Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-02-18

t"binhrrnt, when she perceived her to be the
stranger who had accosted her in the street
Witt! a start, and q bright smile of ofrecognition,
she held out her hand With modification
she saw that the old lady did not or would not
recognize her. Her hand was Just touched,
not taken, and brief inquiry made after her
health, in business like tone, to which Annie,
instantly rel"psing into even more than her
usual icincss Of manner, replied lacOnically, al
most hanghtiy. Her step.mother's glance
sought Mrs. LOthrop With an expression which
said: You see it is as told you"
Annie was then named to the elegant and
distinguished looking stranger, converSing with
Edith Hartley in the bay window. and who
was so engrossed with his fair companion, he
barely gave her bow, scarcely glancc.
Mrs. Rathburn was delighted at Annic's
cool reception from Mrs. Lothrop, so different
from what Edith's and Eva's had been. She
did not reflect that these young ladies'. acting
according TO her instruction, had given the
lady no choice, but had received her with such
rapturcs, and ovcrw hclmed her with so many
attentions and caresses, that she could not
have rcpulSed them without absolute rudeness.
But Mrs. Lothrop did not consider this, and
congratulated herself that her hints regarding
3nrie tiad so marked an effect.
Annie was not mistaken in her apprehension
Of annoynnces and notifications; they were,
Indeed islnutnGtalIlo,- ShVE4erer opposed words
20 injustice, or condcscendrd to explanations
Whrn n child, goadcd Mt times beyond her
quick, warm temper to bear, she would give
way to the most violent paroxysmS Of tears
and passion; hut that was long ngO. and she
had had both time and opportunity to learn
command OF tongue and temper; therefore she
endured the taunts aud SarcasmS, apparently
hidden from others by their clothing of smiles
and klndness-the wrong construction put on
her words, and the false motives ascrbed to
her actions silently and with an ilninuvablc
c"untenance; and when ut last she took refuge
with W lille the greater part Of the time Mrs
lathburn, with panied air. chopped Mrs. Lo.
throp would excuse poor, dear Annie incivi-
ty in ncglccting to render the attentions due
u her, aud the unnecessary abseiltiHg ell Aer-
self from her presence. She had vcntured to
hope that Annie at least would treat with re-.
spect 50 dear II friend Of her fathers AS for
affection. She had long since desparcd of her
feeling that for any one indeed, she seemed
to be without heart or frcling-she cared for
no living thing but herself No one could tell
the grief and trouble she had caused hcr-so
different from her other children, with their
affcctionatc and uaselfsh dispositions, who
would do all they could to repnir Anne's neg.
lcct; they themselves were obliged TO bear Il
great deal from her"
AS Mrs. Lothrop listened TO this aud other
like remarks with attention and in silence,
Mrs. Rathburn became sure of her sympathy,
md grew less guarded in her manner of speak
ing to and of Annie
One morning Mrs. L0throp, who had come
in her own carriage, said she would be happy
10 have two Of the ladies accompany Mr.. Kirk.
wood and herself to a short drive Mrs. Rath.
burn, whose income did not permit of an es.
tablishment, replied that Edith would be de-
lighted to go-she herself would be most hap.
py to accompany them, but some domestic af.
fairs required her personal superintendence,
therefore Eva would take her place.
Anne, who was present, seemed to be en-
trely out of the question. Mrs. Rathburn saw
Mrs. Lothrop glance at her, and replied to the
look by saying, in low voice, but audible to
all:
:" should have proposed Anries going, hut
could not bear to inilict her upon you. You
know she does make herself so disagrccablc I!
She would not enjoy it herself, nor suffer any
one else to do so"
" Is the girl an idotl" thought Mr.. Kirk.
wood, glancing at Annies nanimatc face dur.
ing this speech. 1t was the first thought or
glance he had given her, and she was speedily
iorgottenin in the fascinating attractions of Edith.
Dupcd duped completely by their art and
t!attery :! thought Annie. bitterly and with a
slight feeling of contempt for Mrs. Lothrop's
weakness looking up for the first time, as they
were going out Of the room, and meeting the
eyes of the subject of her thoughts fixed upon
her with the same keen glance she had felt the
morning Of their first acquaintance, seeming to
read her thoughts.
Servants are quick to learn the degree ofcs-
timatiOn in which the various members are
held. new servant had been engaged n few
days before Mrs. LOthrop's arrival She soon
perceived 1t was not necessary to take much
pains to please "only Annie" She entered
the room one morning to ask Mrs Rathburn
where She should find some articles She need
ed Mrs. Rathburn was very busily engaged,
and replied
ASK Miss Edith if she will plcase-no
there's Annie ! tell her to show YOU"
The girl approached Annie, and said, famil-
iarly:
Annie! Mrs. Rathburn SAYS YOU are to
show me where to find the new curtains to the
cast chamber"
Annie neither moved nor seemed to hear.
The girl repeated her name. Annie looked up
and asked quietly:
DO you wish anything Of Miss Annie ?"
The girl understood the rcprooi, and looked
abashtd; She said, respectfully:
- If You would please, Miss Annie, to show
me where to find the curtains"
The young girl rose and followed her out,
and was never after addressed by her save in
respectful manner
As Annie passed Mrs. Rathburn in going
ont of the room the latter said cooly, to Eva:
AnneS dignity seems to cause her great
deal of trouble"
Susan was not the only person from whom
Annie was forced to exact respect.
The children were both in the library: it
was cheerful, sunny room, and little Willie
had been carried into it during the airing OF
the nursery. Annie was with them.
The door opened suddenly and Mr.. Kirk.
wood looked in. lie had seen but little of
Annie; it is doubtful, in truth, if he could
have told in what relationship she stood to the
beautiful Edith, so little had he needed her
That she was not considered of much impOr.
tance III the family he must have been aware:
and, Judging from this as well as from her
manner, concluded, without giving the subject
further thought, that she was in reality the
weak, chaFaeterless girl she seemed. q
This opinion might unconsciously have in
fiuenced him, or else in his hastcshe was for.
getful; at all events, though he was usually a
courteous man, even to his interiors, he said.
without the morning salutation:
All! thought Miss Edith was here. Can
you tell me where she is!"
~