The Morning herald., 1876-09-26
Gertrude Hemming's
Temptation.

Amt Huldah always did hate me. In
,bo first place, my mother committed the
dire oaense Of marrying the man she
loved, instead Of the one Aunt Huldah
selected for her. Then | had the audaclty
to nresent myself to the world with my
f,thheys black hair and eyes, and tall fig
nre instead of perpetuating the petite
Monde loyeliness Of the Croftons, and
Amt Huldah's own style of beauty.
/ was altogether amazed when | was
left an orphan at eighteen, that Aunt HUI
dah sent for me to come to Croiton rlace,
but soon found was to have no life OF
easy Incidence in that luxurious home.
II will give you five hundred dollars a
year." my great-aunt said to me. ito teach
Ellie anything you know, and to wait
upon me. don't want maid, for have
one but somebody to write my letters,
read to me, and to sit by me when l am
SICK"
Twas all alone in the world, deprived
suddenly of loving parents and a pleasant
home, and glad of my refuge. 80 l ac-
cepted Aunt Huldah's terms. In very
short time l was so sorry for her that i
would have loved her out Of sheer pity, II
she would have allowed me.
For, at eighty years old, sole mistress OF
million dollars, and presiding over the
most perfect house l ever beheld, Aunt
Huldah was the victim of an internal DIS
ease that, slowly sapping the fountains OF
life, entailed upon her the most excru-
ciating agony at times.
She was very small, thin as a shadow,
while was tall, strong and young. Very
soon we discovered that no one could lit
or move her so easily as l could, no one
could ease the pain by applications,
rubbed on with the hand, SO soon as myself,
and it came to be matter of course that
was to leave everything else to 10 duty
in the invalid's room, whenever one OF
the paroxysms of pain came on. l
moved her here or there, az the restless de-
sire for change of position dictated; l
rubbed her till my own hands were al.
most raw from the irritating applications;
administered the powerful opiates, and
softly stroked her hair when she could
sleep, till unconsciousness came.
But if attempted caress, moved by
deepest pity if spoke tender word In
true womanIy sympathy, she would retort
by asking me what legacy l was angling to
obtain, remind me that l was paid for my
services, and request me to keep my
hypocrtic tears till they were demanded.
50, having some pride, 1 became in time
amere gentle machine, striving, outof the
pity vas forbidden to express, to carry
such relief as l could to the sufferer, and
as cold and as impassive as l was re-
quested to he. Not that l escaped sar-
casm then, being called stone, statue,
and asked if anything could move me.
In the intervals Of my duties as nurse,
when Aunt Huldlah was able to be about
the house, ruling all with rod Of iron,
was governess to Ellie Crofton-Aunt
Huldah's great-niece, too, and my second
cousin. She was only two years younger
than waa, but had been educated for
teacher, and she had never been system
atlcally educated at all. Aunt Huldah.
vino was favored with numerous orphans
ttspfotect, had takeu Ellie when she was
baby. Sometimes she had governess,
Who stald till Aunt Huldah's tyranny be-
came uncomfortable. Oftener she was left
entirely to her own devices. She reminded
me of a white mouse. She was 80 small,
with features of extreme delicacy, little
mouth with pearly teeth, blue eyes,
large but with a baby innocence Of ex-
preston, profusion Of hair Of the palest
yellow, tiny hands and feet, and the most
tmld manner. She had peen ''snubbed"
mo other word expresses it) till she was
a!rald ara, to stir. or speak, without permis-
slon' Her voice was so low, it just es-
eeaped whisper; her step was like cats,
M Lef hngers touched the piano as If the
xeys KY were Of spun glass, and she was ter
m slaed to pallor if she dropped her thimble
Or orScissors.
tried to stir up little spirit in her,
1 out hndlng it vain effort, took to petting
a her. 1t is a necessity of my nature to
lsVe Ia somebody to love, and since Aunt
ihuldah would have none of my affection,
transferred it in its entirety to Ellie.
A. ror whole year / devoted myself to
Me ;a child, coaxing her out of doors, teach
thss th,s ner to the best Of my ability, making
Wv" 'ae most Of her beauty, by trying my
.asle s In making her dresses for her, and
saIliahglng her flaxen tresses. And she
''qng to me, and loved me.
vaso; % the first year dragged by slowly, and
n, ,'"tny' put on colored dresses again,
~" ~ Aunt Huldah's order, and dragged
,mO""s.lorgotten NJ" finery from the depths of
D. nevere complete hermits at Crofton
h.a' h,aGe' on account of Aunt Huldah's
~ ;Iseallh, s' but she required the same dress as
s,o. we had house full of company, when
''gr II, she was able to be about.
wise wase second year was month old when
trLnired Crofton came home from Europe
aa nave said that Aunt Huldah was rich, in
'pnan relatives, and Wilfed ~ one ofs