The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-04-05

"made-over dress" and, taking fresh
cluster of violets from the vase of water,
pinned it across the split-straw hat.
"There!' she thought, as she tied the
strings under her chin, mo Paris epic
| ever looked half so sweet as that And |
am sure that Heaven will incline its ear
no less favorably to my prayers than If
went to st. Etheldreds in Worth's new
est design.
And she crept to the little church in
the adjoining street, where she sat listen
ing to the anthems, and thinking of the
dear ones at home, and wondering if
Uncle Bateson and his poor old purblind
wife would ever know that little Mabel
Churchlll) had cast her mite to relieve
their sore necessities, and recalling
vaguel y the poor widow whose offering
had since been so precious in the Hottest
of eyes. Hers was not much now, but
she also had given it from free and
willing heart.
And as she moved quietly, and with
reverent, downcaNt eyes, out of the
church some one stepped to her side.
You have dropped something. Miss
Churchill. said Captain Brabazon.
And he held up the cluster of violets,
dropping now, and little faded.
She put her hand up to her bonnet,
with scarlet blush.
"Your violets, Captain Brabazon!" she
said. His face frightened.
II am proud that you deemed them
worthy of wearing" said he. Your
cousin told me that you did not care for
flowers, or books, or society-that you
were not even going to church on Easter
Day"
"I?" cried Mabel. ooh, Captain
Brabazon, like all three! 1 cried over
your flowers when they came last night.
They seemed to me like dear friends
from home. And 1 wore them in my
bonnet because-because could not af.
ford artificial blossoms. There, now
you know just how poor ami"
And she laughed, even while the
roseate tinge suffused her cheek.
II do not know whether you are poor
or not" said he, "but do know that l
think you the nearest to perfection of
any girl whom ever saw!"
MAY 1 tell you oil about it?" she
asked, hurriedly; ''for do not want
barbarian, as my cousins sometimes
pronounce lACs huu tuou YOU oudll ttll
me whether you think me right or
wrong"
They walked slowly home from church
in the soft, bland sunlight of that Easter
Day, and when they reach her aunt's
house, Captain Brabazon went in and
formally asked Mrs. DunstabIe's per.
mission to address her niece with a view
to marriage.
That was Mabel Churchill's gift. A
mans true and royal heart-the dawn
of great happiness, over life which
up to this hour had been but chill and
solitary.
There was no denying that Mrs. Dun.
stable was much disappointed. Emily
and Alicia had been in society three
three seasons now, without having re.
ceived any eligible offer; and it did seem
strange that this pale, quiet little girl
from the wilds of Yorkshire, as Mrs.
Dunstable contemptuously expressed it
should have carried off such a glittering
prize as Captain Brabazon-for it never
occurred to them that Mabel's sweet un.
sel6shness and quiet self-denial could
possibly have had anything to do with
the matter.
And as long as old Uncle Bateson and
his wife lived, Captain Brabazon made
them an annual allowance, which was
ample for their simple wants.