The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-09-17

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him the only person in the world, anc
although people msrveled at the af
lection Of the bright faced young
man for his grim old aunt, it wa:
genuine and true.-IIe had gone
through college in thoroughly sat
isfactory manner, and afterwards had
settled down into as assteady and trust
worthy a young business man a:
there was in the city, and for thres
years he had behaved entirely accord
ing to his aunt's wish in every re.
spect
One day, however. tie peace and
tranquility Of Miss Barbara's house.
hold were broken By G rumor which
came to her ears. John, ,-ier' John
was paying attention to somebody
She was at first incredulous. bat as
the days went by she was forced to
believe it; for one night John, sitting
at her feet, his yellow hair shining in
the freight, told her with much con.
fusion and embarrassment that che
was going to be married"
/ Miss Barbara was q good woman,
but she was very whimsical, and q
little selfish, and above all, very
jealous of her own dignity, and the
knowledge that John had asserted
his own independence. and actually
planned ont his future without con-
sulting her beforehand, was hard
thing for her 10 bear She was not
patient nor forgiying, and the result
Of Johns confidence was a very un-
pleasant scene. She who had ney-
er spoken harshly to him before, over
whelmed him with hard bitter words,
and then, he was gone, wept himself
20 sleep over his'' ingratitude" as she
chose 10 call IL
When at las; be was really mar
-ied her anger knew 10 bounds, and
his first visit after that event, ended
as we have seen.
The days passed slowly after John,
with bright face and ringing voice,
was banished, and Miss Barbara,
halfregretting her harshness, was oft
en- 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 irritabili-
" and unreasonableness. She was
so cross, so hard to please. and so
"aw!ully savage" a. John would
have said, that Jane became at last
worn out, and one day when her du-
ties were unusually hard, she surpris-
ed her mistress by packing up her
movable property and departing from
the house. Then Miss Barbara was
wretched For three days she sat in
solitary state, and then sending for
her lawyer, Girectiog him TO insert
an advertisement in the leading pa
pers to the effect that she wanted
young neat and ladylike person for
q companion"
"No more old women for me-" she
said, savage!y, in response to her
lawyers look OF surprise, after the be-
havior Of Jane, wLo has been with
me for thirty mine years" and then
authorizing him TO examine each
applicant she sent him away and
waited.
Two DAYS afterwards the lawyer
returned accompanied by tall slen-
der Young woman. who had come TO
see if she Miss Barbara) would en-
gage her.
Miss Barbara's black eyes looked
keenly at her for moment, and af-
ter inquiring sharply into her ante
cedents references and the ike, Miss
Alice Worthington (as the lawyer
called herr was duly installed in the
Office of companion" and a most de-
Iightful companion she proved TO be-
Miss Barbara was at first disposed
to be bit critical and captious
bat the young girl was so anxious to
please, so sweet tempered and amia-
ble, so quiet, aud forgetful, that Miss
Barbara's severity melted away by
degrees. and at last she began to
love her attendant and to try in va
rious little WAYS to make her cheer
ful and contenred in her new home !
Alice" +" said she, one day, as the
young girl sat opposite her before
the FIRE. how old are your
Not quite nineteen" was the shy |
answer.
Not quite nineteen and vet so
quiet and dignified and womanly 1t
was almost incredible Miss Barba-
ra looked at her again, and with q
new appreciation in her face, saw how
pure and sweet the fair face looked,
with the sky-blue eyes half hidden by
the white lids; and saw how smooth
" and plainly the brown hair was
fastened back, how neat and trim the
dark dress, how snowy were the cuffs
and the narrow collar, ana her heart
was filed with wonder A girl in
he nineteenth century without ruff
lie, puff, a erimp, an overskirt,
sash, or suspicion Of a panier about
ler Truly wonders would never
ease
As she gazed on this rara Gris her
leart was filed with pity for poor
Tohn, who had thrown himselfaway.
She is just the wife for him." she
hought; if he had only waited lit
le he would have liked her, | am
ure." And then she dismissed the
bought with sigh, and. turned to
lice for consolation. II
As the days went by Miss Barba-
as heart began to yearn for her
lephew. She loved Alice dearly, but
ven she did not take the place Of the
.bsent one. His handsome face
Iaunted her day and night, land often
S she heard a sudden nois inc the hall
II at the door, she would look out !
agerly, half expecting to see him, as
he used to.
Il am getting DID," she said to ,
erself. Perhaps was little hard
With him-my boy. III ask Alice"
nd so one night she called Alice to !,
er, and as she sat at her feet in the ;
relight, as John had done often, she
old her all about it. and how she ,
,nged TO see him again. ,
/