The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-12-08
sT. JoHN'S WARD,
ao,,+ lno,v vvbat Pm to do"

CHOW then," he continued, kuow uoenluS
whatever about taking care of the girls. Ii she
was young lady should understand what my
duty would be; but in this case things are dif-
ferent"
He picked up letter which was. lying on
the table and reperused it. 1t was dying re-
ouest from valued friend for st. John to be-
come the guardian of the writer's only child,
sirl, who was then at school.
of course St. John could not refuse, and IN
consequence was quite at loss to know what
to do with his newly-acquired family.
"However," said he, Frightening up at the
thought, "I'll send her lot of presents and n
keen her at school for while yet" And so he
did.
Which in due season reached Madame Po-
Gsher's Fashionable Pensionate where girls are
'sn1ade to ORDER" and sent home to parents
and guardians as model young leadies ready for
homes and husbands of their own. >,
ga box for Madamoiselle LIE Bruno, SAID
the voluble little French woman, presenting
Mr.. St. Johns gifts to a tall, slender young
lady, with wide open grey eyes, and satin
brown hair, and clothed in the deepest mourn
ing.
The box was opened in the privacy of her
own room, and with feelings divided between
amusement and rage, the contents were exhib-
tied to her schoolmates. First came huge
wax doll, dressed in the latest style, with eyes
that would open and shut, and which by touch
ing wire in the side of the body, would give
vent to succession of screams.
sJust like baby for all the world, cried
little Alice Maydew, between her shouts OF
laughter, as Miss LIE Bruno touched the wire,
and the sinfant" went off into spasmodic mt
of weeping.
Then there was dollhouse, and china
tea-set, mammoth tin rattle, and, In fact ev,
erything a little girl of five or six years would
fancy. In the bottom of the box was short
letter, beginning, "My little ward, " and ending,
'From your guardian" in which the writer
stated that he would see that she had every
thing she desired, hoped to hear from her long
and glowing accounts of her studies, etc.
Margaret scarcely knew whether to be often
ded or otherwise. Evidently her guardian
thought she was mere child, and she deter
mined not to undeceive him..
When the vacation came, she accepted an
invitation from one of her school friends to
spend the few weeks which intervened between
the past term and the one in prospective with
her, at pleasant country village on the Hud-
son.
SBy Jove! Spleudidly doner
The exclamation was drawn forth by the ap-
pearance of horse and rider flying over five
barred gate, and disappearing down the broad
road leading to the beach.
St. John, for it was he, looked after the
eauestrienne until she was lost from view, and
then loitered along the path, on his way to the
hotel
Presently she rode past again, but this time
more slowly, and he saw pair of large grey
eyes, and a corOnet OF brown hair, dusky,
n ptv mouth
,"My fate" said he, watching her as she
passed him, his heart gave great bound
against his vest pocket. 81 wonder who she
He waited every day for another sight Of her,
but was doomed to be disappointed.
The Sabbath came, and out of sheer wearl-
ness and want of something to do he went to
the village church, and the first person he saw
was the unknown I'm not positive that he
heard the sermon, or anything else. I do know,
though, that he stared at his pretty neighbor
IN very unneighborly manner, which caused
the dusky face to become very apparent
crimson and the grey orbs to flash rather def
antly.
When the services were ended, he kept close
to the entrance-way, and as the young lady ap-
preached with party of friends he heard some
body say, "That's Miss Maydew, and" The
rest of the sentence was lost but ST. John was
satisfied that that was her name, for who else
could there be in that assemblage to attract
any particular attention or elicit any remarks.
Nobody, Of course And he went home de-
lighted.
He watched and waited to see her again, and
at last heard some one say that ''Mr. Maydew's
daughter had returned to school again"
Thereupon he was almost disenchanted.
sOnly a school girl, a bread-and- butter Miss,
after ALL" sighed he, packing his valise.
"And that reminds me of my ward. 1 sup
pose it's time for more presents"
And directly after Miss LIE Bruno received a
prodsgiously large package of confectionery,
much to her amusement, and the delight of
her companions who tasted it,
Two years rolled around, and twice ST. John
had seen the owner of the eyes and hair, once
in the cars. where he gave her seat. and once
as q concert in sre adjoining city, where she
was spending q vacation with an aunt.
Margaret remembered him distinctly, but
had no idea who he was, and in speaking of
signated him as ''the party with impertinent
eyes, whom the gods evidently designated for
her worse half"
The months passed on, and at last her school
DAYS were over. St. John, about this time,
took the idea into his head to invite his ward
to spend a few weeks.
"fll go-that is if you will accompany me,
Alice. 1 think we'll have pleasant time> I've
never seen him, but probably he's an old fellow,
with red whiskcrs and false teeth not at all like
ly to be dangerous. Besides, it is perfectly
proper for me to go, since he is my guardian"
She notified him of her acceptance and an
nounced that she would bring u friend with
her.
St. John sent carriage for them at the de-
pot and upon arriving at his elegant residence
the servant showed them their rooms quite as
tonished to find two young ladies instead of
some little girls, who we're to visit them tos
some time.
They went to the parlor after washing and