The Argosy — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

84 THE COLONEL’S NEW YEAR. Tue Colonel sat beside the fire (you know the Colonel, grave and slim), It used to be my wife’s desire to make a match ’twixt Belle and him When he was captain: now he’s grey, and something over forty-five — I'll back my wife to get her way with any colonel that’s alive! He told us of his sister Jane, with whom he meant to start a house ; A person elderly and plain, we fancied, duller than a mouse: While that arch-hypocrite, my wife, cried, ‘‘ How delightful!’’ to his plan, ‘You ought to lead a charming life in town with her, you lucky man!” Then hurriedly a question came (he coughed between and stroked the cat) : ‘‘ Miss Belle ?—excuse the girlish name; I always used to call her that Before I went to India; now, of course, it would not do so well. How is she?” Ere we told him how, in walked the all-unconscious Belle. Dear Belle! her cheek is scarce as round as when he knew her at nineteen ; Her voice has caught a graver sound, echo of changes that have been In these ten years; but blithe and true, her eyes lit up with pleased surprise The voice says, ‘‘ Is it really you?” ‘ How good to see you!” say the eyes, The Rectory children, Chris and Clem, had brought her thro’ the winter lanes : They eye the Colonel ; he eyes them—nor even yet my wife explains— (She has some plot, tho’ what it be is not for feeble man to guess)— That Belle, the belle in ’73, is Belle the Rector’s governess ! Sure never yet since boys began, have ever boys been so regaled As Chris and Clem, whose inner man responds altho’ their tongues have failed ; Cakes, crumpets, short-bread, with a will, my wife has plied them, nothing loth ; And if our elder guests are still, by Jove, but she can talk for both ! She talks about the Colonel's house, she talks about the Rector’s cold, She talks of Scotland and the grouse, the Curate and the village scold Of furnishing and shades of green, of book-clubs and a fancy fair (They can’t get in one word between, I think, this most ill-treated pair !) Till when at last there comes a lull, Belle rises gently from her place, And calls her boys, and brave and full, looks up into the Colonel’s face To say good-bye: ‘‘ I’m glad we've met ; ’tis like a whiff of early life : Please give, altho’ we’re strangers yet, your old friend’s greeting to your wife!” ‘*My wife!” the Colonel drops her hand (they’re good at blushing in Bengal !) ‘*T think you do not understand—my sister—not my wife at all! But that’s no matter; ere I go, I’ll ask your leave to let me come And call on you; I’d like to know my old friend’s husband and her home.” Unconscious Rector ! artless Jane! you little know the parts you played ! My wife begins to talk again ; ’tis Belle’s turn now to look dismayed. ‘ Belle, dear, your boys have scampered off—you’llsee her, Colonel, thro’ thelanes? John, here, has such a nasty cough, and always these rheumatic pains,” My wife and I, we sat an hour, our guest came whistling thro’ the hall, He held a Christmas rose, the flower that blooms against the Rectory wall. My wife looked up and met his eyes, I think she did not care to speak, But rising, to my great surprise, on tip-toe, kissed the Colonel's cheek! G, B, Stuart, Gomicbooks.com