The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-07-16
The Step Daughters Triumph,
OR
Annie Rathburn's Trials.
CONCLUDED.

X. KIRK WOOD sat down with an
.lXl increase of respect for the young
girl, and looked at her with slight degree
of interest. He had a good opportunity to
contemplate her. She had Immediately
resumed her previous occupation which he
had interrupted, that of reading aloud from
a child's book to the invalid boy. Her
manner was perfectly self-possessed and
-like-neither look nor tone betraying
the least diffidence or even consciousness of
having liste ner.
How pale, and cold, and inanimate she
seemed; but as he observed her closely, he
began to suspect that what he had mistaken
for weak submission was rather excess of
pride. He saw too, with surprise, the ex-
treme beauty of her form and features; he
admired the finely shaped head, half bent
over the book, with its dark abundant hair,
and her voice, low, rich, and sweet. He
wondered if her eyes were as beautiful as
the rest of her face; but she gave him no
opportunity to decide, for she neither look
ed at nor spoke to him till Edith appeared,
when to his courteous bow, which Edith
saw with disdainful curl of the lip, that
he should have wasted upon Annie she re-
turned slight inclination of the head.
Edith was brilliant performer upon the
piano, and seemed never to weary Of play
ing and singing for Mrs. Lothrop, who was
enthusiastically fond of music.
A few mornings after this, when Edith
had finished playing, and Mrs. Lothrop had
expressed in her peculiar way her thanks
and qualification, the latter suddenly turned
to Annie and said
"Do you not play also?"
Before Annie could reply, her step-mother
answered for her.
"Annie commenced taking lessons when
a child, but we found she had not a correct
ear; and as her father had horror of girls
who drum on the piano without producing
music, her lessons were discontinued. Ed
18th, on the contrary, early showed perfect
passion for music"
Mr.. Kirkwood eyed the young girl intent
ly and curiously while Mis-. Rathburn was
speaking, but neither cheek flushed, nor
eye flashed, nor lip curled a denial of the
statement.
What a mystery she was becoming to him!
This young girl with lAr reserve, her cold
ness, her command over tongue and fea-
ture
He had been ear and eyewitness to cir
'cumstance the day previous, which would
have enabled him to enlighten Mrs. Rath-
burn upon this very subject, had he been
so disposed.
He had made an engagement in the morn
ing to make some visits with the ladies, but
in consequence of the reception of some
letters, which required immediate answers,
he was prevented from fulfilling it. After
assisting the ladies into the carriage, he re-
paired TO a small room opening by a glass
door from the parlor, for the purpose Of an.
swering his correspondence. He had been
there but a few minutes, when Annie enter
ed the parlor, wheeling in little Willie. She
looked out OF the window, then carefully
CLOSED the door into the hall. With feel.
ing Of annoyance, he saw her open the pi-
,ano and sit down to II; for he was in nc
mood to be disturbed, by the discordant
sounds he expected would succeed, and
there was no egress except through the
parlor.
He was therefore, little prepared for the
rich strains Of harmony that broke upon his
ear. The touch, the taste, the execution
were perfect There was no bungling, nc
hardness nor discord-all was smooth,
easy, harmonious.