HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 23 November 1907, Page 3

HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD.

By E. 11. lloujfh. Essie Fowler was young, pretty, and romantic, and, of course, like all'pretty and romantic girls, had her ideal of the hero who would one day present himself as a candidate for her heart and hand. She knew exactly how he would look, how he would act, and know he would sue for her love—she had rehearsed it a thousand times, varying it a Utile, so as to imparl to it a flavour of freshness, betimes. He was to be tall and graceful—she could not abide little men—although her father was of very medium height, and becoming what his well-contented better half was wont to remark, "podgy" besides, • But Elsie flattered herself that she would display better taste than had evidently inspired her mother to choose John Fowler. And he was to have deep, thrilling, dark eyes, a long silken moustache, shapely feet and hands, and an irreproachable costume. Shu wondered how main- years she would have to wait before he would find his way to their little out-of-the-way town; but romantic youth is ever hopeful, and Essie continued to look and wait for the advent of this "conquering hero," much to the amusement of such of her female acquaintances as were her confidantes on the subject, and several of whom improved the opportunities that fate presented, and married ahead of her although in one or two instances thev were a year or two younger. She had just parted from one of these more easily suited friends one dav, and was walking along in a rather discon-

tented state of mind, feeling as though she was wasting the sweetness of her dainty spring costume, her becominghat, and the pretty face beneath it, on the desert air, and rather disposed to quarrel with Fate for protracting her hopes to such an unreasonable extent, when a more than usually audacious

gust of wind, careering around over her head, caught her hat, in spite of the hat pm that should have secured it, but didn't, and sent it flying across the road. Essie's cry of dismay deepened to one of positive honor as she saw it making straight for a poo] of muddv

watcr a few yards distant, with the evident malicious purpose of depositing itself in the same, which would involve its utter destruction; but just at the last

moment, a man, who was aproaching from another direction—a short, somewhat stubby individual, with a goodnatured, but sunburned and frcckelcd face, and dressed in clothes that had seen considerable wear, spied the predicament, and with an opportune bound he reached the spot just as the hat was about to settle down on the water, and grabbed it. He bid fair to fall over it at first, and Essie caught her breath with a gasp of horror ,for she was morally certain he was going to step on il and ruin it irretrievably—but he didn't; and the next minute he had reached her side and was handing it u> her. with the good-humoured remark :

_ 'Just in time to save that prettv bit of millinery, ma'am. It would have been too b.id to have il spoiled." "Indeed, it would," replied Essie, forgetting, in her gratitude, that he was a perfect stranger. "1 am ever so much obliged to you, sir." "Don't mention it," was the cordial response, as he touched his hat. and then went on his way, whistling in a clear- rinuinii voice.

"lie is jusl the man (.hat you have been wailing for, Essie," said one of her friends who had come up just at this moment. "And he is a'great deal better than most of the heroes 1 have read about—for I never knew any of them to do so useful a thing as to save

a new hat from the mud. That's the kind of a fellow worth having." "Do stop your nonsense, Nell!" exclaimed Essie, quite scandalised. "It was all very well for him to save my hat, but as for taking him for my Why, I wouldn't look at him, and vou know it." "Well, you can't look at him now, for he's out of sight," retorted practical Nell. "But the next time vou meet him you may be very glad to"look at him :T- i-n't handsome or tall, but he has a igu'ju, li.uest face, and nice eves, and

that s worth a great deal more-for everyday wear than a figure like a tailor's model." "Please don't discuss it any more," said Essie, with her most superior air. "It is impossible for you to understand my feelings, and I don't wish to quarrel with you."

And the remainder of the walk was taken in silence. But it did seem as if Nell was among the prophets, for, not more than two hours later, Essie went over to a friend's house a few streets away to procure some fresh eggs, intending to make a cake. She had made her purchase and was starting home, wlvn a stray dog jumped at her from behind a hedge and caught her by the dress, holding on in spite of her efforts to drive him away. Essie did not want to have her dress torn, nor drop her eggs, although both disasters appeared to imminent; neither did she relish the idea of dancing about the road for an indefinite while with such an undesirable partner. She had about made up her mind to sacrifice the eggs

and thus get both her hands free to rescue her dress, when a lusty voice rang out: "Hold on a minute! I'll let you loose!" and, looking around, she saw her acquaintance of a few hours' previous coming toward her on a run. He carried a switch in his hand, a few strokes from which induced the dog to loosen his hold, and then, holding out his hand, he said, pleasantly: "Better let mc carry those eggs and walk along with you. I'm going your way." Essie handed him her bundle without any demur, and said in a somewhat tremulous tone: "It was very kind ann nice, ot you, I am sure. May I know to whom I am indebted for this second favour?"

"Why, certainly," was the reply. "My name is John Spencer. I've bought a house in this place; but I have let it; and I am staying at the inn, for the pre: cat. And I'm very glad to be of use to you, Miss Fowler." "Why, how did you know my name?" asked Essie, dimpling with surprise. "I saw you in church last Sunday, and heard you sing," replied Mr Spencer, frankly. "And 1 asked your name and where you lived. 1 always like to find out who my neighbours are." "Well, 1 like his impudence!" thought Essie, indignantly. But she. did not have time to say any more then, for her own gate was reached, and, reaching for the eggs, she said a little stiffly:

"Thank you very much," gave Mr. Spencer a cold nod, and hastened in. The first thing she did, however, was to inspect her dress with a feeling of great satisfaction that it was not injured. And by the time her cake was mixed and ready for the oven, she h.- ; ,:l made up her mind that it was vcry-jfiandy to have someone about in an emergency, and that if he had a mind to admire her, she could not help that—and she would be civil to him, of course—but that was all he could expect. ... _,. Equally, of course, she'was not at all surprised to see him at church the next Sunday, and, somehow, his hearty grasp of the hand was a pleasant change from the lackadaisical touch affected by a few of the would-be dudes of the village, who were cjuite content to admire Essie at a distance, since it did not entail any exertion on their part. She had found out, moreover, that John had a very nice bass voice—he sat near enough to her in church for that— and it chimed in very nicely with her own. After that he seemed to be übiquitous, she met him so constantly, and, after ho had helped her across a slippery bridge over a stream she was rashly attempting to cross, just as she had reached the most critical point; picked up her bundles another time, when a mob of boys racing past her had scattered them far and wide; appeared just in time on another occasion to right her inverted umbrella, with which she was unsuccessfully struggling in agusty rainstorm ;and, finally, caught her from under the very hoofs of a pair of horses against which she ran while attempting to get out of the way of a cart coming from another direction, as she was crossing the street one evening—Essie bogan to feel that she could not go out with any comfort unless John was somewhere near, and to wonder how she ever got along before she made his acquaintance. Never was there a fellow so ready and so handy in every emergency, so ingenious to devise ways out of difficulties, and so good-natured and merry through it all. How it happened Essie never could explain, but the first thingshe knew he was her constant companion, going with her everywhere, looking out for her comfort and convenience, with that quiet, constant thoughtfulness that is more attractive and grateful to a woman than any number of mpre compliments or gallant speeches. And, finally, one evening, when he had walked home with her from church, he stopped a moment, when they reached the porch, and, keeping hold of the hand that she had extended in parting, said, simply: "Essie, before I go 1 want to ask you a question. My tenants are getting ready to move, and 1 don't care to have an-- more. I want to live in the house myself, with a dear little wife to love and caro for, and come home to after my clay's work is done, and 1 don't want anyone but you, Essie, if you will have me. Do you think you can love me well enough to be my wife, Essie?" lie stood looking up at her, with a tender light on his face that made it beautiful to her, and made him seem everything that her romantic fancy had ever painted, and, drawing her hand away, she put both hands on his shoulders, and, looking down into his eyes with a smile in her own, she answered simply, but with heartfelt sincerity: "I am sure 1 could, John!" "My own dear little fill!" And the kiss and embrace (hat followed were rapturous enough to have suited the most exacting sweetheart. "Didn't I tell you so?" exulted Nell, when she came lo hear the news, and received an invitation to be bridesmaid. Then, with mock reproach.

"I declare 1 am ashamed of you, Essie! after all the glowing pictures you have drawn, of a tall, graceful, kingly,commanding "

"Keep still!" commanded Essie, with the sang froid of perfect contentment, "John isn't but two niches taller than I am, and he is sunburned and has freckles, and never wore a pair of patent leather shoes in his life, or owned a cane; and he havu't got any silken moustache, only sandy whiskers; but Nell"—with an ecstatic squeeze—"l'll tell you a secret —he's the dearest fellow that ever lived, and I wouldn't exchange him for a king, and I'm the happiest girl in the world, so there!" "I see there is no use talking with you!" retorted Nell, with mock resignation. "For, strange as it may appear, after all, you have found your ideal.''