Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-07-26
vi l - & T. l. l. a NY.
THE CRISIS OF A LIFE

- 'oe'h- ~ ~as dong nothing q seem
ed TO her she vas thinking Of nothing. Bu,
KIND Of soundless voice within her kep,
repeating over and over again the last word
Mr. Granger had said 70 her:
" IL j. an offer. Mis-. Nelson. Which ,ou
would do vel 70 give some thoaghi to-
By-and-by she began % think ofthe tine
al Which sbe bad first entered that house.
Homeless. fricndlcss. almost helpless. she
had applied TO Mr.. Granger for situation
a. governess 20 his little daugh,cr. Just Ie n
mo'heriess. She bad no faith that sbe
would obtain The situation. for she brought
With her no in'erc-s.ion from Others. she
bad no Introduction; she possessed nothing
bot ksr capabilitv and earnestness.
She had been shown into the librarv jus,
AZ dusk. ThrOugh the glirnuner q picture
frames and The shine Of polished walnut she
made out tha, the room ~as unocupied and
AT do~n 20 ~aii. The faint frclirht shos-
ed ho- rich the place ~as. and Il "a very
qa'ei There -As a staay-ch arr drawn upon
the hearth rug. book open in she reading
rAok. profusion Of papers on a table ne.r
BY. and -Atch ticking among then. The
comfortable ticking q the wateh sounded
With the ~Ailing -ind beyond the -indow
draPery'' warn foids. Soc listened % both
% a so't 81 s'uPor caused By the wearines,
Of hrcastInE thc rough ucathcr.
Soddcnly. wiihout a sosnd. TIE door
swung open softly. and a geutieman enter.
ed. vent across the soft earpet and turned
up the eas. Then b. turned 10 bsr. saving
courtcouslv:
- DO you wish @ see meP-
q" Mr. Grangcrs-
"Y~s~
She vas impressed a. never before With
the utter gcnileness Of a gentleman. She
made known her errana. and waited pa.
,ienily under BIS kind bat eomprrben.ivc
eyes
Looking a. TheodorA Nelson. Mr.. Gran.
ger though; that there ~as one uoua, a,
least. ~ho had not though, ofhis being
rich. ehgiblc.-Ii ~as a relieving tboueLi
alter The experiences be RAD kno-n lurinr
The PAS; month. lie said.-" think Nc
-ill Try each other. Ma. Neison.-
The -ords we're a shock Of pleasure 70
Tbeodo'A. she ~as % tired. the place va.
80 rcstfui. and shc uas not sure ubere she
should lay ber bead that night II "a,
comfort and peace opening before her. q
place where she oouid drop her bsr,lea Of
cArs. and BE- kindly enfoldcd in an atn.o.-
pbere Of peace She did no, lno~ tha,
Mr. Granger saw her eyes foil of tear. As
they parted.
How maeh had happened that nigh.
EPisode after episode swept across her
mental VISION. The first beautifully served
meal ~hich sbc ate IN the pretty breskia.,
room. tbe first glimpse % Dora Granger.
iair htie face. the dainty CHAMBER assign
cd bcr. IN vhich sLe could Dot a. 6rst sleep
for oomlor. Many eight sbe had IAN
watching the Piay of the I'D frehght upon
the ceiling. sn-iliing 70 - % sleep beeasse
no dream ooald BE- % happy - The waking
revere Sbe never lost her pleasure 10
these thngs. familiar ~ taste anI luxury
became % her daily life
She thoughi oftbe frst Chri.;mas that 81
had hvsd there. snd q the grateful pleas
urc vhich s~elied hrr heart When NJ. Gran
ger pui INTO her band = little tiny Ficrcn-
tine watch ~hiie the next Instant little
Dora sprang forward 18th beautifully cot
esmeo-her giii. Why. sho had never Rad
Chris'mas present before in al her lifc ,
Shs thoaghs q q night -hen Dora had
been taken danrcrousiy 30 uitb the Group.
snd ho-. A. Il the child -ere her own aesh
snd blood. sbc hai wa,ched and prayed
~iih her father
+ She remembered che evening. IN tbe
beauiIfsi oid library. % quiet and hfigh,
morning drives. pieasant forenoon study
boars. music lessons. given in the long
psriors. vhero Mr. Granger valkei the
hoor barred in thoughi. an agreeable So
pernuucray lie had reused up some
times fo scc uhai they vcrs huching az.
buf uas usually absent minded.
That his thoughfs sore not aiuays pleas
ant. Iheo.Lora came to knos.
There "a a sore pisce in his iiie vhIch
b. broodcd over 80 frst sbs behaved ii
90 - ihe los Of bis -iie. bet respectfully
a. b. mentioned b Dora her dead mother.
b. never showed ior The chiiI nor ior hin,-
seif. a sense % great loss. La nan fne
naturei and tender hearted a. was Curti.
Granger. this as sIsnge.
Thcodora dii not knou ho~ i uss ia,
she cane % uniersfani that sbe uas c.i.a-
BE % Bringing pleasure % Dora's father.
Bst she ieii ihat be va hsppies, IN the
evenings uben ths three vcrc alone. sua
shs vas in mood 10 laagh AL talk freely
/ In fhose times Nr Grnrrrr uasfH kfnIl-