The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-11-12

ING AolioWlnS Gay Ios tne forthcoming A"~S'~
Before this all important parsonage made
his appearance, however, Ellen had succeeoe9
in obtaining q scholar, a singular one too, ana
In her anxiety to DO Of Sreater assistance 60
her widowed friend, Ellen had spoken TO the
gentleman principal of her school, begging
him to remember her. if he should bear OF any
teacher.
In reply to her request, he asked her, rather
abruptly, IL she understood Algebra well
enough to teach it. Her ready answer seemed
Then shall be able to withdraw from an
unpleasant dilemma and at the same time be
Of service to you Miss Fitzgerald" -
ore Of the young iady.teachers had ssked him
to instruct her in the mysteries OF Algebra. as
she was anxious to obtain higher position
than the one she now filed, and to which she
could not aspire without a>knowIedge OF this
branch of mathematics.
~ have NO time to dispose of In this way"
he said, "for my afternoons belong to my fami.
ly. but shalI DO happy to give yoG mote OF
and truly thankful II she will accept your ser
vices in place of mine. -
With tho promised note and the yonng lady.s
address IN hand, Ellen found herself one af-
ternoon in front of an elegant mansion, bear
ing on the front door q large silver plate in
scribed with the name OF "Jnlian Latrobe,
ST." The door was opened to her ring oy
nom pous, grey-haired negro-man, who waved
her towards the parlors with all the grace apd
ease of an Emperor. Handing him the letter
addressed to Miss Emma Latrobe. she/ had
OF everything around her. Two handsome
parlors and an octagonal library stretched
themselves before her view. Velvet oe.pets,
costly adezamenss;. tall mirEsrs; gathering
hands of him who owned the house. There
was no faded splendor, 20 shabby ornament |;
hut that rich, real Brightness which told that
" All a., <A,,&, IL
around the house ;/fhat potent current which
freshenG everything it touches. She soon be-
came aware sf the presence of q gentleman,
seated in the library. He seemed to be about
sixty years of age, although his keen, black
eyes. ~ he fixed. them for moment upon FL
len. had all the fire and quickness of youth.
He was engaged in reading, and would not
have attracted second glance IRON neT, had "
scssed of catching and killing every niusquito
that either buzzed around, or lit upon him.
Serasa2 Sf the banl. before him, fix his eyes on
space, yet with an earnest look. while one
hand uoiselessly aud stealthily went up or
down rs the case required ii, seize the luck
less insect, tGirl it maliciously between
the thumb and fore6nger, then drop 1t care
lessly on the carpet near him.
1t occurred to her mind. that should he re-
main seated for my length of time, the floor
around must literally be covered with the
slain. Once q mosquito lit upon his heel-he
had slippers on-and to her great surprise, she
saw that he was intent nren capturing that
particular offender. Down, slowly and surely
went the hand, while just as carefully and
stealthily, up came the foot, aud when the two
were in close contact, the remorseless and I'M
victim upon It's already defunct companions.
Aud SO it went on through all that twenty
minutes waiting until cold shndder stole
over the young girl, and she thought how sad
a fate waited whoever should fall into that
mans merciless clutches.
wonder, undefned at first, but which now
grew into sbspe, forced itself upon her F.; and
she found herself Pondee,ring how It was that =
aspirant to>a more profitable situation, could
be living In q house like this, where every
thing spoke SO loudly Of ease, and wealth, and
power Why should there be any necessity for
her to work at ell
Her reflections were interrupted by the ell
trance of the young lady herself, who gra-
ciously accepted her services as teacher, and led
her up stairs to her own room.
1t was no fairy apartment, no rose-tinted
boudoir into which Miss Latrobe introduced
Ellen, although the la.ter had expected to fud
everything rs rich and beautiful above ns be-
low stairs. True, there vas no lack of comfort,
no want of neatness, but the furniture, cur
tains, all the surroundings, were Of the plain
est, cheapest kind. This room opened into an-
other, and Ellen caught glimpse of an invalid
gentleman, propped up in an easy chair; q
yourg girl bending wuIrify over the Sowing IN
her lap, and u lady, fair and prepossesslng,
who was really engaged in dong nothing
Indeed, two circumstances, very tritiing in
themselves, attracted her passing notice in re-
gard to the lady the listlessness of her atti-
tude and the untidy condition of her fair and
luxurious hair. That she was the mot her of
the young lady before her, was apparent, for
Miss Emma Latrobe had the Same blonde COM
pleXiou aud the same golden curls, the same
graceful figure aud easy, Indifferent manner.
1t only required that afternoons lesson for
Ellen to learn that her pupil was vain and
selfish, and that over tho heads of all rested a
gloomy shadow, within whose deepest dark
ness sat the invalid father and the sweet, pa
tient daughter at his side.
This, then, WAS the latrobe- heasehela.=the
old gentleuSau down in the velvet-carpeted
library, and these four members in the poorly
furnished rooms above. 1t was not many days
before Ellen knew what tile shadow was,
whose hand had thrown it, and Gu whose heart
it fell with deepest gloom.
The invalid was the son, the only child, of
Mr. Julian Latrobe, Sr. Years before, he had
fallen in love with u young and beautiful
second-rate actress, whom he first saw upon
the 'bearls of the old st. Charles Theatre.
Having succeeded i'll winning the heart of
Aspasia Rowe, and losing his own his sense of
honor and manly impulses, determined him to
make her his wife. He was very young then,
and very generous; so, in opposition to his ia
theirs wishes and against the advice of all his