Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-31

IOI DCtilGllI llOI IOl anu lnC lCoAAlb
of Johns confidence was a very unpleas-
scene. She who had never spoken
harshly to him before, overwhelmed him
with hard, bitter words, and then, when
he was gone, wept herself to sleep over
his ''ingratitude, as she called it.
When at last he was really married,
her anger knew no bounds, and his first
visit after that event ended as we have
seen.
The days passed slowly after John,
with his bright face and ringing voice,
was banished, and Miss Barbara, half
regretting her harshness, was often
tempted TO send for him again but her
obstinacy, or ''pride," as she called it,
preserved her, and so she fretted and
worried, until Jane was almost driven
distracted by irritability and unreasona-
bleness. She was so cross, so hard to
please, and so lawfully savage" as John
would have said, that Jane became at
last worn out, and one day, when her
duties were unusually large, she surpris-
ed her mistress by packing up her move
able property and departing from the
house. Then Miss Barbara was wretch
ed. For three days she sat in 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 lady-llke
! person for a companion"
| 'ENO more old women for me, she
said, savagely, in response to her law
4 yer's look of surprise, latter the beha-
/ viOr of Jane, who has been with me
thirty-nine years." and then authorizing
! him to examine each applicant, she sent
him away and waited.
Two days afterwards the lawyer re-
turned, accompanied by tall, slender
young woman, who had come to see II
! She Miss Barbara would engage her.
Miss Barbara's black eyes looked Keen
" at her for a moment, and after en-
| quiring sharply into her antecedents,
references, and the like, Miss Alice
| WOrthington Gas the lawyer called herr
was duly installed in the office Of ''com-
panion, and a most delightful compan-
ion she proved to be.
Miss Barbara was disposed to be a bit
critical and captious ; but the young
Girl was so anxious to please. so sweet
tempered and amiable. SO quiet and self
forgetful. that Miss Barbara's severity
melted away by degrees, and at last she
began to love her attendant, and TO try
Z III various llIAlC way " MANI iiAA NLNNA-
ful and contented in her new home.
"Alice." said she, one day, as the
Young girl sat opposite her before the
fire. chow old are you p
mot quite nineteen, was the shy an
swer
And Miss Barbara looked at her in
surprise. 'sNot quite nineteen" and vet
so quiet dignified and womanly. 1t was
almost incredible. Miss Barbara looked
at her again. and, with a new approba
ton in her face, saw how pure and sweet
the fair face looked, and with sky blue
ewes half-hidden by the white lids; she
saw how smoothly and plainly the
brown hair was fastened back, how neal
and trim the dark dress, how snowy
were the cuffs and the narrow collar
and her heart was filed with wonder
A Girl in the nineteenth century without
ruffle, puff, a crimp, an Overskirt,
sash, or a suspicion of panier about
herl Truly, wonders would never cease
AS she gazed on this rGra GCiS her heart
was filled with pity for poor John, who
had thrown himself away.
''She's Just the wife for him" sht
thought ''if he had only waited a little
hewould have liked her, | am sure.
And then she dismissed the thought witt
a SIGH, and turned to Alice for eonsola
ton.
AS the days went by, Miss Barbara
heart began to yearn for her nephew
She loved Alice dearly, but even she di'
not take the place of the absent one
His handsome face haunted her day am
night, and often, as she heard suddel
= noise in the hall or at e the door, sh
would look up eagerly, half expectin!
to see him, as she used to do.
II am getting DID," she said to her
self "Perhaps was little hard witt
him-my boy. I'll ask Alice.
And so one night she called Alice t
her, and as she sat at her feet in the fire
[ light, as John had done so often, ST
: told her all about it, and how she longe
to see him again.
sI am getting old, Alice" she said
| II may die soon, and want to see m,
t boy. Perhaps was wrong about hi
: wife. 1t would do me no harm to Sc
them once, Alice"
, And Alice answered gently that pei
! haps it would be better for all to doso; bu
r she avoided her kind friends eyes, an
there was a scarlet flush on her face tha
! was unusual
The next day Alice, under Miss Ban
I bara's directions, wrote little note I
[ John Barton.
: ssTell him to come soon, she said
and as Alice wrote this Miss Barbara sd
: and thought intently for a time, her fac
2 resting on her hands. ''Tell him." sh
said again, ''tell him he may bring hi
> wife if he likes-I can at least see her
e please him." And so the note was VIII
t ten and the messenger dispatched.
After this decisive step was taken Alls
< Barbara was in a f1utter of Nervousness
all the time. She dressed in her riches
: dress, her most costly cap, and then s.
expectant, until she heard Johns step Q
the stairs, and John himself came in
d of old. OF course there were a fe
e minutes during which they both talke
IS at once, and then, when the excitemeI
was over, Miss Barbara suddenly gre
IS grave.
IS "Wheres your wife?" she asked
n her old grim way. ..c,.
r John rose and rang the bell. ohe i1S
r down stairs. | told her to stay tlii
is sent for her." And then as the serYal
n made his appearance, 'Sho" my WI
= up. :o,l,.
: lyon will love her a little for m
"a sake DItdAlCN OOl4%t5 90 a AsS3AAt AC>N -
,r was heard at the door; and then, grea
;. " to Miss Barbara's surprise, Ali'
n Worthington came in. =.
el ssMy nephew, Mr.. Barton, Mi
d Worthington, I" she said; then turning
It Alice: II am engaged now, and "
N may be excused .
IL 10 her surprise John coolly pat !
a arm around the waist of his new a
IS aualntance and led her across the roor
h .sAlice Worthington Barton, Aunt Ba
l. bara,' he said and then, with the Q
n mischief in his eyes ''Loye her lltl
g for my sake, please.
'. There are children's voices IN the gre
a. house now, and Jane, who was In I
t. plot and is now back in her Old plae
n- and Miss Barbara pets them almost