An Old, Old Story.

interesting " partie carree , " one was iu the usual easy chess of Englishmen to-day , about four o ' clock on a summer afternoon in the country , a dress which , with every recommendation , seems always to mo , I confess , to be a little too free-and-easy , except for active purposesof fishing , shooting

, or farming . For he had on one of those loose fitting suits , of a grey tweed , and one of those convenient " wide-awakes , " which even the clergy are now patronizing . Some one has irreverently said that perhaps wearing this head gear may end in making

them a little more wide awake , too . But I reject the remark , as clearly proceeding from an ill-regulated mind . And a very good looking young gentleman indeed was was Mr . Walter Main waring , junior partner in the well-known large city house of

Mainwaring and Marlby , and who for some unknown reason , instead of being chained to his desk in Philpat Lane , was here enjoying evidently a " dolce far niente ; " lightened up as his idleness evidently was by the " wreathed smiles" and approving presence ot Lucy Longhurst . If any of my readers can explain the reason for this unwarrantable nerdect of

his business by a British merchant , let them do so to their own satisfaction . The other young gentleman was evidently a clergyman , though not of the more severe type . His dress was not marked by any of those peculiarities of mystic attive which some of our younger clergy much affectand

, which sometimes startle plain-going folks very much . Indeed , if dress is to be a criterion of doctrine , the Bev . William Williams was probably what is often termed " broad , " though what that is we bardl y know . I find no fault with his

dress , which was simple and straightforward , and well fitting , and well made , and set off the figure of a neat , compact young man of twenty-seven , inclined to be square-built , as they say . But here I must stop to-day . Before I leave this portion

° f my tale , I will just repeat a scrap or two of conversation iu the housekeeper ' s room , though how I heard it matters nothing , as it may , perhaps , throw a little bght on the real state of affairs . I do not know or say that it will ; but it may . " Now you see Mrs . Murray , " Mr . Walters , the statel y but bachelor butler , was saying to Bliss Longhurst ' s good looking maid

An Old, Old Story.

" I don't think much of that parson . For the matter of that I don ' t think much of parsons generally , except for their proper duties on Sundays and other days , and for splicing two fond hearts , " and here the butler ' s voice became very soft and his

appearance very sentimental . '' And for my part , " he went on to say , " I wish good luck to Mr . Mainwaring . " " I am quite certain , " was Mrs . Murray ' s answer to the butler ' s fervid address , " my young missis knows what's what as any young

lady iu Loudon ; and I do know that she has a high opinion of Mr . Mainwaring . And between you and me , she does not , I may confidentially tell

you , think much of the reverend gent . What a deal of the life of society goes on in the " lower regions , " as we term them . Those servants of ours , of whom we know so little all the while , are perfectly familiar with our most private affairs , are conversant with our views and feelings , our clearest

hopes , our innermost longings ; and discuss them one and all , and settle them for us one and all , most distinctly and dogmatically , clearly and contentedly , without hesitation , and without misgiving , without a doubt , and without a difficulty . ( To be continued , )

The Women Of Our Time.

THE WOMEN OF OUR TIME .

BY CALEBS . ECCENTKIC Yoi / NG LADIES . I WAS rather nervous about writing the last article , I am very nervous about writing thisas I approach a subject as

, difficult as well can be for a man to write about . And yet I do not see that I can well avoid it if I wish to write honestly , truly—not merely for the sake of scribbling—but with an earnest desire to improve and to do good . Well , the truth

must be told ; the present age , which seems , so to say , satiated with the humdrum course of events and habits , is looking out eagerly for something queer , " bizarre , " startling . seusational . Wenotice it in everything around us just now—literature , art , society , habits , words , acts . And the E 2