Milford chronicle., 1905-05-19

her beauty. MRS. GuDerr knew rna,
he had taken Brenda to some Of the
pienics and that he had walked home
with her from church, but she knew,
too, that he was poor. To be sure, he
was the second son in a good family.
His mother was an English officers
widow and an English gentleman's
daughter and lived in a pleasant man.
sion in Warwick. But their income
was small for the expenses which they
were Obliged to meet and the young
man could not hope to marry for years
to come, while here was Martin Mears,
ready to wed the girl at once and put
her and the rest of them beyond the
reach Of want. 1t was true that John
Masters was handsome and polished
and had all those high bred ways which
count for so much with girls like Bren-
da, who had a nice little hauteur of her
own, but Mrs. Gilbert revOlted against
the distaste which she knew the Mas
ters family would feel for the match,
and why wouldn't Brenda take Martin
Mears!
One day the mother came upon her
daughter crying among the lemon trees
in the garden. what is it?" she ask /
ed, sitting down beside the girl and |
taking her head in her motherly lap.
"He-he-he's going awayP sobbed |
the heartbrOken beauty.
''Who-Martin?"
''NO. John Masters"
"Oh. that's nothing. He Is Of no ac-
count to you. 1 suppose he is going off
to seek his fortune. He had better.
They say he hasn't got a cent. Her
money all goes to take care of them
four boys and four girls make big
family. He's good looking and all that
but you mustn't care about him, Bren-
da, and I've said so before. They
wouldn't like it, and l could see that
the rectOr's lady thought it wasn't suit
able. Remember that you are in the
station in which Providence has been
pleased to place you. Why can't you
oblige your father and mother and
take Martini"
Mother" said Brenda resolutely,
''you might as well know that l never
shall marry anybody but John Mas
-ers. We are engaged, and just as
soon as he gets settled in New York
We shall be married. know you don't
want me to go out to service, but Dig
y is doing pretty well, and fathers
hsumatism is better, and maybe can
elp little up at the hall, and so we
an manage even if l am not married
Or two or three years. Oh, love him
D, mother! You can't imagine how /
we him! And he is going awayw
The mother could stand it no longer.
he tossed Brenda's fair head away
'om her as if it had been a worthless
veet potato and marched into the
Duse, mimicking her lovesick daugh-
RS tone as she did so.
The day came when John Masters
as to sail. The engagement was to
kept perfectly quiet for the present |
order to that end MSrtin Mears was |
be allowed to come to the Gilbert /
ttage occasionally, but Brenda had
clared that she should never say one
ord to any young man to amuse or |
tertain him. Her lover should never
We the slightest cause for jealousy. |
J he walked off down the cedar ave 81,
e, tall, straight, dignifed, she
ought he was the handsomest and CO
lest man in the world, and she was to,
re that none had ever loved anybody 10,
he loved her. He had promised to s
ite at once upon reaching America tb,
to tell her then how to address wi
n. Brenda waited eagerly for the Hr
ter. Ar.
he next steamer did not get in un- do,
a fortnight later. 1t arrived on a bo,
lday and the mails were opened on eis
nday. Brenda could not get away Sb,
the morning. She thought it was fro
likely that she could receive the on,
il if she did for such matters move J z,b
WV in the islapdS. In the afternoon