The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-10-01
nEN sFtiHN
almoss visa Twas dead.

tionf
Not a word. lie says biz orders an,
positive, aud be seems 10 think il bis sol'
duty 10 obey those orders.
am very sorry, dear, but esnuo
selp feeling glad that you are NOT going
away from u.
7 know bow kind you have always beer
to me, Miss Malabone, and love yoJ
dearly bat when ] see other girls going
10 their homes and surrounded with iheiI
parents love, my life looks uninYitina
sud miserable.
The speaker was about twenty years o
age, aud hcr share,of the conversation
had been carried on between sobs aus
tears This was Virginia Mason, th,
belle Of Brightsood, the most enyied gin
Of the school.
Mi,. Malaboue, the principal, not IA,
stern angular female OF novels, but
sweet, motherIy woman, who, not bay
Ing children OF her own, loved all thes,
who were entrusted 10 her with moth
er's love, was trying to comfort her.
/ Upon this morning Of which We writ,
Brightwood seminary was in Autter o
excitement. The young ladies ran from
room to room chirping aud twiltcring tC
each other much as -parrows GOSSIP
when they meet around the edge OF tb,
fountain. Miss MalBboue had confessed
TO feeling Of nervousness, aud Kitty
the cook, told the butcher she was no
herself. ..
The study hour had come and gone bu
no bells bad been rung, nor were any o
the pupils prepared to recite. Each on,
had made an errand that compelled hel
TO pass the reception room door, and haC
lius cred there as long as she dared, bu
had to confess she had only heard voices
but was unable to distinguish word.
But when Miss Mason rushed out o
the parlor with eyes swollen with tears
and went TO her room without saying
word TO any of those who threw them
selves in her way, as If by the merest ac
cident, the tongues ran faster than eve
and the suspense became at once botl
painful aud full of delight.
Virginia Mason had been member o
the seminary SO long that she seemed I,
have been born there. She possessed al
unusually kind disposition, quick per
ception, money allowances equal to he
most extrayagant desires, and face an,
figure that were almost perfect. | an
aware that | have given her a create
measure of attractions than usually fall
to the lot of mortals. II is seldom in rea
life that quick perception accompanie
a perfect face. Mother nature Is so i'm
partial that she gives the peacock hand
some tail, but reserves the sweet voic
for the nightingale; and when she !
sending human being into the wor
without the full measure of brains, sh
adds touch here aud there. to the face
If the child is TO be a woman, or, ii man
allows the head TO be so soft that the hal
can be parted in the middle. But Vii
: ginia Mason was, as ! have describe
her, something more than the averag
young lady.
Above and aside from her personal a
fractions, there was fascinating air {
romance about her history, as it WI
: known at Brightwood, that made he
welcome among all the school circles.
More than ten years before the date
our story opens Miss Malabone receive
a long, wretchedly written letter signe
j. Fox, stating IN the worst of Englis
that his master would like to send h
8 young missus to the Brightwood semini
+ ry for AL indefinite time; that she WI
: only ten years old, but that spec
; teachers were 10 be provided for her an
"eggpcns wer no obgick." a few da,
e after this, Mr.. Fox introduced himself
person aud delivered his charge. lie Il
formed Miss Malabone that Col. Maso
WAS the last survivor OF one of the olde
and wealihiest Mississippi families tn
he had lost his wife when Miss Giur
Il was but baby, aud the loss was such
blow to him that he had sold his esta
aud left the country. Fox, an old ser
ant of the family, had carried out all O
dcrs in regard to the child, aud any col
municalion for the Colonel must be Sc
through him. His whereabouts appea
cd TO de very uncertain, but letter a
dressed to 10 Post Place, St. Lou
- would always reach him first or last. |
was instructed by the Colonel TO say IA
= no expense should be spared in giyii
Miss Ginny thorough SIS well as a :
lite educgiion. He left q check foi
goodly sum aud said more would be sc
as needed. lie appeared to worship /
young mistress aud kissed her sec
Of times before leaving Regularly siu
that lime check had been received a
with every remittance an iujunction
. keep Miss Glnuy well supplied with po,
Ct money
A. year after year passed away a
the young school girl grew into womi
zaa hood she began to sigh for some one v
was nearer 10 her than The school peo
around her. She built air castles, iu
OF which she was 10 dwell with her fatl
and repay hiiu for his love for her mo
er's memory III all her dreams sbr v
going 10 her father, finding bin q mel
ehoiy reeiuse, and Frightening his
with her teudefest love sud devotion
q But the years brought her no nearer
realization Of her dreams OF The lett
cent to her father, aud their number '
legion, no Eorl had she ever from him