Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-07-07
Mistellaneaas.
From the N. Y. Waperly.
Gertrude Murray's Story
FOUNDED ON FACT.
BY MAUD EVELYN.

$50 my pretty cousin, you think that every
thing was made TO fulfil some good and wise
purpose. viii your'ladyship be kind enough
to tell we what good you have ever done In
this world y
The speaker was q tail, handsome man, of
perhaps twenty-five. He spoke in rather a
sarcastic tone, and addressed a pretty, roguish
looking young lady, who sat by his side, en-
gagged in some very fine embroidery.
"What Question, cousin Hal, to come
from you" was the reply. "What good have
| done, to be sure. would only like to know
how any thing or any body would do without
me. Who would Papa have to scold: who
your clothes in order; who would Mrs. Med
.dlesome and her interesting clique have to
talk about over their tea; who would buy all
the flimsy, worthless nothngs of the milliners
and merchants if it were not for me, and
thousand others like me; and last, If not
least, what would have become of you, all
this long, dull Skinner, here in this old coun-
try farm house, if it had not been for your
little insignificant cousin Gerty. But hark,
there has an idea just popped into my herd.
will tell you a story and when you have
heard it, guess you will acknowledge that
hare been Of some use in the world. There,
light new cigar, tilt back your chair, put
your feet on the window sill, make yourself
as comfortable as possible Listen.
You remember 'tHe'pretty Mrs. Carol, that
visited ME from S. last summer. She and
| were bosom friends when VIC were at the
Beach Dale Academy together. There, now,
Sir Impudence, you need not arch up your
eyebrows and say schoolgirl friendship! in
such scornful tone. l am not to be laughed
at this morning. But as was saying we
were very intimate: we roon,ed together the
whole time wc were there. II was the first
year of our sojo,lrn that George Carol Came
There. lie was very handsome, and the best
scholar in mathematics in tho Academy
The girls were all in love with him but he
chose Minnie Grey from the bevy of bright
faces that surrounded him: and the conse-
aucnce was that when we went home, at the
close of the fall term, they were engaged
George went home with us. | shall never
foagct how happy they were, and all the time
Minnie knew that her aristocratic fgini1y
would never consent to her marrying poor
mechanic. They had got their plans all laid.
Minnie said she had got education enough as
much as she should require as the wife of
George; SO she should not return to the win
ter school, but should be married New Years.
Poor girl, her bright dreams were OF short du-
ration. On her arrival home, her parents for
bid George the house, and also forbid Minnie
having any intercourse with him ; and the
hardest of it was, Mr.. Grey forced Minnie to
write George letter of disinission. 1t al
most broke her heart. She received, in re-
turn, a letter protesting never dying love and
affection 1t was the last one she ever re-
ceived from him. Ho wrote often, but his
letters were intercepted. George went to tho
cutlery works at S., to work. Minnie
returned with me to school, very much chang
ed from the gay, light hearted girl that left
thcre three weeks before. She went on with
her usual duties, but all the term she grew
thinner and palcr Her friends said it was
hard study: some said she was in consump-
ton, and wondered her parents did not take
her from school, alone, who shared her
room, knew of the sleepless nights spent in
weeping. Thus things went on for nearly
year.
1t was the first Of September, think. We
had Just returned to school after The summer
vacation. Poor Minnie grew thinner and
paler, and at last could not leave her room.
wrote to her father, and told him that his
only daughter was slowly but surely dying of
q broken heart; and if he would save her ne
must consent to her union with George Car
rol. 1t was Of no use he was inexorable.-
He wrote in reply, that the time was long
past when girls died Of broken hearts. He
wrote to Minnie by the same mail that if she
was too ill to attend to her studies she had
better come home. This she concluded to do.
1t was the night before her intended depar-
ture. l shall never forget it. 1t had been a
very hot day, but now the air was cooler
There was every appearance Of q shower
The clouds were piled high in the west; the
lightning flashed, and the thunder roared in
the distance. Minnie sat in an arm chair,
dressed in thin robe of muslin, riviliEg her
face in its whiteness. She reminded me of a
description of dying girl, have somewhere
read;-'The barque was not yet bearing her
away over that dark food which leads to the
better laid; but she stood on the very brink
Of the breaking waves We had had long,
long confidential talk. thought should
never see her again on earth, and was weep
ing bitterly. She had been giving me many
messages for George.
"Gertie, darling" said she, "there Is some
thing tells me shall never see another sun
rise. Oh, if could only see George before
CO."
"slinnie," said |, suddenly springing to my
feet, "it is sin, it is suicide for you TO die in
obeying your unnatural parents. You may