Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-04-08
THE CHOICE HE MADE,
By ETA w. PIERCE.

know the story, for / am the
housekeeper at Penhallow. The work
of that dreadful year I saw with my
own eyes, heard with my own ears,
and nobody, barring my mistress, has
it more by heart.
She was Virginian, was Mrs. Pen
hallow, decended from some famous
colonial family. She was stiff necked,
high featured, and she loved nothing
under the canopy but her boy. A hard
women, born to rule, whose depend
ents were to her like so many cattle,
to be fed and housed, and nothin q
more. A widow at the time I went
to live with her in her great old coun-
try-house, with an only son and heir
Master Felix.
Heaven above! how she dotted on
that bold, insolent boy! 1 used to
think when I saw her hanging on his
every word and look, adoring him with
her eyes and her heart, of what the BIZ
BILE says about taking to ourselves idols.
But Mrs. PenhalloW was not the Wo
man to trouble herself about that book
especially as most of the common peo-
pie have it.
Master Felix was sixteen when he
left home for college, and I, for one,
was glad to get rid of him. A purse
proud, tyrannical young tempest he
was, handsome for girl, but with
temper even hotter than his mothers.
For few years, peace and quiet reign
ed at Penhallow, always excepting the
time of such visits as it's young lord
and master was pleas sed to make US.
And after his college days were over,
he was betrothed to his cousin, and
sent abroad on his travels.
His mother pined sorely at this sep
aration. She spent whole hours be-
fore his portraits, which confronted
one everyWhere-in hall, and DRAWN g
room, and chamber. She shut her
self up, like love-sick girl, to pore
over his letters; and one night, in the
second year of his absence, when
had found her walking the hall, trail
ing her satin gown in black glittering
waves after her, she broke out, wiring
ing her hands:
''Venner, every month of our part
ing is as nail in my coffin! I can
bear this great, silent gloomy house
no longer. I shall start for New
York in, the morning, to bring his be
trothed wife back with me.''
81 am glad of that, ma'am," said I
"She will naturally seem the next near
est now; and, indeed, it is very dull
for you here"
The next morning, sure enough
she went, and, from some boarding
school, brought Miss Raymond bacE
with her to Penhallow.
It was a cold, rainy spring, and
lighted fires on every hearth, and gath
cred all the servants into the hall Il
welcome them, because I knew Mrs
PenhalloW liked such customs. The
were all in their Sunday best, and Mol
ly, the. mistress vain little waiting
maid, wore pink roses in her beautifu
faxen hair,
We heard the carriage crunchins
1.-THE gravel of the drive; the hall-doo
!, opened; 1 heard Mrs. Penhaliow say
> "This is my daughter, Venner," and
10 there by the hand she held Mr.. Fe
: lix's betrothed. OH q lovely youns
creature she was, with a face like
lily, and brown curls falling, an
brown eyes, proud but tender, and a
those lady airs and graces that seer
bred in the very bone.
When the mistress called he
] 'daughter," she grew rosy red, an
spoke so sweetly to US all, that W
were ready to go down on our knee
TO her; and then the two went away
rest a little, and to dress for their lat
dinner.
t cit will be happy day when she
d mistress here" said the servants tht
night, in the kitchen.
: AS for Mrs. Penhallow, she SCENE
extravagantly fond of her sons b
= trothed, and with good reason, to
. for everybody knew it was she WI
had arranged the match. She alway
called her daughter. She refurnishe
half the house in her favorite color
id and loaded her with endearments, an
shared Felix's letters with her, an
those long doting hours before h
7 portraits. Being born lady and
great heiress, Miss Raymond just sui
ed Felix's mother.
She had been at PenhalIoW a mont
or more, when the young lord there
n. put in his appearance, also, very SUI
den and unexpected.
1t was one evening when the mi
tress and Miss Raymond had gone o.
riding together, and there was not
servant left in the house but Mol
ne and l. Suddenly we heard gre
knocking at the hall-door.
''Whoever can that be ?" 1 said, f
it was too late for callers. Run, Mol
and see."
1t seemed as if the little simplet,
would never get the key turned, a.
when she did, in praneed'a magnifice
4 six-foot figure, in dusty traveli
U. garb-a glowing nut-brown figure,
beautiful as young god.
of "Halloo !" he cried, gnyly "who
&C; this ?" and caught Molly straightw
fS iRR in his arms, and kissed her plump |
I'LL on cheek and mouth.
in; The little ninny turned from red
est est white and from white to red. S
was marvelously pretty, and so long
}, the world stands mon will adm