Connecticut western news., 1884-03-19
The Heiress.

TT don't think he cares two straws for me-" thought Elsie Miller, pulling the withered roses out of her hair with a quick, impatient little jerk. "And he used to be so different. Oh, dear talk about the fickleness of women. Men are twenty times as unaccountabla. But ] don't care one particle"
 And, in undeniable proof of her indif ference. the round, bright drops rolled down her fresh, pink cheeks, and her lip quivered.
 Elsie was pretty, piquant little dam- sel, with eyes as blue as china marbles, complexion like damask rose, and bright tendrils of silken hair, partaking decidedly of the reddish hue, greatly to our heroine's daily dissatisfaction.
 ''Nobody has red hair in all my nov els, said Elsie, almost ready to despair. Aunt Bridget Merriam had brought Elsie up until she stood on the thresh- old of her seventeenth year-brought her up in kindly, old-fashioned sort of way, to knit and sew, and to make her own fresh little merino dresses, and stitch her own spotless linen collars.
 "For there's no knowing what tribu- lation body may have to pass through in the world, Elsie," said the old lady solemnly; "and it's always just as well to be able to turn your hand to almost anything. I've lived sixty and seven years, and I've found out that Heaven helps those who helps themselves"
 So Elsie unconsciously provided her self for stormy future, brightening up whatever weapons nature had given her 2 for that battle with the world which Aunt Bridget appeared to consider al- most inevitable. And when Aunt Brid- get died suddenly, and she was left alone, poor Elsie thought vaguely of dress making, school-teaching, copying all the make-shifts by which women nowadays contrive to stave off the wolfs footsteps from their doors.
 "This is very unexpected stroke of providence. Miss Miller, said MT. Peck, the solemn, faced lawyer.
 "Yes, sir, indeed it is," said Elsie, sadly, thinking how lonely the house would be without Aunt Bridget's brisk step, and aged, kindly face.
 'But we must all be prepared to meet the dispensation of a higher wisdom than ours," he added.
 ''Yes, sir" said Elsie, wishing he would stop talking in that sanctimoni- ous whine, and tell her whether she had better accept the situation as teacher in the district school, or go as governess to Squire Dalton's six motherless little girls.
 "And we, none of us suspected for an instant that our dear departed friend was worth fifty thousand dollars"
 "Fifty thousand dollars p Elsie opened her china-blue eyes widely enough now.
 Exactly that sum, my dear Mis- Miller and she has been-been-bee1 pleased to testify her confidence in m, Ina humble abilities, by constituting me your guardian until you reach th age of twenty-one years. Allow me hum-to profer my most cordial con gratulations.
 How Mir. Peck wished his Fredd, was twenty instead of ten years of age , ''For, he inwardly reasoned, strokiny his lank, bristly chin, "she's sure to fal victim to some fortune-hunter or other And she's such fool.'
 But Mir. Peck was mistaken in tha last estimate. Elsie Miller was no fool . Gervaise Cotton heard the story 0 Miss Mller's good fortune in silence.
 ''I am glad you told me-" he said t his informant, Squire Dalton. q wa going there this very evening, to asl Elsie if she would accept home at m hands"
 "Do you mean, marry you ?' dc manded the straightforward squire.
 'Certainly--of course"
 My dear boy, you couldn't do nor sensible thing. You'll have the riches wife and the prettiest wife in the towl and always thought that little Els fancied yeu. Go, by all means"
 "Never !" said Gervaise, emphaticall,
 -"Hallo P cried the squire, droppin the red silk handkerchief that he WI fourishing about, and staring fixedly g the handsome young man opposite hin
 'I would sooner cut my right han off than give people occasion to call m fortune-hunter," said Cotton, wit quiet determination, that made h mouth look like iron, his brows like ad mant.