Mildred: An Autumn Romance.

lovely Protestant Church ( Avith the great gaheries and the round-headed AvindoAvs , the dirty higlrpeAvs , and the dirty-surpliced parson ) Avas making her way doAvn the nave to open the doors ancl receive her customary fees Avith a curtsey , dependent upon its depth to the amount bestoAved , Avhen Marmaduke drew himself up at the door , and addressing himself to Mr . Jarvis , and quietly AvithdraAving his arm from that of his neAvly-made bride , said , —

" Sir , you have forced me to do AA'hat you wished , ancl for AA'hat I fear you have schemed . I have given your daughter my name , and I shall never see her nor you any more . " ' With that he walked cooEy ancl calmly out of the church , leaA'ing the rest in chsmay . Georgie fainted this time reaEy and not in pretenceand before she had recoA'ered

, he had hailed a fly Avhich chanced to be passing , or , what Avas more Ekely , had been engaged for the purpose : in less than haE an hour he had left Colchester , and the folloAA'ing day saEed for the West Indies . Ancl this Avas Marmaduke '' s story . It Avas at a late hour Avhen the conversation Avas concluded , for Marmaduke told his father all , and the meeting Avas a stormy one .

When Marmaduke had done , the General got up ancl paced the room for some minutes ii'ithout a AA ' OI-CL '• He AA'as eAddently revolving some scheme in his OAvn mind . The son , sitting ancl looking moodily into the fire , Avith his legs outstretched ancl his hands deep doAvn in his pockets , quietly AA-aited to hear Avhat his father had to say .

At last the General halted , and looking keenly at his son , said , — "And this is the truth , sir ?" "I regret to say it is , father . " " And you married this girl ? " "I click " " HaA'e you ever seen her since ? " " NeA'er . She did me a great Avrong in compelhng me to marry her . I neA'er wish to see her again . " " Do you knoAV where she hves ? "

"I knoAV nothing of her ; nothing Avhatever ; but I belieA'e they left Colchester . " The General muttering sotto voce , " Humph , then that won't do , " resumed his military stride up and down the spacious chamber . Presently an idea seemed to strike him , for , turning suddenly on his heel and coming up to the fire into AA'hich his son was looking abstractedly and moodily as before , he said , — " You were married at St . Peter ' s ChurchColchester ? "

, " Yes . " "In Avhat name ?" " Marmaduke Matthew . " " Do you happen to remember that you have another Christian name ? " " WeE , yes , Wynfield ; but I never use it . " " Did that strike you at the time . "

"No . " " HOAV did you sign your surname ? " " WeE , they spelt it Avith tAvo its in the license hy mistake , and as I did not AA'a-nt marriage to get to yom- ears , I repeated the blunder . " " So that in fact Marmaduke Wynfield MatheAv Avas not married to this Miss Jarvis , but Marmaduke MattheAv ?"

" ^ . 1 , ue > but 1 fail to see your drift ; Avhat matter could that make ? " Simply this , that your marriage is irregular , Elegal , and I imagine A'oid . " v ^ r .. % S ° ? at first lightened at this idea , and then seemed to come to some quiet ^ soiye , tor he stood up , and facing his father replied , — 1 cannot fad to see HOAV that there is a possible Avay of escape from a marriage