Year: 1873

The special train swept by, but 1
hardly saw tiny eyes, my whole sole,
were fastened on the figure Of man
who Just then came down the green
bank which was at some distance. l
pressed my face to the glass. Which
way would he take? He stood up for
q moment, and then slowly, lazily saun-
tered towards me. The glass was up
my only hope was that he would pass
close and see me, for was past calling
or moving now. I noted every trifing
detail of his figure and dress he was
tall, broad.shouldered gentleman,
dressed in light gray young, and with
long, golden beard even the carna.
ton in his button.hole l observed, and
the strength and careless ease of his
figure as he lounged along. He stopped
to whistle to his dogs, and then again
strolled on, idly twirling his cane.


I do not know what kind of face was
pressed to the glass on my side-it was
wild and scared one, I am sure but
in another minute pair Of great merry
blue eyes carelessly glanced up in pass
ing, and were startled into earnestness
by the eyes they encountered the
whistle sounded, but, even as it did, a
strong hand was on the oor-handle,
the door was wrenched open, the train
moved on-he was beside me, was
safe !


I don't know what happened then.
NY deliyerer says that I cried, and held
one of his hands tight In both of mine;
but that I don't believe. In the first
place, we had never been introduced,
and, in the second; two of his fingers
are about as much as my two hands can
contain at once. 1 know, when 1 grew
calmer, that I found him taking care OF
me, and that didn't dislike it as much
as one might have expected. don't
remember how told him all ; I sup.
pose the turnip and knife, which still
lay on the seat, helped me little; but
I do know that he told me "not to be
frightened, for he would not throw the
scoundrel from the window, as he de-
served"--and that he looked so fierce
and so strong that I could quite imagine
it was habit of his to throw scoun-
drels from windows; and that he rather
liked it. What he did was to take the
creature by the collar, and force him
down on his knees, in spite of his
piteous protestations that she never
meant I'd 'hutt The lady-it was only a
lark he would not have done it for q
ten-pun note not if he had known"


"Hold your tongue. Swallow this,
and think yourself lucky to escape six
months on the treadmill. For the lady's
sake, will not prosecute you, and Ill
not break every bone in your body, as /
should like to do, as it might annoy her
to see it done. But you'll eat this, to
the last morsel-mud and all should
say it is not the only dirt you will have
to swallow in your life Down with it y


And when the last atom had disap-
peared, my deliverer, with parting
shake, flung the creature into corner,
where he lay till the train stopped, and
turned to "take care" of me again.


I almost shrank from the stern face
to which I now raised my eyes, but it
softened in moment, and lay back in
corner and rested silently and thank
fully, while he interposed his broad
shoulders between me and the other
end of the carriage, till the train again
stopped, and I saw aunt Margery's
dear old face on the platform.


I am sure she wondered at the eager
ness of my clasp, and at my face, which
I felt was still white and scared. 1
made little motion towards my deliv-
erer, but conld not speak word. He
said few words and gave his card to
my aunt, who accepted it and the stu
alton as graciously as she does every
thing, and looked rather anxious to get
me safely to the carriage and home, land
in five minutes we were driving away.
".What did he do for you, darling ?"
ooh he was so strong and 80 good
to me-and he made him eat the whole
turnip, auntie p


"The whole turnip You are i'll, Pol
Ily. Come, we won't talk or think of it
now."


And she quieted and petted me, evil
IDENTIFY thinking that had lost my wits,
until was lying on the sofa in her
drawing room, able to tell her all.


Well, that was my first and only at.
tempt at "taking care Of myself" /
never want to do so again. Tom takes
care of me now-of course, you under
stand that it was he who came to my
deliverance. Aunt wrote to him that
very evening, and my father came down
from London next morning on purpose
to thank him; then Tom called, and so
and so-the end of my story, or, per-
haps, should say the real beginning
of it, is that am his wife now.


At first I did think it pity that my
husband should be only "Tom," when
had always intended to marry at least
three syllables, as I am merely Pol
ly;" but now I think Tom the most
charming name in tho world, and would
not change it.


I have only one thing more to tell.
The old lady with the disagreeable
bonnet is Toms aunt. I am writing
this in her house, which is just what 1
had fancied it, and she is one of the
dearest and kindest old women in Eng
land.


"Una has found her Lion," she
says.


T don't think I am much like Una;
but Tom is a darling old Lion, with his
tawny beard and splendid strength, on
which his wife loves to lean. I hear
him calling "Polly y!' from the lawn,
where he lies, lazily putting his cigar
under the cedar; and, as he can growl
on occasions, if I keep his majesty
waiting too long, I had better 60.