Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-26
Maiscella
For the Journal.
THE GOV NESS.
by MINNIE MERTON.


faintest wish is anticipated, even before the
lips have requested the favor But the poor
tired, homesick stranger finds nothing to help
the guawing pain at his heart feels no cool
soft hand of a mother or sister on his aching .
head. lie knows, too, that he must conceal .
his grief for strangers will only wonder that
ony one can be unhappy where they find so
much to enjoy that the place they call home.
has not greater attractions for every one than .
any other place could have. They forget
that home is where the heart is, and our grief
only exctes their contempt We are set
down by them at once as a very foolish per. |
son, aud they pity Us heartily-not because
We have left father, mother, brothers and sis
ters, and everything connected with our hap
py past, thousands Of miles away and must
now begin the battle Of life without one IA
miliar face to cheer US, without friendly
voice to bid us God speed but they pity US
because we are so weak and silly, and not
very likely to succeed in pushing our way
through the world.
\ weary feeling OF all this was passing
through the mind Of young girl as she sat
at low window looking Out on as beautiful
landscape as ever met the eye. Stretching
away as far as the eye could reach was
range of blue mountains whose SUBMITS
melted imperceptibly into clouds. In the
foreground were vast fields, beautifully diver
si6ed by hill and valley. A sheet of silyery
water reflected from its CLASSY surface the
majestic trees and the towering shrubs that
grew along its banks. Borne on the soft
southern breeze were the sounds Of happy
voices and the dip of oars, as gay sailing
party sped swiftly over the blue waters Of the
lake The silent figure at the window saw
aud felt that all around her was beautiful
but with the feeling also came the conviction
that she was not part Of all this beauty
and with a weary sigh she arose and closing
the window retired to her own room.
EDiE CARLTON for such was the name
Of our heroine-was scarcely twenty years
Of age. Born and educated among the hills
Of New England she had now for the first
time left the shadows of her own loved Green
Mountains to seek in the sunny south situ-
alton by which she might earn living for
herself. Mostly through her own industry
and perseverance she had obtained for herself
an education. True, it had not been received
at a fashionable boarding school, or in any far
famed institution of learning but she had
studied, and prepared herself for teacher
in one of the schools of her native state, where
the instructors knew and understood their
work. With Edie school days had not been
one long holiday. On the contrary it had
been a period of hard mental labor and
when she left school, with her diploma testi-
flying to her attainments, the teachers felt
and said she had nobly earned it. Through
their influence she had obtained situation
as governess in wealthy southern family
She had arrived at the home Of Mr.. Howard
the day on which our story opens, and wha
5 wonder if, where all was so new and strange
she should have felt an unconquerabe feeling
of home.sckness. As yet she had not seer
her little charge. Mrs. Howard had wei
coined her kindly, and Elie could not fail tC
see that the fair, stately lady, who presided
! with so much grace and ease over her beauti
. EI hop,a ,arr,ol - bax Lo,o,, l..
e ing heart
It The next morning Edie was awakened b
;. the bright sun shining in at her window,
A good nights rest had done much to restor
her usual cheerfulness After completing
). her toilet, she knelt and sought divine aid t.
guide her in the duties upon which she wa
j about to enter. When she descended to tn
= : drawing room she found it unoccupied. Eii
4 had yet to learn the easy, indolent habit
e which characterize the Southerner, and thu
y they do not, like the Yankee, believe there
any virtue in rising with the sun So Edie ha
. ample time to survey the spacious room, wit
+. its costly furniture and rare pictures, tast,
1t fully arranged on the walls. Every thin
r was so elegant, and exhibited so much tast
T. in the arrangement, that Edic thought eve
" her vivid imagination could never have dream
I'd ed Of anything one half so beautiful. Sea
as ing herself in one of the deep bay window
d. her mind wandered back to the little viii
70 u cottage she had left only the week before, b
!. O how long ago it seemed In maginatit
to she went through again that fearful partin
and she smiled as she thought Of little Fred
le - dood bye" and his charge for Didie not
- - /" fordit to bring him dool bid drum" whe
a she come back.
D. Well for Edie that she was to begin b
ne work so soon for then she found other thin
ne to occupy her mind. Her little pupils
10 -, boy aud girl, of eight and ten years-we
40 bright, active children, and soou learned
e love and obey their new teacher Edie pc
he formed faithfully the duties of her situatio
ne aud had the pleasure of seeing her lit
" charge daily improving under her training.
y She seldom saw Mr. Howard, who W
w. away on business for the greater part Of 4
y time, and Mrs Howard seemed to feel tn
4. she had secured a competent person to !
10 struct her children, and did not interfere wi
se any of Edie's plans in regard to their studio
le Mr.. Howard had one son, by former ma
>, riage; he had not been at home since I'd
r. had been in the family; consequently $
le had never seen him, but had often heard hi
n, spoken of in terms of the highest praise
ie i his mother and her little pupils.
{. Ede had now been in her new home thr
S. months. For the last week great prepari
tions had been going on, for Phil Howard hi
" served his native State faithfully for the pa
I two years in the Halls of Legislation, an
was now coming home. Mrs Howard WI
Determined that his arrival should be cell
I brated by one of the gayest balls of the SCI