The Argosy — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

28 Selina Radcliffe's Home. “T am going there to be with Mr. Radcliffe,” spoke Selina, in her throat, asif she meant to choke. “To be with old Radcliffe !—Why, the child’s gone cranky! Paul Radcliffe don’t need a governess.” | ‘“‘He wants to marry me.” “Mercy upon us!” cried the old lady, lifting both hands in her amazement. And Selina burst into sobs again. Yes, it was true. Paul Radcliffe, who was fifty years of age, if a day, and had a son over twenty, had been proposing marriage to that bright young girl! They had met in the fields often, it turned out, and Mr. Radcliffe had been making his hay while the sun shone. Everybody went on at her. ‘It would be better to go into a prison than into that gloomy Sand- stone Torr—a young girl like you, Selina,” said Mrs. Todhetley. ‘It would be sheer madness,” “Why, you’d never go and sacrifice yourself to that old man!” cried the Squire, who was just as outspoken and impulsive and good- hearted then as in these latter years. ‘‘He ought to be ashamed of himself. It would be like June and December.” But all they said was of no use in the end. It was not that Selina, poor girl, was in love with Mr. Radcliffe—one could as well have fancied her in love with the grizzly old bear, just then exhibiting him- self at Church Dykely in a travelling caravan. But it was her position. Without money, without a home, without a resource of any kind for — the future, save that of teaching for her bread, the prospect of becom- ing mistress of Sandstone Torr was something fascinating. ‘“‘T do so dislike the thought of spending my whole life in teaching !” — she pleaded in apology, the bitter tears streaming down her face. “You cannot tell what it 1s to feel dependent.” “Td rather sweep chimneys than marry Paul Radcliffe if I were a pretty young girl like you,” stormed the old lady. ‘‘ Since papa died you don’t know what the feeling has been,” sobbed Selina. ‘“ Many a night have I lain awake with the misery of EnOmIRE that I had no claim to a place in the wide world.” *‘T am sure you are welcome to stay here,” said the Squire. “Yes; as long as I am here myself,” added his mother. “ After that—well, I suppose it wouldn’t be proper for you to stay.” ‘“ You are all kindness ; I shall never meet with such friends again ; and I know that I am welcome to stay as long as I like,” she answered — in the saddest of tones. “ But the time of my departure must come ~ sometime ; and though the world lies before me, there is no refuge for | me init. It is very good of Mr. Radcliffe to offer to make me his wife and to give me a home at the Torr.” 7 “Oh, is it, though!” retorted the Squire. “ Trust him for knowing on which side his bread’s buttered.” Gomicbooks.com