The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-02-02

b came as queen among the younger
party. Aud sometimes. VIII, n by know
ing h r better they grew more fond of
her, M. and Mr-. Marriott VIC, Id ak
her TO SIT with Them for half hour in
" he sane um," as their children called
it.
The gi Is parents were dead, and
she was quite without near relatives,
or indeed any relatives at all. She
possessed guardlen whom she had
only seen twice in her lite, and who
did not interest hins If in her nor
care TO intlt duce her to bis FAM y
He advise even after she came Of
age, "a she should make her home
rs LADY boaroer" in the foreign
school where she had been educated
from quite a It'll, CT lid.
l. ue M riot. tie only grown-up
uimarrh son, TEL deeply in love with
his lively, charming friend of his
sis,n UlsuIa.
But utither his father nor his mother
ikeo The Idea Of such marriage. They
wanted for Louis the daughter of u
thoroughly i 81 sh homt; some one
whose family Was well known 10 him.
You have not engaged yourseIi?"
laid Mrs. Marriott anxiously, wht n her
ION made his little confession of love
tor pretty Winnie Ware.
81 have not said word; nor hinted
TO her what / feel for her." exclaimed
Louis. ~ would not, until l had
spoken 10 you and to my father. But
It may not marry Winnie - and !
>ha never marry without your con-
-en,-I hal 20 through life as sin
gIe man."
And then he asked them not to OPP
pose his going away for awhile; at
least until the girl had finished her
stay IT the Giarge,
do not no ice his departure, or
question him." said Mis-. Marriott to
tue rest of her family. Louis is be-
having mantu'y and honorably, just
as | should exp, CT him to DO"
1t was Christi before he came
back again. A long absence this for a
home-loving Marriott. And he bad
changed, too; changed into grave
and thoughtful man.
He OILY referred to Winnie by beg
GIN his mother to let that be sealed
sut Ct.
"Bu don't allow it TO interfere with
Ursuia's friendship" be said. "Wini-
tired is a very solitary gil. 1t will be
kind of you to ak her now and than to
The Grange, and at such times ] will al
ways 90 away-unless yuu and n y
father change your minds and tell me-
you Can W, leone her as my wife"
Several months p,ssed by, during
, which Ursula exchanged several letters
"i,h her friend. Sue general y read
Winne'- news aloud, for the bereit of
he family, at the breakfast table; The
impression of every one was that the
giil SCENE d less happy at the French
| school nfler that Que summers stay In
England.
~ know now what home is like, y
! she wrote once, land l envy you,
| Ureula."
As August drew near it was evident
that L ,uis grew restless. He wanted
Winnie to be invited to the Grange
even though the invitation would In
volve his own absence; but his pare nts
said they could not spare him. They
b. ggtd him, for their sakes to remain
for the famil, gatherings usual during
Il e holiday months. BY this limt Mrs.
Marriott would gladly have vi lded to
LOUIS wish; she could not bear TO see
him 20 unhappy; but Mr. NJ Arriot was
immovable. He would not cUuntenance
an nut quail marriage.
One day early IN September tele.
graph boy arrived at the Grange. He
brought message from the lady di-
re, tress of the French school 10 the
feet that MISS Ware WAS dangerously
i'll and not exp' cted to live. But she
had 80 earnestly begged that some one
from the Grange would go over to her
that it wac though better to commune
cate this wish. If CONF lied with, no,
an hour must be lost should her friend:
desire TO see her in lite.
my poor boyl" said Mrs. Marriott
reading the til gram; aud then she
handed it 10 Louis, who turned white tC
the lips as he glanced toward his father
IL must CO." he said.
"Certainly. We will go together
said Mr.. Marriott, as he turned to time
table which ALWAYS bad its place among
his papers, and began studying it. 81
one of the girls can pack a portman
leau in ten minutes" he added, ave
shall he able TO catch the next boa
from Dover"
In quarter of an hour father anC
son jumped into the dog-cart which
waited TO take them 10 the station.
Three days later, letter bearing thu
French postmark was received at tn,
Grange. 1t was from Mr.. Marriott, anC
only consisted of ie Y liues. The,
had found Winnifred extremely i'll, h'
said, but so pleased to see them tina
he felt quite touched. She had aske'
for some one from the Grange because
she had no other friends. Louis wa
behaving admirably in his calm self
control.
A second letter told rather more. /
seem, that Influenza had made its ap
pearance in the school, and Winnie
Was not only one of the first but on
of its worst victims. She had, how
ever, got over the attack; but instea
Of becoming convalesceut she grew
alarming y weak, and the doctor spok
frankly OF her danger. Some menta
trouble was preying on the girls vi