The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-04-07

into cash then the furniture of her
pretty villa, and next the villa itself
with its sweet rose-garden, had to be
exchanged for humber apartments in
q meaner street, and, ere long, Con-
stance Warren found that if she was
to live, it must be by her own unaid-
ed efforts, and for five years she
maintained desperate struggle for
existence-two years. III
A lady going to India wanted "A
young person ah govcrness and CON-
panion." -
To India On her knees Constance
prayed that her application might
prove successful and her prayer was
heard, for out of some hundred let
ters-from a few which were selected
tho tenor hers best suited the taste
eff the lady in question. She said
nothing of her marriage or Of her
apparent desertion; but as her we'd
ding.ring, with which o fond super
stition Of tho heart, she never drow
from her finger, told tale, she had
to pass for a widow.
So in the fullness of time she found
herself far from England, and duly
installed with al Anglo-India family
in ono of the stately villas of the
European quarter of Calcutta-a ver-
table palace in the city of palaces,
overlooking the eplanado before Fort
William-in charge of one sickly, but
gentle little pale-faced girl.
She had been o month there when
her employers family proposed to
visit some relatives in Meerut, where
she heard that Sidney's regiment was
cantoned To her it seemed as if
the hand of fate was in all tn ..s. Oh
to be able to unravel tho horrible
mystery involving his. fate; for by
this timo she had ascertained that
kis name was out of the corps but
her heart suggested that he might
have exchanged into another.
On tho way Constance had an ad-
dition to her charge in the person of
q little boy, who, with his ayah, was
going to join his parents at Meerut
Tho little boy was moro than unusu-
ally beautiful, with round and dim
Piled checks, dark hazel eyes, curly
golden hair, and sweet and winning
smile. Something in the child's face
or it's expression, attracted deeply tho
attention Of Constance, and seemed
to stir somo memory in her heart
Where had she seen those eyes be-
fore?
She drew the boy caressingly to-
ward her, and when kissing bis fair
open forehead, her eyes fell involun-
tariIy on a ring that secured his neck
tic, n mere blue ribbon. 1t was Of
gold, and on it were engravcn tie in
itials C. and S. with lovers knot
between. These were those Of her.
self and her husband, ard the ring
was ono she had seen him wear daily.
Constance trembled in every limb;
she felt,a deadly palencss overspread
her face, and the room in which snc
sat swan round her; but on recover
ing her self:possession. she said:
"Child, let me look at this ring"
The wondering boy placed in her
hand tho trinket, which she had not
the slightest doubt of having seen
years before in London.
"Who gave this, my child?' she
asked.
MY papa"
"Your papa!-what is your name ?
"Sidncy."
"What else p she asked, inpatient
ly. w
"Sidney Warren Milton"
"Thank God! Bnt how came you
to be named so? There is some mys-
terry in this-a mystery that must
soon bo solved now. When were you
born, dear little Sidney?"
"In Calcutta"
"What is your age, child ?
"Next year shall bo seven years
DID,"
.Seven-how strange it is that you
have the name your bear !"
at is my papa's," said tho boy.
with a little proud irrritabillty OF
manner.
"Whcre did your papa live before
ho camo to Calcutta"
81 don't KNOWN many places
soldiers always do"
"He is q soldier p :,
"My papa is Major Milton, ana &c,
lives in the cantonments at Mecrut."
"A little time, I shall know ALL"
replied poor Constance, caresslng the
boy with great tenderness.
On arriving at Mcerut, however,
she found herself ill-faint and fever:
ish. 90 that for days she was confined
to her bed. She had but ono keen
and burning desirc-to sec Major
Milton, and to learn from his lips the
fate of her husband. On the evening
of the fifth day-the evening OF the
tenth of May-whcn just as the sun
set gun pcalcd over the cantonmen's'
the 1yah brought her q card, insert
bed, "Maior Milton-Staf Corps. 80,
..Desiro tho major to come to me"
said Constance, in broken voice,
and terribly couvulscd by emotion;
for now she was on the eve of know
ing all. o,
"Here to the mehm sahibs bedside I!
asked the astonished ayah.
"Here instantly-go-go!
Endowed with new strength, rs
tho woman withdrew, she sprang
from her bed, put on her slippers,
threw around her an ample cashmere
dressing robe, and seated horsclf IN a
bamboo chair, trembling in every
Cha, Tn n mirror ODDOSlte She COulQ