The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-08-15

VI OV'iiStiiihS'
"My dear, l almost think she is
What an odd country ~
" She seems a perfect lady"
"Shc is a perfect lady. | am
told there is no better family here
than hers. And never met a
more agrceobly and lady-likc girl
in my life"
" Nor l. l like her immensely.
But how can she go on SO with
him. Isn't he a very handsome
young man :"
" Very. He would pass for a
gentleman anywhere. A strange
country! 1t will be long before |
understand it ; but | am inclined to
like everything"
The details of this rcdecoration
and alteration required many inter-
views between Mrs. Alsagcr and
young Rowan. The elder Rowan
sometimes came, and was always the
respectful, commonplace man of
business, in whom one could not
help feeling confidence, but whom
certainly no one could take for a
gentleman. The more Mrs. Alsa-
ger knew Of the young man, the
more she asked him. He had been
educated at Harvard, he had read a
great deal he could talk French,
AID could converse about Paine and
Ruskin and art ; he could play the
piano; yet he never seemed to dream
of being above his business. Even
Alice after while became quite re-
concilcd to him.
Both ladies grew very fond Of Is
abel. Mrs. Alsager insisted that
until she was was ready to leave the
house not a hand should be put TO
alter any of its arrangements, nor
should the new owners or any OF
their servants enter it except as Wis
itors. This, at least, spared Isabel
some pangs. To the last, the old
home was to be the same. She
could never see any change in it
except such change as Fate incXor-
able and already made.
Isabel was to 90 to Florida, ac-
companied only by her maid, a
Swedish girl, who had lived with
her since they were both children.
These last days were very sad. Is,
abel was leaving the home Of her
birth, her childhood, her affections
the home which now seemed like
the sacred grave of her dead father
and mother. The doctors assured
her that a warm climate would re-
store her health; but she sometimes
fancied she felt presentmcnt that
her own grave would be made in
the south, and she thought it might
perhaps as well be so, although she
yearned to lie near her mother in
death. Yet she always showed an
outward chccrfulness and courage.
Her one great consolation was Sc
purely sentimental that practical
minds would adore her for 1.-THE
thought that tender and kindly
hands would care for the places that
had been hers, that the sweet-voices
of loving women and the pure
breath of an af1cctionatc and happy
household would gladden. the olo
rooms so dear to her.
Was there no thought of sadness
no grief of parting, no CLEAN o
hope in her which had another
source?
The idea that had shot quickly in
to the minds of Mrs. Alsagcr anC
her daughter when they saw young
Rowan with Isabel had never oc
cured to him. lie saw Miss Ger
, maine sweet and friendly to him, a
she was to his father and to every
one. He saw that no idea of so
cial separation ever seemed to cx
press itself in her manner. But sh,
came of great old family, and hi
father was only better sort of ;
workingman and he himself aspirec
to nothing higher than the success
sion to his fathers business. 1t tncv
cr occurred to him as possible tina
Isabel could care for him. Now
that his father had money and sh,
had none, his spirit and manhood
would have repelled such thought
more utterly than ever. As lsabe
Germaine could not love such a fel.
low as he, would he allow his sou
to entertain even for an instant, the
thought that money could buy her.
But he loved her, made her his idol
consecrated his thoughts to her, con
fessed his love to himself, and wa:
glad in the knowledge of it.
He came to see her for the las
time before er,journey South. They
were friendly, sad, and in certain
sense confidential. But each ont
kept a great thought back from thu
other.
L" Would you mind doing me
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