Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-03-02
CONSEQUENCES OFiA MIS-!
-'@i' TAKE. sn"'i'sIii us
BY MRS. AMELIA E. B4RR:. R.id b

A life in which nothing happeiis.'
Such had been mind, atleasti Until my
twentieth year, when my aunt Hied,
leaving me the handsome house m
which / am now living, In e-Ai1al
street. There was machI other propers
ty, and TO inconsidefable sum Of iiioHi
ey, besides pretty little farm twenty
miles out of the city. i was in fact q
rich woman, and what was still better,
a perfectly free one, and I enjoyed my
liberty for the first few weeks with all
the abandon Of an uncag ged bifl.h But
as winter came on 4 srew a'iittN'lone.
ly. had been TO the farm. asa found
it a weariness. Not even the pride of
possession could reconcile roe. to its
solitude and monotony. had trieda
watering place, and the patronage Of
some and the scrvility Of others had
so wounded and disgusted me-, That
early in September I came back to my
home in the city, 1t had become plain
to me, moreover, that some sort. of
chaperon was necessary, for thongh i
knew was able to take care of myself
society did not seem to think so; and
I had been continually irritated by the
constant proposals OF friends to look
out for me suitable person. ugol, =.
But if was to have an incumbranoe
l was determined to select it myself,
and after some consideration Il wrote
to my old teacher asking her to accept
the position. This scheme had.its'ad
vantsges and its drawbacks. as every
scheme has; the advantages being
that Mrs. Whitney was thorough. Ia
dy a clever housekeeper, and quite man
sgcable; the disadvantage being that
she had = daagAter whom 1 must also
take, and whose position it would be
dlfhcuit 10 oRsho. d.s i1O 9no
However, the agreement was made !;
Mrs. Whitney was installedba as Lady
Propriety, and Rose Whitliey, as my
companion. Then, soon after, the
usual round of water gayeties began,
and though, etiquette forbade my tax.
ing an active part in them while Twas
in mourning, still found, in calling,
shopping, concerts and lectures, most
asundant recreation. ''''h. 81 "o
Mrs. Whitney proved invaluable.
My house and housekeeping under her
management were models ofcomforta-
BILE elegance but Rose was solrethihgi
Of trial. She was only sixteen, and she
was insuAerably vain Of her pink and
white prettiness, and her youthful
bloom. / tried, however, to, b.s Kind
and just to her, for 1 clothed her hand
somely, and took her with me wherever
I went. I was careful, too, to avoid
anything which might make her feel
her position as dependent; and for
these things I think I deserve some
credit, for the servitnde Of one woman
to another is generally,a very, ,bettrr
Oue> e! ,m txsA I
One evening my lawyer called to
transact some business with me. He
remained to dinner, and proposed AZ
ter it to take ,as to hear SOME famous
singer. There seemed to be 10 reason
for refusal, for the night was 6hexmd
the noon full, besides | had no other
engagement; 50 the offer was accept.
ed. AS We were going Hpilthe wide
stairway at Steinway Hall, Rgentle-
man accidentally 'trcd On my dressS He
stopped a moment 10 spologiSe. my
friend recognized him, and introduced
US l had heard Of Frank Ellers be
fore, and had read many of his cqntgi.
buttons to various magazines so Il selt
no little pleased and excited at the
rencontre. His chair happened to pc
next to mine, and enr lacqnaintapce
made such progress thatI naasGnc
objection to his proposal to walh home
in the clear frosty night. SonRose
ana lawyer Denton, and I and Frank
Ellers made . very naerry psrty, and |
vent to bed that night with sistrnaee
~ happy feeling In my heart. -asmo.
Next morning he made a formal
cali and indet d-thougb I don't know
quite bow it hapPened-before JQng,
be was always calling on someoplsss-
ant pretext or another. Rose grew
quite familiar with him, and ipasffd
Frank took a greatsintAsest, inrithe
pretty child, and persuaded me to have