Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-01-15

AN ENGLISH STORY.


tenderness i'm his heart, but with pre-
cious little money In his pocket.
One June morning, as he was COM
ing round the porter's lodge of Foley
Hall, he heard q sweet, plaintive
voice say:
"For the love of God, help me! I
am starvingin
He raised his head quite startled
out of his equanimity. On the steps
sat . young woman. Her checks
were tear-stained, and her head and
shoulders were enveloped In q shawl.
That she was suffering was evident,
yet she wore neither the air nor the
dress of an ordinary mendicant.
He stopped and regarded her for q
moment, and then dropped q coin in
to her outstretched palm. She did
not close her hand; she did not look
up to see II he was young or old, or
down at the coin to note It's value.
Thank you" she murmured, new
er raising the dark eye. lashes from
the wet cheeks.
81 can keep body and soul little
longer together with that. And
then? Why, I can beg again, even
II IL kills me. Oh, kind sir, IL is
work I want, steady, daily work, ILL
paid though It be. Anything, rather
than to beg.n
Thoughtfully the young curate
stood, with one hand holding his hat
and the other In his pocket. Then
his eyes fell upon the full, white,
finely rounded arm next upon the
sweet, cad, oval face.
"Ycu seem to be . stranger here ~
81 am; walked over from Shade
stone.r
"Walked? Not in day?"
"NO-nor in ten of them, sir.
worked o little here, and begged q
little there, and starved between the
times" replied the woman, adding
to tie voice that was so sweet and
low, a little hysterical laugh that
made him shudder.
Where are you going ?" he asked.
Where, I do not know, sir. Any
where. I wouldn't be made to do It,
and 30 I ran away. MOL would
have died first"
She said that with o vehemence
it was not clear what she meant, but
she seemed SO much lady, and Paul
was invariably so polite that he re.
Trained from asking an explanation.
"What kind of employment dc
you seek ?n was the next question.
"Something for willing hands and
heart to do, sir. Teaching would
suit me best, but Il IL not f6r me tc
state my preferences"
During all this time she had moi
raised her eyes to his face. Was I,
nom humility or shamef He was
not one easily deceived, only he wan.
ted o fair scrutiny Of her face AND
eyes.
al am the curate Of Bladesburg, y
he said. My name h Paul Vent.
nor. This IL the lodge at Foley Hall
If you will enter It with me, I viii
get you Temporary home at least
She rose to.her feet then elevatin,
her head, she fixed her eyes upor
him. They were such trusting
brown eyes, that they set his nerves
tingling. AS they beheld his OWL
they were deepened in intensity, anl
more and more of the childish sweet
ness came into her face. The curat,
felt that he could trust her, but he
also felt somewhat embarrassed
which made him feel vexed at him
self.
"You have not yet told me you
name," he said.
"No, I have not" she replied, tn,
color In her cheeks deepening. Thel
with the least perceptible hesitanc,
she said, my name Is Grace Tenn
pleton."
Paul ventnor thought 1t was .
very pretty name, but did not say 90
He seized the knocker at the doc
and gave vigorous peal. A servan
answered 1t, and the two soon sto0<
In the presence of the lady Of FOLEY
Hall. She esteemed the young Gu
rate very highly, and placed Q pro
per appreciation on his character ant
talents. A word from him in behal
Of Grace would have been sufficient
had she not possessed any personal
or mental charms, even.
The result of the interview wa
that she was at once accepted at Flo
ley Hall, not as q mental, but as I
companion to my lady, who was
widow and an invalid. Grace wa
refined, able and scholarly, and he
natural vivacity soon returning I,
her, no one could be more compan
ionable to one who was disposed {,
be taciturn and gloomy.
Six months passed away, and dur
ing that time Paul Ventnor visite,
Foley Hall more frequently thai
there was absolute necessity for; and
was not long unconscious OF the mo.
tive that took him thither. Day by
day Grace grew more lovely In hi
eyes, and more dear TO his heart. Sh
attended his ministry with rare con
stancy, and his sermons were dull
and sOundless to himself when sh,
was lot In her pew with her grea
brown eyes fixed upon his face. HI
was desperately in love with her, bu
he made no declaration. The living
at Bladesburg was only worth fiy'
hundred pounds per annum, and h,
could not think Of marrying upol
that.
At the end of six months servan
in livery arrived at Foley Hall.
q! have letter for Lady Temple
ton," he said.
For whom 2" responded my lady
with stare.
For the Earl's daughter, for tn
lady of Templeton Place"
The madam took the letter, witt
the great red seal, In a dazed sort Q
way, then rang the bell for Grace.
"a letter for YOU" she said.
Grace's face grew red and white b.
turns as her eye fell upon the direc
ton OF the letter. She glanced a
the servant, who bowed with servil
reverence.
"This is from my father, the Earl,
she said. Does he know that m
here, Mr.. Williams 2"
"He does not, my lady. You
brother Edgar has kept his secrt
WELL"
She then opened the letter, an
read as follows:
TEMPLEToN PLACE, Nov. 20, ls4'