothing would have been known of her antecedents. As it is, people will always remember that she was — well, a supernumerary at a minor theatre, whose acquaintance you made during a street row. '1 hat is the most flattering description of her that will occur to the public' 1 What the deuce does that matter to me? cried young Ormerod, fiercely. 1 It will matter to her, at all events ; for nobody will receive her, returned Bob, ' while your marriage will ruin all your prospects. ' 1 don't see that. No doubt I shall lose a great many friends, but I shall still have my profession,' growled the young man. \Tobr. Continued.]

The cet|a of the human lungs are from one two-hundredth to one-seventieth of an inch in diameter, and are in number about six-hundred million. ! hjite Sjanton, in her lecture on ( The Lows -of Great Men,' asserts that the planets revolve around the sun by the influence of love ; like a child revolves about hia parent. When tho writer was a boy he used to revolvo around his parent a go<xl deal, and may-be wasinoitod .thereto by love, but to an unprejudiced observer it looked powerfully like a trunk strap..