Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-06-11
II suppose ought" SAID csn;ss.
s'Thank you, Will; I'll

She certainly was the better for the
Young mans visit; though, as he re-
fiected on his way back, she had not
once kissed him OF spoken TO him about
anything but her guardians condition,
and he could not help thinking that
there was something wrong about their
relation to each other.
Time passed on and Major Wetheral
was we'll enough TO be moved, and at
length he arrived at Portsmouth aud
was brought to London, where the Dray-
tons received him with the warmest OF
welcomes.
His arm had not been amputatcd, af-
ter AL, but was in sling, aud he was
lame enough to require a good deal of
waiting on, but as Christina seemed TO
think that to run errands for him was
the height Of human happiness, no one
complained of that.
ut is very good Of you to take such
care of me, little girl" he said, one after
noon when she had been reading to him.
"but don't want to be selfish, and /
must not keep you from WILL"
al would rather stay here, thank YOU"
answered Christina. decidedly. "Janet
and May are going out with Will"
'But doesn't he want your"
81 don't know" with little pout. 81
did not ask him."
Major Wetheral was puzzled. Two
or three things had struck him about the
young couple. and there was something
very marked about his wards complete
indifference to her lovers visits, so that
he was hardly surprised when Will
came up to him that evening for talk.
81 am very sorry to have kept Chris
tina from you all the afternoon" began
the Major apologetically, by way Of in
Producing the subject.
''Pray don't apologize" answered the
young man grimly. "Christina very
seldom honors me with her company"
81 am sorry" began the Major,
but Will stopped him.
II want to speak to YOU" he said
quietly. "Christina does not care for
me. and don't think our engagement
ought to continue. Ishould have spoken
before this, only as you were away, and
she was with my people, | thought it
might be unpleasant for her."
"What do you mean" cried the
Major. "She accepted you OF her own
free willr
"She accepted me because she thought
you wished it." proceeded Will. "And
, in the innocence of her heart she
thought it would be all right. In the
last six months she has grown into a
woman: she has q woman's capacity for
loving. and she does not love me-
"But who in the world does she lover"
was the perplexed inquiry. "She has
hardly seen any other young men,"
l->-"She has not fallen in love with a
young man." said Will, shortly. "Look
here, Major Wetheral, last Christmas |
knew nothing about the affair. Since
we have been engaged have grown 10
love her very dearly, and now can I'M
derstand it all. Do you suppose pretty
girls give up all their time to guardians
simply because they are ill.,"
At last the Major grasped the situa-
ton. ''You are talking nonsense" he
cried. "Why. | am an old man, and
her guardian"
"You are only twenty years her senior,
and that goes for nothing nowadays"
answered the younger man. ''And you
watch her as she moves about the room
in way that is not at all paternal. Why
can't you make each other happy, and
have done with itl"
Why not, indeedl Major Wetheral
saw an utterly unexpected dream of hap
piness unfolding before him, and then,
like tho gentleman he was, he turned to
Will.
"And you9" he asked simply.
81 shall get over it," was the answer.
"And. at all events, | will not make her
unhappy" and the two men shook hands
warmly.
Some time later, when Will had care
| fully smoothed over matters with his
mother, so that Christina should not find
herself less welcome in the Drayton
household, and had then taken a quiet,
friendly farewell of her, she came back
to her guardians room and offered to
read to him.
~ don't think want to be read to, "
he answered care you inclined TO talk
to me, little onel"
eff you like" The girls eyes had q
suspicious brightness in them, but there
was nothing heartbroken about her ap-
pearance.
"Do you know that Mr.. Drayton has
gone awsyl" she inquired, taking uT
her work.
81 am not surprised to hear it, Did
he say anything to you before he
went2"
Christmas fingers stitched busily al
she answered. "He told me that HI
had been talking to you, and that 20,
and he both thought our engagement
had better come to an end"
"Well done, Drayton!" thought thu
Major; but he said, "And did you OBJ
ject"
"Oh, mo- / was very glad / dom
think should have liked marrying him
guardian"
Major Wetheral made.a movement o
impotence. You will have to give VI
calling me guardian. Chriss. 1t makes
me feel so Old"
II am sorryw The girl looked VI
eagerly. "You are not bit old, " sh,
cried. You are young enough for any
thing"
"Am l young enough to marry
Chriss my darling, could you put NJ
with broken-down old soldierp
!, Christina was on her knees by hii
sofa. "Not old nor broken down, !" sh'
exclaimed. "oh! guardian, you have
made me SO happyw
And the Major showed NO objection
to being called guardian this time. -
Cassel's Family Magazine.
Frogs Legs and Frenchmen.
People are usually inclined to regard
| 4