Genre Fiction. Page - 211

ch a--oh such a angel of a gentleman as Mr. Harvey'--and the other, that she 'can't tell how it is, but it don't seem a bit like a work-a-day, or a Sunday neither--it's all so unsettled and unregular.'

THE FORMAL COUPLE

The formal couple are the most prim, cold, immovable, and unsatisfactory people on the face of the earth. Their faces, voices, dress, house, furniture, walk, and manner, are all the essence of formality, unrelieved by one redeeming touch of frankness, heartiness, or nature.

Everything with the formal couple resolves itself into a matter of form. They don't call upon you on your account, but their own; not to see how you are, but to show how they are: it is not a ceremony to do honour to you, but to themselves,--not due to your position, but to theirs. If one of a friend's children die, the formal couple are as sure and punctual in sending to the house as the undertaker; if a friend's family be increased, the monthly nurse is not more attentive than they. The form

. So I must just give youone or two other points which may make his character moreclear to you.

He had a dash of the heroic in him. On one occasionhe was placed in such a position that he must choosebetween compromising a lady, or springing out of a third-floor window. Without a moment's hesitation he hurledhimself out of the window. As luck would have it, hefell through a large laurel bush on to a garden plot,which was soft with rain, and so escaped with a shakingand a bruising. If I have to say anything that gives abad impression of the man, put that upon the other side.

He was fond of rough horse-play; but it was better toavoid it with him, for you could never tell what it mightlead to. His temper was nothing less than infernal. Ihave seen him in the dissecting-rooms begin to skylarkwith a fellow, and then in an instant the fun would goout of his face, his little eyes would gleam with fury,and the two would be rolling, worrying each other likedogs, below the table. He would b

f his secret knowledge and commanded a high price from the hunters, who sometimes paid as much as $5 for a single song, "because you can't kill any bears or deer unless you sing them."

He was told that the only object in asking about the songs was to put them on record and preserve them, so that when he and the half dozen old men of the tribe were dead the world might be aware how much the Cherokees had known. This appeal to his professional pride proved effectual, and when he was told that a great many similar songs had been sent to Washington by medicine men of other tribes, he promptly declared that he knew as much as any of them, and that he would give all the information in his possession, so that others might be able to judge for themselves who knew most. The only conditions he made were that these secret matters should be heard by no one else but the interpreter, and should not be discussed when other Indians were present.

As soon as the other shamans learned what was going on they endeav

ed for at the full adult rates. And, having by now exhausted our capacity for sea foods, we wound up with an alleged dessert in the shape of three drowned prunes apiece, the remains being partly immersed in a palish custardlike composition that was slightly sour.

"Never mind," I said to my indignant stomach as we left the table--"Never mind! I shall make it all up to you for this mistreatment at breakfast to-morrow morning. We shall rise early--you and I--and with loud gurgling cries we shall leap headlong into one of those regular breakfasts in which the people of this city and nation specialise so delightfully. Food regulators may work their ruthless will upon the dinner trimmings, but none would dare to put so much as the weight of one impious finger upon an Englishman's breakfast table to curtail its plenitude. Why, next to Magna Charta, an Englishman's breakfast is his most sacred right."

This in confidence was what I whispered to my gastric juices. You see, being still in ignorance of the

ing her,he seized hold of her by the arms, shook her violently and sent hersprawling upon the bed of the children, who recommenced crying. And helay down again, mumbling, like a man resolving on something that hepreviously hesitated to do:

"You don't know what you've done, Gervaise. You've made a big mistake;you'll see."

For an instant the children continued sobbing. Their mother, whoremained bending over the bed, held them both in her embrace, and keptrepeating the same words in a monotonous tone of voice.

"Ah! if it weren't for you! My poor little ones! If it weren't foryou! If it weren't for you!"

Stretched out quietly, his eyes raised to the faded strip of chintz,Lantier no longer listened, but seemed to be buried in a fixed idea.He remained thus for nearly an hour, without giving way to sleep, inspite of the fatigue which weighed his eyelids down.

He finally turned toward Gervaise, his face set hard in determination.She had gotten the children up and dressed and had almost fini

ra, surveying through his spy-glass a stranger of suspicious appearance making sail towards him. On his firing a gun ahead of her to bring her to, she ran up a flag, which he instantly recognized as the flag from the mast in the back-garden at home.

[Illustration: "Married the Chief's daughter"]

Inferring from this, that his father had put to sea to seek his long-lost son, the captain sent his own boat on board the stranger, to inquire if this was so, and if so, whether his father's intentions were strictly honourable. The boat came back with a present of greens and fresh meat, and reported that the stranger was The Family of twelve hundred tons, and had not only the captain's father on board, but also his mother, with the majority of his aunts and uncles, and all his cousins. It was further reported to Boldheart that the whole of these relations had expressed themselves in a becoming manner, and were anxious to embrace him and thank him for the glorious credit he had done them. Boldheart at onc

ld, therefore, have you order it so, that he may think I am but just gone out, if he should happen by any Accident to call when I am not here; for I would not, for the World, have him imagine I do not constantly lodge here. The Landlady assur'd her she would do every Thing as she desired, and gave her to understand she wanted not the Gift of Secrecy.

EVERY Thing being ordered at this Home for the Security of her Reputation, she repaired to the other, where she easily excused to an unsuspecting Aunt, with whom she boarded, her having been abroad all Night, saying, she went with a Gentleman and his Lady in a Barge, to a little Country Seat of theirs up the River, all of them designing to return the same Evening; but that one of the Bargemen happ'ning to be taken ill on the sudden, and no other Waterman to be got that Night, they were oblig'd to tarry till Morning. Thus did this Lady's Wit and Vivacity assist her in all, but where it was most needful. - She had Discernment to forsee, and avoid all those I

theRussians. There's bound to be Greek priests among them, and they'll seeyou safe through to Bering Sea,--that's where the Yukon empties,--andfrom there it won't be hard to get back to civilization. Take my wordfor it and get out of here as fast as God'll let you."

"He who carries the Lord in his heart and the Gospel in his hand hath nofear of the machinations of man or devil," the missionary answeredstoutly. "I will see this man and wrestle with him. One backsliderreturned to the fold is a greater victory than a thousand heathen. Hewho is strong for evil can be as mighty for good, witness Saul when hejourneyed up to Damascus to bring Christian captives to Jerusalem. Andthe voice of the Saviour came to him, crying, 'Saul, Saul, whypersecutest thou me?' And therewith Paul arrayed himself on the side ofthe Lord, and thereafter was most mighty in the saving of souls. Andeven as thou, Paul of Tarsus, even so do I work in the vineyard of theLord, bearing trials and tribulations, scoffs a

to him that they had quite a sum of money with them, and that they would deposit it with the same merchant to whom he had carried the money before. The first night they camped the Mexican murdered them both, took the money, and crossed into Mexico. He hid their bodies, and it was months before they were missed, and a year before their bones were found. He had plenty of time to go to the ends of the earth before his crime would be discovered.

"Now that Mexican would never think of betraying the banker, his old friend and patron, his muy bueno amigo. There were obligations that he could not think of breaking with the banker; but these fool sheep men, supposing it was simple honesty, paid the penalty of their confidence with their lives. Now, when he rode over this same road alone, a few months before, with over five thousand dollars in money belonging to these same men, all he would need to have done was to ride across the river. When there were no obligations binding, he was willing to add mur

o out on Sunday to inspect public works.

The earliest recollections of Bouvard carried him back across the banks of the Loire into a farmyard. A man who was his uncle had brought him to Paris to teach him commerce. At his majority, he got a few thousand francs. Then he took a wife, and opened a confectioner's shop. Six months later his wife disappeared, carrying off the cash-box. Friends, good cheer, and above all, idleness, had speedily accomplished his ruin. But he was inspired by the notion of utilising his beautiful chirography, and for the past twelve years he had clung to the same post in the establishment of MM. Descambos Brothers, manufacturers of tissues, 92, Rue Hautefeuille. As for his uncle, who formerly had sent him the celebrated portrait as a memento, Bouvard did not even know his residence, and expected nothing more from him. Fifteen hundred francs a year and his salary as copying-clerk enabled him every evening to take a nap at a coffee-house. Thus their meeting had the importance of a