St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-27
WAS TO BE HIS WIFE.

of Raphaei's cherubs. -
Then | paused OH the curbstone
balancing the coin OH my glove tip.
$50 you want penny, little onr?:'F
''4eS, Sir.'
"N Nhere do you live?' -
Nowhere
Nv here is your mother?'
Haven't got any, "a
Nor iather?" 81
She shook her head. still cycling the
penny GENEROUSLY, as ii fearful thatit
would vanish shortly out OF her sight. "
tossed il toward her-she snapped it
up aS hungry dog might seize bppe,
and, depositing it somewhere among
her rags. ran after portly old gentIeA
man who was picking his way across
the muddy stones. 81 81
/ passed on 10 The clubhouse. GLANCED
over the newspapers, and all the time,
those bright gold curls. and the large,
wondering brown eyes OF the little
stfeet-sweeper kept canning and going
like the changing tints OF Il dream
Aaieidoscope before MY minds eye.
What an impression that face had left
| on my memory
Had tie tiny waif been ten-years
| Older, L should unhesitatingly have
pronounced it an affair OF love at first
Slght-aS it was, L could not explain
away tine mystery at all
Tnat great central chandelier in Mr..
| WVndhaih'S diHlng-room giOwed with
| scores OF tiny jets OF liame. The silver
epergne III the middle, crowned with
| a bouquet of rare flowers. seemed like a
| bank of perfume. and tile flash OF
crimson wines and delicate liquors that
surrounded me stimulated the senses 10
their utmost capacities of enjoyment
Virginia Wyndham sat directly op-
| poSite me-a handsome, dashng girl,
hitherto my especial admiration.
She was little piquei tonight at my
| evident abstraction, and tiirted most
desperately with her next neighb0r. ID
rising young lawyer. L looked on, must
philosophicaily.
| Twenty-four hours previously L
should have ueen frantic with jealousy
| how | dldn't care Il snapI
| Old Wyndnam whiSked away in dis
| gust st my ianguid apathy. and | took
| my hat and bade the fair Virginia good
| evening. iiad sort of secret con
vlction that the whole affair mad been
gotten up to give me Il nice chalice for
proposing"
My room was illumned only by the
low. ruddy gieam of the lire as Ientered
1t. Ii seemed very lonely, with the
vacent chair beside the round table,
\
engravlngS were all III confusion.
L sat down and began to ponder
various things.
L had never met any girl whom L
tan cled sufficiently TO Invite her to
share my wealth. Perhaps was over
fastidiouS. BE that as il might, a new
fancy had taken possession OF the
citadel OF my brain. | would adopt the
little friendlesS daSmel of the street
crossings.
| would educate her as ny wife ought
to ue educated; would teach her to
love me,-and then
invountarily sprang to my feet as
pictured forth mentally tie glorious
lovelinesS iu'o which her childish
beauty would eXpandi 1t WAS settled
thing-I would adopt heri 5a3sfa
And adopted Winny-the only name
to which the half-Savage Young. elf
would own. rsiff:
And now, Winny." said |. the even-
ing before my pretty little prOtegee was
TO be placed under the care OF Mme.
Deiarue 10 be thoroughly remodeled,
you know you are To be my little wife
i'll about eight years." 5vuae
Winny sat on the edge of the fcnderS.
kicking her little feet Oh the carpet, as
she deVoured the cream candy and
sugar plulnS wherewith | had won Ref
heart. As finished speaking She liked
her large eyes solemnly on my tace. ,rs
Little wife? What does that mean2'
Why" said /, rather embarrassed,
sit means that 1 shall love you very
much, and buy you new dresses and
bracelets and"- =erE
And candieS?' ,i4.
'Of COURSE" said |, wincing little.
well, said Winny, pensively con-
templatlng a gigantic sugar almond.
Pil think of it."
Eight years passed away-eight years
of sunshine and blOSSOming, and during
all that time never went near Winny.
Letters lnnumerable We're exchanged
between us-gay, friendly letterS-Dut
L sought no personal interview.
L tried to be satisfied with Nine.
Delarue's monthly reports of progress,
and. as l saw my bachelor friends one
by one engulfPd i'll the pool of matri-
mony, like withered leaves drifting iutO
a hurried forest stream, | conSoied my
self with thinking of the beautiful
young wife with whom | would aStonish
them one of these days.
Here's a letter for you, Jim, ,'said
one of my cronies bursting into my
room, where l sat alone. II met the
messenger on the stairs and rItied him
of his burden"
He tossed it into my lap, and sat down
to enjoy his cigar, while L eagerly tore
open the perfumed little misSive, sealed
with the crest nf Nine. Delarue.
''Why, what's the matter?" exclaimed
my companion, as | sprang up pale and
agitated, scarce knowing wither to turn.
! The matter! Why, some confOunded
young collegian or other has been max
Ing love to my Winny-and she wants
to marry him-and madame has just
discovered the affaire du cenr, as she
calls it-hang her French phraseS!"
And you are going on to give the
young folks your blessing?"
My blessing-no, l should rather
think not. Pm going to give the boy q
good horse-whipping and place WinDy
where she'll forget hlmp'
1t was nearly noon when L drew up
my horses in front of the iron gatesto
Nine. Delarue'S seminary.
l was kept waiting in the parlor con-
siderably longer than | liked, after hav.
ing sent up my card to Miss Winny
Grey" (he name had selected for her)
particularly as | was conscious of a
: good deal of titteriHg in the hall and
, several pairs OF bright eyes regarding
me from the cracks in the half-open
door.
did you want to see me, sir?''
L turned. completely astounded
! StOOll q lolis Ionhs ihIiiJ SOlI Ol q
, girl. with red curls-nOt auburn, moi
, golden, but a carroty, unmistakable red
!, weak brown eyes and freckles.
Are you Winny?" | exclaimed.
She nodded bashfully, murmhring
; something about my having sent fol
| her.
Alas! what an overthrow to the vision
of eight years.
1 asked her few questions about her
studies, counseled her to ''be a good
l | grip and" mind her music,' and grace.
fully took leave!
In the hall met Nine. Delarue, all il
: flutter:
Are you going already, Mr.. Riyerst
/ Pray what am l 10 do about this naughty,
I dear child?"
80, well, madame" quoth carelessly
} Pm not the one to interfere with the
happiness of young people. Pray make
all inquiries into the respectability oi