Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-03-28

It 1sn pOsSlUie, salu l, dS nasJ sthat dear old nurse lives here~
 "Ths is the place, mademoiselle,' replied Roquesquietly.
 went to the house through the brood of fowls, that fled at may ap- proach, screaming, in all directions. Nurse Gerty herself opened the door, and cIasped me in her arms.
 "Is it all right" called out Roque from the wagon. H a n
 All right" respoded Nurse Gerty, cheerfully. if se Dia
 The Canadian turned his horse and drove away. sg x. f.f.....Ea .sas e Nurse Gerty drew me over the thres- hold and shut the door.
 My pretty dear.' she cried, embrace ing me so you've come all this way to see an old woman got word you were at the station. Ah, what sweet girl it is, to be sure.' z She kissed me again with fervor. I had not seen Nurse Gerty for years. It struck me that she had grown old, and greasy, and shriveled. The skin lay on her neck and bosom in tough, leathery folds. She was tooth7 less and blear-eyed. l was ashamed of myself Efor shrinking involuntarily from her caresses, and did penance in- stantly by caressing her in turn. "Nurse, am afraid never should have known you" I said.
 s"Dear child, how long is it since you saw me lasts" asked nurse. Almost ten years"
 Well, I'm getting old
 "But surely you don't live ill this dismal place all alone? P said.
 She was pulling my outer garments from me be main force. She paused and nodded toward the hearth.
 "No; Tercse is my granddaughter she lives with me"
 looked around. Thereon in which stood comprised the whole ground | floor of the house. The rafters were | grimy and bgre, hung with punches oi herbs, and ropes of onions in their yell low bronze jackets. There was yaw- ming gulf of a fireplace, black with smoke and red with flame, and on a stool i'll the chimney corner, where the glare of the fire flickered over her gipsy face, girl sat, with her elbows on her knees, staring at me sullenly from under her black brows. This was Tercse.
 .Terese, you hussy, don't look at hei like that :" cried nurse, placing second stool for me. "There, sit down, my dear; you're tired I'm sure. Have you had q pleasant rider "No." answered, shivering, " I have not. That driver, Roquc, is horrible. Thank heaven have seen the last of him."
 l "Dear mei' exclaimed nurse, with out any apparent desire to hear more of my grievance, "dear me! And did your papa know that you was coming all the way to Shutdown to see me Miss Belle!"
 "No," I replied, "it was my own idea. You remember how very fond always was of you, nurse--I and Louise Why, you do not ask anything oi | Louise.'
 Louise-oh, yes!' said nurse; "is | she quite well z"
 "She is at Newport--a great belle with scores of iovers,' i Nurse rubbed her skinny hands and laughed.
 And you--you have lovers, too you pretty dear?" l "Oh, no," said 1, "not one"
 Here the black-browed girl in the corner rose sullenly up, overturnine her stool. She passed mo with shrug and went out, banging the door behind her.
 "You mustn't mind Terese," said nurse, clawing the air with her fingers as if it was her granddaughter's hair "she's a jealous jade!"
 Affairs having taken this unpleasant turn, sought to enliven them little by producing my travelling bag, filled with some choice gifts for my old friend. She watched me unclasp il eagerly.
 "Ah," she said, "what handsome rings you wear, my love, and what charming white hands you havew
 Then she began to gather my offer. ings with childish delight to herself. As she sat thus, with her back to the fire, its smoke and flame making al old background for her bent figure, was trying in vain to recall old mem. ories with Nurse Gerty; the persons and the pleasant and familiar thing. that we had known together I as child, she as my faithful guardian. But nurse was badly broken. old age had changed her vastly she really did mol understand half of what I was saving and presently Terese came gloomils back, her bare feet making stealthy sound along the floor, and gave me another of her black looks as she pass. ed.
 l had never known before that Nurse Gerty had granddaughter. took | bank-note from my purse, half-tremb. Hing as did so.
 This is for Terese," ventured.
 The girl turned sharply. In a breatl she had caught the note from Nurse Gerty fingers and flung it passionate ly into the fire.
 "Terese, you fooll' screamed nurse