The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-03-22
NOT LOST.

gray stone, with many pointed gable and
small lattIced windows: cosy low ceied
rooms, made fragrant in Summer time 10y
the pure white jasmine and crimson roses
that came npiding in through the open
easements. A large trim garden, where
tulips with gorgeous hue. queen lilies with
golden hearts, rich carnations, sweet scent
ed heliotrope and miguounettc. huge bushes
of laburnum and lilac, where the birds
built their homes and made glad melody
slop;ug clover meadows on either side,
bounded "a the one hand by the little
church, on the other by a thick grove of
linden trees
This WAS Cloveruuok, my home. where
the first twenty years of my life were spent,
calmly and uueveutfully, with my father
aud sister Mira. knowing nothing of the
great world lying beyond our quiet village,
neither desiring to know -never tx perienc-
ing any passionate throbhing Joy, any deep
bitter sorrow. We had no great riches,
| never knew my mother. The sweet
young life had ehbed and flowed for many
Il day, and when | was born it closed. y
q,tiet. reserved man was my father. All
books; so long As he knew Mira and were
well and needed for nothing, he troubled
little about us. Eut Barbara. our one serv-
ant, could tell Of n time, before my moth
er's death, when none were more merry
AID gladstone than he: but, when her life
went cut, SO did all his inyousness. So
Mira and | wee left much To ourselves.
and were incxpres>ibly dear to each other.
And Mira was biInd-had been stone
blind from her bir;h-although, looking at
the sweet, refined face, one wpuld never
have thought so-nevcr have thought that
the blue eyes had in them no light, that
they had never looked upon this fair earth
OF ours and behe!d its fairness. Very cheer
full aud gentle She was. never heard from
her one murmur, one repining word.
Only two years older than myself and
blind, yet it was to her carried all my
petty childish joys and sorrows: there was
never joy but was made greater by her
but was charmed away 10y her gentle voice
and soothing words.
Separated from us only by the meadow
and grove OF linden trees was Lindcrhurst
l.ruc farm, vxLcre l;voI r,u,,.a IJ,,,ar
and his widowed mother. They were old
and valued friends, and from the time of
my mother death Mrs. Hunter had shown
4 warm, kindly interest in us; whilo Maui
ranged that when had attained my TWEEN
ty first birth day | should become the wife
of Maurice aud mistress of Lindeuhurst.
The arrangement pleased my father; it was
satisfactory in every way.
should lie twenty-one in September;
and it was one evening in the March PIE
ceding it that Maurice came in with some
news.
Jean" he said. when the usual greet
ings had been exchanged, IL have had a
letter from Grace Warrington; she is com
ing to l.lndenhurst.
looked up in surprise. Grace War
ringtou was his cousin, and | had heard
much of her beauty. her accomplishments,
her gayeiy, but had never seen her She
had been brought up in 4 distant city, aud
[ wondered much to hear Of her coming TO
the country in the chill early spring time.
"Your cousin Grace coming" echoed
" When"
Z" To morrow, said Maurice. And,
Jean. want you for my sake 10 try to
make her visit pleasant"
=. But | wonder she chooses this time of
he year for visit to the country could
no; help saying. :" / wonder she does not
wait for Summer fruit, Summer flowers"
- You must read her letter, Jean, and
then you will wonder no longer. Poor
girl So tired she says she is of the gay,
frivolous life she has been leading, longing
iutently FOR rest and quiet-anxious, too, )"
he added. softly, Ito make the aequaint-
ance of her future cousin"
had nothing to say against her coming,
Of course. could only smile and tell him
| would do all he wished; but a vague feel
ing of unrest, for which | could not ac-
count, oppressed me.
=" shall come for YOU to morrow even
ing" Maurice said, as he fingered beside
me in the porch for few moments as he
WAS leaving. "Once see Grace, and you
cannot help loving her; she is SO beautiful,
Jean"
| watched him down the garden walk.
4 brave stalwart figure he looked in the
moonlight, with n certain amount of easy
grace, and, watching there. seemed to
realize for the first time how dear he had
become to be. At the gate he paused and
locked back, and then an impulse seized
me.
Maurice. Maurice | cried, running
down the path after him.
why, Jean he cried. regarding me
with surprise, " what is il ~
"Grace Warrington is very beautiful"
said breathlessly. " And, Maurice, you so
admire every thing beautiful. Do not fall
in love with her and forget me-
"'Iou silly little woman lie cried.
" As though the world, for me. could hold
another Jean, And is that all .? Run in
out of the chill air
Feeling a little ashamed. turn ID away
then and entered the house.
Maurice came for me the next evening,
and wen; with him To Lindenhurst. On
the way he could talk Of nothing but his
cousin; and when saw he: | could not
wonder. i had always thought Iira beau.
tiful: but her touching. delicate loveliness
was nothing in comparison with the full
womanly beauty Of this cousin Of Mau,
rice. She arose and came forward TO meet
us entered, her long, rich draperies
trailing around her.
a queenly woman,' | thought, as
noted the spleudOr of the dark eyes, the
masses of rich chestnut hair crowning the
well formed head: aud nv heart sank with