Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-07-21

WNfuI R.odge.
BY IRENE PRESTON.

a husband for me. / detest Mark
Thornton. III run away ifthey don't
stop Fostering me about him.
Madge had rushed from the pres
ence of her eldors, with rather disre-
spectful haste, had ordered Brownie,
and was arranging herself hastily in
her riding habit Her eyes were
flashing, and two red spots were
burning in her dark cheeks.
She descended the stairs. holding
her head like a young princess, not
deigning to look right or left, and
out into the sunshine. Tom held
Brownie beside the block; Madge
sprang into the saddle and galloped
off down the road in the direction of
Saxonville, a small railway and post
office station few miles distant.
Miss Mary and Miss Martha watch
ed the angry cloud of dust settle
away, and then looked at each other
helplessly. They mean well, they
were painfully conscientious, after
their light, but somehow they lacked
the tact and wisdom to govern this
girl. whom their brother had found
in the south, shortly after the close
of the war, q homeless, friendless
child, and had brought home and
adopted her.
"She's so high strung and willful,"
sighed Miss Mary.
II wish George would come home, ="
remarked Miss Martha. Everything
has gone wrong since he went away.
He has a knack of smoothing things
over. The more we try to smooth
the more we ruflie her, and she's
never been the same any way since
she came home from that visit in the
west"
Miss Martha would have been still
more unhappy had she known the
exact foundation for the fact of her
last acquaintance Of Alfred Winship
during that visit. She had kept up
secret correspondence with him
ever since, which was easily managed,
since she always rode to the office
for the mail, and was to-day expect
ing letter.
~ am old enough to be my own
MISTRESS" she thought, all the petty
restraints that had chafed her willful,
imperious spirit from childhood COM
ing uppermost. 81 will not submit
any longer. would like now to GAL
lop on and on. away into freedom. l
am an alien any way. | feel like
Gagged bird all the time. There is
wild blood in my veins, believe.
Whatever my parentage / never came
of such hume drum stock as these peo-
ple-never."
Her thoughts touched upon Mark
Thornton He was owner of the es-
tate adjoining that of Mr.. Bishop.
He was ten years older than she, and
had made no secret of his preference
for her. She liked him fairly well
until she found that Miss Martha
wished her to marry him, when she
began to treat him with freezing CIV
ility.
"Tame and commonplace, always
reading and studying. What do |
want of him ~ she questioned spite
fully, giving Brownie an extra touch
with the whip. II want vim and
dash of spirit. How Alfred Win
ship"
She had reached the station. She
rode up to the window, through
which the postoffice clerk handed
her mail as usual. She repaid him
with a dazzling smile as she caught
sight of Alfred's handwriting, lifting
him into the seventh heaven, for she,
was beautiful, and in her gracious
moods irresistible.
She let her reins fall upon Brow
yaie's neck while she read Alfred's
letter. Her heart gave a great bound.
He was coming east, would be in
Boston on the 10th.
sGHow daliuhtful IL would be " he