The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-09-09

smiling in an amused way at her confu-
sion and mistake.
"No, won't scold," he said, "if you
will tell me is Mrs St. John at home?"
Lettie's cheeks looked like two full
blown roses. They felt, she thought, very
much as they did once when she had the
toothache and had a mustard poultice APP
piled to her face. "Yes, sir-nO, sir, l
mean, " stammered Lettie.
"Will she be in soOn?"
Lettie thought she would.
"Well, then, l think I'll just step in
and wait, for have important business
with her." said Clarence.
Lettie led the way into the parlor and
was hastily retreating when he sad:
Stay one moment, please. Will you tell
me who that was 1 heard singing, as l
came?" The lids dropped over the pretty
brown eyes, and again the rich color came
to her cheeks; but she was truthful. Il
| think, sir, it must have been me, as there
| is no one else at home"
"Ohr' and his look was mixture of
| surprise and enlightenment. You are
Bridget, them"
"Sir?" said Lettie, with her eyes
opened wide.
Isn't your name Bridget?"
ooh, no." said she, laughing at the
queer mistake, my name is Lettie-
| Lettie Morris, and Mrs St. John is my
aunt"
Clarence began to have an inkling of
| the truth of the matter, as he thought OF
the cruel words he had heard the last
evening he spent with Arabella, and his
mind was filled with thoughts of indigna-
ton at the unjust treatment of one so
sweet and innocent "Do you never get
lonely in this rambling old house" asked
he.
"Oh, sometimes" said Lettie, "some-
times when-when-" and sob finished
the sentence with a sudden outburst of
| tears
pardon me, Miss Morris | had no
intention of bringing up painful thoughts
to your mind
EXCUSE me, sir, for weeping" said
Lettic as soon as she could choke back the
tears but l was thinking of my mother;
she is dead-and you spoke so kindly |
could not help it.n
Clarence venturcd some comforting
words and then rose to go, as it was grow
inr late and Mrs. St. John had not yet re-
turned He would call some other time
he said, to transact his business.
The rage of Arabclla was fearful to be-
hold when at dusk they came, and upon
inquiring if anyone had been there, Lettie
answered; - Yes, a gentleman called"
and described him so accurately Arabella
knew it must have been Clarence Lee.
Arabella had not yet recovered her tenn
per nor forgiven Lcttie for attracting
Clarence with her singing the previous
evening, and now, when she found out
she had actually sat in the parlor with
CRY she would not listen to one word of
explanation from Lettie, who tried to tell
her he came to sec Mrs. st. John. But
Arabella would have none of it. She
supposed, of course, size was the one at
traction there for him. She administered
a sound scolding to Lettie, who could only
stand silent and trembling and receive it
all. And now" concluded Arabella,
when at last she stopped forwant of breath
-" now just pack up your duds and go
I'm not going to keep anyone around who
puts on such rs-entcrtainlng my callers,
and gentleman, too! Start" she com
manded, as Lettie stood mute with aston
ishment, land don't come back again
until you know your place better"
Poor, frightened little Lettie went up
stairs and in a few minutes her scanty
bundle was made up. She went to the
window and putting her hand out in the
dark touched the old tree and said good
by to it with tears in her eyes, came down
and passed out, without meeting either
her aunt or Arabclla. .-
She stood all alone in the damp, dark
street. The heavy tread of policeman
turning the corner warned her she must
not stand there long, so she walked on.
! On and on she walked little knowing or
scarcely caring whittier AS she came up
to huge stone gateway with massive pill
lars she felt so dizzy she leaned back
against one of these, sick at heart and
well nigh exhausted, for she had been
walking and wandering for two hours.
The lights were beginning TO die out in
the houses and still she stood there sobbng
and weeping bitterly. She heard steps
| approaching, but dare not move out of the
shadow of the gateway.
| Clarence Lee had just closed the door
of his sisters residence with merry
"Good-n ght, sis; III be round again in
the morning" and walked briskly down
the path toward the big stone gateway.
He heard a sob and a moan and paused to
| listen BY the dim starlight he saw the
figure of woman crouching there in the
shadow. "Are you i'll, madam" asked
! he.
"Oh, no, sir;n Clarence started, the
voice seemed so strangely familiar" but
| don't know where to go"
pray come into the house a moment"
said he, and half supporting her trembling
form, they entered the apartment Clarence
had just left.
Lettie's face wore no roses now. She
was pale as any Broadway beauty, and as
she sank into chair the room seemed
whirling around like top. Alice Deane,
Clarence's married sister, was sympa
thetic little body, and in few minutes
she had torn off Letties Shaker bonnet
and brought her glass of water. Lettie
already felt quite revived under her treat
ment, while the old flush began to brighten
up her cheeks. Clarence all this time
looked on in mute astonishment. He
could hardly believe his eyes, and yet
yes, it was the same little girl he had
talked with that afternoon.
"Why, Lettie-Miss Morrisr' exclaimed
he, :" is it really your"
eyes," said Lettie. II think it must
be, though I seem strange to myself"
Then followed an explanation and many
inquiries, all of which Lettie answered
truthfully, in straightforward manner
and when Clarence again bade his sister
goodnight he added: "Take good care
of little Lettie" --...-.-..
Arabella had no idea that Lettie would
go away and never come back when she
sent her forth She thought she would
again come to her and beg her forgive
ness, and plead to be allowed to remain