The Argosy — page 400: what you’re looking at

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

“ Mr. Smith.” 381 as simple as the rest of her attire; and for her face, its chief merit lay in its youthfulness and brilliancy of colouring. But altogether the girlish figure, the low carriage, and the rural landscape made a very refreshing spectacle to Mr. Smith, wearied with long confinement, the worries and excitements of London. Mr. Smith advanced hesitatingly, not sure who the young lady might prove to be. Her words, however, at once informed him. Directly she had caught sight of his advancing form, she extended her hand and spoke with frank cordiality; her voice being as pleasant and refined as her appearance. ‘How do you do, Mr. Smith? My father was so sorry not to be able to come himself to welcome you, but he had an important meeting to attend this afternoon.” Mr. Smith took the outstretched hand, thinking within himself that he should enjoy the drive quite as much in the company of his host’s daughter as in that of his host personally ; perhaps more so, ‘Will you get in?” said the girl next. ‘‘ Thomas, I hope, is seeing to your luggage. The waggon will bring it.” ‘¢T am being the occasion of a great deal of trouble.” “Not at all; the waggon had already to come for some farm implement, so that need not be upon your mind,” answered the young lady in an independent, business-like way that Mr. Smith soon found was a characteristic of hers. ‘Is all right, Thomas?” she asked of the servant, who now came up and clambered to his place ; upon which the young lady touched up the ponies, and away they went at a fair pace. ‘There are no lions to point out to you, Mr. Smith; so that un- less you can admire a quiet country landscape, I am afraid you will be disappointed in the neighbourhood.” There was a scent of the hay-harvest in the air; the tall ragged- -robins in the hedges nodded their pink heads; the delicate meadow- sweet held its dainty flowers erect ; the long grasses waved gracefully ; the trees, singly and in groups, stood out in deep dark masses of foliage; a brown stream glided through the fields, beside which the cattle rested, ruminating in full content; all was rich, peaceful, pas- toral, and the young man looked around him quite satisfied with his position and the prospect. ‘It may be a great deficiency in taste,” answered he, laughing ; “but I am not sure that I do not like a rich agricultural country like this better than the grandeur of wilder scenery.” ‘Of course I like the country; I never find it dull; but Iam afraid of our not being able to find you much amusement.” Jeffrey was beginning to deprecate this view of the case, when he was interrupted by the ponies being pulled up. ‘They had overtaken the old woman, who had been the other passenger in the train by which he had arrived. ‘Well, Nanny! a warm evening. Shall we take your basket for COMIC OOO SS Go mn