Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-01-16

VI I
Then a blueh orersprcad the gir's fair
face.
was charitable enough to afford him
the chance of bowling to Miss Crofton
and apologizing for his inopportune ar
rival on the scene.
Nobody could exactly tell why or
how it came about, but i'll the way
those things will sometimes happen it
simply seemed nothing more than right
and natural that Captain Fame should
be allowed to devote himself entirely to
the service of Miss Crofton, and, strange
as 1t may appear, not even one of her
own sex was aware of any actual pang
OF jealousy or petty malice at the young
lady's appropriation Of the most eligi-
BILE among the new arrivals. Creole
girls are no more exempt from the self
ishness and tendency to condemn the
conduct of others than their sisters all
the world over, but it is the blessed lot
of some people to be able to win the
regard and admiration of their own as
we'll as of the other sex, and Fanny
Crofton was one of these highly favored
mortals.
She S as poor as u church mouse,
poor darling, her dearest friends would
say of her, 'and entirely dependent up
on the stingiest old curmudgeon Of an
uncle IN the world, who hardly allows
her enough to dress upon. As soon as
ever she's of age she means to go out as
a governess, but she's only s yet, and as
she's so dreadfully pretty she might find
it very difficult to get a situation. .
The probability of so lovely a girl
marrying at an early age naturally pre-
sented itself to every one, and a swarm
of eligible admirers had always how
cred round her from the time she could
walk alone, but as yet no one among
her train was able to boast of having
received the slightest encouragement.
So many fairy favors seemed to have
been lavished upon Miss Crofton that
one might almost think she must neces-
sarily run some risk of being in the
category of those whose moral charac-
tiers are endangered by the fact of all
men speaking well Of them. But, al
though she was the most popular girl
not only in Princetown, but throughout
the whole island, to the remotest plan
tation of which the fame of her charms
and virtue had spread, Notwithstanding
the fact Of her decidedly trying relations
having the honesty to confess tthat
there really couldn't be a handler girl
about the place than Fan, = the poor lit
tie thing had difficulties enough to con
! tend, with which served, no doubt, as a
wholesome discipline and prevented all
likelihood of her becoming either self
ish or conceited The household of
which the blithe, sunny hearted little
creature was presiding genius consisted
of Fans widower uncle. Mr. Haslett
his only child, n girl some six years
younger than the orphan cousin, who
had suffered from babyhood from weak
ness of the spine, which as she grew old
er was beginning to affect her brain,
and n spinster sister of Mr. Haslett s
who was subject TO attacks of despond-
ency, alternated with bouts of ague and
fever, which. upon the whole. were less
to be deplored than the lowness of spir-
its; Fanny herself and couple only of
listless, Indispensable black maidserv-
ants, who We're only too much inclined
to allow the little mistress to relieve
them Of more than half their labor.
Mr.. Haslett was reputed well to do,
although his estates of late years had
not been nearly SO productive as in the
days when fortunes We're made in sugar.
His establishment, however. was con
Quoted on the most economical princi-
/ pies. and it Was his custom to speak as
though the cultivation Of arrowraot and
canes was nothing better than an expen-
sive amusement. and that ii lie were
able 60 leave "A suitable provision for his
afflicted daughter after his death it was
rs much as he could possibly allow him
! self to hope fer As for poor little Fan.
She had best make hay while the sun
! shcne and pick up husband to provide
/ for acr before he should 90 under.
/ ground The future OF poor Miss Has
lett, who was also dependent on her
! brother, did mot seem 10 concern him in
the least. If lie ever thought upon the
mhJect j was probably to the effect
hat Jane was always sickly and ailing
ana was not 1t all likely to survive
him
Eve days If the most Arcadian bliss
followed the auspicious evening when
the officers Of the Firofly first landed Oh
the shore q St vitus Picnics, tonnis