The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1894-05-03

IL
widow, whom sickness, poverty, hard
work and despair had killed before
her time; for she had implored Provi-
eence to grant her to live until she
might rear her child to womanhood
John Edward knelt with quiet sim
plicity by the dead woman then in
quiring regarding the formalities to be
observed; attended to all with lavish
generosity; and the following day,
with uncovered head walking in the
midst of the common crowd of people,
accompanied the mother to her last
resting place. On their return he said
to the child:
"What is your name?"
''Carita, signor."
Then the English lord added in
low voice:
"Would you like to be my little
daughter?"
The child looked earnestly at him
for an instant before answering; then
suddenly, bursting into tears, she
threw herself into his arms, open to
receive her.
eyes, yes, signor," she sobbed.
Lord MacG- returned to London,
accompanied by Carita, and without
delay proceeded to turn upside down
his grand old mansion, fancy
ing it unsuitable to shelter
the childish charms of the Venetian
orphan.
His whole life was changed. It
seemed as though a ray of the Italian
sun had entered his heart with the af-
fection which he felt for the child,
and which daily grew greater and
deeper. His whole being sang the
grand anthem of paternity his dreams
were colored with rosy hues; he was in
heaven. He was no longer troubled
with his "spleen"-he had left it
buried forever in the green waters OF
the Adriatic.
And Carita, surrounded by profess
sors, governess and servants, quickly
forgot the whining tones of the little
beggar, and changed gradually into a
a marvel of grace and beauty.
John Edward was rarely seen at the
clubs, gambled no more, fled from So
ciety of every kind, neglected Epsom'
and even forgot his name in the House
of Lords. To all invitations he had
one answer: II cannot accept. l have
a daughter to be cared for now"
The world grew accustomed to this
new eccentricity and the years passed
quickly, filled with an affection more
and more intense, and yet not quite
satisfying.
For six months Lord McG-- had
realized that he was forty years Old
and that his ward had reached her
nineteenth year. This caused most
disagreeable emotion, but being man
of energy, and not caring to put on
an evil hour, one bright morning he
hunted up Carita
"Mv dear child" he said to her,
"vou are old enough to think OF mar
riage, and from to-day we must con-
slider seriously this grave question; SO
prepare yourself, for in short time
1 shall present youto Her Majesty the
Queen, who will be glad to take you
under her gracious protection.
The voice of this most honorable
gentleman trembled little as he
uttered these words, but his face was
calm and smiling.
Carita raised to him her great, soft
ewes. serious and full of an angry sur
prise. .,
81 do not wish to marry, she sala'
She was marvellously lovely at this
moment, this waif of the GIANTS STAR
way. Tall, 1.-THE as willow WIN
hair of Venetian gold, with the light
of burning lava shining through ~
with the feet and hanos of patrlclan'
lips red as coral branch and teeth
like the pearls which one finds oniy
among the seeweed of Ceylon' More
than all that, she had a grace,a charm'
a wonderful radiance about her.
John Edward trembled as he de-