The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-07-12

again, but her obstinacy or "pride," as
she called il, prevented her, and so
she fretted and worried until Jane
was almost driven distracted by her
irritability and unreasonableuess---
She was so cross, so hard to suit, aud
SO lawfully savage" as John would
have said, that Jane became at last
entirely worn out, and one day when
her duties had been more than usually
hard, she surprised her mistress by
packing up her movable property and
departing from the house. Then
Miss Barbara was wre:ched; for three
days she sat in a solitary state, and
then, sending for her lawyer, directed
him to insert an advertisement in the
leading papers to the effect that she
wanted young, neat and ladylikc
person for companion"
No more old women for me-" she
said savagely, in response to the law.
yers look of surprise, latter the be.
havior of Jane, who has been with
me for thirty years; and then author.
izing him to examine applicants, she
sent him away.
Two days after the lawyer return
ed, accompanied by a tall, slender
young woman, who had come TO see
if Miss Barbara would engage her. -
After looking at her keenly for some
time and inquiring sharply into her
antecedents, references and the like,
Miss Barbara pronounced herself sat
isiied, and Alice Worthington, as
the lawyer called her, was duly in
stalled in the Office of companion,
and charming companion she proved
to be.
Miss Barbara was at first disposed
to be a bit critical and captious, but
the young girl was so anxious TO
please, so sweet-tempered and amia-
Bile, so quiet and selt-forgetful, that
Miss Barbara S severity melted away
by degrees, and at last she began to
love her gentle attendant. and to try
in various little ways 10 make her
and contcnted in her new
home.
"Alice," she said one day, rs the
girl sat opposite her 1t the fire, how
old are you? 2"
Not quite nineteen" was the shy
answer.
And Miss Barbara looked at her in
surprise. Not quite nineteen" and
yet So quiet, dignified and womanIy
it was almost incredible. Miss Bar
bara looked at her again, and with a
new appreciation in her face. She
saw how pure and sweet the fair face
looked, with the shy brown eyes half
hidden by the white lids; she saw
how plainly and smoothly the brown
hair was fastened back, how neat and
trim was the dark dress, how snowy
were the cuffs and the narrow collar,
and her heart was filled with wonder.
4 girl in this nineteenth century with
out ruffie, a puff, 4 crimp, an over
skirt, sash, or suspicion of pan
ier about heri Truly wonders would
never cease; and, rs she gazed on
this rdra dUis, her heart was filed
with pity for John, who had thrown
away.
She's just the wife for him." she
thought, ii he had only waited lit
tle-he would have liked her, / am
sure" And then she dismissed the
thought with a sigh, and turned to
Alice for consolation.
AS the days went by Miss Bar
bara's heart began to yearn for her
nephew. She loved Alice dearly, but
even she did not take the place of the
absent one. His handsome face
haunted her day and night, and often
as she heard sudden noise in the
ball or at the door, she would look up
eagerly, half expecting to see him as
she used TO do.
81 am getting DID," she said, sadly,
to herself. perhaps l was little
hard with him-smy boy'-I'll ask
Alice"
And so one night she called Alice
to her, and as she sat at her feet 10
the freight, as John had done so of.
ten, she told her all about-how much
she loved him, and how she longed to
see him again.
Il am getting old, Alice" she said.
u may die soon, and / want to see
my boy. Perhaps l was wrong about
his wife. 1t would do no harm to see
them just once, Alice"
And Alice answered gently that
perhaps it would be better for them
all to do SO; but she avoided her
kind friends eyes, and there was a
scarlet flush on her face that was un-
usual.
The next day Alice, under Miss
Barbara's direction, wrote little note
to John Barton. "Tell him to come
soon," said she; and as Alice wrote
this, Miss Barbara sat and thepght in
tently for some time, with kr face
resting on her hands. Tell him." she
said again, "he may bring his wife if
he likes-I can at least see her to
please him."
And SO the note was written and
the messenger dispatched.
After this decisive step was taken
Miss Barbara was in futter of ner-
vousness all the time. She donned
her richest dress, her most costly cap,
and then sat expectant until she heard
Johns step on the stairs, and John
himself came in as Of old. Of course
there were a few minutes during
which both talked at once, and then,
when the first excitement was over
Miss Barbara suddenly grew grave.
"Where's your wifeY' she SAID, in
her old grim way, and John rose and
rang the bell.
"She's down stairs / told her to
stay until sent for her." And then