Part 12 (1/2)
”It was not long after breakfast before I wrote and posted a formal little note:
”'Dear Captain Reid,--As you asked ht to send you my address, I do so'
”By return of post I received the following:
”'My Little Zoe,--Only say that you love me, and I will be with you at once'
”My reply was:
”'I think I do love you'
”On receipt of this the Captain put hi the hundred and fifty miles which separated us My lover told me that e parted in London he had feared that it was iet me, and, in spite of all obstacles, had the firm conviction I should yet be his
”My father rather reluctantly gave his consent to our e, the date of which was then fixed
”I reed to marry Captain Reid, despite his objection But his disposition was the
”The last letter fro:
”I shall soon now call you ain into those beautiful eyes
”Your love falls onold, and _blase_, and fear that your love for me is only a romance, which cannot last when you know own and slippers?
”The word _blase_ puzzled me very reatly astonished at hearing the news of theher niece's arrival _en route_ for school
The child had gone to school of a different kind to educate herself in the real experiences of life
After Captain Reid'sincidents occurred in relation to his ”Child Wife” One day Captain Reid, acco a bonnet for her at a fashi+onable ent Street
The milliner had addressed Mrs Reid several times as ”Miss” At last the Captain exclaimed rather sharply:
”This lady isvery ht the young lady was about returning to school, and that you were choosing a bonnet for her to take”
Two years later, when they were residing in the country, Mrs Reid was one day in the baker's shop in the village ordering ahing theht this rather odd, but not liking to appear offended took a biscuit The baker inquired, ”How is Captain and Mrs Reid, miss?” Mrs Mayne Reid wasof course the baker must know her, as she and Captain Reid had often been in the shop She answered: ”Captain Reid is quite well, and _I_ am Mrs Reid”
The old man's face was a study for an artist; he nearly fell back behind his counter, exclaiht you was the young lady visiting at the house during the holidays” The Captain's wife being still taken for a school-girl, it was necessary for her to assunity
It appeared they had fancied that Mrs Mayne Reid was an elderly invalid lady, who did not go out much
About this time Mrs Reid's father was on a visit to thehter on horse-back nearly every day He looked so young that the servants were asked: ”Who is that young gentleot things considerablythe husband for the father, and the father for so of the two, though of about the sae
A short time previous to Captain Mayne Reid's death, he and Mrs Reid were spending an evening at a friend's house, and the late John Oxenford was one of the guests Just as they were taking their departure, Mr Oxenford said to Mrs Reid: ”I have had a very pleasant surprise inas ever” Mrs Reid was rather puzzled, since her father had been dead some years, until the hostess explained: ”This is Captain Mayne Reid's wife, not his daughter”