Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-12-15
sELNYN sEAFORD's WARD.

SELNYN SEAFUKD'S WARD.
Mr.. Seaford was opening his morning
mail. The letter tray was always we'll
filled, for Mr.. Selwyn Seaford was one
Of those pleasant, good-looking, easy
tempered bachelors who have, as the
saying goes, hosts of friends"
Perfumed invitations to lawn tennis
breakfasts and archer teas; confiden-
tial little notes from Young ladies who
were in despair about masquerade cos
tunes: commissions from pretty young
matrons regarding zephyr worsted and
Languedoc lace; long letters from cha
mois shooting friends among thu Baya-
rian Alps, and chatty epistles from
attaches at Paris and Vienna-this was
what formed the staple of his cores
pondence. And at the very bottom lay
a black edged missive, bearing the
stamp of Long Branch"
Slowly MIR. Seaford broke the seal
slowly he read it over,
$50 poor Fulton is dead at last" was
his first thought. But, by Jove! its
rather cool Of him to leave me his
daughter to educate and bring up, see
ing that we are neither relations nor
connections. 1t is true that he was
my college friend; but there are plenty
OF others with whom he was far more
intimate. A girl-here in my bachelor
den! What on earth was poor Fulton
thinking OFF,
The first idea was that he would en-
tirely abjure the bequest; the second
superstitious feeling that he could not.
" Pshaw ~ said Selwyn Seaford, tug
ging tiercely at his brown, silk-soft
moustacbe. "Governess, music les
sons, chocolate caramels-all that sort
of thing. 1t will turn my quiet home
into regular carnival; but don't see
that there's any evadins it.
| He got up an pushed his letters
away, and walked through the house,
surveying the various apartments.
Yes" he mused, Shy giving up my
cabinet-room and changing my library,
| can manage to spare quite respect
able suit of apartments. or course,
shall have to invite old Aunt Balcstierre
to come and live with me, to play pro-
priety. 1t will be the old story of ward
and guardian over again. She will
probably fall in love with me, or | with
her, and therell be the deuce and all
to pay. Why on earth couldn't Fulton
have lived long enough to bring up his
own daughter
But Selwyn Seaford was thoroughly
conscientious, and, once convinced that
it was his duty to receive Diana Fulton
il to his house, he lost no time in tele-
graphing to Aunt Balestierre, prepar-
ing the pretty suit of rooms, and
Fastening down to Long Branch.
yes" the polite hotel clerk told
him, "Miss Fulton was on the beach
she spent most of her time there"
("Sentim entail, | suppose" thought
Seaford with grimace) with her
maid" con, a maid into the bargain
a French tlirt, to carry notes on the
sly and foster all kinds of intrigues,"
inwardly groaned our hero. "Would
the gentleman step that way, or should
he, the clerk, send porter DOWN.
Mr.. Seaford preferred to walk down
himself and presently he found him
self standing on the shores of the
sounding sea, waiting for the conclu-
sion Of brisk but scientific encounter
between little girl of six and her
nurse, before he should inquire his
way to the Point Breeze sands.
The little girl was small, but despe-
rate. She wIithed herself like a serpent
about her attendants ankles, bit,
scratched, and finally settled matters
by finging handful Of sand into the
nurses eyes.
"Therel' said she, painting, lovely
and venomous. "4Now will you let me
alone?"
"Well, never" sputtered the wo-
man. "And your new silk stockings
all salt water. and your elegant black !
satin ruined--clear ruined, missl"
Il don't care" screamed the child. |
II DON'T | DON'T l don't l Il run
away and drown myself, so there,
now!"
"Come back, Miss hi. there's jew
ell" coaxed the stou. Milesian, wiping |
tho sand out of her blunt features.
Come back, and
But here Mr.. Seaford stepped for
ward.
"My good woman" said he, will
YOU tell me that child's name' Full |
ton7' Miss Diana Fulton Indeedl"
And this little, black-browed vixen,
with the name of tangled, jetty hair,
the slim, serpent like figure, the flush
ed. angry face, was the queenly orphan
he had pictured as young lady just
ready to be launched into society
Involuntarily his heart gave great
throb of relief.
Come here, you little gipsy?' said |
he. cor | will whistle to the biggest |
shark of the coast to come and eat you
up!" =,
He held out bis hand with smile.
Gradually the frown faded out from
the olive forehead, and without hesl-
tation the small Diana accepted his
oyeYtures