Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1855-05-10

But when was able to sit I'd. they

before me. ID contained an invitation U
tried to think it was a cordial one) from
this aunt TO make hes residence my future
home.
The kind family isith @hoth had re.
sided since my aunts death were not
wealthy. and so. after many prophetic
m:sgivings. resolred to accept The home
thus offered me. came 10 the city,
reader. lonely orphan girl. without a
friend outside the little village. which i.
almost broke my heart 10 leave.
But the proud mansion. whose tall
stone front looked down coldly and stern.
IL upon me when / accended the broad
steps, aud glanced up al it for the first
time. was no home for me. | soon per-
ceived that my aunt aud her two fair
naughty daughters regarded Inc as an un
welcoms dependent upon their bounty.
whom il would 10 no wise avail their in
teresi to recognise; and some times
wished that was lying under the will
lows. close-oh. so very close!-to Aunt
Mary. May God forgive me! for was
very wre,ched.
Then Julia. you are sure we may de-
pend upon his honoring our soiree with
his presence?'
Perfectly so. Annie. Mr.. Lee. who
is, you know, his most intimate friend.
says we may rely upon him for next Tues.
day. though he had TO refuse several 9TH
er invitations in order TO accept ours
How he is fctcd and worshiped every
where! I'm sure | Shall be grateful TO
Mr. Lee forever. am resolved that our
soiree shall be the most brilliant Of the
season. So distinguished guest certain
~ dema nds an extra Effort on our part
Dear me, Alice. had quite forgotten
you;" and the tone and the glance that
accompanied this remark were ample ev-
idence that The reminder was anything
but agreeable TO my cousin. "Of course
you won, think Of entering the parlors
next Tuesday evening. The society there
will b. go rery unlike anything to which
you have been accustomed in that little
tot the world village. that you would
find yourself sadly out Of place. Then
there is young and very distinguished
orator to be present. about whnm the
fashionable world is inst now in costa
cies, and you couldn't of course. expect
us to present you 10 him. But you can
make yourself useful in some way. |
dare say. The servants will be very bu-
So. and after the company have all ar
rived. you can 20 lie; 10 The dressing room
and arrange the cloans and hats, SO that
the ow aers need not have so much diff
Guilty in identifying them as they did at
our last party. always look forward
with dread 10 that finale Of confusion
bowed my head and left the room,
for tire tears were coming; ard would
not that they should SEE them.
"Oh. Aunt Mary! Amt Mary! if you
could see your little Alice now!' gfoan
I'd iii the agony OF my heart. as laid my
Ih'obbing head on .hc arms | wrapped
together on the table.
And then resolved I would return TO
my village home, though all the light had
gone out of it. Now my health. which
| had not gained when came TO my
aun,'s. was restored. aud though tina,
could establish an in FAINT school in my
old home. and for Aunt Msry's sake the
inha bitanls would aid me in the matter
1t was evening. All alone in my
cha mber at one corner OF the mansion.
| could hear the husrying TO and fro Of
many feet, and TIE rumbI;ng of the car
riase-w heels. as they drew up before the
door. Below me. knew. that the
chandeliers were pouring their floods of
silvery light through the maenifice n
drawing rooms. and flowing over fair
young brows. and winding through The
! through the ringlels that dropped around
them. | thought of the light hearted
girls here Of my own age; aud | envied
them not their happiness. not their rich
es. but the love that was denied 10 me;
and sometimes. when swell Of rich
laughter would come ripping up the
the winding stairs to my cha M Der.
would bury my face in my hands and
weep. And sometimes. thought OF him
for whom all this beauty and chivalry
were assembled; and then ! would won.
der if. nmid all that homage and adula-
ton, his heart would not grow mourn
full a moment. were he to know that. uu-
der that very same roof, broken heart
ed orphan girl was sitting. with no CON-
panions but her memories and her tears.
At last, grew very uneasy, and Sit
ting there with my head resting on my
hands. fell asleep. and dreamed I was
sitting with Aunt Mary by our old cot
tage window once more.
Ii must have been very late when
awoke. for could hear the tide Of com
pany slowly setting up from the dining
hall into the parlors; and. remembering
the task which my cousin had assigned
me. seized light and hurried down
the back stairs to the dressing room.
II presented TO me scene of almost
hopeless confusion; but had at last
succeeded in arranging the garments so
they would readily be recognized by the
owners, when heard footsteps hastily
approaching the door. and vainly looked
round to find some mode Of egress.
You did we'll. Lee, to smusgle me out
oi the room as you did; but necessity
knows not the law of onvenlionalisms
aud ] must hurry off without taking leave
of my hostess and her daughters. Here
are our hats; lucky we've found them"