A FAST GIRL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1429, 15 February 1888, Page 6

A FAST GIRL.

'My dear Leslie, 1 Baid Sir Henry Seymour to his ward, ' I do wish you would try to be a little less fast, everyone is talking about you, and iiis very painful to me.'

'My dear Guardy,' said the young lady he addressed, a very pretty girl about eighteen, ' what have I done ? Just mention some of my sins and I will try to reform.'

'Well,' said Sir Henry, 'to begin with, you are too fond of using slang expressions; I am sure you do not mean any harm, dear, but it does not sound well. I wish you would adopt a more ladylike manner, like those nice quiet girls, Colonel Bond's daughters. 1 assure you, Leslie, men do not care for fast girls, however much they may flirt with them, and I confess I should like to see you well married.' 'Now, my dear Sir Henry,' said Leslie coaxingly, 'tell me, did you ever hear me say anything the least weeny bit improper ?' ' Certainly not, my child.' 'Then let me tell you, those nice nice, quiet, ladylike girls you admire so much say things that would make your hair stand on end. If you could only hear how they go on when we are by ourselves. I should be ashamed,' she added, with energy, ' even to think of the things they discuss freely ; indeed, I cut them whenever I can. As for marrying— really, all the young men I know are such muffs or prigs, I detest the whole lot. What is my next crime ?'

'You smoke cigarettes,' said her guardian sternly. 'I was told youwere actually Been with one between your lips out of doors the other night.' Leslie bung her head a little, and then said with a slight blush : { I cannot deny I tried once, and indeed it was so nasty, and made me feel so ill, that I assure you I am not likely to do it again.' 'I am glad to hear it. So you think all young men are muffs or prigs ? I hope to introduce you to one who answers neither description. You have, of course, heard of Captain Murray ?' ' Do you mean the Captain Murray who gained the Victoria Cross for defending that fort so gallantly in the last campaign ? Of course I remember all about him. Why ? ' ' He is coming home, and being the son of an old friend, he has promised to pay me a visit, and I expect him shortly.'

'How delightful! I shall like to meet a real hero. I hope he is handsome.'

' Douglas Murray was a very goodlooking lad; but you will not suit him, young lady ; he abhors ' fast girls,' and is very fastidious.'

' Well, I shall survive his disapprobation, I daresay. Amy will suit him to a T ; she is such a demure little mouse,' and Miss Lindsay took herself off.

In due time Captain Murray arrived. Leslie Lindsay was disappointed ; she could hardly believe that quiet, unassuming young man could be the hero who had startled the whole of the civilised world into admiration. To her guardian's great annoyance she seemed to make a point of showing herself in her worst colours, and when Sir Henry asked her whether she thought Captain Murray a prig or a muff, she declared he was both.- 1

One very hot day in July, Leslie and Sir Henry's daughter, Amy Seymour, were returning from making a call. The drawing-room windows opened on the verandah, which were covered with luxuriant creepers. It looked very cool and pleasant inside on such a sultry day. The two girls crossed the lawn and were about to enter the room when Leslie, who was in advance, suddenly drew back and pointed inside. Amy peeped in. There was Captain Murray fast asleep in an armchair near the window.

'What a chance, Amy, for me to win a pair of gloves.' 'For shame, Leslie; you are too bad ; you surely would not think of such a thing.'

'Who's afraid?' said Leslie, 'besides he is really fast asleep and will never know ; and the temptatioruis too much for me. Consider, the hero the whole world raves about,' and with a mischievous look at Amy she stepped lightly in and dropped a kiss as light as a puff of thistledown upon the sleeper's forehead. He lay quite still and apparently unconscious, and she was gone as quickly as she came. As the sound of the girl's retreating footsteps died away, Douglas Murray opened his eyes, and smiling to himself said —

' I suppose that is considered a fast girl. I must confess I like her, and believe she is really true and womanly. That fast manner is all humbug. I must not forget to pay my debt, however.' and he laughed. ' She thinks me a muff, I know. Never mind, that kiss was very nice — I forgive her.' A day or two afterwards, as tbey

were all at breakfast, Sir Henry said — ' I forgot, Leslie, here is something for you,' handing her a small packet, marked, ' Parcel Post.'

' Whatcan it be I wonder,' she said, as she cut the string, ' the handwriting is quite Btrange to me,' and she was about to open it quite unconcernedly when Amy remarked —

'It's just the shape of a glove-box.' Leslie started, and looked guiltily across the table at Captain Murray, who was, however, going on with his breakfast. She took off the paper wrapper and discovered a white box — it did look horribly like a glove-box, Leslie thought, as she lifted the cover — and, yes, inside lay several pair of dainty kid gloves of different shades. The colour mounted to the very roots of her hair, but hoping nobody noticed her confusion, and not daring to look across the table, she was replacing the cover of the box, when Captain Murray said very coolly — ' I "always pay my debts, ' Miss Lindsay ; I do not like to feel under an obligation.' It was too much. Hastily seizing her parcel, Leslie rose, and murmuring something to Sir Henry about not feeling very well, she flew upstairs and locked herself in her room, where she had a good cry.

'Oh! Leslie, you nasty fast little wretch,' she sobbed, 'it serves you right. Oh! dear, what shall I do? What must he think of me? I never felt so ashamed in my life how shall I ever dare face him*' again ?' After a little time she took a look at the gloves. ' Just my size. I wonder how he knew ; and six buttons — and ho\* pretty they are' (giving them a loving pat). 'He is not quite such a " prig " after all, but it makes no difference to me now. He dislikes me I know, and I wish he was gone.' And then she had another good cry.

Sir Henry Seymour had no reason to complain of his ward's conduct for the next few days — but she avoided Captain Murray, who tried in vain to get a chance of speaking to her. One morning, however, fortune favoured him. He was in the garden, and Leslie was walking towards him, she was quite unconscious of his proximity, and they must meet in a moment more. Never had she looked so pretty ; there was a pensive look on her usually saucy face, and when she saw him standing near she lifted her sweet blue eyes to his with a wistful half beseeching glance.

' Miss Lindsay,' said Douglas, ' shake hands with me, please. lam afraid I took a most unfair advantage of you ; pray forgive me, and let us be friends.'

' Oh ! Captain Murray, Ido feel so awfully ashamed of myself — what must you think of me ?' And she covered her face with her little hands.

' Shall I tell you what I think of you, darling,' as "he gently took possession of them, and drew her towards him, ' I think you are a dear, sweet, loveable girl, and if you can put up with such a muff as 1 am for a husband '

' Ob, please don't,' said Leslie, interrupting him, 'do not remind me of any impertinence. You are much too good for me ; but, indeed,' with great earnestness, ' I will never do it again /' ' I call that positively unkind, I assure you, dearest,' said he, laughing. ' I do not care how many times you repeat the operation — only next .time, my darling little Leslie, 'it must be upon my lips !' Sir Henry Seymour was considerably astonished when Captain Murray asked him for his ward's hand. Leslie has been Mrs Murray now for some years, but her husband has never regretted he married a fast girl, while she declares she has found out from experience 'all men are not either prigs or muffs.'