Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-06-11
CHRISTMAS GUARDIAN.

are not CuhliiuRt
"Honor bright; lookl here it is"
Christina read the paper eagerly, and
then fairly danced up the steps into the
hall, saying: "My dear old guardian!
Now, shall have somebody belonging
to me at last"
Janet and May Drayton watched her
half sadly; they had parents, and
brothers, and cousins innumerable, but
poor little Chriss was alone in the world.
Then the excitement of the new arrivals
was too much for them, and Janet, full
OF the subject, went on. 1--WE have not
seen Will for five years. How long is it
since you saw Major Wetheral2"
Fifteen years. SAID Christina. So
bering down at once. 81 was four
years old when left India, and / had
not seen father for seven years before his
death. "Oh! girls, whatever you do,
don't have anything to do with native
regiments"
~ would not for anythingl" cried
May. "Just look at you ana your peo-
pie. Why, it's worse than exiles."
Janet said nothing; somebody vas
trying for the staff corps, and she thought
il advisable to change the subject before
it became personal, SO she suggested that
the other two had better take things off,
as it was Just tea time, and no one
thought anything more about partings,
for the meeting absorbed everybody.
Major Wetheral was in a sad mood all
the journey down from town. Christina
was the only child of his dearest friend,
besides being his playmate and ward;
and only year previously Col Barrett
was preparing to return, when he got
fever and died after two days illness.
Christina was likely to be a serious
charge, for she had lately inherited a
large fortune from the distant relative
who had taken care of her ever since
her return from India, and the Major
would have to attend to oil the business,
which had been interrupted by Col. Bar
rcttis death. ----.-ll---.--------
Christina always spoke of Major Weth-
eral as her old guardian, and his appear
ance rather bore out her words, for his
dark hair was plcntifully streaked with
gray, and his face had many anxious
lines about 1t. But it was care that had
aged him, and his friendship with young
Will Drayton was not quite such strange
affair as Janet and May thought, for he
was barely forty, and as hale and strong
as any officer in her Majes,y's service.
The drawing room at Drayton Hall
was brightly lighted, and dazzled the
two mems eyes as they came out of the
November darkness; but it was only for
a moment, and then, while Will was en-
braced by his mother aud sisters. slen-
der, golden-haired, black-robed figure
came eagerly up to the Major, two hands
grasped his, and a low, sweet voice
said in his ear: "Oh! guardian, l am so
glad to see you again, and all his dismal
surmises vanished into thin air in mo-
ment.
Christina was very pretty, and Major
Wetheral, who saw the resemblance to
her fair young mother, was very much
struck with her; but he felt little en-
vious when he saw that Will Drayton
admired her immensely. The young man
managed to sit next TO her at din
ner, and it was very irritating to the
Major to hear the two tongues going, and
to know that Chriss was asking all the
| questions that he ought to have answered,
and that Will was drawing all the pic
lures of Lucknow and the native lines he
had rehearscd in Imagination. But af
| ter dinner Tire girl curue up TO him with
her pretty, gentle manner, and said: 81
want you to tell me so many things,
and Major Wetheral was disarmed in a
moment, and long talk followed thai
was very pleasant to both.
"Where is Miss BarrettW asked viii
one day. 1.-THE ice bears and want {,
rive her n lesson -
"You won't get her this morning,
answered May. "Major Wetheral hal
taken it into his head to make her ,
woman of business, and she is hard a
work in the library learning the differ
ence between real and personal prop
erty."
els she so rich, thenl" inquired Will
who had for the last three weeks onl,
regarded her as pretty girl who wa
not poor relation
"She will have five thousand a yea
at least" said May impressively, "be
sides a lovely old place in Hereford
shire; but everything Is in such mes
owing to her fathers death aud tn
wording of the will that it will take tn,
Major his two years leave to get it il
order.n
"Why doesn't he leave it to tn,
lawycrs2" said Will, carelessly, and thel
sauntered out into the park.
Meantime Christina was giving al
possible attention to her guardians cx
plantations, and showing so much com
prehension and good sense that he wa
delighted with her.
| 81 am very glad you understand i
ALL" he remarked kindly, "for you will
have to look after these things yoursel
when go back to India"
Must you go back" aske'
Christina.
81 am a poor man, dear, and mus
stay a bit longer. II get the commant
of the regiment another year, | may b.
able to come home in five or six years.
"Or you may get fever, like dadd,
did," said the girl, piteously. "Oh
guardian. wish you would stay and liv
with me-"
~ could not do that, Chriss," wa
the answer. "Some one else will wan
you one of these days"
II don't want any one else" criet
Chriss. "Why can't you live will
me"
The major blushed. 81 don't thinl
Mrs. Grundy would allow it, dear
though / am twenty years older tina
you. You must marry some one --ther
will be plenty of people asking for you
and then shall go back to my wor
with my mind at ease"
Christina said no more, but sh
thought to herself that she should neve
care for young man rs she did for he
old guardian, and then, girl-like, she lie
the future be, and devoted herself {