The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1870-12-18

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being my own mistress. - r
Now twilight settled down over that
long and sunny day. Mrs. Hyde died a
new preceptress came, and With her m:ny
new teachers. ] Was turned slrift with
IN Little money,I jiaft.savel and the ccrti-
ficate of the satisfaction of nv services, in
my possession. In the gloom of that
time when I sought III vain for EN-
lployment; chancc,l upon Southern
Tp'Her and found an advertisement for
govcrness in town III Louisiana. Do
not think it strange that in that moment
there returned upon me the Ia ert
love for the Southern land even thongil
that land had been unkind to me. Deep
in my heart had slnmbered the love of
lavish verdurc, Of warmer skies tlian the
cold climate which had sheltered me. In
my heart had slept the stropical pulses
that were the dover fium my father. The
practical wording If the advertisement
brought to me. like. piturcthrobbing in
golden light, the long days IN my Geor-
1gian home, before ;,irllIMsl had .lecpenel
and brought with it the knowledge of
what / wss. 1t was :l,atnre in That mo
lnent to forget it w,.s there found that
he chain WAS surely With Inc in spite of
IUHAA
II was white, was unknown. With
\ tide l feh was the peer Of any woman
! the land, and l boldly answered the
advertisement, stating my qualifications,
AID was accepted. Thus, before my
nbney was quite gone, had started for
Lusiana -.
| was to the house ola wealthy planter
tilt went The household iye.l in the
enfvatMS ease which 50 often uccoln--
paies wealth, particularly in the South,
TbAlnaster held his plantation only for
amSelnent, and because it had always
bee home, for his income. aside from
his ttate, was large 4 luxurious june
{ was (ah advanced when l rode up the
: long avenue of tulip trees, when my eyes
revcfsl in the glorious foliage that wave,l
1 abov' my childhood.
IHs received and treated kindly; but
III VA apparently, a. Northerner, l Was a
me4 fr OF the working class, ANIL always
I d4eAted that shade of difference which
they khO deem themselves aristocrats
inuE into their manner when thrown
witllone ont of their sphere. That / had
expAted, an.l it did not annoy me. !
: onlyejoicel that my birth WIS a secret
too Hoformd for their penetration:
, On day there Came u guest to Major
Wyndlam's. WAS on the .yerIntla with
. the tAP children, who were my charges
3 when 3horscman c:unc mp the carriage
= drive, Ayly salutins my employer and
: his wifi wln were walking up and down
the graelled space in front I rrinaMed
: quietly,lnot expecting nh introduction;
but the stranger glance,l my Way iasuca
) mann4 tha; Mrs. WyntlhMn WIS tskp
well bred not to yield to his apparent ex-
| pectatioa al,,l she named me to him, not
: undcceiyhg him.
He wal slight and pale and blue-eyed;
!, he woulA have looked almost fril but
E for something, l know not what Of, in
ward, imAtuous fire that w;ss apparent,
3 as the IAt behind porcelain is visible.
From the lrst he appeared to me utterl-s
different finn his kinsfolk, the Wyml-
r hams. Fvki his a4l,lressawas somehow
; poetical, al outfowing of his beantifal
{ nature. Ala yet he knew that his man
ner WIS diHSrcnt from the everyday ap-
pearance If people, and he would smile
| whimsically Ito himself when he WAS be
trayed intol "a comparison which neither
! Major Wyndl,a,n nor hv wife could un-
, derstand. Ii, must haze soon discovered
what was mAlDsition in Tie flnily, but
: l saw no difia{ei,csl IN his behavior to me,
81 which was froh the first characterized by
; a careless, SWEET courtesy which was yer,
charming.
] / wondered Much what was his oc.
| cur.tion, his profession; for though
4 was sure he VAS be ss.slwith money,
4 wished macl, I'll Ii hc might fAase -highe'