The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-01

AS soon as she was gone, Mrs. Haughton,
taking Bessie's face in her motherly hands,
kissed it softly.
"Darling," she said, "this must not be.
/ love you, Bessie, as one of my own girls,
and you must come and let us nurse you
well again. You shall be my guest this
winter"
"You are very kind" the young girl re-
Piled, "but you must let me have my own
way. 1 do not need nursing, only rest
from the constant talking to pupils, and
active exercise. told Dr. Will what
meant to do, and he said it was the best
medicine in the world for me-"
Quite long talk followed, but Mrs.
Haughton was obliged to yield her point.
Bessie, was resolved to be independent and
saw no disgrace in honestly getting her
living in her friends kitchen.
But when the girl was really alone, she
certainly acted very strangely, considering
her late resolutions. Just as Mrs. Haugh-
ton had left her, she had said:
eve expect Mr.. and Mrs. Austin and
their cousin, a Mr.. Alexander Wight, lately
returned from California"
Then she left the kitchen, and Bessie
dashed into the buttery and sat down be-
hind the door.
ooh, why didn't wait p' she said in a
half whisper. "Alick Wight at home !
What will he think to see me servant
girlP 1t was bad enough to be teaching
for living ; but cooking for living Oh,
why didn't wait? Wait for what?
am only earning my bread. Alick Wight
is nothing to me" she said again in stern
self-reproach; "probably he has forgotten
my existence"
But even as she spoke there arose in her
memory picture she would never forget.
In conservatory where tinkling fountains
cooled the air for choice exotics, lady
stood beside tall, fine looking young man,
who held her little gloved hand fast in his
own. Both were in rich evening dress, and
the house was full of gay guests. Mr..
Turner having accepted an invitation to a
friends party in one of Fifth avenues pal
aces. 1t was the second winter he had
spent in New York with Bessie, the last
winter of his life. But the couple in the
conservatory were not thinking of death or
change, when the gentleman spoke in a
low, earnest tone:
l will not bind you by any promise,
Bessie, for you will be an heiress, while l
have still my way to make. / sail for San
Francisco very soon, and expect to go into
business with my uncle there but in few
years / shall return. l shall hope that you
will not forget me-"
Two weeks later he was gone, and Bes-
sic, an orphan. Years of struggle to her
had been years of success to him, for his
uncle was dead, and had left him large
property and prosperous business. The
pride inborn in Bessie's nature had kept
her from telling her sad story to one who
was not formally engaged to her, and she
had learned to think of Alick as merely a
good friend. But to meet him as she must
meet him in few hours, was sore strain
upon her pride and love.
"But this won't get my dinner" she
said suddenly, as the little clock on the
kitchen mantel warned her that time was
flying. "If must be a servant at least |
will be good Oue."
The afternoon train brought the expect
ed guests, and Bessie, peeping from her
kitchen curtain, saw the pretty little lady
who had been her hostess one evening al
ready mentioned, and her gray-haired hus-
band, and tall broad-shouldered, heavily
bearded young man, who was introduced to
his hostess and her pretty daughter as 'My
cousin, Mr.. Wight"
1t was not the easiest work in the world,
after this, to wait at the table, and Mrs.
Haughton stared at the demure little wait
ress, whose perfectly cooked viands she was
dispensing. But nobody noticed her, and
dinner passed off very quietly, the new ar
rival being full Of city gossip for theil
country friends.
AS the "girl" stood over the dish pan, in
which two scalding tears had fallen, she
thought
He did not even recognize me-"
In the drawing room there was music
and laughter, in the kitchen tears and
sighs, when Mrs. Haughton came out to
Bessie.
Bessie, dear" she said, "leave the
dishes and come into the parlor. Do"
i am too tired and hot" pleaded Bes.
sic.
" 1t will rest YOU"
But 1t is better not. can't be SER