Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-03-21
81 WILL NEVER CHANGE-..BUT
PROMISE"

>
Mrs. Gabrielle Gordon had been decided
ly trying" She had not recovered from
the excitement of the entertainment on
she said. NERVOUS" is a convenient Gu
phemism which means things many and
diverse. In Mrs Gordon il usually indi-
Gated the peevishili-temper which springs
from petty cgotism and vacant mind.
However, She had at last estabilsned
herself in a sofa plentifully supplied with
cushions, in apparently tolerable comfort
Her yinaigrette and handkerchief lay on
a little stand a, her elbow. Her pet dog
nestled at her feet, sharing her cushions
and her present quiet; her hands ianguld-
w supported new novel, of which she
now and then lazily read few lines, but
which seemed most useful as furnishing
her food for reflection with her eyes
closed. To SUM up, Mrs. Gordon was a
woman who had once been pretty ana
frivolous, who was still interesting, ana
had grown religious after the manner OF
reformed coquettes; who wore caps Win
pink ribbons. and privately considered
herself ili-used by fortune, in that mar
rage and European tour had not strand.
ed her upon the ultimate OF her ambition
as my Lady Ginque-ce-sirt, instead OF
making her the spoiled and petted wife
of "A gray haired merchant, whom she had
married for money, and whom she had
now snubbcd on principle, as secret IN
Identification Tor her condesccnsion.
Two others were present-a gray and
handsome gentleman of forty or fifty Five,
who sat apart, pretending to read news
paper. And working busiiy, remarka-
bly, elegant looking girl, pale and plain y
dressed, silent, and with an air OF naughty
reserve. She was also the breathing at
testation to Mrs. Gordon's Christian char
ity Hear, and be convinced.
When Diana was a mere baby her
mother died, leaving her to the tender
mercies of dsrcputable, gentlemaniy
father, whose gloves and linen were ever
irreproachablc but who was not scrupu-
lous as to the payment OF his board bill,
nor consideratc Of the fact that Dianas
appearance was hardly in strict consist
cnce with his own. However, one fine
morning in May, when Diana. was just
nineteen, he made her the only amends
which remained in his power. lie fell
down suddenly in fit Of apoplexy, and
went out--whither? Out into darkness
where no tears followed him except those
heartfelt, almost heart-brOkcn-of his
daughter For, well rs the poor girl had
unhappily understood him; little az she
deceived herself, even when the mist Of
death magniiicd his few virtues, and
Swallowed his faults, she still felt all the
bitterness Of that bittercst word-Alone!
Mr.. Lcclcrc died absolutely pennilcss.
Some French fraternal order Of which he
had been u member and an ornament,
undertook the funeral expenses. There
was then some talk of getting up sub.
scription for Diana's benefit. This came
to her ears, however And though the
present looked dark, and the future alb
soutely tragic, she declared quietly, but
not the less emphatically, that she would
not accept a penny. of Charity, she
would none She would support herself
or starve! Alas
Pride Of that description does not meet
with favor in the eyes OF creditors. Her
landlady, who was good-naturcd and vul-
gar and needy herself, demonstrated with
her. and condolcd with her, and tortured
her, after the manner of her kind. Ii
was flying in the face Of Heaven, she
said. Why, sakes 1t was kind of
special Providence when you come to
look at it The dear old gentleman
buried and alas handsome casket,
too, as IL he had been Prince-and to be
sure he might have been one, if things
went as they ought to in this wicked
woodland crowns and crosses and harps
beautiful ! And then the gentleman to
como asking Diana to just be good
enough to hold out her hand and let them
pOu. In as much money as would keep
her comfortable ycai Things like that
didn't happen every day Only let some
body beg her TO take five hundred dollars!
She didn't believe they would get blue in
the face beseeching her!
Diana sat with downcast eyes there in
her black dress, looking very handsome,
and very white and quiet. at is impos-
sible, Mrs. Crowley" That was all she
said
When Mrs Crowley left her, it was
noticeable that she did not close the door
with quite such careful quietness as she
had used upon her entrance. At the end
of the week she asked for q months rent
in advance.
For fifth of their value, Diana sold
gold cross, that had been her mothers,
and bracelet, given her in one OF his in
considerable fits of generosity by her
father, and paid 1t. She had then not the
resources left.
She sat down to consider. Oh, heavy
time To consider was to go mad.
She obtained some sewing from one OF
the large establishments in the city, and
worked night and day for week, and at
the end of it went to receive her wages.
II cannot be pretended that she was an
needlewoman, but she had
done her best, and the money she received
for six days labor would pay her board
bill for two
Then she tried to write, and failed alb
solutoly.
There was one thing left that a lady
might do. She could teach She was a
thorough musician, and sang well. Her
French was perfect.
So here she felt confident. But she en-
mysterious difficulty. Nego-
tiations would proceed swimmingly till
the principals met. Then sudden stop
page. Miss Leclerc's accomplishments
met every requisite, but well really the
truth was, that--everything considered
Miss Leclerc would hardly be satitied
with the position. In vain were Diana's
Of her readiness to remove
mountains Of ignorance, of her faith in
The perfectability of childrcn--exceeding
that of grain of mustard seed. A smile,
H.. Il xnen