The Republican journal., 1874-07-02
To be Cured.

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To be Cured.
| A strange fatality seemed TO attend the
| Raymond family. The two eldest girls, as
they had respectively grown up, had the
hardihood to fall in love with young men
beneath their station, and had each. as the
| fever came on. been sent off to old Mrs
| Nesbitt, a relative, to be cured Both had
been treated so systematically by the old
lady that they recovered their senses Sut-
ticicntly to off with the old love and re
turn home engaged to wealth and age.
OF Vera, the youngest daughter, great
hopes were entertained, and match with
young Osborne was duly prepared by her
mother, when what should Vera do, but
| follow in the footsteps of her sisters, and
of course off she was sent to old Mrs.
Nesbitt to be cured like her sisters.
| ''You shall go over the border to yorn
Aunt Nesbitt's," cried Mrs. Raymond in
despair ''She soon brought Jane and
| Josephine to their senses. and she shall
| bring You to yours"
| So that was how the exile to Aunt Mes
bits came about. She was very rich,
whimsical. tyrannical old maid, as Mrs
RAYMOND had always fully believed Vera
had seen her Years before, and had thought
| her 4 terrible woman. quite awful for Sc
verify. Miss Nesbitt never visited her
neice. Mrs Raymond. and only permitted
visits from her at rare intervals One
morning, when Vera had been in exile
for few weeks, the letters came in while
they We're at breakfast Miss Nesbitt
looked to see if the girl looked disap-
| pointed because there We're none for her
"Nera, she said, few women can keer
a promise. Can you?'
| A strange smile fitted over Nera's lips
Aunt Nesbitt understood that it meant,
Il have made one promise | mean tC
| keep
Miss Nesbitt considered Il little Was
! this lust girlish obstinacy, OF was it q wo-
! mans firm resolve?
Vera" she continued, Il hate to be
bored by watching and spying. VIII you
engage neither to receive letters from MOI
| to send ary to that nice young man OF
yours, who has caused all this trouble p
Il had to promise that | would not
write to let him know where | am and
must pertorce keep the promise, answered
Vera, with flashing eyes and qlivering
| lips. Il have some honor within me, Aunt
/ Nesbitt"
Should he find out where you are, anG
come here, will you promise not to hole
any stolen interview ?"
Il would see him, if | could replied
/ Nora. 1,,int1, s.p"+ ynn mood NOT he
afraid He has gone to India.
Gone to India?'
When the explosion came, he said il
was the only thing left for him to do
Somebody undertook to get him berth
there"
Are, ycs'' cried Aunt Nesbitt. The
old story! He is to make a fortune, an(
come back Let me see-you may expect
to meet him when YOU are about forty.
two
Il can wait said Vera.
Though it is more probable you vii
hear Of his return in year and half
with an heiress for wife, added Mis-:
Nesbitt opening her letters.
''Did any man ever treat you so?' de-
manded Vera, too angry to think what
might be the consequence of arousing the
old lady's anger.
Miss Nesbitt laid down her letter, leane(
her hands on the table, and looked hel
neice through and through with her steely
gray eyes.
Yes she answered, slowly; "a mar
did treat me so. Exactly in that way. Are
you satisfied now? Will You admit that
| have some right to doubt young men
| young women, too?A
Il beg your pardon. ~ exclaimed the i'm
pulsive girl. ''Indeed indeed am sorry
'sTheres no harm done" i" said Miss Mes
bitt, in an odd tone "Vera, you are the
only human being that ever heard my
secret. [ don't know why | answered you
! ought to have boxed your ears"
Il wish You would deserve it, crie(
Vera
Il never box anybody S ears, unless they
tread on Seraph's tail. said Aunt Nesbitt
stroking the head OF beautiful Angora
cat that sat on 4 chair by her side. "But
| am sixty -two-women don't have feel
ings at that age. 1t is only pretty Juliet:
of eighteen who can indulge in such lux
uries.'
Vera could not decide at that moment
whether she liked OF detested Aunt Mes
bitt at all events, she was suddenly in
terested in her She wished she dared ask
questions about the lOng-ldst romance
which Vera felt held a profound tragedy
under it,
Il was very rude she said. 81 have
grown irritable II have had n good
deal to make me so.''
Miss Nesbitt quite believed that, know
ing well Mrs. Raymond's talents in the
science Of nagging.
"We will not quarrel while you stay,
Vera" was all her answer.
"How long will you keep me ?n asked
| Vera
Miss Nesbitt shrugged her shoulders,
and the old provoking, ironical expression
crossed her face.
'.Until YOU are cured, We're the orders
of your mother. But | have neither a Mr.
Musters nor any other desirable gentle
man on hand at present"
1T is rather gloomy prospect for you,
Aunt Nesbitt"
Il never despair"
IL shall be twenty-one in less than three
| years. observed Vera
"Just so. replied her great-aunt. "What
then?"
Il shall have some money of my own.
| can set up a school, and make more"
That would be dreadtully prosiac, y
sighed Miss Nesbitt ''You had better
marry Mr.. Osborne"
Il can't have two husbands. | mean to
marry Moore Rivington!" Her voice fall
tered little over the name.
"Just so,'' said her aunt 'Let me see.
By the time you are torty-seven, you can
write and tell him you have made so much
money you are quite rich''
II should do so," said Vera. ''But it
may come before then. If not-he will
wait for me-
Aunt Nesbitt took up newspaper, and
seemed busy with it, She was secretly
watching the girl. How the sight of her
brought her own youth back Vera was
so like what she had been-it was like
watching the ghost of her own girlhood
to look at her. Presently Miss Nesbitt
rose and left the room in silence She
wanted to be alone. The iron composure
which life had taught her had not been so
shaken up for years.
| eff they could both hold firm" she said