The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-08

cred one of the shrewdest and most |
successful of Wall street Spectators.
Then, one bright day, Antarctic Mail |
took q downward leap, and carried my |
fathers fortune with it his reason fol- |
lowed, and in the end, his life. So one |
woman and q child (Pa-
tience and y set forth into the world |
to seek, not our fortunes, but our daily |
bread. There was difference of twelve
years between Patience aud myself
years that were expressed by q neat row
of five little graves with elegantly
carved tombstones out at Greenwood,
where our brothers and sisters slept q
calm slumber that no depreciation in
Antarctic Mail had power to disturb.
Our mother had died when was only
two years old; she, too, had gone
where Wall street ceases from troubling,
and the bulls and bears are at rest. So
Patience took care of me for six long
years, and then /, being eighteen, went
forth TO win my own bread as q gov
ernesS.
I cannot say that the usual advent
ures which novel writer's describe as
Detailing every young woman, whether
attractive or otherwise, who goes out as
governess, ever happened to me. No
handsome youth, the only son of the
family in which / taught English,
French, the rudiments of German,
music and drawing, ever fell at my feet
and besought permission to remove me
to more congenial sphere. found
out no dark and deadly mysteries, no
hidden maniac or undiscovered crimes
nor was / ever subjected to series of
petty Sights and injuries from narrow
minded naeres de fGnsSLle. was usually
very well treated and fairly paid, so I
never had a chance of posing myself
either asa victim or q heroine of romance
At the time of which write was in
deed as pleasantly situated as it is pos
sible for q governess to be. MY en-
ployers were cultivated, kind-hearted
people, my eldest pupils intelligent,
well-broughtsup girls, and the rest of
the children not more unruly or torment
ing than healthy children, especially
boys, are apt to be. So that particular
Christmas eve of which write found
me very much inclined to enjoy my
holiday, and fully prepared to enter in
to all the little festivities of the season
which might fall 60 my share.
ttWe are to have roast turkey for
dinner tomorrow" remarked Patience
after brief silence.
Goatrna11aCe, ga !''
"And what do you say to a matinee
as q pleasant method of passing the
day ?"
''You know 1 love play above all
things. Where shall we go2-to Wal
lack 8 Booths the Fifth Avenue?"
"Choose for yourself, Addie you are
company, you know. There is the news
paper on fhe table"
sat down to pore over the ADVERTISE
ments with as much eagerness and ex-
citement as though my twenty two
years had been suddenly diminished by
L A r -
up: "Patience 20
"Wen, dear ?'
"Don't you wish that something
would happen to us, as often happens
in plays ?-that is, don't You wish that
some unknown relative or rich old uncle
would make his appearance and shower
untold wealth upon us?
am sure we are very comfortable
now. And what is the use of wishing
such things ?''
"Not much use, only some amuse-
ment. Castles in the air are very easily
erected, and cost nothing for bricks,
mortar or laborers' hire.
eyes, but when they tumble down,
to get rap on the head from some of
the flying timbers. Best stay on terra
frma, Addie."
I laughed, and bent again over NV
paper. But the momentous question
| of the Christmas matinee once settled
and the newspaper thrown aside, my
| thoughts reverted to nay airy castles,
and instinctively began to rear them
again. We were both silent. Patience
leaned back, half asleep, in her rocking
chair, whilst sat on low seat at her
feet and gazed dreamily into the glow
ing Goals of the CRATE. saw myself a
L I'll n
down the broad staircase Of our Fifth
avenue mansion in embroidered muslin
and hoating silk sash, en- route for some
childish party or other; and then re-
membered certain dinner-party which
my father had once given, and how I.
peeping slylY through the chink of the
/ dining room door, had thought private
| " that Sister Patience, in her mauve
silk and pearls was the prettiest lady
there. Poor, dear Patience the pref
tiest still remained, though the silk and
| the pearls were things of the past. Sud-
denly q thought struck me, recollec.
ton of an odd story told nae in those
far-of days. would wake patience up,
and she would tell me all about it. So
faced round and looked up into the
fair, placid face that showed SO sweet
and calm IN the ruddy fre-glow.
Patience, once and for all. you shall
wake up and talk to me, or ] shall go
straight back to Mrs. Jamieson's to-
morrow morning. You hurt my feel
ings by treating nay arrival 50 sopori6c-
ally.
Do they feed you on minced die
tionary ut Mrs. Jamieson's ?'' queried
my much-put- sister, opening her
eyes in very 1anguid manner. " You
do use such very long words"
50 I think you must have been going
TO several classical concerts lately. You
look as though you had scarcely recov-
cred from severe attack of Opuses in
x minor"
ST was not asleep, child /; was only
thinking.
s'Stop thinking through your nose,
then it is very bad habit for lady
"Weil, I am wide awake enough
now for anything. What is it you want
me to do -
"I want you to tell me story. Is
there not queer one extant about an
old uncle Of. ours and precious stone?"
sOur grand-uncle yes. Did you
never hear about Stephen Carr, our
a-l R14vEv r1tI91xy T,TM for.