The Morning herald., 1878-07-04

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disagrseable associations; it was the cry Of
child. My thoughts al once Itpfnsd Ia
hale, hearty, long-living grandmother
hood. Visions Of canes and snuff-boxes
rose before my eyes, everlasting coughs
ratified in my ears, and worse than all,
the glances of matrimonial love from the
eyes Of grandmother frozs my blood
How different was the scene that met my
eyes as ] turned the corner of dump of
treesl This infant had heard was lying
ON it's back on grassy knoll, fighting up
with Its little clenched fists, and growing,
as the nursemaids call II, with all Its might
while bending over it, with eyes brimful
of love and laughter, poking its tiny ribs
with her fingers, snatching wild kisses
from it's brow, and seizing its neck with
her lips as If she would throttle it, knelt q
young woman!-a woman in the very
prime and glory of her years. d. I did not
think she could have been quite thirty.
Her bonnet was lying on the grass, and her
dishevelled hair floating In dark masses
over her shoulders; but a bright radiance
was on her queenly brow, just as a voice
of peremptory command was heard in her
light joyous laugh. There was q fearless
ef-possession in her manner, such as
years superadd to the feminine softness of
youth; and her features, originally moulded
in wax, were now as firm, yet as exquisite
ly fine, as if they had been cut in the
( semi-transparent marble of Paros. While
feasting on the beautiful picture formed by
the mother and her child sursly that
must he the relationship "a little incident
occurred which disturbed them both. -.
The infant with a shriller squeal of de- H
light, and more vigorous spasm of its
limbs than it had hitherto indulged in,
suddenly rolled down the knoll, growing as
invent, and the lady, with playful yet
nervous cry of surprise, stretched after it
invain as she knelt till she measured her
whole length upon the sod Before she
could get up had sprung from my am
bush, caught up the truant al II lay half
smothered in daisies and buttercups, and
presented the prize to the flushed and
startled mother. i
To describe the conversation of such a
fascinating woman is impossible. She was
not woman of society, yet she was per-
fectly well.bred She had spent the
greater part of her life in the country, in
vigorating both mind and body with the
pure air of heaven, visiting town occ ca
sionally, and thus she was enabled, with
the assistance of books and the general |
literature of the day, to keep pace with the
progress of the world.
q LIDO not know how it was, but our ac-
quaintanceship seemed to be ready made,
and, having mentioned my uncle's name,
she had no difficulty in remembering his
respectable friend, AIRS. Gorden.
"You know Mrs. Gordsn? ?" said /.
eyes" #@ r
"Yes" <@&A
How do you like the individual9"
II sympathize with her, for I too"
Ana breaking OF with alsigh, she held up
the fairest hand in the world so as to show
widows ring. ,>
I had not hitherto noticed, her slight
mourning, but now saw that she was a
widow, young and charming widow, and
that the infant was pledge of loved ex- 4
tinguished by the grave. She was free,
this lovely young woman, and was about
tobe chained for life TO grandmother Cor
den! She saw my agitation, but of course
could not comprehend its cause.
"Come," she said with al angelic smile;
II see yon do not like my venerable friend,
but am determined to reconcile you to
her. She is grandmother, it is true, and
not SO young as she has been,
but she wears well-she is indeed particu-
larly healthy; and thus If you form a
with her, it is likely to last
for many years." s%SSA rs. -
"That is the misery Of it,n.ssaid I. eff
she were but like other old women-if she
were but subject to the common diseases
of grandmothers--my fate might be en-
durable"
"Your fatel What has that do with
Mrs. Gorden's longevity2" ,--,.,s..
II am only going to be married to her
that's ALL" and the absurd announcement
was no sooner out of my mouth than the
fair stranger broke into peals Of laughter,
which to my ears is that inauspicious mo-