Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-12-17
THE STOLEN LETTERS.
.1gEoR1G.
How an India POstman Spoiled
a Pretty Romance.

this would be an unfair allowance in
these days, but fifteen years ago
there we're more marrying men in
India and fewer maidens. Besides,
Lucy was really sweet enough to
monopolize the attention of any
number. Of these two SWANS one
was an elder swain-that is, if the
collector of district on two thous-
and and some odd hundreds ofrupees
. month and 4 +" fund of the most
liberal nature can be called a swain
at all, which is doubtful. He was a
good fellow, was John McAllister,
but at least twenty years older than
Lucy, and, what was more to the
point, very prim and stiff and SOL
emn. and serious, and In fact, desti-
tute of not only appearance but the
thoughts and ways of youth.
And so, when Col. Watson cited
instances of the happy marriages he
had seen between elderly gentlemen
and young lassiss-he used occa-
sionly to draw on his imagination a
little-poor Lucy woula pitiously
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 com
mon 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 a
cheroot, and make the best of it, for
he did not want to force his child in
to distasteful marriage-he was
too fond of her for that-but with
six sons ranging from fifteen to five,
that. his one daughter should marry
well-to-do man was distinctly de-
sirable.
Pensions were good in those days
but even eleven hundred pounds
sterling year seemed small with
such troop of boys to educate and
put into the world. And then there
was trifle of debt that Mr.. Meal
lister would-but what was the use
of thinking about it if it would make
little Lucy unhappy 1t is almost
superfuous to say that the other
sdorer, whom Lucy did like, was q
hopeless ineligible. George Far
leigh was a subaltern in her fathers
regiment, ofabout five years service
A fine young fellow, good at sports
but with absolutely no prospects.
There was no chance of the adjutan.
cy falling vacant for a long time,
and there was no departmental open
ing, SO far, at least, as he was con-
cerned.
In a small up-eountry station
these two had many opportunities
of meeting, and, to do them justice
they took advantage ofall they could
get. But Lucy was not without a
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 mar.
rage; she would not listen to the
idea of an indefinite arrangement.
Matters were thus at a deadlock
and there seemed no hope Of q solu-
ton. Months passed by, weary
months to all concerned. Then, al
Of . sudden. came change. The
new governor general arrived in tbs
country, and it so happened that in
former years he had known Georges
father rather intimately. The ma
natural result followed. For . boy
who had passed nothing but the
highest standard in Hindustani il
was not possible to do much at ones
but still he might be tried. So
down came the offer of q semi -politi
cal appointment in native state fol
six months, the continuance of which
was to depend upon Georges pro
press and ability.
| There raa fearful parting.
s'Now, mind, you are not to write
to me until I write to you first. Pa
pa would be very angry il you wer,
to write direct to me, and, of course