The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-21
Select Storp.
A RARE CASE.

Mattie-s story was simple enough. The
orphan child Of former servant in
wealthy family. Matte had shared the les
sons and the play of the young daughter of
the house, until the time came when 1t was
convenient to turn the humble companion
adrift to work for herself. 1t may have
been a piece of the ill-luek his neighbor
ascribed to Drew. that it should have been
to his farm the girl came as help TO his
sister, or it may have been a piece Of his
good-nature that made him agree to take
under his roof this pretty lass, unframed
for service and educated far above her sta
ton
Drew's widowed sister, MTs. Banks. who
lived with him, and whose child It was
Matte had come to nurse, amongst other
duties too numerous to mentiea- for there
was but one servant kept. Drew's sister
exclaimed in despair when the farmer
brought home the young. lady-like, delicate
looking girl:
I've want strong, hard-working lass
This one does not know her right hand
from her left She is as good As a lady
or as bad, and has never MIXED COW IN
her life What were YOU thinking Of to
bring her here
sAh. that 5 just my luck; well, We must
do she best we can with her. If the stew
ard had never mentioned her 10 me, now
but then he did mention her 10 me, and
here she is,
There she was. and there she stayed.
Apt TO learn, willing to be taught, grateful
for the real kindness she met with, Matte
was soon the best hand at milking for miles
around. soon devoted to the baby. Three
years passed quietly, and then came the
real romance of Mattie's life.
She was twenty that summer, and Adam
ArIniIage, grave man, was fully tcu years
her senior a great traveller. member of
world-renowned scientific society, student
and discoverer- was, between two scien-
fie expeditions. refreshing heart and brain
BY walking tour through the home coun-
ties
Adam walking tour ended at the farm
Drew had taken only year before, and the
dwelling house it had been found more con
yenient to inhabit than the smaller building
on the old land close to the road. Mr..
Armitage found the pure air Of the Downs
good for him. He made friends with all
the family. To Matte it was delightful to
meet once more some one with all the tricks
of speech and manner Of the more refined
society amongst which her youth had been
passed Little Harry followed this new
friend wherever he went; Harry's mother
called him right down pleasant gentleman;
the farmer called him a good man.
They all missed him when he went away,
Matte most of all; but the following sum
mer saw him there again, welcome old
friend this sine, and no stranger.
Drew, keen observer of all that went
"a around him, was not so much taken by
surprise as his sister was, when one day,
towards the end Of this second visit, Adam
and Matte We're both mysteriously missing.
A strong-armed country lass made her APP
pearanee before night. She was the bearer
IL a note from Matte, eonfessing that she
and Mr.. Armitage were married, and hoping
the servent sent might supply her place 50
that no one would be Inconvenience. Drew
might shake his head and look thoughtful,
but Mr.. Armitage was his own master; and
it was not the first time gentleman had
married country lass Besides, the deed
was done and past recall They had gone
quietly to one Of the churches in the town
from whence the sound Of the bells ioated
up TO the farm. and had been married by
special license Adam bad taken lodging
for his bride, and there they passed one
q IL l. .kI ~.
morning walking quietly back together,
Matte blushing ahd smiling, and looking
so lovely and lady-like in a simple dress that
she used to wear before she came to the
farm, that they hardly knew her
Adam explained that he meant to leave
his wife for two days-no more-in the
care of her old friends; at the end of that
time he would return and fetch her. There
were arrangements to be made in regard to
the scientific expedition about to start I'M
mediateIy. Itwould sail without him now,
but it behooved him to do his best that his
place should be as well filed as might be.
There was also his mother to see and pre-
pare for receiving Matte.
Matte walked little way with her hus-
band and the farmer along the breezy up
lands, and then Adam sent her back, and
hastened his own steps in the direction of
the little station at the foot of the Downs.
When he came again, he said, laughing,
that it would be from B Station, and
chat he would drive in fly through the
Stonedene Gate and along the track, the
only approach to carriage road leading to
the farm.
Matte went away smiling as ne meant
she should do, and only paused now and
then to look after the two men as long as
athey remained in sight 1t was natural
ahat she should feel little afraid of this
unesown lady, Adams mother, but that
fear was the only shadow on Matte path.
II was an idyl, poem, as true love story
as the world has seen, that had written
itself here in this out-of-the-way spot on
the lonely Sussex Downs.
On the third day they might look for
Adam to return, but that day passed and
many another, until the days were weeks,
and the weeks months. and he neither came
nor wrote. Matte remembered how when
she had turned to look back for the last
time upon that homeward walk, she had
seen his figure distinct against the sky for
one instant, and in the next lost it entirely
as he passed out of sight over the swelling
line of hills just 50 she seemed to have