The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-05-05

or the sea. l shall find it hard to sur
render her; and so will you. All that
pives tinge of sadness to the joy. But
| it is comfort, an unspeakable COM
fort. to think that even one of my chill
dren is to be established in ease and
safety. l could prefer it were that little
mine developed into wealth, that would
let her and Brooks have all they wanted,
and let us still have them. But it is
great deal to be grateful for, as it is. 1t
doesn't strike her SO, though, at all.
You will see that she treats it in rather
a frivolous way. But that is natural to
youth and Joy, suppose" And in
spite of her little speech, Mamma Dillo-
way's face was wreathed with smiles as
she read:
"'Well, to come to something really
important. You remember of course,
all have written you from time to
time about Colonel Sir Guy Temple,
who has served in India, and has the
Victoria Cross, and all thatP Well, he
is going home to England. Perhaps he
is tired of buffalo-hunting, perhaps he
has brought down better game. Atany
rate, he will take his wife with him.
Mamma, never was so surprised. But
| must wait till see you. And don't
really feel as if had told you anything
about the Colonel, after all. 1t would
be difficult to say how much am in
terested; how enchanting it all is!
What different life l see before me
immense riches, honor, troops of friends
and all as much yours as mine, Ilsear
people at home. But l shall see you
soon.
Mrs. Dilloway went about treading on
air. What matter that the roof leaked
and rain ran down the wallso 1t was
merely a frescoing there. What matter
that the milkman dunned second
time, and said he should not ask
third? She hoped he wouldn't What
had seemed uncomfortable three months
ago, she could laugh at now; three
months more, six months more, and
there would come an end to all these
bitter experiences. Tie fact of
Maria's being well married would
marry off all the other girls;
and even were her husband par
simonious, what Mara could spare
from her pin-money would put them be-
yond want any more The sun had
come out, the Landscape was bathed in
beauty, life smiled, all the world seemed
propitious-the universe was really bet
ter managed than she had thought Mrs.
Dilloway retrimmed her bonnet and
went to church with her good spirits,
feeling in a thankful mood. 1t was
pleasant to see the neighbors- smiling
at one and bowling to another; it put the
neighbors in mind of her, too; and they
came to see her that week and the next,
and made it more cheerful than it had
been for months. She limited mysteri-
ously at Maria's good fortune, but was
not sure that she ought to commit her.
self Good friends, good fortune and
good feeling all gave her sensation re-
sembling the happiness she used to
know; she radiated it on Margaret and
the rest till you would never have
dreamed it was the tear-sodden family
of which Maria and Brooks took leave
in the gray of the morning a dozen
weeks ago.
q have been hardly limiting at good
fortune, Maria wrote in her last letter.
"pm sure | don't know what she
means by 'darkly hinting.' y said her
mother. 1T was all plain enough to
men
Go on, go on, mammal
81 have been darby limiting at good
fortune, and see how you read the rid
die. Give me Mamma Dilloway for
guesser. The Sphinx would sink into
the sands before her. How much inter-
est you have taken in the matter from
the first! What do you suppose Sir Guy
Temple could have seen in me? Do you
imagine he is marrying me for my
beauty? How many ideas you have
about the wedding! But don't you in
cline to quiet one always? Are you
going to call me my lady," mammal
and treat me with great respect? Sir
Guy Temple or no Sir Guy Temple
after all, the Colonel has greater charms
for me-my dearest, sweetest people at
home, shall always be your Maria. F."
" Maria will always be frivolous and
little incoherent," half sighed Mrs.
Dilloway, yet with the feeling that
Lady Temple could afford to be frivo-
lous and incoherent-Lady Temple, of
Temple Gardens, Cornwall, whose Eliz-
abethan mansion was encircled with
flowers and seas, and she saw her
daughter dressed out in the haunted
diamonds, saw her portrait hanging in
the ancient hail. and she washed her
cups and saucers that morning with
signs of satisfaction over the divine COM
pensations in this life.
She was rubbing the last plating off
the spoons-the real silver had gone
long ago to the METERS with the old bit
of chamois cloth, and singing gently to
herself, when she looked up at slam
ming door, and vision of splendor that
took her breath away-Maria in broad
hat and feathers, making her really at
tractive, with her black hair and blue
eyes and in a dress that was all one
sparkle of jet to her mothers bewild-
cred eyes, glistening and dancing like
windy midnight full of stars. And the
next moment chamois and spoons were
whirling in cloud of whirling whiting
and Maria was kissing her mothers
cheeks and chin and mouth and fore
head.
80, you dear, silly little Mamma
Dillowayn' cries Maria. "Are YOU Glad
to see mep And have you really guessed
all this time what has happened?'
" Happened?" cried Mamma Dillo-
way. Have you married without