Chapter I.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5760, 2 January 1897, Page 1

Chapter I.

To live in one of the three small houses that were chiefly unlike tho others in the street because they bore the title of Paradise Villas, might to the ordinary observer appear a distinction without a difference ; but to the dwellers in these favoured residences the fact was a source of genuine, if subdued pride. The porches over the three front doors were decidedly higher, and there were no doubt some four feet square more of garden allotted to each of these select abodes than belonged to the neighbouring cottages. Old Mr Tempany/ late of the Hussars, who lived in the right-hand corner, bore himself with so modest a mien and such frank simplicity of manner in spite of all these advantages, that envy died a natural death in his presence. Besides, there always lurked in the hearts of his acquaintances a belief that the rent of No. 1 Paradise Villas, was unpleasantly high for a man whose age prevented him from doing active work, and whose pension was only seven shillings a week. And, no doubt, this opinion made them still more kindly disposed towards him. They noticed, too, that his eyesight was very failing, although he never spoke much about it, and that the old lady— everybody had a good word also for Mrs Tempany—" seemed that feeble and shaky on her legs, poor dear soul, that as likely as not she'd never see them wall-flowers come out another year." Mr and Mrs Tempany were known to be very proud of this particular product of their garden ; and it was their sympathetic friend, Mrs Turnbull, who made this last remark, after bringing home a great sweet-smelling bunch, and enjoying a chat with the extrooper and his wife one evening in May. Mrs Tarnbull was not a woman of a sentimental turn, but she had felt a sort of odd pang when she had left the old couple to their meagre repast, and returned to her own more substantial supper.

"They re.ely don't get enough solid food, Turnbull," said she to her husband, who earned good wages as coachman to the Colonel who lived at the end of the street. "Not that they — she don't anyhow — seem to care much about their vittels ; but don't tell me, Turnbull, that bread and tea (and it's only tea, that I know, at one-and-three), with not a drop of milk in it, is enough for any old gentleman and lady who want something a bit comfortin' and strengfchemn' to keep 'em up, I'll just run round with a coiiple of eggs for them, and a bit of the corned beef, to-morrow."

So saying, the worthy woman prepared to put the two youngest of her five children to bed, and her husband went whistling off to his stables.

Meanwhile Mr and Mrs Tempany, who looked as they were, what Mrs Turnbull characterised as " superior and good-livin' people," had finished their tea, and the' old man, who seemed very tired and stooped much, put a few more broken sticks on the fire. For though it was May, the east winds were still very chilly.

"You didn't ought to walk so far in them woods to fetch sticks, John," said his wife. "You're that tired, I can see you are, you didn't scarcely eat nothin'."

The pinched face of Mrs Tempany was lifted up anxiously to his. Such a pretty face it had been when a handsome young hussar, whose figure had looked magnificent in his black-and-yellow uniform had won her nearly sixty years ago. Perhaps he thought it fair still, for he smiled very kindly down upon her.

i " Don't you bother about me, Jenny, said he ; "I do feel my back a bit bad now and then — in the spring and fall of the year especial. But " Here he paused abruptly, for what he had meant to have said was, "It's the eyes as is the worst trouble," and he began instead to busy himself with the feeble fire and the sticks. Mrs Tempany watched his shrunken figure as he moved about. His long wliite beard, his fine forehead and straight features, gave him an air of nobility and distinction even in his worn-out old Cardigan jacket and carpet slippers. The fire made up, ho put on his smoking-cap, a round head-gear trimmed with yellow braid and adorned with a tassel, and went very slowly into his little garden. He had not been able to afford any tobacco lately, for Mrs Tempany had been more, than once so weak and faint that the doctor had been obliged to be called in, and his medicines had. cost a " sight of money." The ex-trooper leant against his garden railing, with his faithful spaniel, who was far fatter and more prosperous in appearance than his master and mistress, sitting thoughtfully on his haunches beside him. Rover probably knew that Mr Tempany was a little sad that evening, for he kept on watching him sympathetically with his red-brown eyes, and now and then laid a cold nose under the withered old hand that hung listlessly just above it. Presently a young man, alert, in figure, and with a good-humoured face, came striding down the footpath. Ho had been out surveying, evidently, for he carried his apparatus with him. In front ot No. 1, Paradise Villas, he stopped short. " Hallo, Tempany !" said he, in a hearty voice.

The old man raised his hand to Ms forehead and looked pleased. As a fact, it was tho. voice, not the face, that he had recognised, but he had not confessed to anyone yet how very much his eyesight was failing him. " Well, Tempany, how are you ? Pretty bobbish, eh? I've had a day of it, I assure you. But the out-of-door work is the best part of soldiering after all. Oh, I say, look here ! I've been awf idly remiss, I know, but I'll write soon about that grant for you, I will indeed — from the fund, you know." j "I'm very greatly obliged to you, sir," said the old man. "Well, good night," answered the other cheerfully, lighting a cigar as he spoke. The fragrant whiff of tobacco was rather tantalising to Mr Tempany, who we know was without any at present. But it did not occur to the light - hearted Captain Abingdon that he might have given the old soldier half -a - crown to buy some. He was an amiable young man in his way, but not especially thoughtful. »So he rode on gaily, and Mr Tempany went indoors. The lire had now gone quite out, and the old woman was asleep. Had he been able to see her better, tho aspect of her white, shrunken face, with' her drawn mouth a little open; would have given his heart a pang. But he only guessed that she was dozing, and moved very gently about, till lie finally settled himself iv his black horsehair arm-chair and went to sleep too.

The little room was very neat and clean, and suggested comfort, if not extreme prosperity. Every we_«dusted article of furniture — the mahogany cupboard, the brilliant patchwork tablecloth, which was the work of the ex-trooper himself, the bead-mats with the regimental badge emblazoned upon them, above all, the few prints framed in polished wood upon the walls — were household gods, beloved and cherished by the Tempanys. There was' one picture of Lord Cardigan, the heroic leader whom the ex-trooper himself had followed in the famous charge that had certain death or imperishable glory as its goal. Facing the presentment of the cavalry general was a faded engraving representing Cathcart falling lifeless at lukerman. Below these was a still more

dim photograph of ex-Trooper Tempany in uniform, which brought back to his wife whenever she looked at it memories of the merry sound of trumpet calls, of the clank 'of spurs, and all the stir and bustle of -the old soldiering days that seemed so aloof from the quiet monotony of Paradise Villas. There was also one of Mrs Tempany, looking very smiling and prosperous in her best dress of brown silk.

The ex-trooper woke with a Btart. Evidently he had been dreaming, for he said quite out loud before his eyes opened —

" No, not them prints, or the patchwork, or the mats, not if I know it ! I'll part with a bit of the furniture, if I must— but the medals— how dare you? Never!" The room was very cold, and a wan light crept in from the unshuttered window on to the face of Mrs Tempany, who still slept, with her head in its shabby black net <cap bobbing uncomfortably up and down. Rover was chilly too, it seemed, for he had crept close to the old woman, and was lying snoring upon her skirt. The last green and lilac tints were melting into rray in the sky; the village street was very silent. From the swaying bough of a tree near he villas a bird twittered. Ther .i sound of dance musio some way off made itself audible. The olonel, who lived in a large house far v . vn the st jet, was giving an evening party, a_u' CV-vabi Abingdon and many soldiers of all agob, were eating, drinking, and otherwise amusing "themselves, after the arduous duties of the day.