The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-05-27

NJ utAubtiluS Att cuOftIOiifiuSs. lie
as poor, you say. Well, there are plac,
T. where it will do to be poor You w
go West, Miss Truesden, and live in son
lg noble rural neighborhood and preser,
IN your independence and simplicity to Il
N end. Even were you rich should lii
you to do so. Society does make sue
4, another woman of the best of u.s.
a Tries, maybe, but does not alway
completely succeed"
s Mrs. Lucas smiled. All, you mistak
r me. am ambitious for me and ID in,
; l don't allow my own family to practic
# the localities, / assure YOU. ] admire, i
G the abstract, such women as you. Bu
v mind, were you my sister or cousin.
!. would don't know what wouldn't d
: before I'd permit you to take such
brave, simple course-and for poo
r man, tooi"
Miss Truesdell looked at her wit
sudden keenness. She finished the lon,
! measurement with sigh. "Safe onl,
50 Long as l remain q woman in the ab
> stractr"
| 1t was stormy, and no one came in ;
The mistress in full dress sat with he
/ serving woman before the ruddy kitcher
fire, and had the cezy evening" There
| is such thing as falling into friendship
as well as love, and it had happened tC
Mrs. Lucas. As she chatted she resolved
upon various impracticable chivalries to
ward the sweet and noble stranger. She
summed them up vehemently "We
Will keep house together like friends.
Her society would reconcile me to an
hour or two In the kitchen daily. | will
arrange TO give her leisure and good
toilets. 1t might often be so among
women of refinement. The rich women
might often thus serve poorer friend
with home, culture and society"
Meantime Miss Truesdell was hearing
OF Father and Mother Lucas and Father
I and Mother Guinness, OF Sister Clara
Lucas and of Brother Rolfe Guinness.
Concerning these latter Mrs. Lucas
waxed earnest. Il wish you could sec
Clara. 1t Is such feast of color-rose
and snow and gold and blue-and then
to have Rolfe beside her! But come with
| me and l will show you their pictures"
Miss Truesdell was taken into the par
lor. She was duly conscious, perhaps,
| of certain dark splendors as "Brother
Rolfe" was pointed out, but she pre-
ferred to stand before Clara's picture.
This Clara" to her proved to be scarce
ly the daughter of the morning which
Mrs. Lucas had described; nevertheless
she gazed at her with long curiosity.
His Clara was Clara Lucas, thenm
And is there not little love story to
tell?" She indicated Rolfe's portrait,
and turned toward Mrs. Lucas
No, there isn't, l am sorry to say.
There ought to be. But Rolfe is $3.50
well, so shockingly himself He is
poor, is nothing but an insurance agent
He'll be here Christmas, and you'll see
him. Now Clara has a fortune She is
lovely, as you see, and-well, she GER
tainly appreciates my lordly brother
But he-oh, Miss 1ruesdell, he has en-
gagged himself to girl that nobody
knows or can know-a country girl Par
don me. But don't expect me to go on.
exclaim sometimes-I pever can dis
cuss it. l never have allowed Rolfe him.
self to say two words to me; don't even
know her name. My only brother! and
Clara Fred's only sister! Can't you see
what shame it is, Miss Truesdell?"
Miss Truesdell assured her of her
sympathy as they went out But in the
hall she missed her handkerchief. She
returned. Shutting the door, she groped
around and found it. Then she hurriedly
went up to Rolfe Guinness portrait. She
R29kea R29kea ifra1ahs a w Woa2 na aerg her hST o%n
heart. And what if / let her find it out
now that such an odd thing has hap
pened!"
She leaned forward, and pressed her
cheek to the picture, and went out again.
She had fully intended never TO sit
down in the Lucas sitting rooms; but her
mistress, cozily ensconced in u favorite
chair, pushed an easy seat toward her so
pleasantly it was difficult to refuse with
out rudeness. While she fingered they
heard the gate.
$50 early, dear mel Won't you please
| put the tea-kettle on, Miss Truesdel?"
Miss Truesdell was busy with water
pail and dipper when she heard Mrs.
| Lucas out in the hall give cry of sur
| prise and gladness. She distinguished
| three laughing voices. The next mo-
ment she saw them coming in-Mr. Luz
cas-, and behind him her mistress with
her two hands clasped around the arm OF
a tall fellow in furs and overcoat.
She considered the group with wide
ewes. She trembled and felt faint. Then
/ she went on pouring the water; but she
poured it upon the floor instead of IN the
tea kettle.
"What am | to dog"
She set her tea kettle on the stove soft
". She softly closed the floor. But be-
fore she could get the door closed 1t had
happened the newcomer had turned
his eyes full upon her
He stared. Then he stepped toward
her.
Her dignity forsook her then. She
covered down, shut her eyes and
screamed out merrily, like child caught
at some rare mischief
Helen! Why, Helen Trlesdcil-
here"
As she saw her seryant-woman clasped
, in her brothers arms Mrs. Lucas felt a
bvsterickv sensation creep over her. But
. she comprehended, nevertheless. She
swallowed down one feeling after another
as fast as she could. Still her smile was
I little lacking in sweetness and light
as Miss Truesdell shyly reached out hel
hand, clinging with the other to Rolfet
overcoat sleeve. q didn't know it wa:
I his sisters house / didn't know sh,
= was Mrs Lucas at all, or that th'
G Clara was Clara LttcdSi 1t was M
: deep-laid plan. Only | will not-no,
{ will not give you back what have wol
}, today, Mrs. Lucasm
a Rolfe Guinness could not understand
of course; but he put his arms arount
d his trembling Helen again and looke'
r daggers at his sister while she mad
C sure of her reply; and Helen could hare
y ! ~ RtL Il Htuu again W SiNS iiNls VIM
e her mistress said: "Well, this is prett
e good-only it almost takes my breat
y away. Still, Miss Truesdell," and sh
laughed here, 81 am glad you're in tn
J. family, to have and to hold, for | expec
IS ed you 10 vanish every minute" Sh
: had gradually approached; and she enc
1t ed now by putting her arms around th
e two The pretty romance was not TO
1t resisted by Juliet. As for Romeo, b
G. looked al the group and softly whistles
The kitchen fire went out, the bubblin
ID tea kettle ceased its song, the water stol
10 quite across the aeor, but nobody minde'
Y, The serying-woman had become a guei
Of along with Rolfe, and there was,
course, nobody to attend TO such matter
s. until at last Mrs. Lucas took Fred by Il
j. arm and led him thither and closed II
door behind them.
d Miss Truesdell fell to trembling aga
the moment she was left alone with MI
a Lucas brother. Don't blame me, Rolf
*. You kaoto never could have done 1t ha
is | KNOWN
" "Bsane youl bless you and sister f
V. two good women, is all / have to sa
re Helen You wouldn't have found ea'
st other out so well in years. OF course
be don't quite fancy-but as it IS Ha
re. py lips met in the happiest of kisses.
nd You see it was too good to last. SUI
a good fortune doesn't happen TO kitche
I and such every day matters. The ide
eavvar, apd tho idoaj mistress met al