Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-05-18

/ Iucct - tSJtA VI my peace, and
engaging . bed at the inn, I went or't
70 walk 2 the neighboring wood. The
locality ReS not chosen without a
motive, 1tr knew that from The
summit ora low hill a mile distant /
should obtain a view Of Sethan 1uTt
and ] felt that, if anything could
| reconcile meto the idea Of the healtbv
old widow, 1t would be tbe spectacie
| Of her castellated mansion seated in a
park which was very paradise Of
beauty. Every step ! advanced
reconciled me more and more 10 the
old lady, and, when saw the indica-
tions Of tssnt in the stream. through
the trees, lwas more than ever intent
But just at that moment a sound
broke upon my ears which coniured
up recent disagreeable associations: il
was the cry Of child. Ny thoughts
at once turned to hale, hearty. long
living grandmotherhood. Visions of
canes and snuf-boxes rose before nv
eyes, everlasting coughs ratified in my
ears, and, worse than all, the Qlanees
of matrimonial love from the eyes of a
grandmother frOze my blood.
How different was TIE scene that
met my eyes as / turned the corner of
a clump OF trees The infant | had
heard was lying on its back on a
grass knoll, lighting up with its little
clenched lists, and growing, as the
nursemaids call it, with all its might.
while beading over It, with eyes brim-
full Of love and laughter, poking its
tiny ribs with her fingers, snatcRinQ
wild kisses from its brow, and seizing
Its neck with her lips as if she would
throttle II, knelt a young woman-and
such a young woman la woman in
the very prime and glory of her years.
did not think she could have been
quite thirty Her bonnet was lying on
the grass. and her disheveled ha.r float
ing in dark masses over her shoulders:
but a bright r3diance was on her
queenly brow, just as a voice of per
emptory command was heard in her
light Joyous laugh. There was a fear
less self-possession in her manner, such
as years snperadd to the feminine soft
ness Of youth, and her features, origin
|. ally nodded in wax, were now as firm,
yet as exquisittly fine, as if they had
been cut in semi-transparent marble.
While feasting on the beautiful pic
ture formed by the mother and her
child--snrely that must be the relation
ship-ra little incident occurred which
disturbed them both.
M The infant, with a shriller squeA Of
delight and more vigorous spasm of
its liE:bs than it had hitherto INDUCED
in, suddenly rolled down the knoll,
Growing rs il went, and the lady, with
playful yet nervous cry of surprise,
stretched after her in vain as she
knelt, till she measured her whole
length upon the sod. Before she
LcpuldGs up, / had sprung from my
,''N' y ca,shb up -tlsc trunnt as II
Jay DaBsmotbered in the daisies ano
buttereups, and presented the prize tC
the Hushed and startled mother.
TO TOdescribe the conversation ofsuch
faSlnating woman is impossible.
She vas not a woman of society, yet
she was perfectly well-brel. She had
spentthe greater part of her life in
the country, invigorating both mind
and body in the pure air of heaven,
visiting town occasionally, and thus
she was enabled. with the assistance
of books aad the general literature of
the day. to keep pace with the pro-
gress Of the world.
do not know how it was. but our
acquaintance seemed to be ready
male, and, having mentioned my un-
cle's name, she had no difficulty pres
emily in remembering his respe table
friend Mrs. Gorden.
"YOu know Mrs. Gorden % said J..
"Yes"
What Grandmother GOrd(n2"
"Y@."
"How do you like the individual ?"
sympathize with her, for ], too"
And, breaking off with a sigh, she
held up the fairest hand in the world,
so as to show widows ring.
had not hitherto noticed her Slight
but | now saw that she was
a widow, a young and charming widow,
and that the infant was the pledge of
a love extinguished by the grave. She
was free, this lovely young woman, and
was about to be chained for life TO
Gordenl She saw my
agitation, but, of course, could not
its cause.
Come" she said, wiCh an angelic
smile; / see you do not like my vener-
able friend, but l am determined to re-
to her. She is grandmother,
It is true, and therefore not so young
IS she has been, but she wears we'll
she is indeed, particularly healthy;
md thus, if you form friendship with
her, 1t is likely to last for many years. ;"
"That is the misery of it," said I.
Z If she were but like other old women
If she were but subject to the com
non diseases of grandmothers-my
late might be endurable."
"YOur fate What has that to do
With Mrs. Gorden's longevity"
q am only going to be married to
ler-thats all !" and the absurd an
lOuneement was no sooner out of my
mouth than the fair stranger broke
ntO peals of laughter, which, TO my
,ars at that inauspicious moment,
iounded like the screams of an evil
ipirit
Pardon me-" said she, endeavor-
ng TO compose herself at am far too
,iddy for "a" and the widow kissed
he orphan child. "But the idea of a
marriage between you and Mrs. Gorden
s really TOO ridiculous. You appear
o be a martyr to circumstances but
las the old lady given her consent ?"
"Her consent? Oh, let her alone
or that It's not often that a fellow
Ike me comes in the way of a grand
mother There is no likelihood Of her
efuslng me and, if l refuse her. /
nay as well hang m, SELF
"Why think Of such an alternativep ?
Although probably dependent on
you are not too old to work
md to struggle. If you will not allow
loor' "eeI Mrs. Gorden to enrich you,
here are fortunes in the world still to
,e mace py the adventurous and the