The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-03-26
The Lady's Maids Story.

One night as | was walking III the gar.
den, waiting, if the truth must be told,
70. -r,ouu,.o -rtuFoti, -ii0 "as paying AT
tention to me. and who was masters
valet, as was mistress maid. Master
was an old gentleman, whom mistress
had marraId for his money, so it was
said; and seemed very likely, for one
who was not yet twenty while the other
was sixty. They had been united three
years, and he was very good to her.
Strange enough if he had not been, and
always giving her something handsome
to wear orr book. or flowers, or any
thing she thought of; and for her part
she always thanked him very prettily.
She behaved well to him, | am sure
and he was perfectly satisfied He could
not have expected her 10 be in love with
him, old enough to be her grandfather as
he was.
Well, was walking in the garden,
waiting for Thomas, who was free after
dinncr-time, when suddenly | heard a
step close beside me on the other side of
the bushes, and thinking it was my lover,
| stood still, meaning to play trick, |
crept close up to the bushes where the
shadows concealed me, and waited, mean
ing to dart out and frishten him as he
passed; but in a moment more l saw
that it was not Thomas, but tall, fair
young gentleman with long moustache
who looked about, putting up his eye
glasses as though he expected some one
He was extremely pale, and his eyes
shonc so that they frightened me And
| kept very still, for am afraid of ma
macs, terribly afraid--not that ever
saw one, only should be, ] kept still,
and held back my apron, so that it
should not hutter out and catch the
light
The gentleman walked little way and
then back; and little way, and then
back again.
"Wiil she ever come" ! heard him
say to himself viii not she ever
come"
Who is he? thought. Aud who is
he waiting for9 Then it struck me that
it might be for Miss Kushton---a young
lady who was visiting my mistress, and
who looked to me to be shy enough for
auythiag. So | wated--indeed l could
not help it now, unless | had wished to
be seen-wa waited, hidden away among the
bushes,
If it was private garden, how did he
get in? you remark Well, there was
no Difficulty about that, our gate was
never locked, and the master was good
natured about letting people come in and
walk about. 1t was quite park as
one might say, with great trees and pref
tv arbors in it, and ever so many beau
tiful kinds of flowers The seringas that
crew where ! was hiding, and flowers
futtered down over me with their
strong. sweet smell, as | shook the bush
cs by leaning against them. Always
when smell serngas | think of that
night, and of how | saw lady hurrying
down .hc path moment attcr,and could
scarcely believe it was my lady; but il
was.
She had black lace shawl over her
head, caught by her tall comb, as you
see the mantilias in pictures of Spanish
women She was as dark as any Span
lard, | qm sure, with such pretty color,
'hON4h NOT. H'lt VI SAM" ""' $50
melting eyes, and dear htue red mouth.
| thought, as | looked at the two, that
they had been made Tor each other,
aud when heard him cry out "Maud !!
knew he loved her just one word will
tcllyou that. listened to hear her voice
She said nothing, but she held out her
hand not to take his-oh, no to keep
him OF. think he was going to kiss
her,
Then they stood still, looking at each