The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-06-23
NO. 25 IN OUR SQUARE.

1t is a large brick house, with five
windows to the front, and long balcony,
full of mignonette and geraniums
throughout the summer. For q long
time nothing was known of its inhabit-
ants beyond the information contained
in the directory, where they were regis
tered as Miss Keith and Miss Indiana
Keith. Indeed, for ten years Our Square
was kept in total ignorance of their his
tory. BY sight we all knew them well,
for frequently, if the weather was fair,
they were to be seen walking in the
Square garden, and were generally ac-
compaAied by dark-complexioned but
pretty girl, and a Hindu, who, though
dressed like an Englishwoman, was sup
posed to be an ayah. The little Leila,
who must have been about three or four
years old when they first came to No. 25,
never joined in the games of the other
children in the Square, but used to walk
with the ladies and the ayah, chattering
away in tongue which the wondering
nurses supposed to be Hindustanee, and
which seemed much more familiar to
her than English.
At church the Miss es Keith were most
regular and generally, on Sunday
morning, Leila accompanied them, with
the ayah, who seemed to follow her like
q shadow. In all parochial charity lists
their names appeared, and the clergy
man was inclined to ascribe many an
anonymous donation to their iberality |;
and often, on a weekday afternoon, their
carriage, instead of taking the direction
of the park, would convey them to the
workhouse or hospital, where they were
ever most welcome.
OF their personal appearance we have
hitherto said nothing. Miss Keith, who
might have been about thirty when she
came to live in Our Square, was small and
insignificant. looking but her express
sion was mild and agreeable, and the
tone of her voice pleasant. Miss In
diana, who must have been nearly ten
years younger than her sister, was tall
and slight, and her features were deli
cate and beautiful but her whole air
and manner was that of a person who
has passed through O great sorrow and
the sallowness of her complexion rather
marred her general effect. Her voice,
more musical than her sisters, was
mournful in its tone, expressive of sort
VI WCdIluCcS, stlu NCly
from Anne's cheerful, rapid accents (; and
yet, dissimilar as they were, the closest
affection united the two. And now, in
stead of letting our readers grope, as We
did, in the dark, we will, without fur
ther preamble, admit them into the
secret of No. 25, and tell them the story
as it was told to MS nearly twenty years
ago.
Anne and Indiana Keith were the only
children of Sir William Keith, who oc-
cupied high judicial appointment ut
Agra, and had spent the greater part of
his life in India. Soon after the birth
of Indiana, Lady Keith was ordered to
return to England, for the sake of her
health, and her two children went with
her; and when, in couple of years, she
died, they remained there with their
grandmother, till her death deprived
them of their home, and they went out
to Join their father In India. At that
time Indiana was seventeen years Of
age, and her beauty struck ind delighted
all the English residents of the city.
Her rich coloring was positive feast to
the eye, after the sallow cheeks of the
Agra ladies, and only enhanced the lus-
ter of her glorious dark eyes; so that in
a very short time the whole garrison was
at her feet, and all the civil servants
were hopelessly in love. The elder Sis
ter was completely thrown in the shade,
and she knew it; but she was quite free
from any feeling of jealousy, and de-
lighted in the universal admiration that
Indiana inspired. OF course, among
her worshipers there was one that the
beauty preferred; and, though the spirit
of coquetry which possessed her rem
dered her sentiments doubtful for a
time, she submitted at last to become
the betrothed of Capt. Henry Willough-
by, of her Majesty's One Hundred and
Thirty-frst Regiment of Foot, gallant
officer and excellent man, who was uni