Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-06-17

by Jove what pretty girl I" h,
thoT,ght. as his eye wandered past to
~, OF poor Lizzie's tale-and next 1,
her sat his shy friend herself, the down
cast lids more dropping than ever, the
duIl complexion more leaden beside
the bright blue eyes and pink and white
of the pretty sister.
Still, Lord Pelham's glance rested on
the plain face of his earlier acqu int
ance. The service seemed wonderfully
short, and when The congregat VI left
the chancel he found himself side by
side with Mrs. Morton.
Going our wuy?" she asked. in the
porch and so naturally enough, he
accompanied them homeward even
walking through their park up to the
very door.
"Mr. Morton's in the conservatory,
It you care to join him. Mrs. Morton
ventured to say, her motherly heart all
in flutter; for here, she decided, was
a chance for pretty Rose.
And Lord Pelham did care, it APP
peared, and had a chat with the master
OF the house, found sundry points of in
terest IN common, and even stayed for
the family dinner"
Horribly unaristocratic he must
think rs y feared Mrs. Morton, as she
explained that the early dinner enabled
the servants to go to church
Little Lord Pelham cared nothing for
her chatter; he was wholly occupied
with the plain face opposite to him.
In vain pretty Rose bridIed and
blushed in vain she peeped up at him
with her most bewitching air He was
only conscious of one fact about her,
which was, that she snpbbed her elder
sister.
So did every one else, it appeared to
him for when Lizzie ventured the re-
mark which she rarely did-it was
generally met with ooh, | dare say
gou think so !"
The neighborhood began to talk very
soon after this eventful Sunday in the
Mortons life. Lord Pelham remained |.
at his friends Sir Harry Wellss and I
came so often to the Lodge, evinced I
such an interest in all Mr. Morton's i'm .
proyements- actually invited the boys
to his manor for the September shoot F
ing that he seemed almost hike one of .
the family.
One day in the early winter when
the hedges were sparkling with hoar-
frost, and the roads were beginning to
harden, Lord Pelham took his familiar
way to the Lodge.
He was thinking, as he walked along,
of many things about his intimacy there,
and his thoughts involuntanly turned
to Lizzie He went back in his mind
to their first meeting.
II declare" he said to himself, "she
never gives me a chance to see what
those eyes are like. And how they do
snub her at home, to be sure Well,
poor little thing she's worth a hundred
times more than that pretty doll Rose
will ever ber'
He was walking briskly along, when
his attention arrested by little
figure which, turning corner some
distance before him, was huuying al
most running, toward him.
"Why, by Joye !" exclaimed he, quick
ening his steps, cts Lizzie. What can
/ be the matter?'
And as they met, Lizzie, with pale,
frightened face, clung to his arm.
ooh, Lord Pelham ~ she cried
brcathlessly, I'm so frightened Those
holrid mem | ran as hard as l could.
They actually spoke to ome. There they
Gomez
As she spoke a band of tramps turned
the same corner, evidently in high en-
joyment of her terror.
oThey begged, explained Lizzie,
"aud was so frightened. | never was
spoken to in the street before. / never
go alone only Dame Brown is sick in
the village, and wanted to see me-
Lord Pelham was very indignant. Ht
at first thought he would expostulatC
with the coming tramps but feeling
how undesirable it would be on her ac
count he contented himself with placing
her little trembling hand on his arm
and casting fierce looks at them as he
passed
"Never mind, Lizzie !" he said, when
having turned the corner, they were Out
of sight. "You don't feel frightened
now-do you ?"
And he stood still aud took both the
little shaking hands in his.
ooh, no :" said Lizzie, looking straight
up into his face, and then at last he
saw the eyes, the deep violet eyes, swim,
ming in tears, with their child-like lool
Of trust and dependence. Il know yot
Will take care of me"
'Lizzie !" said his lordship, impul
sively "Lizzie want you to let m
: always take care of you. Be my wife
Lizzie my dear little wife"
ooh p said Lizzie, drawing he
hands away suddenly. "You ca,I mea
, it, l am so rery plain" !"
, However, he convinced her that h
did mean it, and the world has Ion
| forgotten that Lady Pelham was eve
considered so plain"
'She has such lovely eyes, yo
know" Mrs. Grundy says. The rest {
her face is of no importance whatever