New-York tribune., 1898-11-13
MY DESTINY.
A WAYSIDE ROMANCE.
BY G. X. Burrow.


summoned me to his house on a matter which
might have stirred my blood little had l chosen
to give my fancy range.
Eut youth is the most uncertain thing in the
wctld. and. since the affair OF my
doins. choose to assume that had no interest
in il.
ana yet. when half my journey was done. I
began TO feel some uneasncss, some excitement
even This was partly due, doubt, to the fact
that had never travelled before In my own
chaise; it was an experience that made equal
appeal TO my pride and to my sense of response
bilty. was proud OF my new importance. and
al the same time a little fearful Of making some
mistake that should betray me as a novice to
the visilant eyes of inn keepers or hostlers
had recently, by :he death Of my father.
come mo moderate fortune l was the only
child, and my mother had died long before so
that, apart from a few leeacies. was sole heir
A. have said. was young. being no more than
two and twenty, perhaps too young to have
uu,h"c cked license in the use OF lands and money
You may he sure that life shone before me; it
seemed TO me a field for high adventure. a thing
stuffed with romance. From the empty pockets
or a boy had suddenly risen to the full purse
OF a man Of substance; and. to be honest. think
1t was somewhat to my honor that made no
eNIl use OF my new power. | had many faults
thcn. pride being the chief; but since those days
have learned wisdom. With the turn of the
century many changes came to me; but |
now only writing of a single episode that oc
CURED before this century was born
Well, then, some three fourhs Of the way be-
tween Worcester. from which started. and
borking, in Surrey, To which | was journeying
! stopped to change horses and for my own and
myYrvants' refreshment. During the last hour
had been thinking good deal Of what awaited
mo at my uncle's and my pulse began to have
the better Of my will. In "A word was going to
see the girl whom was destined to marry
My father and his brother had not been
the best Of terms for many years: but that had
not prevented them from arranging that their
children should wed-a1 arrangcn ent in which
| had never been consulted, or so far as /
knew. the lady either. To add to the unCer-
tainty of the whole affair had never seen her;
did not even know whether she were ugly or
heQlflfnl a | m no c
sumo bondage OF roses or Of steel
However, l was determined that If the damsel
did not please me. or her, there should be no
marriage l had no taste for martyrdom and
had too delicate a stomach to take wife with
out love
forgot the name Of the village at which this
halt made but remember that the sign
OF the inn the George and Dragon" The
place had a long white front. with green shut
ters TO the windows. and over the door a great
lamp hung from stanchons let into the wall
l judged that trade slack. for / de- |
scended from my carriage l saw the landlord
standing at the door. smoking Il pipe and wink |
ing in the sunlight like sleepy dog.
| told him to have fresh horses ready in an
hour and to attend TO my servants appetitcs
and also bade him send me meal as quickly |
ps he could; intended to end my journey be- |
fore sunset and sleep that night In my unce's
housc. He took my orders pacidly q never
saw host who was less awake. and conducted !
me to the parlor 1t was empty and sat down /
by an open window TO look out upon the village
street. 1t was very and still. a day Of |
perfect early summer weather and before long.
though the mere or the place inclined to
rest. began TO nod in my chair
And with this nOdding came pleasant dream,
and Of course ii was about her whom ! was
my way t. meet 1t seemed that | saw her
standing in a sunny orchard. with ripening ap-
piles over her head and her face and dress were
hecked with the moving shadows Of leaves. The
grass high about her feet. reaching. indeed
almost to her knees; her brown hair hoated free
about her shoulders, and there such sweet
smile her lips and inviting glance in
her eyes tnat made forward though to
clasp her.
Nigel a-d stepped back. All my thought at
became how To win this fair creature Of
.he orchard: but with that awoke and found
myself in the parlor Of The George and Dra-
Ion." and there Has a maid setting out my meal. /
As turned to the table there great
noise OF wheels and shouting. and stood w
20 what sort of traveller came with such
'umult Of a irival. a chaise drew W before thc
lOOr the horses all Of foam and the positions
sncarcd with dust one Of the men jumped
down and had the door open before the land
tord was awake. 4 very elegantly dressed man
stepped and handed forth woman after
him. she took lis hand timidly. without looking
Into his face. and that she would have
freed il again long before he had mind 70 lrt
Ii go.
She held her head SO low that could not get
a clear sight Of her face at that mom'ri. hu'
her figure (and | alrea ly held myself t" be
fudge IN such matters was 50 grace iul ana sim.
and as ii were with such force Of youth in ii.
that | felt myself happy only To have looked
upon II Come come" said To myself re
member Cousin Audrey and the crrand you are
on. but the difficulty was that had nothing
OF Cousin Audrey to remember except her name
did not like the look of the girls compdnlon
md | liked it less when | saw him at close
quarters later on.
! sat down to the table whe my Etht'Ihan
yas giving his orders. which he did with small