Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-06
CONTINUED from Tuesday. Aug. BIZ
ENGAGED IN HASTE.
~ MISS N. z. BRADD0H.
CHAPTER III.
GRACE's PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.


Darnel Manor for nearly two months
He had explored all the countryside,
within thirty miles, looking for that ideal
estate-a small but perfect house, with
perfect stables, q good old-fashioned gar
den, and about forty acres OF fertile past
ure-which he had dreamed of for many
year under the tropic stars, and which he
found almost as difficult Of attainment as
If he had wanted an estate in one of those
very stars. The colonel and his host drove
many a mile in Sir Allan's dog-cart with
the housekeeping horse, to see places
which were described in auctioneer's ad-
vertisements as earthly paradises. and
which generally proved the kind OF haol-
tation that a man buys in an interval OF
lunacy, with insane ideas of improvements
or reconstruction, which he tries to shuttle
off upon a new victim directly he RECEIVERS
his senses.
The colonel made shorter pilgrimages In
his goddaughter's pony carriage, Oracle
very proud of driving her warrior about
the country. But as yet nothing beyond
the pleasure of exploring charming land
scape in the golden harvest time had re-
suited from their excursions.
Yes, there had been one result, and an
important one so far as Grace Darnel was
concerned. During one of these rustic
jaunts, the girl took courage and opened
her heart to her godfather, the most faith
full and the most indulgent friend she had
ever known from the days Of her child
hood
They went little further than usual on
this occasion, to place which had been
described as gem of picturesque beauty;
and which turned out to be a dilapidated
farm house situated on the edge of
swamp, and surrounded by meadow land
that would cost a small fortune to drain.
The colonel was amused rather than in
dignant at the discrepancy between the
place itself and the auctioneer's advertise
ment.
"To think that we should have driven
eleven miles through some of the vilest
roads in Willis to look at such God-for-
saken hole as this" he exclaimed, after he
and Grace had peram bulated the neglected
old garden and had emerged upon the
road in front of the gates.
He turned round, smiling at his god
daughter, expecting her to be amused at
this latest example of house-agents' in
ventive faculties; but to his surprise and
discontinue he found her in tears.
"Why, Oracle" he cried, tenderly, what
Is amiss with my little girl?"
Everything" Grace answered vehe-
mently 81 must tell some one l can not
bear it any longer. To be so base, so Sc
cret, so false to those love hate and
despise myself. / really think l am the
wickedest, meanest girl in England. had
rather tell you than any one else because
you are always indulgent, and you won't
preach as papa would. He would forgive
me in the end, dare say, but he would
begin by preaching-and | am SO unhappy
that don't think could bear word"
any dearest Oracle, you meant You de-
ceitfulI would not hear your enemy say
30, and leave him unlocked. Nonsense,
child" said the colonel, cheerily, laying
his friendly hand upon Grace's shoulder
Her head was bent so that he could not see
her face, and her tears were dropping into
the rank grass and making the meadow
little more watery for the cows. Stuff
and nonsense, my dear. Some little girl
ish folly which you have concealed from
Sir Allan, and which your own fancy has
exaggerated into matter of Importance"
at is not little folly. colonel 1t is
big folly. am engaged to be married-to
person whom my father has never seen
of whose very existence he is ignorant"
"Humph," exclaimed Stukely, that
sounds rather serious. But people get out
of such ENTHUSIASTICALLY"
81 shall never get out of mine, answered
Grace, with heroic air. II would die
rather than break my word
"Of course. of course" said the god
father, soothingly
"More especially as the person to whom
I am engaged is very badly off, and not
able to-"
"To maintain you" interjected the
colonel Naturally, my dear, naturally.
That is an excellent reason for sticking to
him. And now tell me all about it. When
and where did you meet this gentle
manpr
ain Paris, at the Louvre"
"The big shop for gowns, and bonnets,
and things?"
"No, the picture gallery.
"Who introduced him to your"
Nobody. A mahl stick"
"A mahl stick introduced him'"
"Oh, godfather, please don't be so
shocked. l know how horrid it all was
how unladylike-how improper l have
thought about it, and cried over it many
time since came home. Nobody intro
duced him to me- You know how fond
am of painting. worked very hard when
was in Paris; and got permission from
Madame Sartori to go and paint three
times q week at the Louvre
"One day l was copying a Madonna, by
Guido-not a bit like, | know for my
Madonna would come out with purple
complexion like cahman in cold weather,
and the picture was hung high. So had
to sit on kind of platform four feet off
the ground. 1t was very nice sitting up
there, and looking down at the people, and
at the other students. There were three
or four in the room. One of them was
remarkable handsome young man, who
was copying little Wouvermans, in
water colors. in a spirited, dashing style,
which | thought wonderfully clever. He
looked dreadfully i'll, poor fellow-such
hollow cheeks, such haggard look about
his large dark eyes. But that naturally
made him all the more interesting"
Naturally" said the colonel Given a
young man without sixpence and with
marked tendency to pulmonary consump-
ton, and granted generous-hearted girl,
the result may be calculated upon as
certainty. OF course you fell in love with
him on the spots
81 am not that kind of person. colonel.
don't suppose | should ever have given
him serious thought if ii had not been
for the accident which introduced us to
each other. He talked a good deal to a
frumpsh little elderly woman who was
toiling at big altar piece. and who looked
as if she worked for her living. He had
such bright, winning ways that l could
not help noticing him-a little Made
moiselle Bouge, the governess said he
was the handsomest young man she had
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