Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-14
.utland. Teecie Rsy is woman, I tell

Rutland. Teecie Rsy is e woman, tell
you.
Teecie RsY woman could not help
laughing. Whst2 Ny little benefaetress,
my little mother am afraid scandal
lied Lady Thornton on that occasion by
my utter seorn Of her proposition. Chris
tina Rutland swept into the room at this
crisis, and relieved me in my difficulty.
But often afierward, during that day, I
laughed when l thought of Lady Thorn
toms piece of information. Teecie Ray a
woman Preposterous
One morning, when it wanted but week
of the party, curious event occurred. The
heads of the house met in consultation on
the matter, in the library, before breakfast.
An extraordinary thing had arrived from
London at Rutlsnd Hall. The Thing was
large wooden case directed to Teeeie
Ray. On being eagerly opened, it was
found to contain a pair of crntches.
And such pair of crutehes Light and
symmetrical, and fanciful, works of art in
their way. Tortoise-shell stems with sil-
yer mountings of exquisite workmanship
capped with dainty little cushions of en-
broidered velvet Thunder-strieken were
the elders of the house. "Who could
have done this 2" was on every lip. Who
indeed2 Who outside of Rutland Hall
had ever heard of Teecie Rsy2 These
crutches were costly affairs. knew the
conclusion they come to, one and all. They
pitched on Sir Harry as thu culprit 1t was
thorn in thoir side, and rubbed my
hands in glee.
Having considered the question in their
dismsy, they decided that Teeeie should
be kept in ignorance of her mysterious
present. It was rot fiji for her to use, it
| would fill her mind with absurd ideas. And
so in spite of tho arrival of her beautiful
new crutches, poor Teeeie still sat helpless
in the nursery. The wooden case and. its
contents were hidden away, and no word
was spoken of their existence.
| waited few days to see if tho elders
would relent, but to no purpose. The bird
still pined on its perch. No kindly hand
seemed likely to open the cage door and
let it fly. There sat Teeeie, day after day,
in her nursery chair, herlming aprons for
nurse, or aarning the childrsn's stockings,
locking out of the window, and growing
pale from want of fresh air. Still never
rebelling, never complaining. Meantime
the stir of Christmas preparation was agi'
tating the whole household, and the chill
dren we're full of rapture at the prospect
, of Lady Thornton Christmas party. There
was great excitement in the nursery about
pretty new dresses, wonderful fussng
about ribbons, and muslins and ffipperies
Teecie alone sat silent in her shabby froek
, By and by her hands were full, bowing uE
ssshes, sewing on tuckers, stitching Tosette:
on shoes. She was nimble workw0nRn
and they kept her busy. Seeing how wei
q lapful of bright ribbons become her,
thought it pity she should not haFe {
gay dress as well as the rest.
Nobody said "Teecie, what win yoI
wear?" nor even, "Teecie, are not you in
vited too p No enc seemed to expect TO
f a moment that Teecie could wish to b,
merry with the rest. How could she go
she who was lame and had no crutohes
, It happened that 1 had an errahd t,
q the nearest town. 1t was rather lat
when, on my return, called at the bes
| millinery establishment in the place ant
/ asked for parcel.
Yes the parcel was ready. a large fla
l box. "Would tho gentleman ike to Sc
/ the lady's pretty dress p The box wa
> opened, and cloud of some airy fabri
{ shaken out under my eyes. I cannot, c
1 | course, describe it, but it was somethini
a white very transparent, with something
!. else of pink just blushing through it. l
& was very tasteful, 1 pronounced. trying t
I look wise. There was only one fault
: HDid it not seem rather long for a. littl
a | girl 2" l asked, remembering the fgur
9 it was to sdorn, with its short skirt jut
= coming to the top of the boots 50 wel
worn and mended.
f "Oh, sir," said the Gilliner with dignity
: "you said the young lady was eightee
s years of age, and of course we have give
: her flowing skirt y
T 1t was late in the evening when
n reached home. Two merry carriage-ful
were just departing from the deor as
q drove up. A few minutes afterwards
4 was in the nursery with the milliner
4 parcel in my hands. There sat dear III
s tle Cinderella, resting one flushed chez
) on her hand, and contemplating the Ii
r ter of scraps Of ribbon, fragments of lac
n cissors, flowers and reels of cotton, whic
lay scattered around her. She had: had
n tollsome, tiresome day, and now they hs
!. got all they wanted of her, and had le
4 to her solitude.
: A flush of pleasure sprung to her fat
= when she saw mo.
aOh! 1 thought you had gone with th
It rest" she said.
d "No," said l, have not gone yet, but
am going presently. 1 came for you"
q "For me r she echoed in dismsy. "Yo
= know 1 could not 60. l have no dree
Il even if 1 could walk"
: "a friend has sent you dress SAT-
1 I 4clr
1 crutches. Nurse will you please TO taB
/. this box and get Miss Teecie ready
Y quickly as possible Tie carriage
waiting for US at the door.
Il Teecie flushed very red at first, and
J. thought she was going to burst out cryini
J and then she turned pale and locke
n frightened. Nurse, 70 whom had slil
a ped munifcent Christmas box, immed
d stelp went into raptures over the prett
II dress.
h "Come, Tcecie,' 1 said, snake haste
q And, trembling between dread and deligl
b Teecie suffered herself tobe carried of
,s her toilette.
o By the time returned from an explo
ing expedition, with the wonderful silve
n snd-gold- crutcbes under 10
IS arm, Teecie was ready.
e Teecie was ready. Those three simp
r little words mean so much that I feel
: must stop and try to translate them I'M
d all they are bound to convey. They
n not mean that Teecie, the child whom
s was wont to call my little benefsctress, NJ
q little mother, had got nice newfrock, an
was equipped for a juvenile party ikeotl
O or children. But they mean that ther
d when 1 came back, stood q beautiful gi
e by the nursery fire, in a fair, sweepinI
q biush-colored robo. When she turned hi
n head, saw that the sweet face framed
+ its child like curls was the same still IL
a old Teecie Ray was gone, and here WI
e (peccavi, Lady Thornton) y lovely w
4 man
n We were all three 1udicrously amazed {