The St. Cloud journal., 1870-03-03
II HE
VILLAGE ON THE CLIFF.
BY MISS THACKERAY.

BY MISS THACKERAI.
CHAPTER V1.-Coxr1xuED.
MY LOVE IN HER ATTIRE DOTH sHo,
HER WIT.
| Mrs. Butler, as usual, recalled Catha
rine to herself. -
"Miss George, be so good as to Sc
what the children are doing" And s
poor Catbarine was dismiss ID from he
green bower. It was hard to have t
go-to be dismissed in disgrace, as
were, with Dick standing by to see it
The children were close at hand, an,
not thinking of mischief. ..
eve don't want you, Miss George,
cried Lydia; eve are four already
stand there and see me croquet Angus
ta." Miss George stood where she was
told, but she looked beyond the point
which was Of all.absorbiug interest to
Lydia at that instant. Her sad eyes
strayed to the group under the tree
There was Dick lying at full length on
the grass he was smoking, and had
hung up his red cap on branch.
Holland, in lis grey iron suit, was lean
ing against the trunk; Catharine But
Ter and Beamish we're, side by side in
the shadow. George was in tie: sun.
shine, with her dress all beAecked with
trembling lights aud shades, while tho
elders sat at the table talking over by.
gone times. Catharine turned away
she could not bear the sight; it made
her feel so torlorn and alone to stand
apart and watch all these people togeth-
er.
Catharine was afraid, too, lest some
one should come up and see her eyes
full Of tears as she stood watching the
balls roll and listening to the tap of the
mallcts. 1t was all SO lovely and yet so
pervcrse. The sweetness, the roses,
the sunshine, made it hart more; she
thought, when other things were un-
kind. This days pleasure was like a
false friend with n smiling face ; like a
beautiful sweet rose which sho had
picked just now, with a great sharp
thorn set under the leaf. What hal
she done? Why did Mrs. Butler look
so cold and so displeasel when she
spoke? Whenever she was happicst
something occurred to remind her and
warn her that happiness was not for her.
Catharinc longed to be alone, but it was
quite late in the afternoon before she
could get away. The children we're all
called into the draw,ng-room by their
sisters, and then the little governess es-
capped along the avenue where the rose
leaves which Reamish aud Catharine
had scattered were lying. She was
sick at heart and disappointed. It was
something more than mere vanity
wounded which stung her as she real
izcd that for some inscrutable reason it
is heavens decree that people should
not be alike; that some must be alone
and some in company some sad and
some merry; that some sheuld have
the knowledge Of good and others the
knowledge Of evil. She must not hope
for roses such as Catharine's. She must
not be like George, even, and speak
out her own mind, and make her own
friends, and be her own self. 1t was
hard to- be .humiliated before Dick. 1t
was no humiliation to be governess
and to. earn her own living; but to
have forgotten her place, and to be sen,
down lower like the man in the para.
ble-ah it was hard.
Catharine wandered on without much
caring where she went, until she found
herself in quaint, sunny nook, where
all sorts of old-fash:oned flowers were
blowing-tiger lilies, whitc lilies, bal
sam, carnations in a blaze against til,
lichen-g1own walls. Tho colors were s.
bright, the place SO silent, and sweet
and pertumed, that Catharine, comins
into it, forgot her dull speculatlons. L
had been a fower.garden which MIS-
Paventry had laid out once upon time
and it had been kept unchanged eve
since. Quaint, bright, strange, it va
the almost forgotten perfume Of othe:
times that these flowers were exhal
ing. ..... -: is -..-..
Catharine staid there a long time
She could not tear herself away. Sh,
was standing by q tall lily, with he
nose in the cup, suufing up the faiu
sleepy fragrance, when she heard step
upon the gravel-walk, and, turnin,
round, she saw bright red cap, an'
beside it a careless figure coming alon,
with the peculiar. swinging walk sh
knew so we'll. Ever after The scent q
lilies copjured up the little scene. !:
Longafterwards, Dick, too, remember
ed the little figure turning round Wit
startled eyes, and looking as guilty Z.
if it were crime to be found smell,n
the lilies. Holland: thought she migt
have been, an Italian Madonna in ht