Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-03
A NEW YEAR STORY.
WHO WON THE GLOVES +!

WHO WON THE GLOVES
twa. Lady Leigh's Eve O'Clock tea. In the
pleasant mOrning-room at Ashleigh she and
Clara Arundel were seated luxuriously over a
glowing ire, discussing tea. gossip, dress, the
affairs OF the Nation In general, and of Ash
The FIRE burned brilliantly, Illuminating the
pretty room, lighting up the choice pictures on
the walls, and bringing unexpected CLEANS and
glancing now on the medieval carving of a
quaint old press, and anon dancing in curious
sparkles and flashes of light on the silver and
china Of the tea-service, the pride and delight
OF Lady Leigh's heart.
"Cecile, who or what is the little gray-robed
figure that naunts the west corridors asked
Miss Arundel, handing her cup over for some
more tea
Little gray robed figure that hannts the
west corridor" asked Miss Arundel, handing
her cup over for some more tea.
"Little gray-robed fgure?'' repeated Lady
Leigh. What do you mean, Clara
Miss Arundel laughed. There is a tiny
mite of a girl, dressed in soft misty gray, who
haunts the west corridor. have met her half
q dozen times since have arrived this morn
spfite?''
You are talking in riddles" replied Lady
Leigh, handing back the replenshed tea-cup. :.
No, am not. The little mortal, or fairy,
or whatever else she may be, possesses a mar
Vicious pair of eyes; they have haunted me all
day with their pleading, wistful look. can't
tsrgtt their expression, Cecile. Is this little
misty gray figure quite c2nny?'
"I think you must mean Muriel Hastings,
the children's governess. Now l remember she
has on a gray dress to-day. Yes, poor child,
her history is sad enough TO account for that
curiously sOrrOwfnl LOOK in her eyes"
Amy relation to your old friend Mr.. Hast
ings. the great cotton man you used to talk so
much about? Didn't he come to grief or some
thing OF the sort about year ago.
Hush, Clare! He Is dead! This is hi,
daughter. You know lie lost all his money
through the American war. He was an honor
able, upright man, and the blow killed him.
he was broken hearted at the loss of his good
name. He could not forget how many were
ruined by his fall, through confding in his
well hnoWn lnte.luyr.
"And his daughter is the little gray spirit OF
-" Yes. was only too glad to have her for
Ine children. She Is wonderfully talented.
There was small provision tor Mrs. Hastings
ana the children; but il was very small; she in
sisted on giving up to the creditors all the
money settled on herself; and what is left would
nov De enough for all So Muriel-who is a
brave girl-resolyed to be a governess; and as
SAID, was only too glad to have her, and try to
IKE her hard lot as bearable as possible. She
as painfully shy and over-sensitive, and am
rather troubled about her these Christmas holt
days"
" why specially now?"
"well, you see, since she came, we have
been quite by ourselves, and her time has been
taken up with the children, so ! think she has
had no Opportunity In s.sei upon ssar FScsitl9n;
out now = me children's holidays, and can
d.. bear to think of her pining alone in the
school-room. The house will be full Of guests
Tomorrow. 1 shall be too busy to look after
her, and she is far too shy TO do anything but
keep most determinsdly In the background"
We'll, Cecile, don't trouble any more about
that. i will take her under nv wing, and will
engage that she shall neither fret nor pine for
the next fortnight. OF course she will be at the
" don't know. / asked her to be present,
hut she seemed frightened to death at the idea
DO try and make her."
af.,I,- chon - md ~
"By-the bye, whom have you coming to-mor-
row."
all. Here is the list; but Major Assheton has
been with Us week"
"Do you mean my old enemy, Captain AS
shelton, of Delameref'
Eyes; but he is Major Assheton now"
"And he has never got married yeti"
ono. You know how fastidious he is. j told
him yesterday he expected perfection IN the
me that archangels are not generally supposed
to be of the feminine gender, and he'd be sat
sisfed with an angel"
"Ceciie. / hope he may get one. It's well
Frederick Hurst does not expect anything so
eeraphic; he'd be woefully disappointed with
az invited MIR. Hurst for Christmas, Clare,''
nYes. thank Won, CeciIe He wrote TO tell
me he would make his appearance on Christ
mas eve. But now 1 am going to introduce my
self to the little gray fairy" And rising, Miss
Arundel left the room, walking with quiet
grace ana nummtng Softly 10 uctscily
81 was just nineteen when first fell in love,
And scrubbed a deal of rhyme,
And talked 70 myself in shady grove,
And thought was quite sublime
Which interesting ballad just lasted till she
ached the schoolroom door.
awhile this interesting conversation had beer
m progress; tine little gray sPiri. was pacing ul
step. Up and down, up and down, the steps
getting shorter and quicker at every turn, and
the poor little white face working and culver
Ing with distress
lovely childish face II was, with wonderful
dark radiant eyes, the pleading, wistful lool
Miss Arundel had spoken Of shining IN theii
soft depths. Her hair cleaned in the htfu
fre-light ike q golden glory round her head
beautiful hair, OF q curious tint between rec
brown and gold, wonderful for the infinite va
riety Of light and shade in its waves and folds
She was small and slight In figure for her nine
TEEN years, and as she restlessly paced tn
room, she certainly looked more like some for
lorn stray fairy, than poor little governes
Who had TO fight hard battle against povert
Not that the schoolroom had anything msa
or shabby in its appointments. On the con
rsry, II was 9 large, pleasant room, with
crimson tapestry. and fitted mp like library
all that might be shabby in schoolbooks an
siates nearly put out Of sight for the Christina
wall, 9 few we'll chosen ornaments and gran
piano, with music-stand- The room, lighte
mp by the red glow Of the IRE, looked pleasar
But the little, golden-haired. soverness va
In too much trouble to notice outward SUI
roundings, however desirable they might bs
She paced up and down, In restless monDtonl
Presently the short agtated steps ceased Sh
threw herself into n chair, and bur st into q pa.
sion OF tears, for several minutes sobbing BIZ
"Oh, wha, shall DO? What shall ao9, ali
walled out. "This bitter disgrace and sh anne
killing me; IL Is more than can bear. Oh
papa, papa! why did not die with you?" 1h