The Daughter of a Soldier by L.T. Meade

There come in life moments, perhaps hours, perhaps days, perhaps even months of perfect bliss, and this glorious happening -- these sunshiny days, hours, and months -- came to little Maureen O'Brien while she lived with Colonel Herbert. She had undoubtedly had a most severe shock, and as her illness had been long and dangerous, so undoubtedly was her recovery somewhat tedious; but by degrees her little larklike voice could be heard singing about the house; and then all kinds of indescribable changes took place at Rathclaren. It was a handsome and stately home before Maureen arrived there, but now it became a beautiful home. The Colonel could not quite make out what had altered it. He did not know that a great nest of daffodils in a certain corner of his vast library made the room all aglow with light. He could not guess why the piano began to sound in the old-fashioned drawing-room, and why a pretty soft voice sang all kinds of old-fashioned songs -- "The Dark Rosaleen" for one, "The Wearing o' the Green" for another, and Moore's inimitable melodies --

"Oh, there's nothing half so sweet in life As love's young dream!"