The Argosy — page 213: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Recollections of a Governess. 197 “ No, indeed, Iam not. I am nearly seventeen, and you can’t call that a child, really, Guy.” “You will be grown up before I return: try and remember me, Helen.” She clasped her hands on Coonach’s head, and thought Captain Langton did not see the two great tears drop ; but I did, and he did too, and, putting his hand gently on the soft dark hair, he said something I could not hear. Helen looked up, and I heard her say, “Oh, Guy, I shall never forget you.” Just then a shower of white blossom fell all around them. : He shook my hand warmly, and bade me take care of Helen: then he turned once more to her. She had risen from the grass, and as she held out her hands he bent down and kissed her. I wonder if I could have prevented that kiss! It might have been better for both. And so they parted. I must here give a slight sketch of the Dacre and Langton history. Captain Langton was the eldest son of Mr. Langton, the largest proprietor in the parish, or indeed in the county. It was a very large parish. Langton Hall was quite six miles from Cherry Court. Helen and Edward were the only children of Sir William and Lady Dacre. Su’ William’s father, partly from hereditary extravagance, partly from non-business habits, partly from a bad agent, who himself grew, the richer as the old property diminished, had left his estate so encumbered that Sir William, on succeeding to it, had no resource but to remain in what originally was intended for the Dower House, in which he had lived ever since his marriage; and the Manor House, with the beautiful park, farms, &c., was let to a Mr. Crayford, son of the very agent who was supposed to have lined his own purse at the expense of his employer. The old Sir William had lived and died there, and the full extent of his extravagance was not known till after his death. Mr. Crayford’s early years had been spent in trade, and some lucky speculations had made him far richer than most of the old landed gen- try around him, whose pedigrees were in general much longer than their rent-rolls. Letting the Manor House, the residence of the Dacres for many generations, had been a bitter pill to both Sir William and Lady Dacre, and though Mr. Crayford proved an excellent tenant, little or no Intimacy subsisted for many years between him and Cherry Court. His children were young at the time of their grandfather's death, and he hoped his self-sacrifice might be rewarded by his son’s growing up, able to look forward to returning to the old home; and though, as I said before, little cordiality existed between the new occupier and the proprietor, yet Sir William saw (he would not have allowed it for worlds) that Mr. Crayford was a good tenant, anxious to have all in good order; the manor kept exactly as it always had been; not a picture COMMGEIOOKSACOHM