Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-12-08
THE STOLEN LETTERS.
How an India Postman Spoiled o
Pretty Romance.

Lucy Watson had two lovers-this
would be an unfair allowance in these
days, but fifteen years ago there were
more marrying men in India and fewer
maidcns. Besides, Lucy was really
sweet enough to monopolize the atten-
ton of any number. OF these two
SWANS ono was an elderly swain-that
is, If the collector of district on two
Thousand and some odd hundreds of
rupees q month and 'fund" of the
most liberal nature can be called u
swain at all, which is doubtful. lie
was good fellow. was John McAllis-
ter, but at least twenty years older
than Lucy, and, what was more to the
point, very prim and stiff and solemn
and Serious and, in fact, destitute of
not only appearance, but the thoughts
and ways Of youth.
And so, when Col. Watson cited in
stances of the happy marriages he had
seen between elderly gentlemen and
youthful lassics--hc used occasionally
to draw on his imagination little
poor Lucy would pitcously reply:
''Yes, papa, but it isn't his age; that's
nothing, nothing"-oh! Lucy, Lucy
but he's so old in his ideas and habits;
he has nothing in common with girl. ;"
And then there would be little
breaking down in the voice, and tear
would fall on the colonels hand, and
he would turn away to smoke che
root, and make the best of it, for he did
not want to force his child into q dis
tasteful marriagc-hc was too fond of
her for that--but with six sons ranging
from fifteen to five, that his one dargh-
ter should mitrry q wcll-to-do man was
distinctly desirable.
Pensions were good in those days, but
even eleven hundred pounds sterling q
year seemed small with such u troop Of
boys to educate and put into the world.
And then there was n triflc of debt
which Mr. McAllistcr would-but what
was the use Of thinking about it if it
would make little Lucy unhappy? 1t
is almost superfluous to say that the
other adorcr, whom Lucy did like, was
a hopeless Ineligible. George Farlcigh
was q subaltcrn in her fathers rcgi-
mcnt, of about five years service. A
fine young fellow, good at sports, but
with absolutely no prospects. There
was no chance Of the adjutancy falling
vacant for long time, and there was
no departmental opening, so far, at
least, as he was concerned.
In small up-country station these
two had many opportunities of meet
ing, and, to do them justice, they took
advantage of all they could get But
Lucy was not without mixture of
sound, common sense, and she would
not pledge herself TO George until he
could show some reasonable grounds
for believing that his position would
Justify marriage; she would not listen
TO the idea of an indefinite arrange
ment.
Matters were thus at a deadlock, and
there seemed no hope of solution
Months passed by, weary months to all
concerned. Then, all of sudden, came
a change. The new governor general
arrived in the country, and it so hap
pcncd that in former years he had
known Georges father rather intimate
lv. The natural result followed. For
n bow who had passed nothing but, the
HIGHEST standard in Hindustani it was
not possible to do much at. once, but
still he might be tried. So, down came
the offer of o scmi-political appoint
mcnt in a native. state for SIX months,
the continuance of which was to depend
mon Georges progress and ability.
There was fearful parting.
sNow, mind, you are not to write to
me until write to you first. Papa would
be very angry if yoa were to write dl-
rect to me; and, OF course, wont
have anything done in roundabout
yav. When write to you, ii do write
nj all, sir, then you may answer"
So half laughing, half crying, Lucy
dismissed him, and both the colonel
and McAllistev said good-by with q
SIGH of relief. The sagacious Lucy had
a reason for the condition she imposed.
Over and above the difficulties OF a
correspondence to which her father
would object she wanted to test her
lover, Married ladies, often prone to
dismal advice, had sniffingly told her
Of the Inconsistency of man, and she had
cleo read about it in novels and poems,
en- she thought that an experiment
should be made.
iii we bagin by writing to each each
ether she argued to herself, "he won't