Litchfield enquirer., 1879-10-09
A PLEASANT LOVE,

''1 have got some newsfor you, Maggie he said one day, about eighteen months after he had gained his commission. "Guess what it is"
 They were walking along the green lanes of Perlock, listening to the ceasless murmur of the sea, as, at intervals, they had walked and listened ever since they could remember, at any rate, for she was six years younger than her former playfellow.
 "You are going to be promoted, she said
 ''Promoted, you little goose! No one ever gets promoted in the British army. Guess again" .ssr4sshzz #z4rE &-8
 ''You are going to marry an heiress. There was lump in her throat as she said it.
 "Wrong again. No inestimable young per son with green eyes, turn-up nose. suscepti- ble heart, and fifty thousand a year, has turn ed up yet. But it's something nearly as good. Pm ordered to China '" F, r.-
 "Oh, Alic!" she gasped, and burst into tears. It was very foolish of her, but then she was only 16, and had not yet acquired the praise worthy art of concealing her feelings. Why, whatever are you crying for9" he asked, and kissed away her tears. He'd kiss ed her ever since she was five, and thought no more of it than if she had been his sister, or | the cat, excepting perhaps that it was nicer which it was, 70 doubt II shall only be away five years, at most, and when come back Ph bring you a pig tail and an ivory tooth pick, and whole lot of things, and"
 "Yes?" she said, listening attentively..,. D.
 ''But then you'll be young woman-I for got-and out and all that sort of thing and won't condescend to speak to poor lieuten- ant you will have all the squires and fox hunters about the place at your feet" i " "Oh no, indeed, shan't, Alic," she said eagerly. +.g, t..,t ..,-. ;. .4 .,-
 "But tell you, you will believe you are born little firt, and shall come and find-' ,,.,-. FAR
 But she burst into tears again, aud put up her pretty little hand as if to stop his teasing, so cruel of him to'laugh| and joke. when he was going away for five years. He did net seem to care bit, and she could have broken her heart on the spot, and would have gladly done SO, and thrown the pieces away so as never to be bothered with it again. Then, seeing her mournfni blue eyes, he was merci- full. v-40rr
 "I believe shall come hack and find you just as great little darling as you are now, and if we've got any money we'll get married and live happily ever after and if we haven't we'll get married and starve ever after unless, of course, the heiress turns up. s ! truthful little idiot. 'Shall you ever write to me, Allie, dear?'
 "Yes of course 1 shall, and shall expect you to write back six pages crossed, and all that sort of thing, you know" So Allie Granger went to China, and Maggie waited hopefully enough for letter, but six months passed and none came. Perhaps it takes longer for letter to get here from China, she thought, knowing as little about the means of transit and the time it took as if the celestial city had been in the moon. But 8 year passed and no letter came
 Perhaps he's ill, or it's miscarried," !" she said tearfully, half wondering if it could be possible that Chinese heiress had turned up, and that was the real reason of Alics silence ''Fwo years past, and never word. It's too bad, " she said bitterly, and wondered ruefully if he had married wife with 8 pig-tail. And the days and the months went by, and Maggie journeyed into womanhOod, but no word or sign came from Alic Granger, and at last she gave him up altogether.
 Maggie was 20 years old when her father died, and the creditors did bounce down. and she and hor mother were sold out. Mrs. Dun Top was offered home in London by sister who was we'll off and bad tempered, and it -was thankfully accepted Maggie was inform ed that she must get her own living, which, being precisely Maggle's own opinion as we'll as intention, she advertised for a situation as governess Now Maggie had very modest idea of her own merits, and therefore only asked for f25 year and comfortable home SO no less than five answers came to her an- nouncement that she could teach English French, music and the rudments of drawing
 One of these answers came from Woolwich, and stated that Mrs. Marshall required gov erness for her three little girls. Mrs. Marshall was stiff -necked sort of woman and stared at poor little Maggie (who looked almost as childlike and twice as pretty as ever) through double gold glasses. Colonel Marshall, her husband, was nice old man ~'with7a gray head and an iron gray moustache, and there was grown-up tdaughter, a. Miss Pattefsons Mrs. MarsllalPs daughter by her first husband who was really the mistress of the establish, ment, for Maria Patterson had strong will, and she was an heiress. IA very nasty heir- ess, too," poor Maggie thought, and she was right, for Maria was skinny, and thought her self sarcastic, and always said nasty things to people who did not dare, to say them back again. .'l IsHFtsE III {Gl ~
 One evening, when Maggie had been about year at Woolwich, and she was sitting alone in her school room as usual, for her pupils had just said goodnight, and been delivered up to the tender mercies of their nurse, Miss Patter- son walked in very much dressed, and rather flushed and excited. ..,,
 Miss Dunlop" she said, i've shall have a few friends this evening, and know one or two of them like an impronptu dance will you be ready to come into the {draWing room and play, if we should want you ?"
 'I fear cannot play dance music very well i; I never kept time, !" said Maggie. ygylfo Y
 ''Yes, feared so, and though 1 would come and tell you, so that you might practice for an hr,,~ ffnr 1,n atn> slor1 out of the room, evidently considered the mat ter settled; and Maggie ,meekly proceeded to practice the Mabel Waltz and the s'Fiick and Flock Galop." Then she put on her slab- by black evening gown, and stuck spraYSof white 6owars into her golden faiE andIwaited patiently for a summons, hoping she would wait in vain. It very soon came, and with a roll of music under her arm, flush on her innocent frightened face, and scared, almost hunted expression in her eyes, she descended, and timidly opened the drawing room door, and there stood stili for 8 moment, staring in astonishment at the scene before her. There sat the heiress, with an eager, pleased expres- sion en her face, and leaning over her, talking and laughing, and more handsome thar ever, and sunburnt and soldieElys looking, was Aaic Granger. There was 10 nlistaking him The color rushed to Maggies hcaFaS if to. saFs ( hurried good by and then left 1t altogether. She recovered self possession, however, and walked with what she fattered herself was great dignity towards, thez piano., She. felt rather than saw shitn raise His head and look at her, and the next moment he was by her side ..t 1el sa. ..3 .,aj ,. t.aas- .ts "27s't'1ss
 Maggie my dear Maggie Why fancy you being here; where did you come from I have been trying to find yoaout for months g ss1 thought you"-and then she did not know how to go on, 80 added, almost piteous- ly; '1 am the governess here."sio x1=ss tl1a.a $
 Are you 1 aOh, | see. then, that is the rea-