, 1875-10-31
1utely fer me: II do not think VIC should Fnat !;
I am sorry YOU laya had the trouble OF con"

ing.'' ..,-4 .
$50 nm T." ehe rejoined dryiy; =, ''bnt one
ouch. not to trust to advertisements.
Hardly noticing my "good mornng =, zne g,ssat satt
up and tiounced dpwn-ataHst e71oso1's - sA0~'
wrath at her rejection. ..
s.Another lady to You, ma'a1a apooooee'4
- xarv o11iet. syeet-looking little person came
forward, and nt the frat q lanca fsnc'eo aaa a
found suitable companion. baat a1as' nel
story VAS q sad one, and there were feaaons
wbich rendered it impossible for me- to aVau NY
self OF her society. She VAS married. des
hnabaud was 3 hopeless Invalid, and theV Weie
verv moor, ghe had not been educated hl8hlY
ennnrh to be epyerness, and. when she aaw
nv advertisement, she fancied. II the salary
was good she might ba my companion By Day
and return st night to her own home' "nlch
was at no great distance from my house.
Size looked so thin and 30 i'll that was almost
tempted to make aone arrangement with her;
but as I intended leaving town occaslonanS,
SECOND thoughts showed me it was out Of the
question. BESIDES, could not have borne to
thirk that while she Was with me. she "qu1n FL
WAYS be in an agony to be with her husband
which. had engaged her, would most naturally
have followed. told her so 40 kindly as possl-
bio. and, after making her taEe g. glass OF vine
and some cake-yyhiclI hitter saw her furtivety
convey to her pocket 10: the sick AEaoand.
supposed,-s gave me- her dnectson' anu 1ooa nes
lsr departure. I afterwards went to see her
and hor tale was sadly verified. But to proceed.
Nv naxt visitor was q most pert damse, with
out any pretenslons to being lady, VINO m
formed me that her pa was dead, and, as there
we're so many OF them homo. her ma wanted her
to do for herself. / had not much difficulty in
dismissing her. And OF the legions that FOL
lowed, 1 cannot attempt detailed description.
By the afternoon vas thoroughly exhausted
and had made up my mind to see no more, when,
lust 10 it was getting dusk, my servant came up
to the drawing. room and informed ME that such
a nice looking young lady. was in the dlnlhg-
room quite tie incest that had been yet.
ASK her to come upstairs, thon. Ellis; but
do not admit any one else, ! replied; and the
next minute the dgawing-room door WIS thrown
open by Ellis, and Is Miss Burke u announced.
She was dressed in mourning and even IN the
dim light, was, I could see, palo-faced, rather
handsome g1rl. OF apparently tour aud twenty;
Her height was oyer the average, but seemed
me as almost startling. " Goodevening," she said
in a low aud rather pleasant voice. :" am afrala
/ am very late; it waa so kind Of you to SEQ me-
ut is late," asseuted, ''but that docs not
matter"
..Ilank you,r responded my visitor II came
about YOUR adyartisement-I saw you wanted
companion. and am anxious to get situation
II have had 80 many applications to-day" I
answered for want Of something better to say:
''Ah, 1 can quite fancy it." returned Mlss
Burke. II fear am too iate."
"No," replied; II have scen no ona yet to
suit me-"
III yon would only try me, should do nv
utmost to please you" she sa1d, almost plead
ipgly. II have already been companion, and
to think OF me-; and Niles Burke opened =
small black velvet bag which until then had
not perceived and placed in my hands mono
gra1nmed and coroneted epistle, addressed to
herself, purporting to come from Lady Aonta~
cute, whose companion she had been for tEo
years. aud who expressed herse1f in the warm
est terms, assuring Miss Burke. whenever she
returned from the Continent, whittier she was
just then going, TINT i: would give ner the great
est pleasure to answer any inquiries IN her favor;
III the meantime, Lady Montaeute authorized
her to make what use sne chose OF the letter
now sent, ending BY saying she was certain
wherever eha mont Miss Burke must be favor1te
and an xcqulsltlop.
Then followed letter from Rev. Mr. White,
from romote Rectory in Cuu1berland. stating
that be had known Miss Emily Burke from her
childhood, and could certify that she Was not
only desirable in all respects, but most am1abie
and talented young lady, whose family were both
well known and highly respected. Nothing
could be more satisfactory; nnd, after reading
tile TWO missires carefully by the light OF the
fire. Iraiscd my eyes toward my visitor, whom
found regarding mo in the most eager manner
imaginable.
..TAeY are most kind letters" I eaid "apd,
as far a. references 20, ! am sure could not do
better Your duties would be vary light--lt is
really only for the sake Of companionship that
require aav one. as do everything for mysolf,
but I have been very lonesome since my hus-
band went away"
II can inaagine it," responded Miss Burke
syu1pathizingly. ~ should do my utmost to
cheer you"
s.You nre very kind to sav sos" I answer
ed. "should ne agree as to terms' when could
you Gomez
Tomorrow. it you will permit me" replied
Hiss Burke ''I am in lodgings, and the ex-
pensa OF them is 90 great that I should ba only
too glad to give them up-1 am very poor" she
added in q low tone.
I was sorry for the poor girl; and feeling had
been as prudent as possible in perusing her rel-
erences, and Trusting a good dsal to her air Of
quiet responsibility, proceeded to state my
| terms, which were eagerly accepted. After lit
| tie conversation all WAS settled and my compan-
| ion promiaed to make her appearance before lun-
cheon on the following day. For the rest o. that
evening I was unusually meditative; WAS
pleased and yet not pleased. She was not alto
| ecetler my beau-ideal OF companion. Although
| fady-like and with updeniab!e references, there
Bas certain awkwardness in her manner.
| Her room was to be On the eame floor with my
own: and on the following morning went in,
q short time before she arrived, to see that every
| thing was ready for her. It w2s October, and
| the weather vas chilly, SO I desired that she
should have fire, as I fancied coming from
| wretched lodgings it might be sort Of welcome
| TO her. At o'clock she arrived, bringing With
| her small black box as her so1a luggage, which,
Ellis and the house maid between them, carried
directly to her room, whittier she followed them
almost Immediately, to take OF her things. I
accompanied her, and remained for a few min
utes, telling her to join me- in the drawing-Eoom
| as soon as she could, lunch being ready.
/ She presently appeared to be very much al
| tered by the removal of her bonnet. She wore
! figure without her cleak Was only redeemed from
| aWkwar(4ne6B by the Well-naQe black dIesS,