The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-12-07

give him new coat or hat in return
for his mantillas and bonnets. The idea
of his getting me that bonnet; how
surprised he would be to learn that l
made i'll"
FAST.
The air of Harrow ont -the-Hlll must
be particular bracing, if the proverbial
sentiment about the bird of st. Michael,
attributed to the boys educated there, be
founded on anything like practical ex-
perience. The goose, they say, is an
awkward dainty, being too much for
one, and not enough for two. know
that if had two sons who "ssked for
more" after finishing goose at sit
ting, should write to the Times. 1t is
true that there are geese and geese, and
the specimen sent to the Maplesons may
have been exceptionally fine; but though
they had gone into training as it were,
by dining at six instead of at one, and
though they had the fellow-lodger to
help them, they left pickings; and if
some Harrovian curls the lip of scorn,
cannot help it; truth is my hobby.
When they had got their first glasses
of sherry after the meal, Harry said /:
ave must drink the health of Mr.. An
onymous, please"
"Mr. Anonymous" repeated Susan,
slipping.
"Mr. Anonymous" echoed Mr.. Mich
olson, who drank, and then added, ",Some
relative?"
"I don't know" replied Harry. "He
is q deed, or rather a succession of deeds,
without name. He sent us the goose !;
he sent us this sherry he has made us
more valuable presents. Do you think
l ought to receive benefits without
knowing from whom they Gomez"
Certainly" said the fellow lodger.
." think you have told me that in one
of his first letters this unknown profess
ed himself friend of your-your moth
er's. Am I not correct?"
"Yes. But why such mystery?"
ooh, there are several probable rea-
sons for that; he may be ashamed of not
doing more. You may have substantial
claims upon him as trustee of those
funds which l think you said had been
unwisely invested, or ho may have a
morbid dislike to being thanked"
1t is strange, anyhow" said Harry,
that our mysterious benefactor should
not have come forward to assist us when
we most needed it,"
when you lost your motherf"
"Yes."
Perhaps" said Susan, "he was not
in England then, and knew nothing
about what had happened"
"That is very likely" said Mr. Nichol-
son, especially as you were supposed to
be we'll provided for. Have you not
said so y
Yes" replied Harry; "our poor
mothers little property was in bank
which broke, but, thank God she did
not know what had happened. She
died in the belief that her children were
beyond tie reach of sordid cares"
1t was about two years ago. think
you have said 7"
Yes, two years last August. I was
at college when summoned away to her
bedside, for her illness was sudden and
short. And just as we were recovering
a little from the shock, ruin came. If
had been alone in the world 1 think
that l should have enlisted or emigrated,
for felt very desperate; but fortunate
ly l had Susan to look after, and that
steadied me. Well, we must not COM
plain. was fortunate to get my clerk
ship, and we managed to save that
piano, and few things which were
sacred in our eyes, from the wreck"
at was sad blow and the cares Of
life have fallen upon you early, my
young friends, said Mr.. Nicholson. "But
pardon me for having led the conversa-
tion into such a melancholy channel"
he added, seeing that Susan had much
ado to restrain her tears. 81 do not
know how it happened"
"Oh, Harry and l often talk over old
times; like it," said Susan. at
would be dreadful thing to avoid
speaking of mamma because she has
been taken from u.s. it seems to me that
those we love are only really lost when
we Danish them from our memories"
The old man bowed his head and
sighed deeply. "Have you any likeness
of her 7" he asked after pause.
90 yes" replied Susan and she rose
and placed miniature in his hand. He
gazed at it in silence for some time, and
then murmured: "How like p
"You knew our mother !" exclaimed
Harry in surprise.
81 mean how like your sister," said
Mr.. Nicholson, handing the miniature to
him.
40 yes; there is strong family re-
semblsnce," said Harry. "But since
you will not have any more sherry, sup
pose we go up to your room and smoke
a pipe while Susan makes tea."
When the old man and the young one
had settled down to the mutual absorp-
ton of nicotine, the latter referred
again to the subject of his personal af-
fairs. "The only thing l regret" said
he, sis the way in which my sister is
shut up. 1t must be dreadful thing
for her. poor girl, to be alone all day;
and it is bad for her to be entii ely with
out any companion of her own SEX"
"Have you no relatives or friends ?"
asked Mr.. Nicholson.
sour relatives cast us off many years
ago, on account of a family misfortune.
But there were some friends, who got
me my present appointment, and who
would have taken charge of Susan. We
declined, because of that family affair,
for Susan thought, and thought, that
it would perhaps be brought up against
her if she mixed in the society to which
these friends would have introduced her.
OF course we did not put our refusal
upon that ground; Susan said she
would not leave me, and, believe
they think me very wrong and selfish.
am quite confident that am right
myself, and yet the pride which shrinks
from raking up an old shame can hardly
be false pride-can it Z"