Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-07-18

| piSaSC my uo"A i"tho's S"'N @Ah'S'e
the tears starting to her eyes
"but what certainty is there tina
either of us shall ever marry And
in the meantime, since we are poor
think we ought to be preparing
ourselves against any possible con
tingcncy. | may live to be an oil
maid of eighty"
"You know, Amelia, that all tina
| have is yours" said her stepmOth
er, with a rather hurt tone.
81 know you are very kind, nam
ma, and 1 shall always be gratefu
for your kindness. But you mus
not urge me. l cannot feel that al
you have is mine, even though yOr
SO generously offer it. must earl
my own bread.'
"Well, your pride must be fed,
suppose, child, as well as youl
stomach. So, go if you will; but
do not forget that am always youl
mother, and this is always yOul
hOme."
So Amelia went away, to be d
gOverness in the city, and Clemence
remained at home to comfort hel
stepmother.
Ihave said that Mrs. Orville was
not old. She was about thirty.
five, and looked much younger, even
in her unsightly Widows cap.
She was very pretty woman,
pretty enough to keep the gossips
very anxious about her.
"Of course," they said, ''it would
not be long before she would mar
ry again. Women as good looking
and attractive as she, with plenty
Of money, always attracted hus-
bands. And what would poor Glenn
ence do, if Mrs. Orville should mar
ry? If she was girl of any spirit,
she never would stay with her step
mother in that case. 1t was a great
pity she had not Amelia's independ-
ence; it would make no difference
to her whether Mrs. Orville married
or not"
1t was regular godsend to these
same gossips that, in three months
after Amelia had left, a fine, hand
some, and very elegant young man
caine to pay her stepmother visit.
A young man whom nobody had
ever seen in the village before. He
could not be over twenty five, was
evidently college-bred, and no doubt
was going to enter one of the pro
fessions.
"Mrs. Orville's money would be a
great lift to young man like that"
whispered the busybodies.
Hints to this effect reached the
ears of Clemence, as it was kindly
intended they should. Why should
not the poor girl be warned, if this
young tortune-huuter was going to
come in, and elbow her out of a
comfortable home?
At first, Clemence was very in
dignant at these hints. She knew
her stepmother too well to believe
that she would allow a young man
to enter her house as guest, with
such an object in view. Mr.. La
throp was, as her mamma repre-
sented, the son of an old friend, and
had been invited to the house for a
little while, that it might seem more
cheerful to Clemence.
But one morning, as Clemence
was coming down, dressed for a
walk, she saw something in the
library that startled and shock ed
her. The door was half open, and
there sitting on sofa,was her man.
ma and Mr.. Lathrop. He was hold
ing her hand in one of his, and
with the other was playing with
little curl of the bright auburn hair
that aoould never stay under her
cap. She, Mrs. Orville, was looking
rather grave and pale, and Mr.. La
throp was looking tenderly anxious
and interested.
"My dear Richard" she heard
her mamma say, 81 have opened to
you my whole heart"
"And l thank you with all of
mine," he answered. "YOu have
made me very grateful and happy.
Only" .....
Clemence did not hear any more.
She walked rapidly away, a variety
of emotions swelling her heart
Was it indignation that Mrs. Or
vile should so soon forget her dear
father? Was it shame that her
mother should show such indelicate
haste to secure another husband.