LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5993, 30 July 1887, Page 1

LITERATURE.

THE SILENCE OF DEAN MAITLAND.

[By Maxweii. Gbax.]] » VOL. Ii Chapter V.— (Continued.) " Upon my word, Maitland," said the equestrian, addressing the latter, "this is a new revelation of your daughter's powers. I was already aware that she ' soothed the troubles and quieted the j consciences of the whole village, but I did not know that she undertook the blacksmith's labours as well/ "My daughter," replied Mr Maitland, tranquilly, "has received a very singular gift from the Almig-hty. She can subdue any animal, tame or wild, by some mysterious virtue o.f touch, voice or glance—perhaps of a3& three. Not a very lofty gift, perhaps, Sir Lionel, but one whioh is often very ftsetul in a homely way." "But surely, Maitland, you cannot approveofLiliaa'srendeiAlngsuoh dangerous services as these ? Are jou not afraid for herP" "Noj I have every confidence in her powers, and I do not like to make her nervons by suggesting dssnger« Perhaps one secret of her influence. 1b her absolute fearlessness. Watch the egression of her eye. No j I like my ohild to render whatever service she is capable of to her fellowcreatures. Parents often arr, I think, by interfering unnecessarily with their children's actions. Well, Lilian, and what was the matter?" lie asked, as the crowd, perceiving them, fell tack respectfully, with curtsies and cap-touchings. JudMns, receiving bis four-footed charge from Lilian's hand, prepared to mount and ride away, not without warning from Lilian, and strict injunctions to eschew whipping and other irritations, and to quiet Hotspur's nerves by a good canter on the turf. "Only a horse with a spoilt temper, father," she replied. "How do you do, Six Lionel ? Tell Mr Swaynestone that I mean to soold him roundly about Hotspur. He is far too hot himself to be able to indulge in chestnut horses. And, indeed, I am not sure that he ought to have any hone at all." "All this," said Sir Lionel, who had dismounted and taken off his hat with graceful, old-fashioned courtesy, "I will faithfully do, though surely one word from yourself would have more effeot than volumes I could say. Do your spells work only on the lower creation, Lilian P " " I suppose so," returned Lilian, turning homewards in the reddening sunbeams, accompanied by the two gentlemen and the horse, which latter she patted to his great satisfaction. "My Bpells consist chiefly of sympathy and affeotion, and these are perfect with innocent animals and children, but only partial with sinful men." " Ben Lee will never forgive yon for inducing me to drive without bearing-reins," said Bit Lionel. " I wish you could have seen the sight, Maitland. Leeignominiously dethroned, your daughter and myseK on the box, Lilian handling the ribbons, and driving me up and down before the house without bearing-reins. Lee never drives out now without preparing for his last moment, poor fellow. I hope you will not help poachers, Lilian. I hear you can surround yourself with fifty pheasants at any moment in our woods." " If I were to hurt anything, I think my power would be gone; and even if I did not love a thing I should have no power, for I have no influence on reptiles." "And does Cyril, who is so like you, share your power ?" "Aa a child he did," interposed Mr Maitland. " You remember the bull that killed Lee's father, Sir Lionel ? Imagine my feelings on seeing the twinß, then about six years old, stroking him, and trying to reach by jumping up to his terrific horns ! Still, Cyril has an unusual influence over animals, though it becomes fainter. He has. more power with human beings than his sister." " Yet Lilian stopped that fellow who was beating his wife to death." " And the whole village looking on and not lifting a finger — the cowards 1" Lilian flashed out. "He fell down in sheer fright when I rushed at him. Come in, Sir Lionel, and have some tea," she added, as they reached the gates. But Sir Lionel refused the tea, having still some distance to ride before dark. " I am in Lady Swaynestone's service to-night/ he said, " and she bade me ask you to come and counsel her about some distribution of coals or what not, when you have a spare moment. I wish you could also exorcise the demon of extravagance from that boy Ingram." " She nearly scolds the poor fellow to death as it is/ y said Mr Maitland. "We are expecting Henry Everard to-night." "So I hear. A promising fellow, Sir Andrew Smithson tells me. He was both clever and kind in his treatment of Lee's wife last spring. As a lad, I thought him rather dull. However, we all pin our faith on Dr Everard now at Swaynestone." And, bidding them farewell, Sir Lionel sprang like any youth to his saddle, and rode away at a canter, looking like a very prince, as his tall and gracefully-erect figure disappeared among the trees in the duak. The group at the forge, meantime, rightly judged that so much heat, toil, and anxiety required the alleviation of moisture, and Straun, casting his hammer aside, proclaimed his intention of adjourning for solace to the Sun, which stood at the corner by the cross-roads, a few paces • further down the road. " Come on, Stevens/' he said " and toss me who'll treat Granfer." The guardian of the cart horses thought it a pity not to follow so good an example ; bo aho did Hale, the wheelwright, who lived at the opposite corner; and Wax, who chanced to be the schoolmaster, and Baines, the tailor, whose monotonous indoor occupation, though varied with pigjobbing and gardening, required frequent solace of this nature. Hale's brother Tom, a soldier resting from war's alarms in his native Tillage in a very undress uniform, consisting of no belt, a tunic unbuttoned all the way down and displaying a large expanse of striped shirt, trousers tucked up round the ankles, a short pipe, and a zcuffin-cap perilously askew, considered it a breach of manners unbecoming a soldier and a gentleman to permit these worthy men to drink without assistance ; and similar feelings animated his brother Jim, a sailor, bearing the legend "H.M.S. Bellerophon" on hia cap. So the brave fellows, accomodatiog their pace to that of Granfer, which was more dignified than swift, turned in as one man beneath the low doorway of the Sun, and grouped themselves about the cosy, sanded bar, where the fire-light was beginning to look cheerily ruddy in the fading afternoon. " And I zaid," added Granfer, striking the sanded floor dogmatically with his stick, "Zend for Miss Lilian— zend fur she." " Ay, Granfer," growled the smith, "it'a all very well for Miss Lilian. She ain't got a wife and seven children, and her bread to git." " I zes, zes I," interposed the sceptic in the smook frock, who had taken a pull at his tankard, and was removing the foam from his lips by the simple application of the back of his hand. " ' Where's the use of a gal V I've a zin it, and I believes it. I shouldn't a believed it if I hadn't a zin it." "You never believes nothink," observed

Jim. " Ah ! if you'd a sin what I've a sin aboard the Bellyruffian " " Or ii bed a Bin they there snakecharmers in India, •what he won't believe in/ added the soldier. "Ah!" broke in the olerk, "you put Miss Lilian aboordtheßellyruffian, or take her out to Injy and let her charm snakes, and I'll warn't she'll do it. That ar buoy Dick, -whatever Bhe done to he, nobody knows. A bad 'un he wer, wouldn't do nothing he hadn't a mind to. You mcd bate 'un till he couldn't stand. Wax have broke sticks about his back, and covered 'un with weals, but catch he gwine to school if he'd a mind to miche. I se3 to Miss Lilian, I ses, ' I've a bate that ar buoy black and blue,' I ses, * and I've a kept 'un without vittles this two days, and he won't do nothitn' he ain't a mind to.' And she uj>3 and ses, 'Stevens,' she Bes, 'I should like to bate you/ she ees; 'I should like to bate you green and yaller/ Bhe ses. * Lard love 'cc, Miss Lilian, whatever would ye bate I for?' I ses, ses I. 'Because you are a fool, Stevens/ she ees, 'and you are ruining that buoy, and turning him into a animal/ she ses. And ehe took 'un up Rectory, and kep' 'un there a day, ana sent 'un home as good as gold. And she made me promise I wouldn't bate 'un no more for two good weeks, and I ain't bate 'un zince, and he'll do what he's told now without the stick. 'I should like to bate you green and yaller, Stevens/ she ses. And Bhe'd a done it, she would, green and yaller— ah, that she would, mates." " I don't deny," said Baines, the tailor, whose profession rendered him morbid, revolutionary, and inclined to distrust the utility of existing institutions, "but what Miss Lilian may have her uses." "Ah, Baines," interrupted the soldier, "you ain't such a fool as you looks, after all." (To be continued.)