The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-12-25

them Chancery lawyers about the will, Mis-
Hester?''
This lawsuit about sum of money left BY
distant relative some Eve years before had
been fruitful cause of anxiety and annoy
ance to Miss Hester, and of course to hel
servant Patience-wh whatever touched one
touched the other.
No answer still.
"Well, then, Miss Hester,n said Patience
in kind of desperation, 'you're never goin'
to say that it's Pepperton's creditors writing
about the tea ugain2 ~ This observation re,
ferred to bankrupt grocer and disputed
bill. "Because I'll swear in any court in the
kingdom that that bill came into this house
marked "Paid''-as if I'd take bill that
wasn'tl'
" Patience, don't gobble!n said her mis-.
tress, suddenly and sternly.
This was Miss Hester's sharpest and short.
est rebuke to her handmaiden, and it had the
effect which no other adjuration delivered by
mortal man or woman ever had with worthy
Patience. She ceased to "gobble" instantly.
"Fll tell you what this letter is about, II
you want to know" said Miss Hester iiercely
erumpling the paper in her hand, and frown.
ing more heavily than ever at the fire. at
is to tell me, in few pert, offhand words,
written by one of those lawyers, so needn't
wonder'-Miss Hester's estimate of the gem
tlemen of the long robe hardly attained a
dangerously lofty altitude-''it is to tell me
that child whom | have never seen, and
hardly ever heard of-whose mother | very
seldom saw, and knew little about, or cared
for. What was she to me2'' she broke
of, suddenly. "a giddy, saucy, empty head
ed-well, well--H Heaven forgive mel" groaned
Miss Hester-"she was my father daughter,
after all, though never looked on her as a
sister Well, it's her child, Patience-that
is all; and this lawyer sends her to me with.
out even asking my permission, and she's to
be here by the $40 train, he says"
"There was long, deep silence in the
room when she ceased speaking. The brus.
que coarse-featured servant had laid down hel
tray, and gazed at her mistress and the hool
alternately, as if she wished to speak, but was
afraid.
"Miss Maggie's child 2'' she said, at length,
faltering little.
She is Mrs. Grahame's daughter" cor.
rected Miss Hester, coldly, 'and there is no
earthly reason why should support Mrs.
Grahame's child. Mrs. Grahame had plenty
Of fine acquaintances--she and the dashing
officer she married-a great deal finer ac
quaintances than her poor, plain, shabby step
sister, Patience. The step.sister told her the
redcoat had not penny to spare in the world
and was a wild, extravagant young fool be.
side, and she never forgave herr and she had
grand wedding, and was married in white
satin and Brussels lace, and had the bailifs
in her drawing.room six months after And
now, when she is dead, and the relative she
left her child to is dead, they think Of the
poor, shabby, plain stepsister, and say her
house will dots very convenient-she is 6
soh-hearted old fool, to be sure All, in
deed No, no, Mr.. Scott; Hester Lloyd il
not quite an idiot yetl'
Angrily she rose, and paced the floor once
or twice; but Patience never stirred, until
taking up her tray again preparatory to de
scent to her own realm on the basement story
she said, in low, wonderfully mild voice,
and with wonderfully timid manner:
"The little one is an orphan, isn't she,
Miss Hester p and then disappeared, noisily
jingling spoons and plates.
"0f course she is an orphan" said Mis-:
Hester, peevishly, pushing the fat, sleepy cal
out Of the arm chair, and sitting down in it,
Half an hour, three-quarters, a full hour,
had been ticked off by the great eight day
clock in the entry and still Miss Hester sal
there, her hands lying in unaccustomed idle
ness in her lap, and her eyes looking straight
into the FIRE with perturbed gaze.
Miss Maggie's child-the little one an or
phanr ~
windows, and through the parted crimson
curtains Miss Hester saw two miserable beg
gar. children, who with difficulty held theii
ragged clothes together as they hurried along
the frozen road.
"Ah, well-Heayen help the orphans u
murmured Miss Hester, Involuntary, signing
''She has no claim on me, but | suppose
must provide for the child somehow. Poor
Margaret-left her child pauper after all
left her to the charity of the dowdy old maid
Hester. She did not think that when she used
to tell me ought to have been an abbess, and
that she wondered every time she saw me thai
had not cut my hair off and put on BLACK
serge, to set her good example, she would
say, scornfnlly laughing. All, yesl 1t wal
fine thing to be married at eighteen, and moi
be like prim, stiff Hester, who was thirty-six
and had never had lover in her life Much
you knew about that, poor silly, pretty Mar
garet-poor, young, thoughtless, ignorant
creature !"
There were tears dimming Miss Hester'i
matter Of. fact, clear brown eyes, and her face
was quivering with different emohons-pity
anger, the sting of old unforgotten wrongs
and jealousies, pride, obstinacy, and, deeper
than all, the root Of womanly generosity and
compassion struggling for growth. This las
was not alone, however; there was kind o.
l:..o. ..ic eat;aC. ot;nn and ealf 0ra m afinr