Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-01-18

he ".was going to be married"
Miss Barbara was good woman, bit
she was whimsical, little selfish, and,
above all, very Jealous OF her own digni-
~, and the knowledge that John had ass
serted his independence, and actually
planned out the future life without toii-
sulting her, beforehand, was very hard
thing for her TO bear. She was not pa
tient nor forgiving, and the result OF
Johns confidence was very unpleas-
ant scene. She who had never spoken
to him harshly 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, aud his first
visit to her after that event ended as we
have seen.
The days passed away slowly after
John, with his bright face and ringing
voice, was banished, and Miss Barbara,
halfforgUttlng her harshhess, was often
tempted TO send for him again, but her
obstinacy of "pride," as she called it.,
| prevented her, and so she fretted and
worried Intil Jane was almost driven
distracted, by her irresistability and tin-
reasonableness. She was 50 cross, so
hard to suit, and so "awful 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 wretched. Fer three days
she sat in solitary state and then sending
for lawyer, directed him to insert an
advertisement in the leading papers to
the effect that she wanted, a "young,
neat, lady-like person for a compan-
ion"
"No more old women for me-" she
said savagely, in RESPONSE 10 the lawyers
look of surprise, "atter the behavior of
Jane, who had been with me for thirty
years." and authorizing him to examine
the applicants she sent him away aud
waited.
Two days after the lawyer returned
accompanied by tall, slender young
woman, who had come to see if she
Miss Barbara-would engage her.
Miss Barbara's eyes looked keenly at
her for some time, and, after inquring
sharply into her antecedents, references
and the like, Miss Barbara pronounced
herself satisfied, and Alice Worthington,
as the lawyer called her. duly
installed in the office of "companion,"
and most charming companion she
proved 10 be.
Miss Barbara was at first disposed to
be bit critical AID captious, but the
young girl was so anxious to please, SO
sweet.tempered and aimable, so quiet
and selfforgetfull that Miss Barbara's
severity melted away by degrees, aud at
last, she began to love the attendant, and
try in various ways to make her cheef-
ful and contented in her new home.
"Alioe," she said one day, as the young
girl sat opposite her before the fire,
"How old are you %
"Not quite n+neteen," was the shy an
swer.
And Miss Barbara looked at her in sur
prise. "Not quite niheteen," and yet
so dignifed and womanly. IL was al.
most incredible. Miss Barbara looked
at her again, and with 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 smoothly and plainly the brown
hair was fastened back, how neat and
trim was the dark dress, how snowy
were the cuffs and collars, and her heart
was filed with wonder. A girl In her
nineteenth year without a ruffie, a puff, a
crimp, an overskirt, a sash or a suspicion
of pannier about her! Truly, wonders
would never cease, and, as she gased OIL
this rdrd avis, her heart was filled with
pity for poor John who had thrown him
self away.
"She's Just the wife for him." she
thought, "if he had only waited little
he would have liked her, l am sure" And
then she dismissed the thought with q
sigh, and turned to Alice for consolation
AS the days went by, Miss Barbara's heart
begati to yearn for her nephew. She loved
Alice dearly, but even she did not take thu
place of the absent one. His handsome face
| haunted her day and night, and often as sht
heard a sudden noise in the hall, or at thu
door, she would look up eagetly expecting tt
see him as she used to do. II am getting old,
she said sadly, To herself "Perhaps was
little bard with him-my boy--Tll ask Alice
And So one night she called Alice to her. A
she sat ut her feet in the freight, as John ha'
done so often, she told her all about it--ant
how she longed to see him again.
II am getting did, Alice" she said-"I ma,
die soon, and l want to see my boy. Perhap
| was wrong about his wife. 1t would do N
harm to see them just once, Alice"
And Alice answered gently that perhaps I
would be better for them all 10 do so; but sli
avoided her kind friends eyes, and there wa
a scarlet flush on her face that was unusual.
The next day, Alice under Miss Barbara
direction, wrote little note to John Bartor
/" Tell him to come soon," said she; and a
Alice wrote this, Miss Barbara sat and though
intently for some tinlei her face resting ON he
! hands. "Tell him." she said again tell Iii
] he may bring his wife If he likes-l can
least see her to please him" And SO the mol
, was written and the message dispatched =,
After this decisive step was takeni Miss ba
. bafa was IN futter of nervousness all I'll
e time. She donned her richest Dress her mo-
4 costly cap; and then sat ezpectant until sl
heard Johns step on the stairs, and John can
|, in as of old Of course, there were few mil
] rtes during which they both talked at one
] and then, when the first excitement was owe
I Miss Barbara suddenly grew grave where
!, your wlieY" she said in her old, grim way, an
: John rose and rang the bell.
"She's down stairs. l told her To stay uni
d sent fot her" And then as tue servant mac
I his appearance, "Show my wife up"
Miss Barbara waited quietly.
"You will love her little for my sake
: pleaded John, as light footsiep was heard
s H.. 49,. aoA Greatly 10 Miss Harlarns Su