Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-18
THE EVENING STAR.
w0OED AND MARRIED.

wOOED AND MARRIED.
Mfs. Crofton Mrs. Croftonr' How odd IL
appears TO me TO be called Croiton, and MRS,
TOO! / can hardly believe thai am married,
although am writing In thie spiendid library,
and my husband has just lett his morning kiss
on my lips. 1t was really wonderful the way
Il all came about IL would cfrLaDiy never
have happened but tor my visit 70 Mrs Ken
LAST autumn vas inyiisd with my parents
and my Two sisters to spend q couple OF ~ssks
ed at nrst 10 let me go, because she thought
that four persons were enough 10, :, Que pASS,
but Mrs. Renton wouldn't listen 70 ner. she
s2id that, apart from the pleasure OF seeing
ma she found me invaluable, when the
house was Iull, because did !, thousand
1hiuss for her convenience aud the pleasure
Of her guests, " hich the servant couldn't do
and no other visitor would do !; and that she
should like To keep me not only Two weeks but
Xiv ais,ers b al each q regular outfit for the
occ aston, but mamma said that needed moth
ing. suppose she waa right, Tor had sprig-
xed III us lin for the warm dave, mi da out of g
dress which Josephine b. d worn ina year be-
fore, and for cold weather / bad green sax,
made out of one OF 9eorgianas. They were
pie ced q ulfie, to be sure, for they had original
ly been low in the waist, and wore nothing
which didn't button to the throat but had "A
good supply OF crmped ruhi,s To wear with
them, and thought then, and think still, that
they were very pretty
Mrs. Renton appeared delighted 10 see me,
and although my sister smiled al my credullty
III tninkluR H6I klUctTt, i1 htdEL "tUt oUI 10
meet her. Perhaps sne didn't mean il st all,
but ! imagined she did, and that put NE 1t ease
1t cnce. / still believe that L WAS right. for
she gave me little room VIII u had belonged
10 her daughter Agnes, lovely child, who
died when she WIS only ton Jears Old.
There was her portrait exquisiteiy painted,
and with heart fun Of love looking out from
the meek blue eyes aud voieins itself in the
curves of the dslicately moulded lips. There,
too, her Ok-case-carved rosewcod with
glass doors-some of the most worn volumes
In which were mature for Yiris of
There, also, were her writing deck and her
work basket with the needle in en- unfinisn ned
Leaf, just as she left 1t. The chamber maid told
me that was the first person VINO had occu-
pied the chamber since Agnes died, and although
1 was little aTed, and perhaps Il little fright
ened, when l first went into IT, think its tran
gull atmosphere and the memories of gsnsrosi-
ty and self-denial which taronged aoout thu
beautiful picture helped ma to bear patiently
the annoyances which Experienced during my
stay.
For there were annoyances which could
not avoid, and which were Ct times hsrd to
endure although ought not to com plain,
since they occurred In consequences of the IA.
vor in which was held by those persons whom
! admired and loved the most The very first
night after my arrival ut Firgroye Mrs. Renton
came and sat down by my bed For a few
minutes she was silent and l knew BY her
looks that it made her sorrow tul TO see me in
Agnes place. So put my around her
neck, and asked her to let me be, as tar as
could, true daughter of the house, and do, as
far as knew how, all that Agnes would do
.
did not answer i'm mediately; she wept silently,
but don't think there was any bitterness In
her tears. Bye and bye she kissed me- without
sayin any thing OF Agnes. Instead of allud-
Ing 10 her, she told me that some OF h-r guests
were selfish and xaet!ng, anu demanded more
than the II share OF attention that others were
feeble. ard had CLAIM upon h-r, while she de-
sired to keep little tine for M r. Re ton. and
t. look a LILLE after the twins, Maggie and An
ME. "OEe DAY" she contained, :. one day, my
dear, you VIII Know what all these perplexi-
ties mtan.'
laughed and ana wered that should never
have a house OF my own, for l was Sc small
and dark, and awkward, that mamn despair
ed seeing me married, md was quite confsnt
to remain paPa's darling, for that was the utls
which he alway give ne.
Mrs. RentUn replied Pleasantly that she knew
yely we'll from papa how necessary l was 10
him, but that il was just pos bic That might
ecou as Indispensable 10 another Us l was
him.
After she left me lay awake long time,
wishing l could Know he very worGs papa
used when he spoke Ct he TO bgr; for, although
/ knew he loved me very much, he never tod
me- except by the tones CT his voice and ths
warm Chances % his i es.
TIE prln clp3l topic OF conversation among
part o: the guests EIreroye was The antl.i,,a-
tea arrival Of Mr. Gilbert Crotton, Il broth. oG
our hostess. Miss Amelia Monkton and her
brother Conrad declared him 10 De byttr tae
best match IN tie country. They spoke 0! Inn
as remaT kanly handsome, OF good fa!aiiy, ira
yeled, accomplished and very we4lthy. lie
Inherited AsreI,iolt, the olG family mansion,
they said, with Il magnificent IA WIN anu gard n,
a fine library, and enGless Quantities OF siivrr
and liLen. heard It's lame so ,f,en til i L
grew curious, ard when week passed by
without trlnging hin, l said that l hoped
We should have Peep ut him before we
left. l was sorry II minute after, for Joseph
Inc laughed SIR eEinEly, and Ge0rg sanfa re plIrd
that perhaps expected 10 make b conquest Of
him,
He did arrive the sane evening. bat 1 saw
very little OF Linn fer in he morning there
was never any room in he carriage for me
to drive or a horse for TO ride, aud If
walking was proposed the twins sure
TO ant me to dress Their dolls help on
with game. Then, in the evening, l was
always needed to play the piano for the
dancers, or to make & fourth a. whist, or 10
be bea.en at chess by old Mr.. Brakeman,
who was SO pettish and Guarrelseme ov,r the
board that everyone but me declined his inyi-
IatioDs
When the fortnight was over my par nts and
eisers returned home, but Mrs Renton would
not listen TO their proposal to take me with
them. She said that she had not been able to
DO anything for my pleasure, and that L must
remain until there were fewer guests, so that
might have my share in the festivities Of the
house. After deal Of talking, mamma con-
scented to leave me en- condition taatI would
spend three hours in the Library every day over
my italian and German.
Mr.. Crofton left the same morning that my
friends did, and didn't expect TO seq him
again nor did feel any re greet; for, when
ever Ire noticed me at ALL it was In such
teasing way that bad hard work to appear
Indifferent. When I was fresh and in good
spirits l achad TO say something sharp and
unmaidenly, and when i was tired out the
tears would scarcely be kept back / think l
really enjoyed his absence, when, behold, late
In tie ev ming, he reappearsd accompanied by
younger sister, whom he called Angelica, and
who was both pretty and good natured; and
bringing man servant, tnrte SADDLE horses,
and two dogs. Oddly enough, everything was
changed for me from thRt moment. Angelica
tshe insisted upon my calling her by her first
nancy took turns with me in playing the piano,
and while she was ct the instrument danced
with her brother. she also occasionally took
my seat 81 the whist table, allowed herself
to be beaten at chess by MIR. Brakeman, and
aided me In the nursery famPs. One Of the ne W
Kandle-horses was kept for my sole use, and
the two splendid dogs were never SO hsppy rs
when trotting by my side about the grounds,
or curled mp ut my Ieet while ! studied my
dictIor aries and grammnrs. MIR Croiton " IS
as tefsIEg as ever when there were listen ers
about, but he defended ms adroiuy against
Amelia Munkton and the Allans, who seemed
to grUdge ne even 8 lock at his face, and he
seldom failed TO share the library with me- for
a. L. asst q part OF my three hours' confinement
Sometimes he wrote letter., bat more frequent
ly h. rpdd with III Italian (yarrl An