The Washington critic., 1886-09-04
PROUD MRS. BRANDLETH,
CHATTER THE FIRST.

She was proud old woman. Many
West Indians are endowed with more
pride than is good for them, and she
was an instance. Perhaps It was the
blacks, or the climate, or living on an
island where there was no aristocracy
save that which was constituted by
money. She was very rich, there was
no doubt Of that; and she had q very
lovely daughter, there was also no
doubt of that-a far.haired girl, with
large dreamy eyes, and fair skin, and
lips that suggested a pout, yet broke
into the most enchanting of smiles
now and then-not very often either;
perhaps because the girls life had been
lonely, as an only child's often is. and
perhaps because she was half afraid of
her mother. Her happiest days had
been her school days; She had been
sent to England for her education, and
when she returned to the narrow circle,
and the stiff uncompromising mother,
who since her husbands death haG
managed the estate herself, and was
absorbed in the produce of sugar and
the politics of Government House,
Alice felt lonely and weary enough.
Yet Mrs. Drandleth was very
proud of her beautiful daughter,
and waited serencly, convinced
that the day would come when "A wan.
deriHg duke, or perhaps stray prince
sent over to improve his knowledge of
tropics, would fall in love with her and
insist upon laying his name, rank and
fortune at her feet. Having this con-
viction strong upon her, II was provoll-
ing when one fine day Alice informed
her, trembingly enough that she had
engaged herself to Hugh Trevor,
young surgeon who was vainly trying
to get a practice in the island-for the
population was more inclined to trust
its broken bones and epidemics into
the hands of the older practitioners.
IF you dare TO think of such
thing" she exclaimed, w'll leave
every penny away from you, and what
is more, | will let you starvc rather
than give you shilling after which
comfortable assurance, having no
money and no prospects, the pair pru-
IDENTIFY got married on the sly, and
trusted TO "luck."
Luck betrayed the trust and never
came near them, or only luck of the
worst description did; so they realized
all they had, and, after one unavailing
appeal to Mrs. Brandleth, determined
to leave the West Indies and seek for
better fortune In England
81 should so like to see my old
friends again; yes, do let us go, Hugh,
dear; besides, we can make better
Hnht with ho,
Alice said, thinking wistfully of her
school days, and little bitterly of the
manner in which her tropical acquaiut-
ancc had cut her since her marriage.
So with two hundred pounds in the
world they set out for England
"lt Is no use irving in London,
Hugh said, 1--WE should only be lost in
thecrowd, and allowed to starve quietly.
Well 60 to some small sea side place, or
country village, and set up, and hope
| for the best. Unless there is some one
there before us, patients must come in
time "a reasonable supposition when
one considers that. in the long run,
disease and death are never inconstant
long together anywhere.
Let us go by the sea, then" ;" pleaded
Alice; so they went to the Dray ton. on.
Sea, small seaside place where fisher.
folk ahounded, and where there were
hills around, with here and there
houses scattered about, all inhabited by
the probable patients Of Hugh Trevor's
future.
There was no surgeon at Drayton on
Sea before Hugh Trevor went there,
but Il railway came soon after they set.
tied there, and very soon after that a
surgeon-an older man, with long eX.
| perience-came and practiced more for
love than fees, for he was well off, and
so the bright future the Tevors were
| seeking was still far away.
ooh, Hugh what shall we do; poor
Alice said, looking up with troubled
eyes at her husband. Their second
child was just born, and their last
bank note just changed.
"Nevcr mind, my darling" he said
bravely, "better days will come yet.
shall | write to mamma?' she
asked
NO" he said; but she did, only to
have her letter remain unanswered.