The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-03-31

or she found them there when she came =
a single spray of salmon-colored geraniun
flowers ringed with the darkest pansies
just one splendid cactus blossom to lool
at her like a red. fanged live creature,
score of the first deep violets, snowy calls
full of those violets, u spike ofcreamy hya
cinths, or, if there were not any blossoms
out, bunch of fragrant leaves. The un
grateful girl never thought for momen
about the way they reached her; it was Sc
natural that she should have them; they
came as part of her belongings, and sh'
gave a nod of thanks to John Mowbray
as she would to a waiter, and went he
tiresome way but made no complaint.
But when the first term was half through
MIR. Mowbray was called away. The
principal attended to his classes and bung
led through his Rotations, and he was
gone three weeks. "I'm sure you miss
your flowers" said the old preceptress; and
all at once the perception of her indebted.
CRY rush of feeling she, a Belleschevaux
to be indebted for what had been hers in
abundance from her cradle When Mr.
Mowbray came back, shaking hands with
one and another, he paused at her desk
VI was gone great while, Miss Bellesche.
vaux," said he. "But it is not every day
one has a legacy, and"
| 1--WE are glad to have you back, Mr.
Mowbray," she said, as loftily as so small
thing could speak, evincing such plea
sure rs might be found in the return OF
| blackboard and crayon, and not needing
the sprays of exquisite pink heather he
laid before her. The sight of them, after
| their absence, served to remind her that
she no longer had the wide gardens and
| Conservatives, and moreover that she owed
to this school usher now the simple COM
monpaces of her old life. She never touch
ed the heather, but let it lie and wther
Tor the lanltor to sweep out. 1t was, how
ever, only few days before she found in
the glass on her desk Il cluster of little
white Scotch roses the quick glance that
saw them there was all the glance they
had from her, and they too withered un-
touched. She was with these people, but
not of them; she would not be placed on
the level Of snch familiarity as the giving
and taking of these flowers, and she would
be the debtor Of no such uslrer as one who
expects gratitude. She could live without
this Mr.. Mowbray's flowers, and wanted
his legacy was so generous he would leave
teaching and establish himself in his pro-
fession at once; she wished he would, and
the sooner the better 1t became more and
more unpleasant to have him place the
blossoms in her hand; she could not refuse
them without rudcness, and rudencss had
hitherto been foreign to the Bcllesche-
vauxes. She hated to thank him; if he
had any ulterior design, any intention of
thus expressing emotion toward her. the
thing was doubly repugnant lone of these
people daring to feel, much less express,
any emotion toward her! Since the idea
struck her she had really never given him
second look. She delayed reaching
school till the last bell. and she paid no
more attention to any flower she found, al
though it must he confessed, that bunch
OF lilies-of thevalley cut her to the heart,
and it would have been rapture to bury
her face in them.
DO you know what Mr.. Now bray SAYS
Of you z" asked the confidential old pre-
ceptrcss once.
How should 2 she answered CURLY.
"He says you arc like a frozen jasmine
flower"
81 would thank Mr. Mowbray not to
make me subject Of remark" said Miss
Bclleschevaux
MY DEAR said the other, at will he
silly to pursue that course with Mr.. Now
bray he is rising man. And young
girl"
II do not care to hear any thing con-
corning him. said Louise, gathering her
exercises.
"Ah, Miss Belleschevaux, returned the
old preceptress, laughing kindly, "you
have yet to learn, and are going to make
1t hard lesson, that all the worth of the
word is not shut up in the Belleschevaux
family !"
1t was only the next day that one of the
girls in that worshiping enthusiasm which
many young ladies entertain toward GER
tain teachers-brought an album to Miss
BelleschevauX for her to write verse on
one Of its pages. After she had complied
with the request, Louise idly turned the
pages, and her eye was caught by another
verse:
"She hath no scorn of common things,
And though she seem of other birth,
Round us our heart entwines and clings
And patiently she folds her wings,
To tread the humble paths of earth"
Louise sighed as she read it; she wished
she could do as much. "Mr, Mowbray
copied that verse for me-" said the little
maid; "and, do you know, Miss Bellesche-
vaux, he said it made him think of YOU"
Miss BelleschevauX shut the book with
snap. This was growing unbearable-
She looked through the glass door at Mr..
Mowbray, quietly listening to algebraic
demonstrations, and she felt it the rudest
intrusion, the worst presumption-he who
might have been her brothers hired tutor,
her fathers clerk, to he speaking and
writing Other in this manner, to be pre-
senting her with flowers and following her
with gallantries She flung the mornings
flowers upon the floor, and when she came
up from her singing class, still warm with
her sense of wrong, it was the recess, and
nobody but Mr.. Mowbray was behind his
glass door, and she walked boldly into the
little den OF the mathematics. "Mr, Now
bray, said she-and she had no idea it
would be SO hard-"I desire to have the
respect of every gentleman connected with
this institution"
~ am sure you have it, Miss Beleschc-
vaux,' said he, gravely and politely.
81 DESIRE" she repeated, "the respect of
every gentleman connected with this in
stitution, and | want nothing moro Of
them"
II hardly understand you, Miss Bellies
chevauX," said he.
II mean," she said, finding it still more
difficult, ~ want no more flowers"
"Oh, is that it 2" he said, with his cool
smile. Certainly not. l thought they
gave you pleasure. They shall not trouble
you further"
u don't know why they should have
troubled me at all ~ she cried, holly.
Nor | either" said he.
"And | will not submit to such persecu-
tion-talking of me to this person and
writing of me to thatn