The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-08-07

said the brunette. "The Chessington
children, your future charges, are
motherless, don't you know? They
are under the care of an aunt, so Mrs.
Grove told me; and there is hand
some widower and interesting young
bachelor at Chcssington Hall"
Lillian colored, hotly /.
"Neither of whom / ever expect to
meet" said she.
at will be your own fault if you
DON'T" observed Miss Morton. "Why,
my dear, here is your career all chalkel
out for you. Sentimental widower,
with lots of money-pretty governess
mutual fascination-growing devo-
tioh-.faald, wedding! Heyl presto.
your fortune is NADER
"Eulalie, bow can you talk SOP" cried
Lillian. flushed and indignant. 81 am
not on husband-hunting expedition;
| am simply trying to earn my own
living"
"The more goose you, to neglect such
an opportunity as this" said Eulalie,
laughing "If you don't try for the
widower, shall Grove Rookery is
only half mile from Chessington Hall,
after all; and rich husband would
solve the problem of my life at once
"This is too ridiculous, Eulalie." said
Lillian. q could not respect myself if
| were to plot and plan like this. l
know it is unjust; but you have made
me dislike Mr.. Chessington already"
"The more the BETTER" said Miss
Morton. "There will be all the better
chance for me- They say he is very
handsome; and one could easily send
the two children away to boarding
school. I can assure you, I'll have no
old-maid aunts and interfering uncles
about the premises"
"Eulalie, let US talk of something
else,' said Lillian, resolutely. "Tell me
all that has happened to you since
graduation day."
Eulalie laughed out a merry, ring ng
laugh.
"Well, if you must know" sale she,
'I've been trying my best to get nice
husband, but without any success"
'Is matrimony, then, the end and
ann OF all the wOrIu. sSIu LIl4s-,. SIIth
queenly disdain.
Gas far as am concerned yes" ac-
knowledged Miss Morton, with charm
ing frankness.
pardon me, Eulalie," said Lillian,
"but it seems to me that you have de-
generated frightfully since those dear
old days at Madame de Tournaires.
Miss Morton yawned.
"How tedious all this isl" said she.
"Miss Ferguson turned lecturer, eh?
How 1 wish that poor fellow in the
corner wasn't deaf and dumb! I'd flirt
with him, just to aggravate you, Lilyw
Lillian made no answer. She leaned
her head out Of the stage window, and
watched the purple dusk creep up the
mountain side, counting the stars as
one by one they shone out. Anything
was better than Eulalie's shallow
chatter!
Grove Rookery was soon reached, and
Miss Morton babe her old schoolmate an
effusive farewell.
81 see that the old lady has sent the
carriage to meet me" said She Good
by, Lily. You must be sure to intro
duce me to the charming widower
when come over. Au reroir, darling
-au recoir,r'
The deaf-and-dumb gentleman left
the stage very soon. Miss Ferguson
watched with some interest, but no
carriage of any description seemed to
be waiting for him.
He disappeared into the woods like a
shadow, and vanished from her sight.
81 suppose, poor fellow, that he lives
near here" thought she. "How dread
full it must be, thus to be cut off from
all companionship with ones fellow
beingsw
But even while these reflections pass
ed through her mind, the stage stopped
again, before a glittering facade of
lights, half-veiled in swaying summer
foliage-Chessington hall.
Here you are, miss" said the driver.
Through the summer evening dusk,
Lillian could see the marble-railed ter
race and the broad carriage-drive, while
two child-fgures danced up and down,
and uttered joyful exclamations of well
come-Ittle Blanche and Alice Chess
ington.
"Are you the new governess?' said
they. "Areyou Miss Ferguson? We'll
welcome to the Adirondacks!
We are so glad that you have comep'
And in an instant their arms were
twined around Lilian's neck.
At the end of. a month Lillian Fergu-
son felt completely and thoroughly at
home with her new pupils
They had ranged the woods. and Wis
tied all the grottos and cascades; they
had surrounded her with an atmos-
phere of the sweetest affection.
Mrs. Hartleigh, their aunt, was
equally kind; and Alfred Hartleigh,
theinteresting young uncle, had already
taken her into his confidence as to the
beautiful bride he was going to bring
home soon.
But it certainly WAS very strange