Magnum Bonum

nners, nor honesty,

ime of night? Is

nor time in yo

ercourse with several of her friends, who so contrived their summer outing as to "see how poor l

ngs for walks, and often out-of-door meals. Mr. Ogilvie declared that he was thus much more rested than by a long expedition in foreign scenery, and he and his sister stayed o

cheap sea-side lodgings in the vacation, but this year had settled themselves within ten minutes walk of the Folly, a title which became more and more applicable, in Kenminster eyes, to the Pagoda, and above all in those of its proper owner. Mrs. Robert Brownlow, in the calm dignity of the heiress, in a small way, of a good family, had a bare toleration for professional people, had regretted the vocation of her brother-in-law, and classed governesses and artists as "that kind o

about the others? That woman with the hair? and that man with the v

ieve he did sing in public at one time; but Joe attended him in an illness which damaged his voice, and then he put hi

which the young lady infinitely preferred to long walks that tired her and spoilt her dress; to talk and laughter that she could not understand, and games that seemed to her stupid, though everybody else seemed to find them full of fun. True, Allen and Bobus were alway

six or seven boys, undistinguishable by outsiders, though very individual indeed in themselves and adding a considerable element of noise, high spirits, and mischievous enterprise. The ma

they were staying at the Folly, while a college friend of Mr. Ogilvie's, a London curate, had come to see him in th

r otherwise, walked over to see it, accompanied by Nita Ray with her inseparable Janet, meaning to study village groups and rustic sports. The other ladies walked in the cool to meet the

welcome, and spread her cloth in the greensward, whence could be seen the evening glow on the harvest fields. Then there was a feast of cherrie

e stars were coming out, and a magnificent red moon, scarcely past the full, was rising in the east,

with delight as they came out on the heath, and, darting up to Mr. O

I do,"

, where,

he one that c

alis?" catching tight hold of his hand, as a bright red light went

Hughes, overhearing her, an

ow a

ilvie, who was a good way behind, felt a start of dismay as the clear notes pealed back to her. She longed to suggest a little expediency; but she was impeded; for poor Miss Ray, entirely unused to long country

echoes of "spotted snakes with double tongue" awoke the night echoes; "this is such a solitary p

worse in the confusing shadows. That brought them into a lane darkened by its high hedges, where there was nothing for it but to let Miss Ray tightly grapple her arm, while the songs

gised to, half laughed at by a babel of voices, among which Nita's was the loudest, informing her sister that she had lost the best bit of all, for just at the turn of the lane there had come on them Babie's fiery-eyed monster, which had "burst on the

ita, and gave her a

d, with an exaggerated gesture, Nita looked about her i

going to say it would

ver know it," cried Janet; b

't stand here, Armine is tired to death!

good deal on the way home. As it was, she was so silent as to inspire her brother with enough compunction for having deserted her, to make him

o not mind that, if only I coul

hy it was very p

a scrape you may be getting that poor little th

half-amused, and she pr

me myself exceedingly for not having urged the setting off sooner; but you must remember that what

t all those men, if that's what yo

posed to believe that the best thing we can do is to ta

oncerted; but then with a little

appears to you to-morrow when you aren't tired," an

n the dark! David is the best boy in the world, but there's not a man of them all who has a notion of what gets a woman into troub

atform, armed with sketching tools, sandwich baskets, botanical tins, and all other appliances; but when Mr. Ogilvie accosted Mrs. Joseph Brown

g to the door of the carriage, standing on the step. It was Johnny. Orlando Hughes, who was next the window, grasped his hands, a

got leave?" a

grin sa

. Ogilvie in much v

might put him in great danger. Wa

rey had no notion of fostering flat disobedience, and she told Johnny that unless he would promise to go home by himself and beg his father's pa

beyond himself. He would not hear of her giving up the expedition, and promised her with all his heart to walk home, and confess, "Though 'twasn't papa, but mamma!" were

mother would treat him; and Mary sat and thought till the arrival at their destination, when they had to wa

some to scramble, some to botanize, the "Duck and Drake to spoon,"-as said the boys, Mary Ogilvie found a turfy nook w

n much galled by Mrs. Robert Brownlow's supercilious manner, and

ttled at the implication; "but I don't think these irregular hours, and all this roam

to their place in the country one April and May, months that they had always spent in London; and I assure you they were perfectly mad, only with the air, the sight of the hawthorns, and all the smells. I was oblige

ot spring,

in spring, and ha

be good. They keep up fli

s grief, p

rry-making after a funeral," said Mary, rather severely. Then she added, seeing Clara looked annoy

cannot give herself entirely up t

her a little more moderate, and perhaps select-so as not to do herself harm wit

erently from the schoolmaster's sister, who moreover kne

ple was the greatest error of

that. Blood is t

aw it is apt to be only i

hame,

ite worthy of a handshake from a little country town Serene Highness! I may be allowed to doubt wheth

, for the Colonel is worthy), should n

that did not succeed with the ug

been among the swa

en the swans-not to having bro

at Nita, or

ne out of town that he caught the illness that killed him. His lectures brought men of science about him, and his practice had made him acquainted with us poor Bohemians, as you seem to think us. Old Mrs. Brownlow had means of her own, and theirs was quite a wealthy house among our set. Any of us were welcome to drop into five o'clock tea, or at nine at night, and the pleasantness and good inf

l. Nobody but her Serene Highness e

nobody could see the light of her eyes and smile without trying to make it sparkle up; and she was just the first thought in life to her husband and his mother. I am sure in my governes

rself up, and had

ughed a

ant to keep her from makin

is not in the nature of the people to appreciate

ve; but she remembered that even at school Clara had always protected Carolin

advise her to be more gua

her already. If you had known her husband, and watched her last winter

h, and could not enter into her sense that, the balance-weight being gone, gusts of wind ought to be avoided. She sat wondering wh

attempt to sing in the second-class carriage, which they filled entirely, was quashed immediately-no one knew how, and nothing worse happened than that a very dusty set, carrying odd bota

e ascended to the Folly, at about four o'clock in the afternoon, and found the family, including

r," cried Babie; while the mo

u like to hear about Be

nish the chapter," added their moth

he was a good deal taken aback at finding them reading "Woodst

been speaking to me," she said, with a cowerin

ur day," bemoaned mor

o listen to "Woodstock" on a Sunday, and trying to wo

Kerneguy was." "Wasn't Roger Wildrake jolly?" "O, mother, didn't he cut off Trust

hat she did min

"Now is your time, Mary; we shall have the Rays and Mr. Hughes in presently; but you see we are too worldly and profane for the Kencroft boys on Sunday

old fashio

usand stories! And this is only a feeble attempt to k

tery reflec

be with somethin

dear, that would be utterly futile. You can'

esponded, "We are all M

ry real salt," said

atechism questions! Ask your brother if they can't. And Army is a dear little fellow, with a bit of the angel, or of his fat

oredom," said Mary; "but let that pa

been at me already, levelling his thund

u heed him

ter,' I know he means 'You little idiot;' so if I did not think of something els

re you

feeling," continued she, l

s being pained. It ought

ver, there's this comfort, you'll not m

the Colone

hough, with t

t like your

me and make much of me! And now I've got into a great dull mist, and am always knocking my head against something or somebody; and

indnesses that were once admirable, may be

o you. Has one word passed that could do harm? Isn't it much more innocent than all the Coffinkey gossip? I have no doubt Mrs. Coffinkey's sister-in-law looks up from her black-bordered pocket-handkerchie

how careful y

with a pile of pocket-handkerchiefs bordered an inch deep. What ri

ut indeed, Carey, I myself was uncomfortable a

ven," said Car

10.5

the possible

the children for you to be heedless of people's opinion, a

ey pattern any more than I coul

tell you may be misconstrued. Surely there was a wish th

e would consist in being set at

u that if you do not pull up in time, and give no foundation for ill-natured comments, your children will never get over it in p

e," said Carey, in

only in ho

urs till this summer is over. If you knew the intolerable stab when I recollect that he is gone-gone-gone for ever, you would understand that there's nothing for it but jumping up and doing the first thing that comes to hand. Walking it down is best. Oh! what will become of me when the mornings get dark, and I can't get up and rush into those woods? Yes"-as Mary made some affectionate gesture-"I know I have gone on in a wild way, but who would not be wild who had lost him? And th

tle friend. She had no doubts of Carey's love, sorrow, or ability, but she did seriously doubt of her wisdom and ju

headaches. Mary felt that she had been a cruel and prim