The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-12-31

find you SO tall, SO beautiful, SO much o.
a young lady I"
Myrtle blushed and laughed.
Didn't I tell you papa, that you
would be astonished ?''
At this moment Mrs. Dennison came
in, having paused to arrange her ring
lets and put on a new coquettish little
thread-lace cap, with lilies-of-the-valley
dropping from its softness, and mingling
with her still raven curls.
/ The beautiful and satisfactory ap.
pearance of her pupil had had the de-
sired effect upon Mr.. Fielding, for he
greeted her with marked pleasure. His
joy, his gratitude. -tinged his manner with
rosy warmth; and she being equally
gratifed, they were happy trio.
Would you think, Mrs. Dennison
papa was amazed to find me grown SO
tall | F." cried the young girl. He i'm
agined 1 bad stood still for the last four
years" @ -f
"I suppose he hardly realized that he
would have a young lady on his hands,
ready to be introduced into theworld.
Do not you think it great responsibility,
Mr. Fielding ?" with sweet smile.
Why, yes! certainly; it presents it
self to me in new light" was the rath-
er hesitating reply.
cob, papa, assure you shall not
be the least trouble" said Myrtle. 81
have never teased Mrs Dennison Very
much, and shall tease you still less
1 feel quite competent now to take care of
myself"
"Your daughter says truly that she
was never much trouble to ME. She
seems more like child than a pupil
| 1t will be a severe struggle for me to
give her up to you. feel like moth
er to her."
"You have been very, very kind" !"
murmured Myrtle, leaving her clasp of
her fathers hand to glide over and give
her preceptress kiss. But we shall
live so near that can come to see you
every week, and you can spend the va
cations with us. Will not that be pleas
ant, papa ,"
"Delightful !! y he replied; for what
ever pleased Myrtle pleased him.
Myrtle had to resign her new-found
treasure while he went to his hotel to
rid himself of the dust of travel. But
! he returned, by invitation, to tea, and
she had happy evening. Once Mrs.
Dennison sent her from the room for a
while upon some excuse, for, as she
told Mr.. Fielding, she had an important
matter to speak of, which her interest
in the dear child prompted should be
said.
"You know" she said, in this conf
Dental communication, {" that Myrtle
is no longer child. She has graduated
with the first honors of my school, and
must now take her place in society, Mr..
Fielding. She requires female friend
and chaperon: some relative of yours,
perhaps, you can invite to reside with
you for that purpose. aoish that Myr-
tie had mother; but, as that cannot
be, I think it we'll for you to think of
what have suggested and more espe-
cially, as you are her adopted father, to
be sure you think of her as fondly and
tenderly-"
"I do" interrupted her listener.
Gas if she were your child; yet the
acorld-since we live in the world, Mr..
Fielding, we must regard its dictates. "
Hugh was really much obliged to the
lady for what she had said and limited
He confessed that, since he had seen
Myrtle, some idea of this difficulty had
dawned dimly upon his mind, but he
had not yet had time to reflect upon it.
If Mrs. Dennison would consent, he
should leave her pupil with her few
weeks, until some arrangements could
be made.
This plan pleased her very much. She
would have an opportunity of impress
sing upon him deeply the necessity of a
mother for Myrtle.
In the mean time, as the object of
this discussion came gliding in her radi-
ant beauty back into the room, Hugh
smiled at his inward thought of how lit
tie Mrs. Dennison knew of his real pur-
poses, of how little she suspected the
ease with which he could take upon him
self the Office of protector Thus do
people often times work at cross s-purpos-
es.
Myrtle sang and played, bewitching
the heart of her bachelor guardian more
and more and when at last she kissed
him goodnight, and he went to his
dreams, they wore more the roseate hue
of twenty-five than forty eight.
The next. day, he began to display
that energy which had not particularly
marked his character since the main
spring of hope had been withdrawn.
He took Mrs. Dennison and Myrtle out
to his place to select a situation for the
mansion which he had already partially
contracted for. OF course, the elder
lady to have voice in matter which
might hereafter be of Importance to her;
aod sba faoLr II os a varv favora bIa