The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-07-14
MISS RVA,s LOVER.


MISS -EVA's LOVER.
Old Captain Morrison every one
called him, he had gone round The
world several times, master and ownel
OF fine ship, and a great deal of mon.
ey he had made by ventures and specu
latiOns besides, so that he was the rich
est man in the place, and his daughter
Miss Eva, the greatest heiress there
about.
Twas Miss Eva's maid, and my name
is Mary Ellis, and I had been with Mis-,
Eva for q long while, ever since she
was little child, and I was very fOnC
OF her. She was wild little thing, 70
mantle and full of fun at the same time
and she had no mother, which is a great
misfortune for little girl, and greater
still, perhaps, for a grown one.
1t was particularly so to Miss Eva,
Tor Captain Morrison had made up his
mind that she was not to marry; that
she was TO stay at home and be his little
| girl while he lived; and that in anv
event it was better for an leiress not to
] marry at all while there are fortune
hunters in the world. But you cannot
manage these matters. Some girls will
fall in love, however you may preach to
them-and Miss Eva was a girl Of that
sort, As for me, in my humble way,
had opinions of my own, and I can't
say l altogether approved of men. I
went to be Miss EVa's maid when she
was six and I seventeen; and a month
| from that time the coachman of the
family proposed to me. He was fine
looking man, but not a steady one, and
l refused him. I was glad 1 did when
he was dismissed one day for being in
tOXicated and endangering the lives Of
the family, And q little after that Si-
mon Cook, the grocer at the corner,
asked TO keep company with me. And
to be sure, that would have been a rise
in life, for he had fine set OF rooms
over his shop, and piano, and eVery-
thing genteel, but he was widower
with daughters Of my own age; and I
knew that q step-mOther's life was q
hard one, and I liked peace; and though
I did fancy Tom Dempster, the Young
sailor, who liked me, l remembered
what grannie used to say to me. She'd
rise from her seat and walk up and
down, would grannie, pacing to an fro,
with her hands behind her back, and
then she would stop and look at me.
''YOu wonder to see me pace the floor
so much" she'd say, ''but it's a way
sailors wives always have. When the
wind blew and tho rain came down,
and your grandfather was off on the
ocean, I'd SIT and think, and sit and
think until could bear it no more, and
up I'd get and to and fro I'd pace, to
and fro, until l was so weary I couldn't
stand. Sailors wives always do it."
says grannie. '.It's the worry"
So 1 said to myself: When marry I
hope my husband will be one that will
come homo regularly 10 his meals-good
ones III give him-and be in betimes,
sitting by the fire a bit to chat before
we shut up for the night, and going to
church with me on a Sunday; and so 1
told Tom. He never came back from
his last voyage, poor boy! But don't
say for certain that if Mr.. BaldersOn,
who keeps the chemists and stationer's
shop, you know, quite u genteel busi-
ness (now that have my own bit Of
savings)-but that's all in the future;
I'm telling you about Miss Eva. It all
burst upon me one evening when was
braiding her hair.
''Mary," said she, 'pve got q secret
to tell you. Promise me you'll keep
it."
OF course [ promised, thinking it was
of any importance; and when
I'd said the words she put her pretty
hand into her pocket and brought out a
bundle of letters.
''ThOse are all lOve-letters, Mary"
said she. "Tm engaged. -
''Oh, my goodness, Miss Evar' I cried;
and the brush fell out of my hand.
"Oh, my goodness! Your pa"
':NOw, Mary" said Eva, pulling her
hair out Of my hands, and standing up
before me, ''dOn't say my pa in that
tone. 1t is all pas fault. He says I
shall never marry, never fall in love,
never have anyone fall in love with me,
nor even have any company like other
girls Of my age, and Just what he might
have expected has happened. I'm not
so ugly, am I. Mary, thatnO man should
ever take a fancy to me?n
''Far from it, Miss EYa," I cried out
.''far from it, my dear. But there'H
be trouble, Pm sure. Tell me all about /
it. Is it a respectable gentleman, such |
as you ought to haVe?"
Gas for that, Mary" says Miss Eva,
she is Mr.. George Saunders. the Junior |
partner of Saunders Brothers. There's !
no one better known than he. Papa |
thinks it is most respectable firm, and |
Mr.. Richard Saunders comes here Of |
ten. Mr.. George is only lately taken |
into partnership. If pa had been like !
anyone else, he would have been intro
1uced to me properly; but as it is, he |
has followed me about, sat and stared |
1T me in church, and at last sent 8 little |
boy to give me note. He's a charm |
ng person. He adOres me, and in fact, |
Mary, it is all settled. We are engaged.
Don't betray me"
'Ohs but you ought to tell your pa,
ny DEAR" cried; and then she argued |
With me that all would be, right some
lay that Mr.. George Saunders would
ell my master in due time, and mean
while, she was so happy-so happy.
What could I do? Only watch over
Ter as best I could, being only her
Maid.
1 felt very much worried, for was
helping to deceive nv good master; but
hen l knew the Saunders as all the
own did, by reputation, and 1 kept
skiing questions about Mr.. George, and
leard nothing but good. He was
teady. He was religious. He was
-eTy highly educated. The minister
raised him. The servants spoke high
= to him. And once I made bold to
SIX my master if anyone had ever told
i'm anything against Mr.. George Saun-
.ers.
He looked surprised, and laughed,
nd answered:
mo, Mary. I believe he is a sort Of
model of perfection-one of those peo-
lie never to be caught tripping"
Begging pardon, sir," 1 said; 81
sked because I know q lady's-maid
those young lady is partial to Mr.. Geo.
and as she's q lovely young
ady, and has no ma, she-this lsdy's- }
laid I'm talking Of-wpUld like to feel