Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-10-14
WHOLE NO. 1857.

and Celia were 10 be married mex
winter, but | can see through SEW
as well as the next one.'
| Mrs. Smith took her departure il
a few minutes not so the strang,
| pain Juggling at Anthia Thorburn'
heart. There seemed no rslsas,
from that sorrow. It met her da,
by day while she learned more arc
more about the new partnership
from one and another, finally from
Ralph himself. Sitting with him a
Heien's feet, she listened to hi,
hopes and plans for the benefit of hi,
family and the race, and grieysd
more and more deeply. How grandly
he looked What strong, brave
tender nature was his! Poor girl
rs left her at her fathers door that
night with the eheerfulest of sood.
byes, and pext day took up bis resi-
dence under DR.. Priestly's roof.
| DO tell me about this place oil
Anthia Thorburn's,' marmured Celia
Priestly, hanging languidly on Fit2
Maurice Maurice's arm. What sort
of an establishment is it, anyway?
They were strolling home from
some social entertainment, where
Miss Thorb7rn had shone "a bright,
particular star. Mrs. Maurice being
within Miss Priestly mad consented
to prolong her visit indefinitely. 1t
was early June. Even Millvills
looked fair in that soft moonlight
crossed by silver gray cloud shad-
ows, yet Fltz gnawed his yellow
mustache and glared as though he
found himself in a den of beasts.
The question touched sore point.
He hated peculiar people. The mo-
ment Miss Thorburn turned queer
he felt in duty bound to ronsunoe
her.
"A kind of orphan asylum / be-
lieve,' he answered +; 'but | don't
know, and, to tell the truth, don't
care
She'll never get married, you may
rest assured. Gentleman are shy of
ladies with missions. | shall never
find one.'
'One what? A mission or a hus-
band p
"A mission, of course. should be
very unhappy if / thought one whom
| could dearly love would never
offer himself. IL mean faltsred
Miss Prisstiy, if there was any such
one
"A creature SO charming, so every
way calculated to adorn the mar
riage state, wre ngs nay sex by giving
these fears audience. Celia, you
wrong me-
Now this was merely tender pas.
sage, such az Anthia Thorburn would
have quietly ignored. Not SO Celia
Priestly and before be could recov-
er himself, Fitz Maurice Maurice was
an engaged man. Having secured
her prey, Miss Priestly was in no
haste to announce the fact, lsst it
should be limited she had taken dos.
perate measures. 1t was best, she
concluded, to wait until she was once
more deeorously established at home.
and been properly waited upon by
her enamored swain.
Anthia Thorburn came to look
upon it as settled that Ralph was to
marry Celia. She could not grow
accustomed to the anguish this tho't
caused her still, lie was neither .
wilderness nor empty. Had this sor
row assailed her in that dali, inactive
past, she would have bsen ever.
whelmed. As it happened, she bad
60 much to occupy her time aud at
tention, SO many and such increasing
duties and responsibilities, there was
small room for regrsts-Rene for idle
weeping. True, Ralph Alden had
not deserted the old home, friends
or patients. Scarce a week passed
that she did not soc him in few
bright moments. She saw thoas fine
eyes kindls spoa her, listened to his
almost unqualified approval OF all she
did and was endeavoring to persuade
others to dc; yet this made the
thought that he was to marry Celia
Priestly dously, aye, trebly bitter.
The secret was divulged, however.
Fitz Maurice married bis bride in
splendor, and carried her off in state.
Then the whole town fell to plying
Miss Thorourn.
'She don't let on to care, said Mrs.
Smith to Mrs. Jones 'but, depend
upon it, she's crushed. | could have
told Ter, though. He's not the kind
of a man to marry a woman that
gees out of her sphere. Even young
Alden get Disguised and cleared out.
She's booked for an old maid, sure
as you live
II Mrs. Smith was never mistaken
ia her life before, she vas then. The
day did not hasten, yet it came, when
Ralph Alden whispered words whose
very uttersnce blessed Authia Thor
burn and flooded her future with
sunshine.
Dahlia and Lily Thorburn having
completed their studies, returned
Just in time to take their sisters
place at Hopsley Hall. Fresh from
the confinement of school.life, full OF
energy and earnestness, inspired by
Anthia's example, longing to be of
use in the world, fond of poor wom-
en-, and with q weakness for babies,
they stood ready to ill her place and
bid her God speed in her new life
aud work.
From FIRST TO last, my heart has
never wandered | have loved you
all my lie, said Ralph Alden.
And sbe--oar dear woman with
the radiant face-answered 4 re
ioice now that you did not tell me
before, else, loving you so entirely
as | have during the year past-per.
haps | should have cast my poor
mite of COED into Gods great treas
ury in your name. Now | know
whose call I answered, who helped
me all the way through, aud that m3
labor ia net ia vain in She Lord
They were riding toward Prisstly-
vile. A year aad a month b id
passed since Anthia Thsrburn
plucked tho Little dandslion by the
waysids. In playful remembrance
OF it, Ralph Alden had crowned her