Middletown transcript., 1882-01-13

Rolfe Rathburne had delivered tha
letter with kindling eyes. Birdie
dark eyes and rosebud mouth were NOR
charming than anything he had eve
seen before.
eyes" 7" said the Honorable Christie
pher Brudenell, "my ward is very
pretty, and sofar shehaslived a secluded
life. l have thought it best.'
elias she no other friend or guar
dian, Uncle Chris ?''
Uncle Chris, norid and portly
changed color.
She is an orphan, quite alone, but
for-well, in fact, she had another
guardian--Aubrey Mordaunt. The
rascal wanted to marry her-for he1
money, you know"
"Of course. What did you do ?'
"Told him 1 had sent her abroad,
and sent him posting off to search
through all the convent schools of
France to find her. Meanwhile, l have
sent for you. 1 want you to marry her.
1 give you this last chance. Remem-
ber, shall pay no more of your spend
thrift bills.
shall be very happy, dear uncle" p"
Meanwhile, Birdie, though it was
past midnight, sat in her chamber,
looking out into the moon-lighted gar
den. It had been a year since she had
been outside those garden walls. How
tired she had grown of its wearisome
walks and monotonous stiffness, only
the bright young thing knew. Her
dimpled cheeks looked pale in the
moonlight !; her chin rested in her little
hand.
"But if l could only see him once
more, would come back and stay
year contented. would, indeed He
loves me; he is tender, gentle, kind.
I only live, I think, when l am with
him. When am not, seem to be
dying by inches day by day. Do peo-
pie ever die for love, when they are
young and healthy as am, L wonder =?
No, 1 think not,'' sadly says pretty
little Birdie.
And then she turned her mind in
tently on other things. Birdie could
not sleep the first night Of Rolfe Rath-
burne's coming.
He could not sleep very well himself,
when he first sought his chamber.
Here was an unexampled piece of good
fortune. Birdie was so beautiful and
bewitching. He would marry her, pay
those tormenting debts, set up city
house and enjoy life. He would like
to show Birdie to the men of his set
50 fresh, 50 pretty and charming. |
Wouldn't they grow green with envy |
He laughed in the darkness with think
ing of it.
Fresh and sweet as half-blown rose
bud, Birdie certainly was but Mr..
to his surprise, found her
also little thorny.
No, she didn't care to walk in the
garden and she did dislike cigar smoke,
and she wouldn't trouble him to carry
her parasol or fan for her.
But wouldn't she show him the gold
fish and perch ?
They were in the pond, Birdie said,
and the maid would give him some
to call them up.
Mr.. Rathburne retired discomftted.
Birdie, . said the Honorable Chris
topher the next day, don't you like
my nephew ?''
Not particularly answered Miss
Birdie, with rare courage.
The Honorable Christopher stared.
Hoighty-toighty Such airs are
not becoming to you, miss 1 have in
vited my nephew here to pay court to
you. require you to treat him civilly.
You will do so, of course. You are
not of age, remember.
s'I will be in two months,' replied
Birdie, quietly, who seemed to have
g stitched her eyelids down to her sew
ing.n
The Honorable Christopher was
amazed. Was it possible the girl was
no longer afraid of him ? 1t could not
be. Where had she found courage ?
No influence averse to his own could
possibly have been brought to bear upon
her. He took no notice Of her last re-
mark, but passed grandly from the
room.
But days and weeks passed, and
though Birdie would sometimes con-
verse with Rolfe Rathburne, would
sometimes let him attend her in feeding
her birds in the aviary and her fish in
the fountain, he ever felt the little
beauty's disdain.
In vain he oiled his hair and con-
,ealed his tobacco. Brides lovely
,ves looked him over from head to feet
,oldly. Sometimes, when she was
yery weary of idleness and dullness, she
would consent to play game or two Of
chess with him, and she allowed him to
each her to ride horseback-by the
Honorable Christopher's directions, TAX
NO the most sequestered roads, and
attended also by his favorite servant,
,ellow with rat-like black eyes, who,
riding after, watched her like ferret.
But Birdie did not try to run away,
md nobody communicated with her.
"These rides-I suppose they are
,afe enough, p said the Honorable Chris
,opher to his nephew "but feel
obliged to be a little careful. Nor
launt is a determined fellow. When
1e finds that he has been deceived, and
comes back from France, there is sure
q be trouble. But 1 hope you will
nave safely married Birdie by that
limo let me see-he will ranSack the