, 1872-10-05

..I.. Dckery-
Oh. my good graciors, how dare you :"
Fanny laid the pink bundle down in
rocking chair full of pillows. The bundle
protested with vigorous movement. and
in another moment the rocking chair and
baby came down together.
Now, you awful man. the, child is
killed cried Fanny, with a.scared face,
as she lifted the tiny morselt from the
floor; but the pillows had protected it,
aud he startled baby, afer one effort at
curling its lips, blOke into clasming
smile.
g No harm done, and l trust I'm for
given" said Mathew DOnn.,
No, you are mt forgiven. / shall
never forgive you, Mathew Donn so please
leave baby aud me. have nothing more
to saw" r.
!" Wdl,5 IL am going"
- You can go, sir"
The young man went softly, slowly out;
bat lie looked neither grieved nor angry
on the other side OF the door he smiled.
The circumstances, we're Ihrse (
Fanny had been amusing her sisters
child, and the little cherub SEEMED never
to tire of musical sounds SO Fanny, who
had Mother Gt.4sa-hy he. rt, liked nOthing
better than TO ST ID The cozy sitting-room
(Which was fsaIiy The pprsery) aud sing
those old, old dAmeludits. 81
Mathew Douu Wssths,hhed man, and
on this psrucular morning had stolen in
quietly behind Miss Fanny and, tempted
ot-what surely not the Evil One-had
bent over aud kissed her on the forehead.
And this he had dared to do, showing
that Fanny was city young lady, living
in fashionable quarter, and nsed to the
best of society.
Fauny's sister had married rich farm
er not quite two years before. People
talked ABOUT the Brysons burying them
selves; but both Olive and Fanny loved
the country better than the town. Every
summer Fanny was glad to leave the
s' stuffy old house, as she called it, and
almost by one leap on the express train
find herself in paradise, breathing air
redoleut of white clover and sweet brier.
During the winter the sisters corrrsponded
regularly, and Olive had sung the praises
of Mathew Donn, their hired man so often
that Fanny found herself thinking OF his
acquaintance as one of the pleasant pro-
liabilities of her next visit, .J-
We don't pretend to treat him as
help" wrote Olive, holding her babygon
one knee and steadyiug her paper with a
bronze weight, " for he is not in the least
like the men who hire out in these parts.
l should be ashamed not 10 ask him to
come to the table and JUST for the novelty
OF it. / want you to take peep IN his
room. Harry calls him his rara dcisj ) and
the two really enjoy themselves together
almost like brothers, Besides. he is
nearly as handsome as my Harry; he, you
know. IS the handsomest man in the
world !"
And the pleasant pen ran on and told
about planting. aud prospective swretcorn
and pea blossoms, and how the graPrrines
were fall of the tinyrst branchrs, and ;he
Young peach trees were g'inS to do splen-
-didly land Adela had two of the g cum
pingest milk>white tpeth;" and know
not how much mora loving nonsense.
Now Fanny had a rich lover, and, Ike
most rich lovers, he was not progressing
in his personal appearance. In her own
written language to Olive, " he P"s'errd
her 10 death" TO be sure, it was pleasant
to see his splendid eqipagt in front front. OF
their door. with two superb grryS, f"T on
rare occasions Fanny yi-ld"d to his soIicl'
tations 20 take ride and he always con-
trivcd to drive her by his castle oi brown
stone front, perhaps to tempt her for
Fanny was fond of beautiful things as
woman ought to Se, and was well aware
Of the advantages which money can give