Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-20
TWO YEARS LOST.

TWO YEARS LOST.
Summer and youth, love and roses, blue
sky and careless mirth. These are all adj
juncts of the sweet Spring-time of the heart
when it has been first awakened.
Maria Leigh was young, and not SO very
long ago was it that her heart had awakened
to its Spring time. But she went about now
more like dead creature than living wom-
an. Wan smiles poorly yelled her inner
trouble, and her hands wore often pressed
upon her breast as if the pain there was too
sharp for endurance.
Three weeks ago she had been SO different.
Only three weeks! The world had looked
almost too bright splendor in it's moon
light evenings. Such a glow of promise in
the sunny days that grew and gained in beau
not gained it's prime, for Midsummer was
not reached; but the sadness of change of
disappointment, of waste, of failure, seemed
to over-shadow all things.
You would have smiled, perhaps, to see
him who was the source of all this trouble.
There was nothing particular in him to look
at. Rather tall, squarely built, good, SEN
sible kind of face, and dcep-set earnest blue
eyes. What was there in him to awaken the
depths of poetry and passion or to darken
life? Had it been some young Apple, de-
lightfully handsome, gay, accomplished, bril-
liant, and superficial, why then, ! grant you,
it might have been understood But this I'M
assuming man, so quiet, so self-contained
so little distinguished in any way-you sim
ply conld not have solved the mystery.
He was but a country doctor. too, this
Edgar Mervyne, and as yet only six-and-
twenty years of age. Mr.. Mervyne the faith
er, had been doctor before him; but he died
young, and left his wife and children to battle
with the world. What struggle it had been
Mrs. Mervyne alone could tell. But to the
energetic and preserving, success comes in
time. The elder son had obtained a good
post in a foreign land; Edgar, the younger,
embraced his late fathers profession. Old
DIR. DanfOrd took him into partnership, giving
him third of his profits, and Edgar lived
with his mother and made home happy to her
by his dutiful affection. Looking at his
broad shoulders, the little mother thought
with Joy that they were well fitted to bear
those burdens which had almost weighed
down her own. Edger smiled when she
said as much; no burden should rest on her
again if he could help it.
This place, Candleford, was a gay village,
what is called an aristocratic one; and in the
Summer season it never lacked visitors, being
near the sea. And the world went smoothly
enough with Edgar Mervyne and his mother.
DR.. Danford, rough old surgeon to his pa
tients in general, was quite content to see that
his young partner was liked as well as he was
if not better. And for miles round no even
ing party was thought complete unless Mr..
Mervyne made one at it. The old Doctor
growlingly told him not to let the world spoil
him: the young man shook his head in his
quiet way, and said there was no fear of it,
Matters were in this state when Miss Leigh
the only daughter of Captain Leigh, ex-of-
ficer and gentleman-came home from
school. She was eighteen, sensible, good,
sweetfaced girl, of gentle bearing and retiring
manners, as modest maiden should be.
And somehow-Capid alone, whose ways
are full OF mystery, could have explained it
these two were at once attracted to each other
They often met at the houses of friends; and
the young doctor seemed to find no place so
pleasant as Captain Leigh's villa. Many a
time, when he had paid his visit to the invalid
up stairs-for Mrs. Leigh was aling, and
spent at least as much time up stairs as down
did he snatch few minutes leisure to sit
ing he morning, and listening to her
songs the evening twilight. The result
was love. Love, on her side, deep, passionate,
enduring; on his-well, that was best KIN, wn
to himself. He did not speak of it. That
small third share of Or. Danford's practice did
Leigh's daughter. She would have good
fortune it is true; but that, in his opinion,
made it no the better.
sDo you know" said Maria to him one dav.
when he sat shipping bits Of paper with her
embroidery scissors, that the Paxtons are 60
ing ito have a yisitorY'
mo. Who is it,"
"Some young lady from London. Very
stylish and very rich. A Miss Mortimer"
Mr.. Mervyne broke into a smile. Maria
also.
ut is what they said of her, 4 assure you I
called there with mamma yesterday afternoon
mamma thought the little walk would do
her good-and they could talk OF nothing but
Miss Mortimer Louisa said she was beauti-
full; Nelly added that she had been partly edu-
Gated in Paris"
"None the better for that" interrupted Mr.
Mervyne.
"And could speak half dozen languages,
and was always dressed to perfection" went
on Maria. SLOW insignificant we girls down
here shall be beside her!"
Mr. Mervyne, who had risen to leave, tooka
calm survey OF the pretty girl before him; the
delicate hands, the soft brown hair, the mod
est face, SO sweet and blooming. II cannot
suppose that you have any cause for appre-
hension on that score" said he significantly
Maria colored at the words-and at what
they implied. He " atched the glow steal
over haS cheeks, he looked at the long eye
pulses quickened. How charming she was
this modest rl!-how lovely!
Tender words trembled on his lips: but he
forced then back. "Too soon, too soon," he
thought. "Too ask for her yet might only in
yoke refusal-perhaps an Introduction to our
me-"
Maria did understand him. She believed
that she had his entire love, and that, in due
time and place, it would be declared. She was
perfectly content to wait that period; aye
though it were for years. Too see him daily
to touch his hands at coming and going, to
listen to his always pleasant voice, was bliss
enough, making her days very Eden.
Miss Mortimer arrived at Candelford. She
made her first appearance in public at Mrs
Martins croquet and dancing party, which
took place on the following afternoon. A
fresh face is quite an event in a quiet country
district, especially one advertised as Miss Nor
timers had been, and everybody was on the
Quiviue to see it,
The impressions she made difered-as
usual. Opinions differed, Those who hae
expected to see brilliant beauty, one who
must draw all eyes after her whether or no
had hardly words strong enough for theil
the famous beauty! this dark, thin girl of two
or three and twenty, with features So little re
markable; no bloom, no dash, no play, NJ
sparkle. nothing to boast of huf thosa oraa