Wichita eagle., 1888-03-08
AN INCIDENT.


monds. The air, sweet and fresh, had still
moisture in it, but bore on it the scent o.
moss and hay, and perhaps of bean flowers
A young lady standing at the gate into {
large meadow inhaled the soft breeze will
rapture, and acknowledged mentally that
her unusual early rising had bestowed on lei
great and novel pleasure. The meadow
into which she was gazing was Of some ex
tent, as We have said, and was studded with
groups of elm trees, beneath one of which
some COWS We're being MIXED by maid and
q boy. The milkmsid was singing, and her
voice sounded sweet and fresh il the stiffness
though a moment afterward lark sprang
upwards with a burst Of melody that once
wholly engrossed Miss Denzil's attention.
The young heiress-for such she was-had
Travelled in lovely lands, and seen most of the
wonders Of nature and of European art, but
''such a sacred and home felt delight as she
experienced now was at once new to her and
delightful. Never before in her twenty years
of life had she risen at dawn, dressed with
ont assistance, and gone forth alone: ave.
even beyond the park gates. The inheritor
Of great wealth, she had been left an orphan
in her childhood, and had been brought up
by an aunt who was old fashioned and con-
and monotonous routine Of daily life
Thus Nary D,lzil had her troubles, petted
and considered as she was Her aunts temper
was cross and trying, her mode Of life prim
and dull
Those who knew all about Mary DenziIs
home wondered that she did not marry,
If it were only to get away from the
restraints her guardian imposed on her; but
h.- y,fF
in the girls heart, and she had not yet met
one whom she could love, or even quite trust; :;
for, that she would be sought for her wealth
had been early impressed on her. and she
dreaded being married only for her money
more than she could have expressed But
her aunt had latterly urged the suit of a man
of great wealth and position, and Mary,
nearly half persuaded and half worried into
compliance, he'd passed e disturbed and rest
less night, trying TO make up her mind, and
had finally risen at dawn, and gone out in
defiance of ali rules to find how well nature
can soothe and calm her children She had
been tempted also to losve the park for the
pastures Of the home farm, where her old
nurse had been established with her son as
bailif and her daughter as dairymaid: the
daughter being Miss Denzil's foster sister and
narneSake.
Il will have glass Of the new milk Miss
Denzil determined, as the lark's song gradu-
ally loated away. Mary VIII be surprised
TO see me-"
And she opened the gate and proceeded
across the meadow, pausing occasionally to
listen to the distant scng of the lark.
or TO a birds note from the tree.
or to watch splendid admiral but
terfly's flight from the boughs to the
grass among the wild flowers, her trouble
and indcciSion entirely forgotten. She was
a good embodiment of spring herself, looking
even younger than her real age, and with
fresh blooming complexion and abundant
golden hair, a piquant little nose and rose
bud mouth, fair and sweet and smiling,
though by no means beauty.
The milkmaid as soon as the I1lstling of
the lady's dress through the grass caught her
ear, looked up from the side of the COW
against which her head rested, and seeing
Miss Denzil rose in such surprise that she
nearly upset her milk pail.
well, MARY" said the young lady, ''vou
seem very happy over your task. Can you
give me a cup OF milk
Il haven't a cup, Miss Denzil." said tho
girl: "but Jim~-turning to boy who was
milking another COW near her-''Shall run to
the farm and get one"
Miss Dennl nodded assent and Jim ran off.
The young lady, refusing the milking stool.
sank down on the grass, and taking off her
hat let the soft breeze play in her beautiful
fair hair saying, with a sigh of pleasure:
How delicious the early morning is!
How happy YOU must be, Mary, in those
sweet meadows, with those gentle creatures.
and with your induigent, loving mother
You have no cares, no doubts, no fears for
the future. Tell me. are you not perfectly
happyf
LA Miss DenHl," said Mary, with wide
open eyes. there isn't anybody that hasn't
got something to fret about, except perhaps
IA grand lady Ike yourself"
''Oh, Mary, riches do not give bappinessl
But tel me. what troubles have youl dare
say when your mother lived at the hall and
Won were with your aunt at Woolwich, you
were not quite comfortable; but now-in
such pretty home and with dear nurse
Mary, tell ule what can trouble YOU
Mary colored and hang her head. well.
ma am she said, Il am troubled because l
can't write to my young man.
Your young man! l did not know You
had one VINO is he, and where is he!" asked
the heiress. Nurse never told me of it
mo. ma'am; mother doa't like me to
marry a soldier Bat he'll soon be able TO
get his discharge, and we can wait Only,
he's il lrdia. and l can't write TO him
WHY notl Does nurse FORBID it,"
''Oh, no. ma'am But | can't write. Aunt
made me take care of her children. and had
very little schooling. To be sure, Cousin
Martha writes for me, but that amt pleas
ant"
well, Mary" said the young lady, II viii
try to help you. You shall come every morn
Ing for an hour to the hall, and l viii teach
you to write
Mary was warm in her thanks "For,"
ST., added naively. Il don't like Martha's
writing to him. She was setting her cap at
him before he went, and don't know what
she may say 10 him in my letters"
Miss Denzil smiled az the incipient jealousy.
II will be your amanuensis, then.' she said
good naturedly.
"Ma'amr looking puzzled
II mean that l viii write for you until Tou
can write for yourself"
Nary's face beaned, and she was still
s.a.aInering her thanks when Jim reappeared
with a glass, and she FASTENED TO press the
warm fresh milk into ii.
Miss Dennl, after she had drunk il,
ru-.e. and bidding the girl come TO her
arly next morning, took her way back to
,ha hall. smiling TO herself as she thought Of
r.tins love letters, as proxy for peasant
girl. TO distant private in her majesty's ser
wee.
How little she thought what would come
of it,
She WIS rather pleased at the idea of the
Office she had taken OF herself: II would