Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-09-18

row. 1 suppose he wants to ask
your permission to marry me. What
else can he want, auntie?"
"What, indeed % Miss Britman
said, little absently. "Tell me
little more about this Mr.. Ferris, dar-
ling
"There's not much to tell, auntie.
He's Mrs. Carnforth's brother, and
has been in India ever so long
twenty years, believe. He's very
rich and very kind, and-that's all
auntie. Just think of my marrying
rich man. Dot continued, refec-
lively, ''and having servants, car
riages, lovely dresses, everything
1t seems just like fairy tale.''
''But, Dot" Miss Britman said,
after long silence, ''my dear little
one, do you love this Mr.. Ferris
Glove him, auntie? [ don't
know / havn't thought much
about that yet; but if he's nice and
kind and rich, don't you think we
might be very happy! do SO want
you to have lots of pretty things
soft, dull satin, sealskin mantle, real
lace! Oh dear! it would be nice.
You'd look so sweet in a sealskin
coat, auntie %
Miss Britman sighed gently. The
time had long gone by when dress
had any charms for her, if, indeed it
ever had, and Dots visions only
made her more sad.
Clearly the child was slipping away
from her. For eighteen years she
had cherished her, and now the first
person who passed by and saw her
fresh, fair, young beauty, might
bear her away. 1t was all just and
natural-palpably and practically
for Dots good-still, it was bitterly
hard; and Miss Britman sat by the
dying fire thinking it all over and
weeping in her unobtrusive way, long
after the child had laid her sunny
head on her pillow and fallen asleep.
Far away into the past Miss Brit
mans thoughts wandered to hush
ed and darkened chamber, where she
bent down to catch the last faint flut-
tering accents of one who was lin
gering on the threshold of eternity.
''My child, Maggie-my poor lit
tie baby-my almost as helpless
husband-you will not forsake them?
promise me, Maggie, that you will
take care of them?''
And Margaret Britman kissed her
dying sisters face and promised.
All the remembrance of the dreary
dreadful days that followed, rushed
upon her-Dot a helpless infant, her
father stricken with blindness, both
depending on Maggie.
| Thon in tho midst of oil oorr1n q
still greater trial.
The gentleman Margaret was en-
gagged to was offered a lucrative ap-
pointment in India, and he wished
her to go with him. They had been
engaged for three years, and now
there was nothing further to wait
for.
Here was a divided duty. Mar
garet loved the man she had promis-
ed to marry, but how could she for
sake the helpless baby and its equal
ly helpless father? How could she
keep her promise to her dead sister if
she went to India?
Her lover left her in anger.
GA divided love such as hers was
, not worth having" he said.
: "But they are so helpless" she
pleaded; "only let me stay will
them a little WHILE
"You may stay with them forever
for all of me" was the angry reply
and the next day came little pack
ct of letters and a lock of COLDER
hair, and Margaret Britman's TO
| nance was hidden out of sight for
/ ever.
) A few years and Robert Derwen
: died, leaving nothing but difficultie:
5 behind him. Miss Britman took :
lodging in distant part of the city
| and toiled for the child for long
5 weary years, late and early, through
e trials that would have overwhelmed
5; a less resolute and devoted woman
she toiled on to give her niece gooc
education, and enable her to earl
t her own bread when she should b'
: called away.
1 And now, here was some one step
n ping in-Philip Ferris returned from
e India-Philip Ferris who had sai'
4 farewell to her in anger eighteel
[ years before-the one love and love
/, of her life was coming to see he
next day to ask for the child-th
n motherless baby who had so unwit
:, tingly separated them eighteen year
: before. 1t certainly was passin:
strange.
e The next day was gray and gloom.
It fog overhead, damp underfoot, COLI
everywhere, but Dot was in hig
T spirits, in spite of the atmosphere.
: 81 dare say Mr.. Ferris will b
0 shocked at seeing what a hideou
e house and street we live in, auntie
1 can imagine him saying, What
:, distinctly dreadful placel In truth
t / shan't be sorry to leave Berr
o street. Now, goodbye, dear. B
II very gracions to Mr.. Ferris and