The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-02-01

/ saw him draw his arm from round
her waist, and she went toward the
house.
Where is Miss Frances?" said to
with her sister," replied Miss
Howard.
''She;s in the kitchen with the
servants, f" I retorted; and / appre-
hend Mrs, Goring would not ap-
prove of her making them her
companions -"
I Isaid no more. If had, I might
have said too much; and I resoluteIy
bit my lip to impose self-silencc.
My gentleman had d-sauntered off to-
ward the vegetables.
[ did not see much, after that,
during my stay. To be sure, L was
out q good deal then, calling on old
friends, and sometimes to spend the
evening, so that those two, if they
wished, may have found opportu-
mites OF being together without my
knowing of it. My sister was i'm
proving in health, and sat up for
several hours each day, but she did
not leave her room yet.
Our own pupils were coming back
to us on the 10Th of July-for we
have never followed the pernicious
custom of giving five OF six weeks
holiday; and on the 7th l returned
home, there being several household
matters [ wished to arrange with my
sister Lucy before they came. took
Frances with me. Mrs Goring, in
her weak, nervous state. seemed un-
willing to part with Mary, who could
now make herself useful in many
ways; and we quilted Middlchury
earl y IN the morning, reaching Hon
don and home the same evening.
Twas up betimes the next day-I
am always an early riser; but we
brealzfasted later than usual. for at
S o'clock Frances was still sleep
ing. We could not begin without
her, and yet did not like to disturb
her, for she was tired, poor child,
with her journey, SO that it was past
8 when We sat down to breakfast
was pouring out the second cups
of tea when the postman' knock was
heard at the door, and our cool-thc
other servants being at that hour en-
gagged in their upstairs duties came
in With letter.
''Twopcnce, ma am, said tie cook.
''Twopence!' 1 answered, diving
into my pocket; 'Swho can have sent
q letter unpaid?"
cit is to ask for q prospectus, no
doubt, observed my sister, who had
taken the letter, while I paid the
cook. "But it has the Middlchury
post-markr'
1T is Mary's writing, I am sure,
Aunt Hester, observed the little
girl; ''and what great sprawling
seal she has put! She has been get
ting at papa's wax, too, forits black. :"
L took the letter out of Lucy's
hand, and sort of unpleasant trcmor
came over me when l gazed on the
black seal. Mary Goring in her
little notes to her young friends was
so fond of displaying her blue-scent-
ed wax. Why had she now used black?
l opened the letter; it was blotted
as if written and folded in haste, and
but few words were in it. ran nv
eye hastily over them, and screamed
out. Had my life depended on my
not screaming, l could not have
helped myself, the shock was so ter
rible, though [ have great command
over my feelings in general. How else
should I be fit to train the young?
"Oh, come back to us, my dear
Aunt Hester! Mamma is dead. And
they say she is poisoned. Papa is
crying dreadfully. Come directly.
Your affectionate niece,
'MARY GORING.
Now were not those words enough
to make me scream?
went at once. I sent cook out
for cab, taking off my ginghan
dress and putting on my black silk
one, while she was gone, and my
shawl and bonnet, and when she
came back in it / was ready, and
drove away to the Paddingtou rail
way station. I left the letter with
Lucy, but we did not tell Frances.
[ only said to her that her mamma
was not we'll Young girls are easily
satisfied.
/ could not get of till the II
o'clock train, and it was night when
the Middlebury omnibus-which had
to take me the concluding miles of
my journey-reached NIiddlebury.
[ trust I shall never again have to
pass such a day as that was. My
suspense and anxiety were hard to
bear. Sometimes ] felt as if the rail