THE SHALLOWS MURMUR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 46, 21 August 1891, Page 21

THE SHALLOWS MURMUR.

(By W. J. Henderson, in an American paper.) Ir Frederick Bison bad not been a successful lawyer be might have mistrusted his own judgment of human nature. But he had broken down so many witnesses by the skilful application of his psychological theories that he had come to regard his own idea of any character as iomethiog to be received with awe and entertained with rmreooe. That was why he shook his head as he leaned back in trft big wicker-work chair on Mr Breece's verandah, He was smoking a cigar and contemplating through half-closed eyes the spectacle of Ellen Breece— commonly called Nellie— playing tennis with three young things in knee-breeches and Btockings. Frederick Bison regarded them with the amused contempt of 35 years of life and five of brilliant success. He did not bestow any of the contempt on the girl. No man could do that. She was altogether too beautiful, and while Bison shook his head he could not help admiring her. 41 Come, Mr Bison I " she called, waviog her racket at him ; " come down here and keep score for as. Yoa look too lazy and useless for anything sitting up there half asleep." Bison rose and walked slowly down the steps. He was too good-natured to resent the girl's easy impudence and too conscious of his own personal force to notice the smiles of the yonng things with down on their 1 ips. 14 Miss Nellie," he said, " I know very little about tennis, and jour father expects me in the library in half an hour to talk over the case." 44 Well, the case will keep. It's been keeping long enough goodness knows, and it can wait till our game is over. Now, then, Mr Dennis it's yonr Berve." 14 Oh, really, though, is it ? " asked the young thing. 14 Yes, really, though, it is," answered the girl, mockingly, at the same time sending a mischievous and bewitching glance at him from her deep gray eyes. The young man fairly gasped with delight as he stood motionless gazing at the girl's face. Sbe f tamped her little foot and cried : " Play, you ninny 1 Don't stand there like a wax fignre." The youth served the ball rather feebly, and the girl was at once transformed into a bounding young goddess. I suppose the tennis girl is the modern ideal of Diana. At any rate Bhe has health and activity, and develops the human form divine. Nellie Breece, playing tennis, was lovely to look upon. Her light brown hair had a marvellous touch of gold in it and, coiled up tightly under her tennis hat, it looked like a half -concealed crown. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted, and her brilliant, strong white teeth flashed between them. Her sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, scorning sunburn and displayiog a forearm of delicious symmetry. The three young men who were engaged in the game with her watched her movements with their hearts in their eyes. It was plain that they worshipped her. And it was equally evident that sbe accepted the worship as her just right, and had no notion of giving anything in return for it •xcept the inestimable privilege of obeying her orders. 11 That's out I Oh you goose 1" she exclaimed to her partntr, Mr Frank Harkness, a pale, faultless-looking youth. The poor fellow had caught her eye just as he was about to strike the ball, and she had given him a look which made him pummel the helpless little sphere with undue force and send it far out of bounds. And then, of course, she blamed him for it. There was no disputing the fact that sbe was a true daughter of Eve. 44 I'm very sorry," began Harkness. 44 Oh, what's the use of being sorry ? " she cried, with a bewitchingly transparent pretence of anger. " Well, what else can Ido ? " asked the youDg man. " Shall I kneel and ask for forgiveness 1 " Without waiting for an answer he dropped on one knee, and seizing her hand, raised it towards his lips. But she snatched it away and gave him a resounding box on the ear. Then before the other two youths could enjoy his discomfiture and before he could quite realise what had happened, ehe bent over him with great gentleness and said : 44 Oh, I'm so sorry I hit you so hard." 44 Don't mention it, I btg of you," exclaimed the enraptured youth. " I didn't mind it, indeed— l rather liked it, you know." At that she mercilessly boxed his other ear, and went capeiing over the grass singing : 4< ' He likes it, he likes it, he does.' " Bison watched all this with carious eyes, and as the girl went waltzing over the grass, said to himself : 44 She's a witch I " At that moment Mr Breece appeared on the verandah and beckoned to the young lawyer. " Come, filson," be said, " I don't like to break in on your pleasure, but I have to go to the city to-morrow and then you can play t^mis with Nellie and the boys all day." 14 Play tennis I " cried Nellie. "Mr Bison play tennis 1 He was playing the judge, that's what he was playing."

There was a little note of genuine vexation in the girl's voice which made Bison stop and look at her inquiringly. Then, as he tnrned to go into the house, he said to himself : " She wishes to bring me to her feet, too. If sbe only knew that I am half down already ; bat it won't do, Fred, it won't do." Bison had been visiting at Mr Breece's oountry house for nearly a week. He had accepted his client's invitation to escape the heat of the city for a short time in the dnll season. The visit, moreover, gave the two men opportunities to discuss at their leisure an important case which the yonnger was to handle for the older at the next term. On arriving at Mr Breece's place Mr Bison had seen Nellie for the Erst time. Her beauty had attracted him, and at first her volatile way 8 had simply bewitched him. He was sufficiently skilled in self-examination to discover in abont forty-eight boors after his arrival that he was rapidly tailing in love with this effervescent girl of twenty-one. Then he pulled himself together and indulged in some wholesome reflection. 44 This will not do. That girl is a shallow, carelew, thoughtless doll. Sbe is very beautiful ; there is no denying that. But she is all surface. The old saying is : " The shallows murmur, but the deeps are dumb." That's the thing that applies to her. She it a murmuring shallow. Why, the fellow that manies a girl like that would go hungry for the deep sympathy of a real womanly nature all his life. All sbe desires is amusement, fun, freedom from care. She is unfit to be the life companion of a student, a thinker, a man of brains, for instance, myself. It won't do, Frederick ; yon mustn't let the warm, bubbling, physical beauty of this girl carry you off your mental and emotional balance. You'll be sorry for it as long as yon live if you do." So he began to hold himself aloof from the girl, spent more time among Mr Breece's boors or in solitary rambles about the countryThe girl was not blind. She saw that Mr Bison, who had been somewhat attentive to her when he first arrived, had ceased to bestow as much of his consideration npon her. 41 He thinks I'm too young and frivolous for a man of his age to notice. Well, all right ; he needn't notice me, then," she reflected. "But I'll make it interesting for him before be goes." The next morning Mr Breece went to the city. Mrs Breece, who was an invalid, and seldom left her apartments, Bent for Bison and said : " I'm afraid you'll find it dull to-day. 1 have told Nellie to take you for a walk up to the top of Cormorant Hill. The view is worth the trouble. And this afternoon I think you may feel inclined to drive." " My dear Mrs Breeoe," said Bison, " I trust you will not burden your mind with me for a moment. I can amuse myself capitally." When he had reached the lower floor again he found Nellie waiting. 44 Mamma says I am to take you to the top of Cormorant Hill ; do you think you can do it ? " " Do what 7 " " Climb a hill." 11 1 don't know ; I'm willing to try, if you are going with ma." " Come on, then," she said. " One moment. I don't wish you to feal voder any obligation to take me up that bill. If there is anything else you would rather do, I beg you to dismiss me from your mind." 11 I've nothing else to do," she said, " and we can take Carlo along to keep us company. Here, Carlo." She patted the dog's head, caught up her hat, and the next instant was dancing down the lawn, while Bison followed more sedately. She turned and saw him moving slowly forward. She lifted up the clear, strong voice and carolled a snatch from "lolanthe" : 11 Let's depart, Dignified and stately." Bison smiled as he came up with her and said : II Are jou always so effervescent 1 " " Pretty much always. Don't yon like it ? " 11 1 should think you would get tired of it someiiT ?•" 14 And I should think you would get tired of being solemn and stupid." • 4 I'm not always stupid, Miss Nellie," he anawered, smiling. •' Ob, no. I suppose in court before a lot of prosy old Judges or jurymen, or something, you aren't exactly stupid ; bat you must be an awfully prosy person." '• You aren't very complimentary." 14 No, I'm not fond of blarney." 11 You like people to speak and deal honestly with you ? " 14 Yes, of course ; don't you ? " " Yes, but may I esk why you don't do it yourself." She stopped short and the colour rose in her cheeks. " What do yon meao, Mr Bison 1 " " Let us get up the bill first," he said, and I'll explain to you afterward.' They began the ascent, and for a few moments the girl was silent, Then suddenly she threw back her head and began to laugh.

Her hat had fallen off, her beautiful hair was blown into a bewildering mass, and her cheeks were like two ripe apples. Tet in her eyes there was a faint shadow of annoyance. " Come, Carlo I '" Bhe called to the dog; "here's a butterfly. Let us catch him and make him be serious." She bounded away np the side of the hill, while Bison followed steadily and at a good pace. " I have angered her," he said ; " however, I'm in for it now. I meant to pique her anyhow ." On arriving at the top of the hill he found the girl standing under a tree. " There*! the view," she said shortly, waving her hat ; " look at it." Then she deliberately turned her own back upon it. Elson burst out laughing. She wheeled and glared upon him. "This view is not usually regarded as funny," she said. " I wasn't laughing at the view," he answered ; " I was laughing at you." •• Oh I " she exclaimed, « I'm flattered. See here, Mr Bison, you began to lecture me at the foot of the hill, and at the top of it you laugh at me. Suppose we gc back a little. What did you mean by what you said to me down below ? " " I accused you of not dealing honestly . I meant this :Do jou think it right to make those three young men worship you when you don't " •• Oh I " she cried, bursting into laughter that sounded almost hysterical, " is that all ? " " Isn't that enough T " "Why those boys, boys— they worship every girl that smiles on them. It's perfectly absurd— why, it's folly to talk about it 1 Mr Elson, you're an impertinent old goose 1 " Bhe turned like a flash of light, jumped over a log, and went bounding down the hillside. Elson followed and heard her -voice ringing up among the trees. " Mock me no more with Love's beguiling dream, A dream I find illusory as sweet, One smile of friendship, nay. of cold e&teem, Is dearer far than passion's bland deceit I " " She's incorrigible, 1 muttered Elson. " Yet I suppose I had no business to lecture her, especially as I would gratify myself a good deal more if I could speak my real feel.ngs. It won't do. 1 must get away from this place. I'm not incurable yet, but I shall be if I stay here. No man could resist the marvellous charm of that little witch. Tet I know she's a modern Biren and would lure me to destruction on the rocks ia shallow waters. Why, what would a man's life be worth tied to such a shallow, frivolous nature as her's T But, my soul, Bbc is passing beautiful I " So be continued to commune with himself till he reached the house. There he found the girl sitting in an easy chair on the verandah. " Ah I " she said, •• the tortoise has caught up with the hare at last. I hope you enjoyed your walk, Mr Elson." "It has done me a great deal of good," he said gravely, bowing and passing into the house. The girl followed him with her eyes. Ab the door closed behind him she eprang to her feet with clinched hands and compressed lips. . " I hate that man I " s v e exclaimed. Then the blood rushed into her cheeks, and she threw up her handß md covered her face with them. She was a queer girl. She stood silently in that attitude for a few seconds till the dog came and rubbed his big bead against her gown. Then she dropped her bands to caress him, and Baid : " Come, Carlo, you and I will go and see how the chickens are getting on." And away she went dancing and singing across the lawn, with the happy looking dog capering beside her. As for Elson, he was endeavouring to concentrate his mind on the mild and insipid conversation of Mrs Breece, but his ears were strained to catch the faintest echo of the fresh young voice outside. ( Concluded in our next).