The Portland daily press., 1875-06-12

and into deal of unusual but harmless dis
sipation, / was always one of the party, and
it was very pleasant, especially when L re-
fected that had entered the parlor by way
of the kitchen 1t seemed like dream, and
/ wondered what was to come next.
We were expecting Victor home-though
neither Mr.. Drury nor his aunt knew our re-
Iationship-uhen one morning our entomol-
oeist brought In some music from new OPP
era over which the town was running wild
lust then, and we were practicing it at the
piano, with the aunt listening and knitting,
when carriage stopped at the door.
l started-could it possibly be Victor?
The front-door opened, and we heard
sharp voice in the hall.
"Oh, stuff gand nonsense! she is here. |
know She is. Show me into the parlor, and
send her there right away"
"But tell you, madam"
''Stuff! do as l bid you"
And the owner of the voice pushed open
the parlor door, and marched in on us.
She was an old lady, small, withered, and
with pitched up features, and twinklng,
black eyes.
81 beg you pardon, madam. Mrs. Dart
nell, presume? l learn you have my niece
here, and wish to see her. am Miss Grey
Mrs. Dartnell went forward. while stood
in an agony of modification. This, then,
seen since was child; but remembered
her ewes, and her manner, which had not
changed. -,
"Miss Norman, resides with me, madam"
replied Mrs. DartneI, with stateliness she
could assume when required. SIS it she
whom you wish to see ~
"Miss Norman, Ell! All, there she is. I'd
know her anywhere, by her likeness to my
brother. Good notion it was for your father
;,fo Not that he
meant anything by THE never meant any,
thing, poor man. Do you know why. Pve
hunted you out? No, of course you don't.
Pm rich-why don't you hurry to claim kin ?
Pm odd, suppose. Well, it would be no
better for you, for l intend to leave every
cent have to Victor, every cent"
bowed, to escape laughing.
Sarcastic, too! Well, you have mors spr-
1t than your father ever had, but you're just
as proud In different way. A pretty chase
Pve had all the way to Sealsford, and you
gone. The lawyers conldn't find you. SO
they set the police on your track
"Yes-pollce! That was their idea. l
went down myself. Mr.. Bland wouldn't tell
me at first, until I told him my business.
Then he did quickly enough. l jumped in
the cars, nv coach was at the station when /
got to town, made George drive me here,
and here / am. Not glad to see me, are
you~
''Well, aunt, you know I never have seen
you since was child, and your visit now Is
unexpected"
ssOf course. Now I'll tell you why come.
| You were partly named after old Norman
sensible man lived and died bachelor. The
man who gets married is the biggest fool in
| the world, except to woman who marrles
him. He is dead-had no kin OF his own to
leave his money to, and so he left it all to you
That's why don't intend to leave you any
thing, child-shall alter my will tomorrow
you'll have enough without it. And here's
| the lawyers letter-And I'm sure obliged
to you, Mrs. Dartnell; Mr.. Bland says you've
been very kind to the girl:-There's my ad-
| dress, Florence; come and see me. And by
| the-by, found Victor at Sealsfort, looking
for yon-brought him along in the carriage
! didn't let him know you were here, for l
wasn't quite sure-be's out there now"
| And off She-w went.
Frederick ran out after her. There was a
terrible hand-shaking in the hall, and my
big brother, bronzed and bearded, was
dragged rather than led into the room.
The lawyers letter was examined after the
greetings were over, and explained all Bar
ring few trifing legacies to servants and
| others, was LETT sole heiress to Mr.. Nor
mans considerable wealth.
Victor, after months visit, returned TO
| Brazil, where he married the daughter of a
| rich planter, and where he continues to
| reside. Remained with Mrs Dartnell until
| | was married. Aunt Grey bids fair to last a
! long while yet, and divides her time between
| our house and her own.
"OursT' Yes-Frederick doesn't go bee
| tie hunting so much now-he studies the
| four Youngsters we have, and has grown
1o:r hob md ION
| liar appearance. He has one very bad fault
he will persist in calling me Betty House
| maid.
| But, after all, there Is no romance In this
world, l undertook to turn the tables on
my "worser half recently, and twitted him
with having taken his wife from the kitchen.
He only laughed in provoking way; but
Mrs. Dartnell, who was sitting in the room,
looked up and said:
''Hasn't he ever told you, then?"
"Told me what, auntie dear?"
"Why, simply that / wrote, and learned
| all your history as soon after you came as l
| could, and that took to my parlor. not the
kitchen-maid, but the young gentlewoman
who was trying to place herself in a false po-
sition."
| was astonished.
'Fred knew all about you all the while,
| and all about your family"
EYES," said he in confirmation, land had
made myself acquainted with all that before
she did; for, if you suppose that did not in
Quire the name and connections OF the young
| lady at the gate within two hours after had
seen her, then you don't understand human
nature, my dear-especialy mans nature"
And, rejecting on all things, I have since
concluded that, but for a train of unusual cir
cumstances, my experiment of hiring out
might not have resulted in anything but loss
| of caste, and disagreeable position.