Chatter I.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5760, 2 January 1897, Page 3

Chatter I.

"Ah, yes," said Miss Driscoll, "that was delightful," as Angus talked of the old days. " I sometimes wish we could recall all that time," said he sentimentally. " And yon haven't forgotten my sister," said Miss Driscoll, as a youth deposited a young lady at her side. " I am so glad to sco you again," said Angus. This Miss Driscoll was as plain as the other was pretty. The eyes alone were much alike. Angus looked from ono to the \ other. Which was which ? Of course, ho couldn't ask. The talk probably woidd show. " By Jove," said Angus, speaking aloud, "it's eighteen years since -wo have met. " " And we havo heard so much of you," said the pretty sister. " So much of you, Mr M'Farland." "Can't it be— Angus— after eighteen years," our lieutenant asked. "Why, I always think of you— as Angus," said the pretty one. r> And I, too," said tho plain Miss Driscoll. "And I think of you still as Esther and Eleanor." Ho looked around, expecting some responso. But "Do your" That's good of you, said one. "Oh, it's delightful, Angus," said the other. " I wish ifc were dear Angus," said the sentimental lieutenant. "Well, I'll make ifc dear Angus," said tho plain one, "if " - r Yes, my dear Angus," said tho pretty X ",-. Driscoll, spreading her fan. Now he !s*-;■.•!;, -mie scores of irresistible young §3? -„i>.*n.t-n 'ittered among a score of ports, .•"■•■■•Tn N(»,i. orb to Yokohama, bufc tho :•:•'■;■.!. v 7-IV! driscoll was surely the most :r..v.;"'k.;b!<-\ A../1 then there were tho •':.. 'ii '•- v ; ;^ delightful memories of one's U-.'h^.l, wh<:h they had been boys aud zoi.-'hr.\ -.' t'.^evh.'.'-. ' Homo clutches at a v;;.:;. ''ifwrx ct'.i'r I-.?, has been away three -"■;:•" ij: th.* Ohiivi s-:':'^. The hills about Wul-'-.i'iiteii h •■-.'ined i.e. 've.i'oine him. Tho ■■■■■;-,j.Lvi >i ii'.-'. 'aVo.-u Cii- ! > :iad pressed all >:hv.i:; ._■: i>.-'-::>i.'. iliiy. <"!!'!. hoy:; "ho had been yoa:.i;„ <•'■■,•■'■■. --r-.x ve.-a'P. a-jo v. oronow staid, suet"--- :i;l I'i.LV.i'.v.-, with i-hii L''Hi. Bufc in soine ■■'!' v iii 1 a..\"avs iv..ye/;!;-i;V"d Wolhamton ab i'-'imr t'iu> horn;; •:■( th » iX-iscolls. Esther Di-fcco]} -ha-! W.s si.k I; r, „■„., d fellow years a:;v>. .I'-i/m/ :>. limn, on n. vo.l! ;-vts cruise, he had wiouyV; ah; vi, h-T.^n.i a.V ; : i.j_ about Eleanor. Aud i.'ow ho v.mC tri!;-'i: -un last woek in V : vihi:. , ,^(i , > wTAU'.-n ro h::d thought of EstL:.i.v 'IViiV- svhWi yar; hr/ther and which was EL-vuor. lie <<■:.:••<} uot ;*■:<; Of course, tho pretty olio imuv' !.■.••-. Ilni; years change a preUy JUt-h) s>;H. iute vhomely one: ho could not b('. :;im:. is r ov.-, I dare say, you would hav-. £W.i« . h!i;i;v'.y te the point and asked. Bui ■*•-.. ■.•.■.1d ,yoa. ii' you were a wanderer — a folios' v/hose iiwn-,: is in every place where the il:j curt wv.vc over somo yards of deck? Vov A'igus there was a sentimental memory Jiboufcth:* littlo girl. If her personality now doubtless were lost in the woman, he hoped at least that it wasn't. And on that account; and now particularly because he did nov' wish to affront the pretty Miss Driscoll'''; , he did not like to ask, "Which oi you may bo Esther, which Eleanor ?" But if he had expected that ono of them might tell, he Avas disappointed. They persisted, if unconsciously or maliciously, in disappointing him. At ono time he fancied the omission was intentional, and again ifc was accidental. But the longer he ■talked to them he was convinced that the pretty Miss Driscoll was the Esther of whom during many years, and many experiences, he had thought about, wondering' what that girlish playfellow had "become liko. He knew not ; yes, of course, sho was the irresistible Miss Driscoll. And Iwhen, at this dancing, sho was takeu away from him, he tried to mako himself entertaining to the plaiu sister, on the .principle that ifc is well to havo a good friend at court. They went over tho old days together. He set traps to find out if ehe were, indeed, Eleanor.

"Ah, that was Esther, wasn't ifc?" he would exclaim at somo memory, bufc the plain Miss Driscoll only would say, Avith the faintest suspicion of a smile : "Really, I don't remember, Mr " " You forget^ ' Angus/ "he answered. " Well, Angus," she said, flushing. Or did he think she reddened that least bit ? At any rate, it Avas the encouragement ofau impression. And ho persisted. He passed nearly all the rest of that evening with the plain Miss Driscoll, for tho pretty ono Avas persistently engaged. And still in the interest of that impression, he tried his best. As they Avalked on tho laAvn under the moon this Avas as entertaining as the pretty one. Ho even — on the strength of that old acquaintance — may have uttered certain words that wero not free from passion. When they came in the plain Miss Driscoll looked even happy. She Avas not accustomed to men Avho spoko these meaningless sentimentalities. Men looked generally over her head to her sister. Yet she liked admiration, as even a plain girl — avlio has had little or no attention — may long for that which has been denied her. But Angus Avas not thinking of what tho girl thought. ' Bless mo! he had talked these same things Avith many a score of girls, as I have said, from NeAvport to Yokohama. If he did it now, it Avas a mere matter of habit, and Avith rather more than the necessary fervour, because ho wanted the pretty sister to hear tho very best of him. At the ovening's end he had a few moments Arith the other Miss Driscoll. Ho forgot whathehadsaid to the other. At any rate, ho said it over Avith interest to the pretty Miss Driscoll, Avho had had nioi'e experience with men than her sister. Yefc thafc night, Avhen the sisters comparednotes, in the feminine manner after routs and occasions, the pretty one said she thought Angus McFarland was " rather nice," Avhile the plain one said, " Yes, veiy nice. And he was such a nice boy eighteen years ago." " You know, I don't remember him then," said the pretty girl. "Why, you told him you remembered every Avord," cried the other.

" 6h, of course I did," said the pretty sister. "When you have as much experience as I, you'll knoA7 you'll havo to fib to a man, sometimes." As for Angus himself, he sat smoking for a long time after that dance, not once asking Avhich Avas Esther. He felfc convinced that the pretty ono must bo she, because ho wanted her to be. And, as he was thinking so much about them, he asked nobody Avhich was tho she of his boyish memory. And the next morning he started out early for a earner Avith the two sisters. Ho rode better than the proverbial sailor, and made love as Avell. Both pisters thought him delightful. When he had the pretty ono alone for a moment, as the fortune of the ride occasionally gave him the chance, ho said sentimental things to her, because he meant them, and Avhen ho chanced to be alone Avith fche other sister, ho said things nearly as sentimental to her as the night before, because he wanted her to impress tho other Avith her ov/n favour for him. Ho avus, you know, at that age when- a man of a certain variety of fominine experience considors thafc tho easiest, if, indeed, not the only Avay, to impress a Avoman, is by making love to her, a theory I am not prepared to controvert. Such meu, carried aAvay by their theory, or by their natures, even extend their tactics of extreme admiration to elderly Avomcn.

But Angus felt alvoivly — as ho returned to his hotel that morr.iug after the vide — that ho was in love. Ou hid table was an envolopo Avhich he fcoro open hastily, and fearfully, knowing thafc his leave was over and that he might expect orders . at "any moment. But he had not expected them so suddenly, for he was ordered to report afc ei-'ht the ucxt morning on the Maryland, ivh'ich ivas then <»/? Staten. Island. He hr.d I .cor ordered to ho AviLhiu, six hours of Now York; but, now, this assignment Avas appalling. Ho had but time to get the afternoon train. As it was, ie snatched a few moments to rush over to

tho Driscoll's. He wanted to say more to the pretty one than the opportunity warranted. And he had to be content with pressing oach sister's hand—one earnestly, tho other for tho sake of the impression. He decided that he would write tho pretty one, bufc as soon as his train was woll out of Wolhamton ho remembered that ho didn't kno'.v whether sho was Esther or Eleanor. As it chauced — those chances which sometimes occur so provokingly — ho mot no one who was acquainted with Wolhamton, and he carried out to sea his uncertainty about tho identity of his inamorata.