Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 136, 13 June 1904, Page 4

Literature.

MY WARD'S CONQUEST. While sitting in my library one morning in July I received a letter from the executors of the will of one Harold Marsden, informing me of the I fact that the aforesaid Harold Marsden was dead, leaving a daughter and a largu fortune, and—could my eyes deceive me?— 1 was appointed guardian of the daughter of the deceased. Now to me, a man of forty years, who had travelled all my life, and seen enough of the fair sex totally to disgust me, this was anything but pleasant news. I had never seen this daughter of my college friend Harold ; but I had heard rumours ot a great beauty and flirt, and to nave the young lady thrown at my head in this manner was anything but agreeable. As I sat frowning and wondering how to get out of this difliculty, my good sister Mehitable, who kept house for me at my pretty country home, Grey Gables, entered. "Why, Willis, you look troubled ! What is the matter ?" And as I had always done from childhood, I straightway poured my troubles into the sympathetic ears of Mehitable. "Why, that is news ; but we must make the best of it." "Well, what am I to do ?" "l)o? Why, you are to write to the poor child, and invite her here at once. Where is she ?" "The letter says sho is at school." "Of course, she is waiting to hear from you ; and as I now have '.ny flowers to attend to, I will leave you, and when I return I do not want to see that frown. This ward may prove a blessing instead of a calamity." And so the letter was duly written and posted to Miss Muriel Marsden—the name was not bad, and I found myself repeating it, and wondering what sort of a girl this new ward of mine was.

At last I received a letter in a delicate, girlish hand, thanking me for my invitation, and stating that the writer would be with us on Thursday at 5 p.m., and this was Tuesday. A letter from my scapegrace brother Jack stated that he would be home from college on Wednesday morning. I laid both letters down with a sigh. No more peace for me now, with a grown ward and inj mischievous brother Jack in the house. Thursday arrived only too soon for me, and with it a telegram calling me to Narfield. a small town eight miles away. " I will be back by the three o'clock train, in time to meet Miss Marsden, when she comes," I said to Mehitable ; "and if I should not happen to get there send Jack."

I could not finish my business as soon as I expected, and so had to go by the very train 1 expected my ward. As I took my seat facing two young ladies, I heard a bell-like voice exclaim : "Oh, won't I lead him a life of it ?" And the older lady said to her companion : "Well, you are capable of it." Something in tho smooth dear voice reminded me of the letter I received on Tuesday, and I listened Intently to try and catch more of the conversation. "How old is ho?" presently asked the old lady. "Oh, about forty—a regular old fogey, and hates women." "Well, you have the power to make him change his mind on that subject. If anyone has." Tho other shrugged her shoulders in a manner unmistakably Frenchy, and laughed. "Oh, I'll lead him a dance. I hear ho has a younger brother." "Muriel, you are a dreadful flirt." "Now, Grace, do not scold ; but here is Lakeville. Now to beard the lion in his den ; the " I waited to hear no more, but hurrying from the station, rushed through the woods by a path that led to Grey Gables. Muriel ! I knew it. And so this small, giddy creature was my ward, was to make iny house her home hereafter, and had already designs of Jack. Now, I liked a stately, dignified woman ; but these giddy, laughing butterflies—tbah ! I hated them. My conscience began to prick mo for net honourably making myself known. But, pshaw ! Jack was there, no doubt, and I could not endure a ride all the way to Grey Gafclles with that designing little creature. As I neared the drawingrooin windows, I heard a merry peal of laugnter in a voice already hateful to me, and instead of going in to welcome her I stole up to my rooms to dress for dinner. While dressing I occasionally heard that ringing laugh. So she was one of those nuisances who laughed incessantly—how was J to bear it ?

At last the dinner-liell rang, and as I looked in the glass I thought what a well-preserved man I was—no one would take me to to a day ovei thirty. So I mustered up courage, and walked down to the diaiv.ngroom.

The family han assembled ; Mehitable, in her quiet black gown, -at by the window knitting; Jack was leaning over a red easy chuir, in his usual graceful manner ; and in the chair sat the small being I had already tygun to liate. She was looking at Jack, and laughing at some remark he had just made. As she heard the door she glanced up, and, seeing me, came quickly across the floor with a graceful,gliding movement, that reminded me of ft snake, saying : "I know this ia my new guardian, so shall not wait for an introduction" —at the same time offering me her cool little hand. As I said some stiff words of welcome, I gazed at the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. The dimpled, peach-bloom face, rosebud mouth, perfect teeth, anil, above all, a pair of wonderfully beautiful brown eyes, as soft end pleading as a fawn's, all this framed in the fluffy golden hair, made a most beautiful picture. She had changed her grey travelling dress for one of some soft white clinging material, and a bunch of crimson roses gleamed bright and warm on her breast. But as I looked at the figure standing liefore me. the pleading look in the brown eyes only seemed to say "treachery," and my stiff, conventional greeting was hardly one in which to welome a stranger. In an instant the little figure was drawn proudly erect, and the eyes that a moment before were so toft

•rnd beautifully brown, flashed steely into mine ; and, deliberately ■ urning her back to me, she walked <o the window, and commenced talking to Mehitable. At the dinner table she was as ijright and gay as ever, addressing all her remarks to Jack and Mehitable, never once looking at ine. As we rose from the table, Mehitable said : "Willis, perhaps Muriel would like tt» walk through the garden—wa have some beautiful rosos, dear." I could see at once that Mehitable was completely captivated by the ?irl, and I waited anxiously for her. answer. "Oh, I would not lrouiljl'o Mr Craig. Jack will show me the rose, will rou not ?" And so she called him Jack already. I groaned inwardly as I vvatched the two saunter down the iarden path. Mehitable! turned to ine with her sweet smile, saying : "Is she not lovely?" "I have not noticed anything particularly lovely about her," was my :00l answer. (To be continued.) SPREAD THE NEWS. V T EW PLYMOUTH CITIZJENS ASSISTING IN THE GOOD WORK. Day by day and hour by houi the *' LiUle Conqueror " becomes better known and more respected by the public. Nothing in modem times has reachf-d the high pinnacle oJ popular favour in so short a time ; peoplo talk about it and they have reason to. They tell thoir experiences for the good of their fellow being's, and through gratitude. To publish their expressions Is but to show that the same experience awaits you. Here is the experience ot a New Plymouth citizen : Mr A. Blanehett, coach painter, this town, says :—'' My daughter has suffered a great deal with a pain in her back. It was caused by the unhealthy action of the kidneys. I fancy that kidney trouble is prevalent, in New Plymouth through the water here containing too much iron and not sufficient lime. I got a number of remedies for her, but each one proved useless. At last I i[ot a box of Doan's Backache Kidney pills at the Co-operative Store, in Currie Street. She used this r»medy for a time and lihs been perfectly free of the pain ever since. I consider that such a remedy as Doan's Backache Kidney Pills should bo recommended to all who suffer as she did." Take no substitute. It is Doan's Backacko Kidney Pills which Mr Blanchett recommends, and you want the same remedy. Doan's Backache Kidney Pills arc sold by all chemists and storekeepers at 3/ per box (six boxes 16s 6d) or will be posted on receipt of price by Foster-McClellan Co., 76 Pitt Street, Sydney, N.S.W. But be sure they are DOAN'S.