Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-10-06
Ciara's Vocation.
(Concluded.)

Cumberland, at the time which | write. WINS
small ylllagel where every body knew tif ey.
cry body else. Very few people kept servants
and MIS-. Reynolds by virtue of keeping two
was consider ed to live Ia great style and luxll-
ry.
BY the middle OF next week all the cossips
were telling each other that the Lords were nc.
tually in such reduced circumstances that Clara
had gone to live with Mrs. Reynolds to do
houscwork.
1t was too incredible TO be easily believed.
and several proc ,eded to convince themselves
by calling at theihandsome house Oh the hill
Mrs. Reynolds had an unusual number of call
ers the last of the week, attracted for the most
part by the lauda0le desire Of experiencing the
novel sensation of having Clara Lord open the
door for them, and wait them into Mrs. Rev
nods' handsome parlor. Then they went away
and compared notes. "She appeared Just as
usual" said one. "She appeared us grand as ev-
err" said the second. "From her airs YOU would
have thought her mistress of the Iouse,r said
the third. "She always dressed plainly enough
for scrvant-gir," said the next, showing there
by that she knew nothing of servant girls, as
regards dress.
"Clara Lord always did have such Queer In
dependent notions, said another.
And so on TO the end Of the chapter. No
greater event than this was needed TO set the
little village agog with excitement. And you
reached the ears Of Mr.. Clarke Harley, and lie
groaned in spirit. Little spirits groan ov-
er little things
Actually people knew that he, Clarke Harley.
had been paying attention to this very girl that
everybody was talking about Why need she
have turned aside from the beaten track? If she
must earn money, Why could she not have
taught school, or gone ipto store as any other
girl would have donep People commenced un-
nd 4
to MIR. Harley TO weigh The comments and see
II anything wrong was ascribed to Clara LORD
Some people are so constituted that it seems
morally impossible for them to discern apy diff.
ference between course that Is absolutely
wrong, and course that simply runs couutsI
to popular opinion.
II there was any one thing that Mr.. Clarke
nariey detested,lt was strong minded woman
And he vlrtuouslJ resolved to have nothing
more to do with Clara.
The first week that Clara Lord spent under
Mrs. Reynolds roof seem long and irving -
Not that her work was very hard,for Mrs. Rsy-
nolds' was all thoughtfuDess and considera-
tion.
She was aware ofihe relations that had kind
ly told Clara that when she had friends call. the
little sitting-room was always at her service. :
Clara thanked her but the week went by. anc
there was no occasion for her to occupy the
little sitiing-ro"ni. Saturday morning Mrs.
Reynolds said:
~ have been expecting to Gee Mr.. Harle,
here some evening. l hope you will Inyit,
him to come here 10 see you as usuals"
"Mr. Harley chose 10 be offended al nv com
Ing here 10 live with you," said Clara simply
" and it Is not probable that you will see hin
| here"
Though Clara was too proud aud complete !,
the mistress Of herself, 10 seein TO be affect e,
by the ciIions and scrutiniziug glasses whi 81
many Of Mrs. Reynolds callers bestowed on he
and the pertinent stares she encountered whei
she appeared OH the street, nevertheless sh
felt them keenly. Who can be wholly indIi
ierentto the opinions of othersS The sou
| that is most securely intrenched In its citade
behind the consciousness of doing what is rlgh,
may nevertheless be reached by the sLIngs an,
shafts of gossip and scandal II we can hav
the appreciation of conscience and that of tn
woild, 1t is well.
But it requires a struggle to move on serene
ly in ene's course, with the former and withou
the latter. But what term shall be applied h
those who yield point of conscience, becaus
OF what people wilr say?
Saturday night Mrs. Reynolds younger hrotf
er, Mr.. John Osgood came on from Albany
spend Sunday. He came late In the evenin
and did not appear at the breakfast table, an
Clara did not see him until the late SUNDAY
dinner was announced.
She had been introduced to him by Mrs. Rev
nolds at picnic the previous summer. Whe
hfr. Osgood saw her in the dning-room, wait
ing on the table, it struck him that his sister
iable-girl was very attractive, and her fac
seemed perplexingly familiar, but he vainly on
deavored to recall where he had seen her. OF
serving CLARA blush beneath his somewhat pro
longed gaze, he turned his attention to Mill
Reynolds. Posr Clara! his prolonged stare, q
she considered il, WAS almost the last feather /
the camel's burden. She had not a doubt bu
that he vas scrutinizing her 10 SEQ how sh
would appear in her new position. And h