The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-16
QhsgnteQigette
MISS BROWN.
A CHARMING LOVE STORY.
From Chamber Journal.


CHAPTER III.
The funeral was over. Miss Brown was
sitting at home in her little parlOr, having
taken Oft and carefully put away her
black dress, She had dOnGl so with o
little hesitation. It seemed uniaeling to
change the black dress for brown one
on the very evening Of her friends III,
neral; but economy had been too long q
serious consideration with her to allow
Of her departing from her daily frugal
habits; besides, she considered that by
saving her black dress she might do Mrs
Barker's memory more honor before the
world, than byWeaTing 1t out in the soil.
tude Of her own fireside But she laid
aside her usual nGedlework, and sat
thinking Of tho service which she
had that day attended. And then
she thought Of her own funeral
service, and wondered il, when she died,
there would DO n single human being to
shed one such genuine tear for her as she
had shed that day for Mrs, Barker. No,
there would be no one to mourn her
death, even as there was no one who
really cared much about her life. She
had tried to fulfill tho duties which came
in her way. She was gentle and kind to
the lodging mAid.OfRll.work; she gave
out Of her penury to those poorer than
herself and struggling with, and in part
subduing her own shrinking from the
task, she had taken q share Of those
thAnkless duties Of charity collector,
which seem to DO generally thrust upon
single women. But, after all, what part
had she In tho worlds work, and who
would miss her when she left itg What
was she to anybody, and what was any
body to herr ...
Then, even as the tears filed her eyes,
her thoughts wandered back to the days
when things had been different with her,
when she had little dreamed of this cheer
less and solitary old age In her reveric,
she saw herself us she had once been,
young and pretty, and happy with u quiet,
serene happiness and hope How confident
that hope Of hers had beeni how snro she
had been that life was very sweet, and that
rs she loved, so she wGsl0vod again She
had been Mistaken; and for many II year
the recollection OF this mistake Of hers
used 10 bringa painful spasm to her heart,
and flush OF shame TO her taco. Now,
though she could think of 1t more calmly,
still It was thought from which she
shrank uncomIortably To night this un-
comfortable recollection seemed to rise be.
fore her more prominently than usual,
And more distinctly than usual too, came
remembrance OF another kind, which oil.
ways had the power Of soothing and com.
iOrting her, even though the actual thing
ON which she looked back had been more
painful than pleasant 10 her ut tho ilme'l
when II happened. |
She had been girl Of eighteen when
her cousin Robert Dixon had begun pay.
ing her those attentions which had first
battered her vanity, and eRsily won llCr
affection. lie had not meant anything
serious, but II was some years before she
discovered this and before she had made
the discovery, and got her eyes opened to
the mistake into which she had fallen, she
had refused the only offer which had ever
been made hor-thanks, perhaps, to her
own secret confidence in her cousin, and
consequent indiIEerenCVto every one else,
1t WIS the recollection Of that genuine love
which had been so honestly and earnestly,
and even pAssiOnatelypressOd on hcr,%hiCh
at once panied and sOOthed her only, as
time went on, even her soft heart had got
to find more and more satisfaction In the
thought Of tho very pain which herrciusal
had caused TO her unlucky lover 1t was
pleasant 10 know that she had been so
loved once, little rs any one cared about
her now. II was comforting, In the
midst OF her sad reflections about how
little ary one would gricve for her death,
10 be able to say TO herself; II wonder
II lie remembers inc still lie told me,
even when l refused him, that he would
never forget mo while he lived. won.
der If hC would be Sorry TO hear Of my
leathY" fs,r Fl a rTr.i.|
The little maid Of the lodging brought
in her ten, which gave q new direction to
her meditations There had been rise
Of % hAllpenny in tho prices of sugar and
bread, and this idea came to add It's weight
to her already depressed spirits. II was
reported too that Goals were to be denror,
and winter was only beginning. Miss
Brown, sighed; and then, remembering
what Mrs. Lorimer had been saying, be.
gan TO think, with q sort OF fearful, ner-
vous anxiety, about the chances Of Mrs.
lIarkcr's having lett her q remembrance"
She felt all the time that II was better and
wiser not to think about IL, II she could
only help doing so; and to prepare her
self to bear tho. possible disappointment
in becoming spirit, she kept saying to
herself. "Poor Mrs. Barker shall miss
her very much; but I'm sure l had no
claim on her--not the slightest. EE i
There was loud ring ut the dOOr-bell.
This did not ,startle her, for there were
other dodgers In the house; but presently
she heard a mans step 10 the passage, and
voice asking for her, and then she did
start md her face flushed like young
girls and as she rose, she treinbled with
nervous agitation which w0nld SLID
sometimes OverpOwCr her when sic
CHANGED TO meet Unexpectedly the ono for
whom years ago she used TO wait and
watch. However, this emotion might
only be u sort Of echo of the past, for sic
could check II now ms she could not have
done then, and though sheglAnced with o
little annoyance at her poor fire md worn
dress, she was sufficiently mistress Uf her.
sell to meet her visitor, when he was
shown into her parlOr, with q friendly,
composed welcome. Only when Mr.. Dix.
on came In, and when sllO saw
in his face look which struck her
rs unusual, she grew q little nervous
again rs she said al hope there's
nothing wrong, RobettS Maria and the
children are well2n (For what had
brought him 10 Gallon her at this hour y
All quite well, thank you" lie was
shaking hands with her as he answered
her, and was doing so with warmth and
corliality which brought the color back
To her lace, and "reminiscences OF old
times To her mind, driving from II the
thoughts with which II had been lately
occupied She sat down, but lle remain
nI ,,n,,l;n,, h,, Ii,n drn UThia Ia n attnnTn