Middletown transcript., 1883-03-09

I this. would she, auntie, darling 7" and
Dot kissed Miss Britman energetically
on both cheeks. ''There what a
heartless thing I am, to come near you,
all dank and foggy. My hair is per-
fectly limp" and she pushed back q
mass of golden waves from her fore
head.
Take off your things, dear, and
have some hot tea. Here are your slip
pers, all nice and warm
Thanks, dearie. Oh it is nice to
get indoors, if you could only imagine
what it's like outside, auntie; streets
three inches deep in liquid glue, fog
thick enough to drive nail in and
hang your ulster on"
"Dot ~ Miss Britman interposed,
mildly.
"Fact. auntie. I was really beWll-
dered at Regent Circus, and had to
throw myself on the mercy Of a police
man: then an obsequious young man
followed me all down Oxford street,
and kept bobbing his umbrella against
mine"
"Oh my darling, that you should
have to endure such things !" Miss
Britman cried, and her slender white
fingers were interlocked nervously.-
''Oh, that I could spare you, Dorothy. !"
Never mind, auntie dear it doesn't
worry me in the least. Besides, | think
but wait a minute till put away the
tea things and turn down the gas. p
And. having done so, Dot sat down on
the rug, and laid her head on her aunt's
lap. GIVE got something to tell you,
auntie."
Eyes, darling,'' Miss Britman said,
after waiting a few minutes, for Dot
was in no great hurry to begin.
"Aunt Margaret, did it never strike
you that some day or other l might
have lover ?" she said, slowly.
Dorothy, Dorothy, never thought
of that n Miss Britman cried. " "Darl-
ing, can't give you to any one; you
are all have in the world
Let me tell you about it first,
auntie," Dot said, gravely. " 1t came
about in the simplest way-so simple
that hardly know how or when it be-
gan. 1t seems now as if Mr.. Ferris
always came into the schoolroom, but
I never thought much about it till to-
day, when he looked at me so strangely,
and held my hand ever such time
then he said, Miss Derwent, I want to
have little serious conversation with
you. May I call on you at home ?''
OF course 1 said l should be very
pleased, only was never there in the
daytime. Then may L call in your
absence p he said, and speak to your
father p told him l had no one but
you, auntie, and he seemed surprised
for a moment ; then he said he'd call
on you tomorrow. suppose he wants
to ask your permission TOTO marry
me. What else can he want, auntie ?"
What, indeed n Miss Britman said,
little absently. ''Tell me little
more about this Mr.. Ferris, darling" "
"There's not much to tell, auntie.
He's Mrs. Carnforth's brother, and has
been in California ever so long-twenty
years, l believe. He's very rich and
very kind, and-that's all, auntie.-
Just think Of my marrying arich man, y
Dot continued, refectively, and hav-
ing servants, carriages, lovely dresses,
everything 1t seems just like a fairy
tale. y
But, Dot, Miss Britman said, after
long silence, "my dear little one, do
you love this Mr.. Ferris ?''
"Love him, auntie don't know.
I haven't thought much about that yet;
but, if he's nice and kind and rich,
don't you think we might be very
happy I do SO want you to have lots
of pretty things soft, dull satin, seal
skin mantle, real lace. Oh, dear! it
would be so nice You'd look sweet
in a seal 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 slip
ping 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 in the
past Miss Britman's thoughts wandered
to a hushed and darkened chamber,
where she bent down to catch the last
faint, fluttering accents of one who was
lingering on the threshold of eternity.
"My child, Maggie,-my poor 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
diving sisters face and promised. All
the remembrance of the Greary, dread
full days that followed rushed upon her
dot a helpless infant, her father
stricken with blindness, both dependent
on Maggie. Then in the midst Of it all
came a still greater trial. The gentle
man Margaret was engaged to was
offered lucrative appointment in Cal.
ifornia, and he wished her to 60 with
him. They had been engaged for three
years, and now there was nothing fur
ther to wait for. Here was divided
dutv Margaret loved the man she haC