The New Sport

"'Sire,' I replied, 'joys prove cloudlets,
Men are the merest Ixions.'
Here the King whistled aloud, 'Let's,
Heigho, go look at our lions!'
Such are the sorrowful chances
If you talk fine to King Francis."--R. BROWNING.

The day after Rachel's adventure with Don a card came into the
drawing-room, and therewith a message that the gentleman had availed
himself of Mrs. Curtis's kind permission, and was sketching the
Spinster's Needles, two sharp points of red rock that stood out in the
sea at the end of the peninsula, and were specially appropriated by
Rachel and Grace.

The card was written, not engraved, the name "Rd. R. H. C. L.
Mauleverer;" and a discussion ensued whether the first letters stood
for Richard or for Reverend, and if he could be unconscionable enough
to have five initials. The sisters had some business to transact at
Villars's, the Avonmouth deposit of literature and stationery, which was
in the hands of a somewhat aspiring genius, who edited the weekly
paper, and respected Miss Rachel Curtis in proportion to the number of
periodicals she took in, and the abstruseness of the publications she
inquired after. The paper in its Saturday's dampness lay fresh on
the counter, and glancing at the new arrivals, Grace had the desired
opportunity of pointing to Mr. Mauleverer's name, and asking when he had
come. About a week since, said the obliging Mr. Villars, he appeared to
be a gentleman of highly literary and artistic tastes, a philanthropist;
indeed, Mr. Villars understood him to be a clerical gentlemen who had
opinions-"Oh, Rachel, I am very sorry," said Grace.