Middletown transcript., 1870-02-12

! friend, to counsel and to aid me. She Of
ten gave me advice told me how poor
was, and how humble | should be; eau
toned me to beware of Mr.. Stanhope, and
not be giddy and childish in his presence;
gave dark hints that invariably frightened
me into headache.
"You are subject to headaches" she
said, one day, with sneer, when l was
suffering II know how to relieve you"
"IIow? Tell me-" | said, sit is such a
terrible pain. will do anything to be
rid of it,"
She came close beside me, and gathered
up the masses of golden curls that fell on
my neck.
"Cut off your hair, child" she said ''it
is killing you;" and she reached for her
scissors.
Suddenly the secret of her manner dawn
ed on me. She was jealous of me. She
loved Mr. Stanhope herself! Her eyes
flashed fire as she saw knew her secret.
"Oh you think yourself paragon of
beauty, l can sec," she cried "you wish
to keep your long ringlets that you may
mesh them about has heart. Yes, yes,
you think your bright eyes will ensnarc
him. What! a beggar, of whom one
knows nothing, daring to aspire so high.
Do you suppose, poor fool, that he loves
you?" She laughed scornfully. On
the contrary, he sees that you are infatua-
ted with him, and despiscs you"
just then, one of the house-maids open
ed the door, and handed me large envel-
ope, which, she said, had come from the
post-office that moment. opened it, in
some surprise, for l knew no one from
whom to expect letter. A picture,
coarsely colored, was inside. But my
eyes were so blinded with tears of morti-
fication and anger, at what the housckecp-
or had said, that, for time, could not
make out what it was. Then | saw that
the rough wood-cut, painted in glariug
coors, represented girl, with Que of the
most vulgar faces | had ever seen, but
with hair the exact hue of my own, stand
ing admringly before o mirror. Under
the picture was written, Miss Viola's
Portrait"
A mocking laugh interrupted me, |
turned and saw that the housekeeper had
been looking over my shoulder
81 give you joy of your Valentine" she
cried, and | rccollccted for the first time,
that it was the fourteenth of February.
Stanhope: he told me he intended to, for
your airs needed taking down" And a.
gain she laughed mockngly.
The letter fell from my trembling fin
gers. l covered my face with my hands
and rushed wildly from the room.
Do you wonder at my agony and shame?
Or that, when I reached my own apart
ment, l fell writhing to the floor? Pride,
modification, all the nobest passions of
my nature were coutending together. [,
so trusting, so innocent, to be treated
thus to be told, in so coarse and insult
ing a way, that l was despised and ridi-
culed.
Hours after, l kissed the children as
they slept, gathered together few need
full things, and then knelt down to pray
for my two dariings, and for all who had
wrongcd me. Long l listened for the
stroke of the midnight hour. Then when
| knew the house was silent, that every
one was asleep, l stole noiselessly down
stairs, and left by the servants door at
the side.
What was 1t that impelled me, however,
instead of moving straight down the lawn,
to go round to the front of the house, to
stand upon the porch, and there to take
one last farewell look upon the scenes |
loved so dearly? | can never tell. But
| obeycd the impulse, and while | stood
there, the library window opened softly,
and out stepped the master of the mansion
standing full in the moonlight, and look
ing straight in my face.
Il heard steps" he said. II was up
late, and Why, Viola, it is you p
| made no answer. but stood trembling
| thought should fall
Suddenly he saw my bundle.
"What does this mean, my child p he
said. ''Were you going away, and in
this manner ?" -,
His tones were so soft, SO full of sym
pathy, his manner so tender, / was stag
gered. Could the housekeeper have told
the truth? Surely, one who spoke thus,
and with so tender an infection, could not
despise me. l hid my face l seemed to
myself, all at once, the most ungratefql of
earth's children.
'Do we not treat you we'll, Viola ?" he
asked, moving little nearer.
At this burst into tears. Losing all
self-command, sobbed, II thought you
jested at me, despised me; boasted that
Il" my voice failed me.
"How could you think so unjustly of
me, Viola? p he exclaimed, in somewhat
agitated tones, moving still nearer. "Who
has deceived you so shamefnlly ?"
| hesitated, but he insisted, and finally |
/ told him all.
How cruel 7, he murmured, taking my |
hand. When he spoke again, it was with
emphatic earnestness. II sept no Valen-
tine.' The housekeepeF mpst have sent it
herself. So far from boosting that you
loved me, Viola, | never dared to hope that
one so young, SO beautiful, SO good, would
think of me at all. Why, i am old enough