The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-20

story, quite out cf the way, ana IL auorueu
view of the heavens. Inc pity
was that was ignorant OF astronomy; buI
all things are equalized tor our good; II hau
known astronomy, l might have caught my
dp9th studying the stars out Of my window.
Vet MANAGED very well Though the madame
was not a saint exactly, and the girls often
behaved badly.
Whv. they drew me in caricature once,
inst as if | wasn't respectable! Were you
ever drawn in caricature, my dear? 1t Is TO
be hoped not, for its an experience that rut-
flies ones composure. l dare say, those girls
have passed through their own vicssitudes
since then, however, and I'm none the worse
for having been caricatured.
81 hear that Madame Rand has departed
long ago tor "where the weary cease from
troubling and the wicked are at rest :" MISS
De Brooke's own transposition, MADE IN an
innocence); ''and kind Heaven forbid tnat
should speak i'll of the dead! But The mad
anne had daughter, handsome, black-eyed
girl. that gave me more occasion to exercise
the shirt of forgiveness than any other hu-
man being in the world. .o.;o
"Pm naturally of a nervous orgahizaIiol,
and to saw that Euphemia TOOK advantage vi
NV unfortunate constitutional defect Is TO
characterize her treatment OF myself very
mildly. indeed. But hope don't bear ma,
lice against her. dare say she has softened
under the vicissitudes of life; heard, soon
after / came into my inheritance, tnat sue
ran away and married a very poor young
man named Crafts, which was foolish thing
to do; and yet it showed that she had heart.
I don't know what finally became OF Euphe-
mia, tor the change in my circumstances Ell
fectually severed my connection with Ma
dame Rand and her school; and, after all, 1t
is hut fair to say that the trials l underwent
in her establishment fitted me TO appreciate
solitude; so nothing comes amiss, you see.
''Yet / fear was little upllfted by pros
perity at first. l used to think tnat my saU
isfaction in lite couldn't be compete 1872 81,
Fnnhemia could be brought to an actuai, eA-
detrimental knowledge of my independent COLI
dillon: that is to say, my dear, l was IN an
unchristian ferment to return good Tor evil !;
but I've overcome all that, and would blush
TO humiliate the poor thing by my Dement'S.
Not that would not freely do her kind
ness, my dear; but should prefer to DO it by
stealth, for conscience sake. But L don't
suppose that shall ever be put to the test.
for it was years and yea ago, before the war
in fact, and paths are widely divergent IN this
world" - hou
Thus would Miss De Brooke babble OF her
mast. which. circumscribed though it vas by
the narrow limits of a boarding-school, was
vet more eventful than the calm and peace
ful existence she had led since she ''came IN
to her Inheritance" Even the changes con-
seuuent upon the war had made but little al
teration in her mode of life; for, owning no
slaves. she had always performed her lighter
household duties herself, with some occa-
sional assistance; and never was there a
neater house. But, certain sources OF III
come failing, she undertook to support her-
self by her needle-not an easy thing TO 40,
certainly; but, Fortunately, Miss De BROOKE IKE
had a host OF friends, and she wanted 1or
nothing-not even advice, of which she
stood in need rather oftener than most
women of forty odd.
Yet, with all her admirable traits, MISS
De Brooke was no perfect character; she dld
not like to take advice. But resistance was
so foreign to her genial, obligng DISPOSE
ton that she must have forfeited her indie
pendence of action if she had not learned to
eude the vigilance of her friends, and SO
contrive to carry out her rash impulses be-
| fore a sword of remonstrance could be Ut
tered: and thus it happened that, when she
| fell. .impelled TO take that forlorn, consump-
| tive stranger, Mrs. Tracy, under her roof to
| live. or rather to die, the deed was done be-
| fore her design was even suspected.
The deed was. done, and could not well ne
undone: but that did not prevent Miss DE
Brooke's many friends from excaiming
against such precipitate charity; Tor Mrs.
Tracy had come without any introduction
whatever, and nothing was known concern,
ing her except that she was teacher oil
drawing in quest of pupils. But pupils were
not forthcoming, and poor Mrs. Tracy, mean-
while, pinned away in close and comfortess
back-room at old Mrs. Haley's until her
scaut funds were well nigh exhausted. 1t was
at this crisis that Miss De Brooke, sitting in
meditatiye mood by her fire late one Novem-
| her afternoon, decided to take the fOrlorn and
| frendless stranger under her protection.
'What shame that 1 never thought Of ii
beforep' cried she, springing up. III 60
| bring her this moment. It's growing dark,
| to be sure, but I'll run the less risk of being
i in for. if nv good friend Mrs. Fen
| wick, or that dear Mrs. Averili, or those KIND
| souls the BENEFITS, were to meet me, they
might discover what l am about to do, and
they wouldn't approve, 1 know they wouldn't
! They'd be sure to express their opinions
| and, though somehow they always think COZ
| trarwise to me, I've great respect tor their
| opinions. on which account I'd rather avoie
| them. I've an inward conviction that Provl
| dence has sent this poor woman to be a com
panion to me in my loneliness. Trouble ant
expense will count for nothing; it's winter
and the fire can warm two people any Gay
and, for the rest, We'll see!'
| So Miss De Brooke, arrayed in her very
| best shawl, pounced upon the friendless stran
ger, and, greatly to old Mrs. Haley's rellef
| bore her away in triumph to her snug litt'
home. But this good deed did not long re
| main a secret, for, the next morning being
| Saturday, old Aunt Cynthia Ruggles, wh'
| did Miss De Brooke's washing, went th'
| rounds with.her basket, and spread the new
| over town.
| ssWe must remonstrate," said everybody
| and everybody did demonstrate. Miss Dt
| Brooke heard her course condemned on al
| sides as she came out of church on Sunday
80, nv dear Miss De Brooke" said one ant
| another, "why did you not consult you
| friends before taking this unprecedented
step"
Miss De Brooke meekly acknowledged tina
| 1t was an unprecedented step, but hoped tina
her friends would forgive her for not con
sulting them; there had been no time.
go Miss De BrookeP' cried chorus OF ad
visers.
"You should have taken time" said Mr.;
Fenwick, severely. "You have acted yer
rashly. You know nothing about this Mrs
Tracey; she may be all right, and she may b
all wrong. For anything that you can tell
you may be compromising your friends D.
| harboring an adventures"
| Poor Miss De Brooke looked scared at tn
thought of compromising her friends ant
harboring an adventures; but her consttu
| tional tendency to look on the bright sid
| helped her over the difficulty.
II don't think she's an adventures" SAT-
she; ''but If l should find myself mistaken
| I shall reap the advantage of lesson for life
and, under all circumstances, such an exper
fence is worth much"
SIT isn't to late, dear Miss De Brooke,
said the friendly BENEFITS; "brother Jacl
shall manage it for you if you wish to retrac
the offer you've unguardedly made; and W
would strongly advise you to do so. No doub
you meant well, but we really do not thlnl
| that you've acted wisely"
Eyes, I know I'm not wise," said Miss ID
Brooke, meekly; "wisdom couldn't be ex
pected of me, could it? But 1T is goo'
| thing to have somebody to talk to in bat
weather, and we may have much rain thi
winter; shouldn't be surprised" But thi
| palpable attempt to shirk the question me
| with igncminious failure.
1.-THE poor thing is in a Decline" said ole
| Mrs Averill. ''You'd better consider. Shell
probably be i'll on your hands all winter, ant
really, to speak plainly, you cant afford tn
expense"
| II don't much think she's in a decline,
| said Miss De Brooke, cheerily; land, If she
should be sick, 'twould be no disadvantage t
| me. As I've never had any experience will
sickness yet, l shouldn't mind chance t.
learn the art of nursing. But never you fear
my dear; she'll mend rapidly enough, you'll
see And. as to expense, I've calculated !
L