The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-01-21

in, Rachael sPomfret,'' an utter
stranger even by name to me, must
have been very staggering. 1t was
some minutes before / could realize
that it was not bit Of an absurd
dream. But by the time my sister
had read her, letter I had accepted
mine as fact, and knew that I wa.
broad awake.
"Helen," I began, as she put her
letter back into its envelope, "here's
an invitation to the Towers"
"And who are the Towers" Helen
asked. We were such strangers. to
my mothers kin; that my brotherhad
scarcely even named them to his
wife.
"1t's the Pomf'ets," I replied, and
then I gave her the letter.
20, Guys mug" she said, half
smiling, as she stretched out her hand
for it. Then she read it quickly, and
said, "Well, dear,-you'll go?'
I had watched her as she read; and
l had marked the flush that; spread
over her sweet, serious face as: she
came to- the<c&reless; cold mention of
the death of the one who had been
everything to her: '..
You will 60 r she repeated, as
she gave it back to me. 1T, may be
such a goodrthing for you, T., George.
YOU wilLgo2' t.. =.
Now twas young; ;andaI sighed for
a change from the dull routine of the
life ! had led: for what seemed so
long a time. This promised to be
such "a pleasant -<ehapge! (, My
idaas: of countfy-house Christmas
festivities were sehieAy gained from
f1ckwlck: :: l pictured the Towers
as a sort of revised and improved
"Manor Farm" = Sir Guy already
doomed before: me,-a slightly refined
old Wardle; and in the writer of the
moth 1 have transcribed I half hoped
to find maiden aunt" amenable to
the advances Of some unknown Tracey
Tupman. The prospect was a very
seductive one to me; but that. cold
mention of my brother, together with
no mention at all being made of his
wife, weighed the balance against 60
ing down very heavily. So I shook
my head withFa great air, Of deter
t:mination; and said, t<No, I shouldn't
think of it. IT, :: :. : 5000 H..
Helen rested her elbows on the
table, and put her cheek. on her hand,
and looked At me inqulringly., I re-
turned her steady gaze partly be-
cause twanted herzto seethat L meant
what T said, ana partly because she
was so pleasant Is look at. = r ~.
She was such a pretty woman this
widow Of my brothers, 's,-such gen-
tie, Madonnafaced woman,-with
her small, egg-shaped face, her deep
blue eyes, and her shining smooth
dark brown hair. She had a sweet
voice, and a sweet smile too,-a smile
that crept over her lips, not Ikea ray
of sunlight, but like a pure moon.
beam. Yet it was not a cold or un.
meaning smile at all on the con.
trary, it said more than any other
smile l have ever seen. She smiled
now when my steady gaze began to
relax a little, and the silent lips said
so sweetly and we'll, "You will go p
that l answered the mute appeal by
Isaying,-
"Do you really think I had better
Heba? ?"
She nodded and laughed.
eyes; really, for several reasons !:
one is; that you are too young and
too prettyrto> drift about the world by
yourself, and when once the Pomfrets
see you, they will awaken to that fact
for YOUR like my Guy, George, you
Eget liked directly"
| well, that's one reason,-a very
||dattter1ing flat way Z you have worded it
too; but that's not enough you said
there were several give me another .
| Here is-another," she said; giving
me:her letter and getting up; from the
table as she spoke. ri haven't con.
suited you, 'Georgie~ dear, because it's
no use: consulting any one about q
step that you feel sure you'l' have to
take whatever may be said against
it," She walked away to the window
as she finished speaking, and STOOD
there looking out, while 1 read 6
rather long letter from a lady il
Hertz fordshire, who, after making ou,
a portentous list of requirements
agreed to accept Mrs. Dunbar's ser
vices as resident governess, if she
(Helen) could conscientiously declare
that she came up to them (the re
quirements).
"Why have you done this?" I ask
ed, hastily getting up and going ove1
to her. :
Because I was obliged to do it
Georgie," she answered without turn
ing her head; "and I feared that 70,
would be obliged to follow my exam
pie. Poor Guy! how miserable h
would have been if he: had eve
thought that WIS, before his pet sis
ter :" sheput her hand fondly on my
arm then, and 'Iasaw there were tear
in her eyes.
20 Nellie, he'd have been ten time
more miserable to think it was befor
you'll said, kissing her; and the,
she told me more about our circum
i