Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-04-05
The Poor Relation.

room IN the attic OF her elegant mansion,
and addressing young girl, who was
bent over book by the small table
She raised her head and looked round
without speaking. and her visitor went
on. 81 came up to tell you that you are
not to 60 to school any more; so you
need not trouble yourself to study !"
Aunt :"
BE quiet. will you, and hear what
have to say. l have promised you a
situation as waiting maid with my friend,
Mrs. Russell, and you are to go week
from to morrow meanwhile you will have
enough to do to keep you busy, and 1
positively forbid you going into the par
lors or leaving the house !"
The girls eyes flashed, and she turn
ed very pale. but said, calmly,
''Is it not possible for me to go until
the close of the term want so much
to take my diploma ; and then am very
confident of getting a situation as teach
er id one of the public schools. l shall
be out of your way then. and will it
not be as we'll as for me to be waiting
maid ?"
The idea of our having relative of
ours teaching in the public school You
need not think of such thing! have
fulfilled my promise to your mother, and
kept you at school four years you are
now nineteen. | was to keep you under
my charge, if you did not marry, till
you was twenty. With my friend Mrs.
Russell. you will be as we'll cared for as
if you were with me. You will have
good wages. Now l wish you to remem-
Der that you are not to 60 down stairs,
and must obey my instructions without
any trouble, or shall be forced to use
means to make you, )" said she majestic
ally. as she turned to leave the room.-
Her listener started up as from trance,
exclaiming,
''One moment-wait Was it not
Hubert Lester's voice l heard in the par
lOr this morning ?"
Mrs. Morris turned first very white
and then very red, as she replied, hasti-
ly,
No, indeed. it was not. OF course
you would have been sent for if it had
BEEN"
Flora arose and walked the room rap
idly, talking to herself passionately all
the while.
Il almost wish was dead, and |
would wish so. only dear mamma said it
was wrong; but don't know why it is
wrong for me to wish to be an angel and
be with dear mother. Oh, mamma,
mamma, why did you leave me alone in
the cold world ? This is hard, hard,
when have tried to qualify myself to
teach, as dear mamma wished me to, and
now, just on the eve of examination, to
have that lOomdn (she cannot be my an
gel mothers sister, scatter all my dear
ly cherished plans to the winds. 1t is
not enough that the four years have
lived here they have treated me worse
than hired servant / have been per-
mitted to go to school. and have never
rebelled, but | will now, if they persist
in keeping me from teaching. l am SO
wicked" she said, as she threw herself
down on the floor beside the low win
dow, and crossing her arms on the seat,
leaned her head upon them. There is
no use in trying to be good if l do try
something will happen to make me an
CRY. Everybody hates me other people
have some one to love them but | am
alone. 1t was not Hubert, then, that
heard this morning where can he be
1t is four years since We parted can it
be that he has forgotten me-? And, il
he has not, | fear he could not love me
now. | shall never forget the morning
he went away, how be held me close tc
his heart, and, smoothing my curls, told
me how much he should miss his birdie.
But | must not repine; have duty tC
perform, and will try to meet my des-
tiny bravely. | can pray if | have few
earthly friends. have kind Father in
Heaven who is ever near to me"
And fervent prayer went up from
the heart of the motherless child to the
. Father of all mercies
: Poor little Flora If she was little
wicked | cannot find it in my heart t.
: blame her. think there are few of u
that would have done better She was
j very beautiful, with her broad, whit,
: brow shaded by clustering brown curls
! her mouth small and sweet, and pearl
like teeth, and her large. bright ant
> beautifully blue eyes yes, she had tn
3 gift Of beauty, and ] think that was on
e reason why her aunt. Mrs. Morris. treat
e ed her SO cruelty. She had three daugh
tiers Of her own, who were not blesset
: with pretty faces.
: The pale moon looked down out Q
e the blue sky on the lonely girl. and tn
e bright stars came out one by one. Will
v she sobbed her anger. and took eomfor
, from the beauty of the night. At las
Il the door opened softly. and Bridge
, looked in with knowing grin on be