Connecticut western news., 1888-04-04
WILLFBfrMADGE.
BY IRENE PRESTON.

"Thcy'n not treat mo as if 1 were a grown-up child. They'll not select a husband for me. dctest Mark Thorn ton. I'll run away if they don't stop pestcring me about him."
 Madge had rushed from the presence of her elders, with rather disrespectful 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 young princess, not deign- ing to look right or left, and passed out into the sunshine. Tom held Brownie beside the block; Madge sprang into the saddle and galloped off down tho road in the direction of Saxonville, a small railway and post-officc station Q few miles distant.
 Miss Mary and Miss Martha watched the angry cloud of dust settle away, and then looked at each other he!plessly. They meant we'll, they were painfully conscientious, after their light, but somehow they lacked the tact and wis dom to govern this girl, whom their brother had found in the south, shortly after the close of the war, homeless, friendless child, and had brought her home and adopted her.
 s'She's so high-struug and willful, 1" sighed Miss Mary.
 T wish George would come home," remarked Miss Martha. Everything has gone wrong since he went away. He has knack of smoothing things over. The more we try to smooth the more we ruff, her, and she's never been the same anyway since she came home from that visit in the vest"
 Miss Martha would have been still more unhappy had she known the exact foundation for the fact of her last as- scrtion. Madge had formed the &C., quaintance of Alfrel Winship during that vi it. She had kept up a secret correspondence with him ever since, which was easily managed, since she always rode to the office for the mail, and was to-day expecting letter.
 q am old enough to be my own mis- tress," she thought, all the petty re- straints that had chafed her wilful, i'm perious spirit from childhood coming | uppermost. q will not submit any longer. I would like now to gallop on and on away into freedom. I am an alien any way. feel like caged bird all the time. There is wild blood iu my veins, I believe. Whatever my percentage I never came of such hum drum stock as these people-neverl
 H-r thoughts touched upon Mark Thornton. He was owner of the estate adjoining that of Mir. Bishop. He was ten years older than she, ard had made no secret of his preference for her. She liked hIm fairly well until she found th.t Miss Mary and Miss Martha wished her to marry him, when she began te treat E:m wi;h freezing civility.
 "Tame and commonplace, alway. reading and studying. What do I want of hima' she questioned spitefully, giv. ing Brownie an extra touch with the whip. want vim and dash of spirit. How Alfred Winship-"
 She had reached the station. She rodt up to the wind ow, through which tn, postoffice clerk handed her mail a usual. She repaid him with dazzling smile as she caught sight of Alfred' handwriting, lifting him into the seventl heaven, for she was beautiful, and in he gracious moods irresistible.
 She let her reins fall upon Brownie neck while she read Alfred's letter. He heart gave great bound. He was com ing east, would be ia Boston on tn 18th.
 "How delightful it would be-" h wrote, Eff you could get out of you cage for week and meet m eherc. Isuppose tho dragons would a soon give you permission to visit tn moon without an escort; and yet w could have a delicious time if you coul join me-"
 Had some evil clairvoyance conveye, to Alfred Winship the present state c Mad ge's mind2 In her easoning reck less mood, with her "balance wheel, George Bishop, away, she was open t any suggestion that had a spics of free dom in it.
 "Why not break loose from this rs straint at once and forever2 Why nc meet Alfred Winship as he suggested She knew ho was desperately in lov with her, and sho had never seen happy moment since she parted fror him. If l had any privileges likc othe gi,is," she thought bitterly, 'I coul invite him out to see me, but Miss Mar and Miss Martha would be scandalizc at the mention such thing"