Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-02
A LIES REGRET.

! am the youngest OF three slstefS-Ma ar
garet, Louisa and Helen, the last-named
being OF course myself. We reside in a
small villa on the outskirts of the town OF
Norton olgate, and from all appearances
are likely To remain for the rest OF our
lives pursuing what strangers would sup
pose the calm and even tenor Of color
less existence.
Our income, though small, ADMITS OF
our keeping two domestics: and when we
nav visits, which at rare intervals we do
to some OF the county families, we jointly
subscribe and charter close carriage,
which enables US to make our calls with
something like dignity. Not that my two
elder sisters are lacking in that respect,
for they never, either sleeping or waking,
/ believe, forget that our late father was
descended from an ancient and honorable
family, and that the name of Howard,
which we bear, is derived from source
which, even though it does not acknowl-
edge us, is ours justly, and on the tree
which testifies to our pedigree our rela-
tonship is clearly set forth. Our late moth
er could also boast Of gentle blood, so that
on both sides of the house our connections
were undeniable.
In addition to those advantages, ma
ture had not been unkind TO us--indeed,
in our younger days we had had our own
share of admiration, and the three Misses
Howard had on many occasions been pro-
nounced the best-looking girls at the
numerous balls which, chaperoned by our
mother, we used regularly to attend Our
admirers were not few, and we were al
ways engaged for every dance whenever
we went; but there to all appearance it
ended, for, after more seasons than / care
to record, none Of US were married. Plain
er girls by far, even penniless ones,
in due time made their appearance,
had an interval of gayety and then
announced their engagements, which duly
ended in marriage, and they would return
in all the dignity of matronhood to patron.
ize and remind us in more ways than one
OF the gulf that separated our unappropri-
ated selves from them and their "posi-
ton" as married women. AT first 1t was
not so CALLING, but by and by | began 20
feel it keenly, and to long--as every
woman does sooner or later-for ties OF
my own; but my longings were not to be
gratified, for the one hateful reason that no
ordinary man was supposed to be good
enough TO mate with "a Howard" though
one degenerate descendant dared TO wish
il could bc otherwise.
BY degrees it became known that we
were hard to please, and though ii was
true enough OF Margaret and Louisa still
felt so differently from them on the sub
ject that il was rather hard TO be included !;
but | was :" a Howard" and SO had TO
pay for my privilege.
Margaret was seven years my senior,
and Louisa five, consequently | was ac-
customed to being considered quite child
until / had attained the ripe age of
twenty-five, when an event happened
which, but for my precious pedigree,
might have changed the color of my whole
existence.
We had received Limitations to ball
given by certain LAdy Aylmer, who al
ways made point of asking us TO her en-
tertainments and, though was beginning
to be very weary OF gayeties, To decline was
out Of the question so, after some delibera-
ton as TO our attire, etc, an acceptation
was sent, and when the evening arrived,
we, accompanied by our mother, crushed
ourselves into hired carriage and set out
for Aylmers Court.
We were received as usual, most cord
iahy; and after few dances were over
became conscious of the presence Of a
gentleman who seemed to regard me with
some interest. He was avery nice-looking
man of about thirty, rather fair, and with
a small mustache slightly inclining to
red. He was not tall, neither was he very
short; bis figure was good, and he had a
soldier-like look about him which rather
admired.
As usual, / was well supplied with part
ners, and when Lady Aylmer approached
with the individual have just described
and introduced him TO me / was very
glad | had spare dance still left, for
which he at once engaged me.
did not catch his name when Lady
Aylmer brought him up, and when my
eldest sister inquired who my new ac-
guaintance was / could only say he was
Capt. Somebody; fancied Bruce was the
name
good name,' remarked Margaret;
daresay he is relative of Lord Bruce.
But was doomed to undeceive her
shortly, for on addressing him as Capt
Bruce he smiled and told me bis name
his name being Bebb.