Tarian Y Gweithiwr

THE COLLEEN BAWN. --0-- CHAPTER VIII.—(Continued.) W&iJe this comimiicative retainer slipped away, napkin in hand, to the poultry, Kyrle E»aly ascended a corkscrew flight of narrow sloae steps, at the head of which he was met by. the blooming handmaiden above-named. 1-iiste he Llhd as many "Masther Lyrle's-,r and smiles, and officious, though kindly mxfeMt, attentions to undergo, as in the nar- row hall. These he repaid in the usual nSQKier, by complimenting Syl on her good I looks—wondering she had not gut married, I and reminding her that Shrovetide would1 be shortly corning round again; in return for which the pretty Syl repeated!}" told hi in fchSjt he was "a funny gentleman" and a great pitr-boy." they passed through an old banquettirig j ro«n which had once formed the, scene of a colnril of the Munster chieftains in the days of. Elizabeth, and descendJing a flight, of a few wooden steps, stood in the centre of a lobby of much more modem architecture. Hustle Kyrle Daly felt his heart beat a little wildly as he heard voices and laughter in the adjoining room. Modestly conscious, how- evar, of ills graceful person, and aware of tha importance of displaying, it tfis roroo 2.fl. vantage in the eyes of his mispress, he ad- jusfierf his ruffles, and, with something like thuieseEng of a young debutant, conscious of merit, yet afraid of censure, made has en- trance on the little domestic scene. 'fie company all rose and- received him j witH that pompous display of affability and att&nteo-n which our fathers mistook for politeness, but which their wiser descendant's have discovered to be he exact contrary, and discarded from the < „rau ing-room as un befitting the ease and sincerLty c- •: social life.. Mis. CHute was unable.to rise^ bur .er greet- ing was at once cordial and dignified. Anne gave him her hand with the air of an affec- tufruate relative; Mr Hyland Creagh placed his heels together, adjusted his ample shirt frills, and bowed until the queue of his pjjswJesred wig culminated to the zenith— while Jincher wagged his tali, looked up at his master as if to inquire the nature of his movements; and finally coiled himself up on the carpet and slept; Mr Barnaby Cregan grilled his hands until the bones crackad- eaprassing, in very consise Language, a wish that itis soul might be doomed ta everlasting misery in the next world if he were nof re- joiced to meet him; Dr. Leaké €endieretf htm a finger which Kyrle grasped hard, and revenge, perhaps, for the punishment iIJr j on: him by Cregan), shook with so lively an expression of regard, that the \vmthy physician was tempted to repent' his condescension- To the officer, an English- man, Kyrle was introduced by the formal course of—"Captain Gibson, Mr Daly—Mr Daly, Captain Gibson," on which they bowed as coldly and stifly as the figures in a" dockmaker's. window in Holborn, and all t&sumed their places. After the usual inquiries intcy the condi- tion of both families had been made and answered, Kyrle Daly indulged himself in a, brief perusal of the personal appearance of the. individuals in whose society he was plac- ed, The information which he derived 4&5m the few glances that happened to fall wife of Miss Chute, shaJl here be laid before ths. reader, Sirs. Chute, the venerable lady of the mansion, was seated in a richly carved arm- chair near an ebony work-table, on which were placed: a pair of silver spectacles and ths last racing calendar. A gold-headed Cnsc rested against her chair, and a: small sagniel, in the attitude which heralds term 'J&icliant/ lay at her side burlesquing the lfon of Britannia in the popular emblem. In Heir more youthful days, indeed, Mrs. Chute might have assumed her part in the latter wiraout exciting any lulicrous association; and. even in this decay and mouidering of. tier womanly attractions, there was a graca, > a dignity, a softened fire, and, even a beau4 to be traced, which awakerredi the. spectator's respect, and sometimes warmed it into ad- miration. Old age, while it' took nothing away from her dignity, had imparted fa her manner that air of feminine dependence in which she was said to have been somewhat tdfci deficient in her youth, and replaced in eeffderness and interest the beauty which it ifed removed. j Her daughter, who bore a very perceptible resemblance to the old laxly in the cast of her features:, as well as in their expression, taokeid at this mome-nt exceedihgly beauti- fnt A dark-blue riding-dress displayoo hex figure to such advantage, that if a young sculptor coaxld have taken it as a modlel for a study of Minerva, and couidi likewise afford ariobstar and a bottle of sherry to a critic in too. "Fioo Arts," there is little doubt that he would make his fortune. Her hair., which was shining black, cut short, and curled so gleefully that it might v:e with the finest' nipd in Mr Hope's book of costumes, crept out from beneath her small round hat, and sfiiaded a countenance that glowed at this moment with a sweet and fascinating cheer- fujhess. The common herri of mankind frequently exhibit personal anomalies of so rajfiuus a description as Ca remind one of Q&eved'o's fanciful vision of the general resurrection, where one man in his hurry" cfeps his neighbour's head upon his own shoulders, and the upper portion of a turtle- fojet alderman is borne along by the trembling I ie slunks of a starveling magazine poet. But nothing of lius incongruity was observable b iH the charming person of this heiress of Castle Chute. Her countenance was ex- quisitely adapted both in form and character til. the rest of her frame; and she might be jpsttly admired: as a piece of workmanship not entrusted by Nature (as iin a pin manu, lacto-ry) to the hands-of nine jofUiincy-mfen, feiut wrought out and polished by thatgrest arfept herself as a sample Gf womankind for fchtj inspection of customers. It was, indeed., remarked by those who enjoyed only a visiting acquaintance with ArRe Chute, that her general manner, was cold and distant, and that there was in the i tdhiry lustre of her large Mack eyes,, and tfte *oble carriage of her fine person, a loftiness •qjfciHi repelled in the spectator's breasf enthusiasm which her beauty was- cat- j CtJotated to awaken, and! iiT^oduced him to oWt short at the felines of .simpjlfi adnuif-1 ation. Hardress Cregan, who, with all his shyness, had the reputation of being a, fine critic on these subjects, had been heard to say of her on his return from college, that "she was perfect. Her form and face were absolutely faultless, and a connoisseur might with a better taste pretend to discover a fault in the proportions of the Temple of Theseus. But there," he added., "I must terminate the eulogy; for I cculd no; sooner think of loving such a piece or frost-work than of flinging my arms in ecstacy around one of the Doric pillars of the old edifice itself. But Hardress Cregan had been only once, and for a few minutes, in the lady's company when he pronounced this judgment. Neith- er was he an impartial observer, for the em- barrassment which he experienced in con- sequence of her unconscious dignity made him throw more asperity into his criticism [ than the occasion actually required. Those" who enjoyed a longer and a nearer intimacy with Miss Chute found an additional fascin- ation in that very coldness which kept ordinr- ary acquaintenances at a distance, and which for them was so cheerfully and so winningly removed, i n proportion to the awe which it inspired on a first introduction, was the delight occasioned by its subsequent dissni- pation, and it gave to heir whole character that effect of surprise, which is dangerous or available to the influence; of the fair possess- or, according as the changes which it reveals axe attractive or otherwise. The feelings which accompanied a growing intimacy with this lovely girl resembled, those of one who endeavours^ by a feeble light, to discover the graces of a landscape which he knows to be beautiful, but which he is unable to appre- ciate, until the morning light streams in UpDfi the picture, and brings it forth in all its ex- quiSlite reality before his eyes. The remainder of the company are; not so interesting as to claim an equal; portion of the reader's notice. Mr Barnaby Cregan, a stout top-booted old gentleman, with a; nose that told tales of many a rousing night, was seated close to Mrs. Chute, and deeply en- i gaged: in a., discussion upon cocks, cockrels, sparring, setting, impouncing, the long law, the short law, jru everyothelf law that had The rosy and red-coated Captain Gibson, who was a person of talent and mdustry in his profession, was listening with much in- tarest to Doctor Lucas Leake, who possessed' some little antiquarian) skill in Irish remains, and who was at this moment unfolding the difference which existed between the tactics of King Lughj-Lam;b-F ada, and those issued1 froirt his late most gracious Majesty's War Office; between one of King Malachy's hobbfJetrs and a life-guardsman; between an English halberd and a stone- headed gai- bulg; and between his own commission, of UeuCenainC and the Feair Co-mhlani Caoguid of the Fion Erin. Me: Hyl and Creagh, who, as before-men- j tionedj, not\vithstanding the perfect maturity of his years, still continued' to affect the man of gallantry, was standing near Miss Chute, and looking with half-puzzled, half smiling air over a drawing which she had placed in his hands. Now and then, as he held the pictate Co the light, he looked askance, and with a forbidding expression, at Kyrle, who' was carelessly sauntering towards the fair object of his attentions, and yet endeavour- ing fa give his approximation rather the ap- pearance of accident than of design. Mr Creagh's experience in society had long since made hin, 3i7are that youth was a quality which ontributed materially to success with the ladies, and the consequence of this dis- covery was a hearty detestationr--( a term more qualified would not express the, fed- ing)—of every gentleman who was younger than himself. "Puppies i" he would ex- claim, "they assume the air and port of men when they should be confined to bibs and frills, and bestride a blood-horse when their highest coTvef should be made in the hall, on their grandfather's walking-caned' But he had the mortification to find that his t sentiments on this heal were adopted by na I mmiariied ladies except those whose wisdom and experience were equal to his own, and about their opinions, Unhappily Mr Creagh r was as indifferent as the young coxcombs whom he censured. "I profess my ignorance," he said, after contemplating the picture for several min- utes. "The drawing is admirable—the sotou-r has a, depth and softness of tonie- that I have seen rarefy produced by water-colours, and the whole design bears the stamp of reality upon it; but I profess my ignorance of Efoe place which you say it is intended to, represent." "Indeed! I" said Anne, affecting a disap- pointed t'lnel and pleased to put the old!; gentleman's gailantry to the torture; "then I must haive ma die a sad failure, for the scene ought to be quite familiar to you," It am the worst person in the world at tracing' a resemblance," said Mr Creagh, looking puzzled. "Perhaps it is meant for Ballytin Painty f'()b., Mr Creagh, can you find any re- semblance ? What a wretched bungler you rnssf think 1 You did well to say, 'meant' j fOf-that expression indicates so exactly the degree of relation between my sketchr- and the originals." <<TPori my honour, Miss Chute-1pon my homciutr, as a gentleman." "Mr. Daly Kyrle flew to her side. "Per- haps you could restore me to my self-esteem. Do you know that Mr Creagh has mistaken this for a sketch of Ballylin Point Try if you can restore my credit, for it is sinking vary fast, even in my own estimation." ^Ballylin Point!" exclaimed Kyrle, tak- ing the drawing into his hands—"I do not see the least resemblance." Mr Creagh's eyes flashed fire at this unceremonious de- 1 cloration, but he checked his resentment, and congratulated Miss Chute on this proof, that the fault lay in his want of observation, not in her want of skill. "And do you recognise the scene?" con- tinued Miss Chute, who was well aware of the old 'serventeV foible, and loved to toy with it for her amusement. "Let me hear if I have Been, indeed, so very unsuccessful." (To be Continued-) -:0. D'eall',m fed: Mr Lloyd George, A.S., yn dvoddef oddiwrth ddolur tost yn ei r-'ddf.