Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-14
A POOR RELATION.


snow on the streets, genuine Gondon snow /
hslf-thawed, and trodden, and defled with |
mud. 1 remembered it well, that snow,
though it was fftsen years since l had last |
seen its cherries face There It lay, in the |
same old ruts, and spreading the same old |
snares on the side paths. Only few hours |
arrived from South America Uia Southamp-
tor. 1 sat in my room at Morley's Hotel,
Cbaring Cross, and looked gloomily out
at The fountains walked up and down the
foor discontentedly, and fereely tried my
best to feel glsd that was wsnderer no
mora, and thst had indeed got homo at
lsst.
poked up my fire. and took long look
backward upon my past life, through tho
embers. remembered how my childhood
had been embittered by dependence, how
myrieh and respectable uncle, whose ruling
passion was vsin-glOry, had looked on my
existence as q nuisance, not so much be-
cause he was obliged to open his purse to
nav for nv clothing and education, as be-
cs1se that when q man, he thought could
reflect No credit upon his name. remem-
bered how in those days 1 had soul for
the besutiful, and certain almost woman
ian tenderness of heart, which by dint OF
much sneering had been successfully ex-
trscted from me. remembered my uncle's
nnconcesled relief at my determination to
90 abroad and seek my fortune, the cold
good by Of my only cousin, the lonely BIT
ter farewell to England, hardly sweetened
bv the impatient hopes that consumed
rather than cheered me-the hopes OF
name and gold, woR bymy own eIertions,
with which should yet wiring from those
who despised me theworthless respect which
they denied me now.
Sitting there at the fire, rang the bell,
and the waiter came to me; sn old man
whose face l remembered. I asked him
some questions. Yes, he knew Mr. George
Rutland; recollected that many years ago
he used to stay at Morley's when he came
TO London. The old gentleman had al
ways stayed there. But Mr.. George was
too grand for Morley's now. The family
ALWAYS came to town in the spring, but, at
tbis season. rRutland Hall, Kent" would
be pretty sure to be their address.
Having obtained all the information l
desired. / began forthwith to write let
ter:
aDEAR GEORGE. I dare say you Will be
as much surprised 20 see my handwriting
as Won would be TO behold an apparition
from the dead. However, you know l was
always ne'er-do-weel and have not hRd
the grace to die yet am ashamed not to
be able to announce myself IS having re-
turned home with my fortune made but
mishaps will follow the most hard-working
and weil-meaning. 1 am still young man
even though fifteen of the best years OF my
lie NAV have been lost, and am willing
to devote myself to any worthy occupation.
/ Meantime, l an anxious 10 sec you and
yours. a long absence from home and
i kindred makes one value the grasp OF a
friendly hand. 1 shall not wait for your
reply to this. but 60 down to Kent the day
| after tomorrow, arriving, 1 believe, about
4 dinner time. You see am making myself
sssured OF your welcome Tor fe| weeks,
till I have time to look about.
"I remain, dear George, your Old iIieno
and cousin."
1 folded this missive and placed it In IFS
envelope. 81 shall find out once for oil,
what they arc made o" Issid eomplacent-
", as 1 wrote the address, "George Rutland
Erq. Rutland Hall, Kent"
1t was about seven on frosty evening
when I arrived at the imposing entrances
of Rutland Hall. No Cousin George came
rushing out to meet me. H0f course not y
thought: "I am unused to their formal
manners in this country. HeIs lying in
wait for me on the mat inside" was ad-
nnitted by o solemn person as quietly and
mechanically as though my restoration to
home and kindred were thing that had
happened regularly in his presence every
day since his birth. He ushered me into
a grand hall, but no mat supported the i'm
patient feet Of the dignifed master of the
house. "Ah ~ said 1, "even this, perhaps,
were scarcely etiquette. No doubt he
stands chatting on,the drawing-room hearth
rug, and have little enough time to make
myself presentable before dinner So,
resigning myself to circumstances, meek
| " followed a guide who volunteered to
conduct me to the chamber assigned to my
especial use. had to travel considers
1 bic distance before 1 reached it. "Dear
metr I remarked to myself when / did
reach it, ~ had expected to find the rooms
in such a house more elegantly appointed
than this r
made my toilet, and again submitting
myself to my guide was conveyed to the
drswing-room door. ALI the way down
stairs, had been coming pleasant speech
es with which to greet my kinsfolk. 1 ana
not brilliant person, but Isometimes sue
ceed in pleasing when try, and on this
occasion I had the desire to do my best.
The drawing room door was at the dis
tant end o. the hsll, and my arrival had
been so quiet that conceived my expect
ant entertainers could hardly be aware of
my presence in the house. 1 thought
should give them 8 surprise. The door
opened and closed upon me, leaving me
within the room. 1 looked around me and
ssw-dsrkness there and nothingImore.
All, yes, but there was something moreI
There was blazing fire which sent eddy
ing swirls of light through the shadows,
and right in the blush Of its warmth a lit
tie figure was lounging in an easy chair.
The little figure was a girl of apparently
about fifteen or sixteen years. of sge, dres-
sed in 8 short, shabby black frock, who was
evidently spelling her eyes by reading by
the freight. She lay with her head
thrown back, q mass of fair curly hair be-
ing thus tossed over the velvet cushion on
which it rested, while she held her book
sloft to catch the light. She was lu1uria-
ting in her solitude, and little dreaming of
interruption.
She wss-so absorbed in her book, the
door had opened and closed so noiselessly.
and the room was so large, that was
obliged to make sound to engage her at
tention. She started violently then, snd
looked up with a nervous fearfulness in her
face. She dropped her book, sat upright,
and put out her hand, eagerly grasping q
thing had not noticed before, and which
leaned against the chair-s crutch. She
then got up and leaned on it and stood be-
fore me. The poor little thing was lame,
and had two crutches by her.
introduced myself, and her fear SEEM
ed to subside. She asked me to sit down,
with prim little assumption of at-home-
ness, which did not sit upon her with ease
She picked up her book and laid it on her