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

write about you4 Upon my honor
Miss Belleschevaux, am not aware that
| ever wrote word about YOU"
Miss Belleschevaux made an impatient
movement.
at is of no use to talk about it but
when the preceptress repeats your words to
me, and when Miss Varley brings her album
with your writing in it, have right to
insist upon no more of it. I don't wish
for any more expressions of admiration"
"Ah, indeed y said Mr.. Mowbray. "Pray
allow me to explain. Miss Varley brings
verse of her own selection to copy into
her album, and asks of whom it reminds
me. Not having had the pleasure of this
interview, I frankly say, of you-judging
her to be suffering from one of her acute
enthusiasts. For the rest, do not re-
member to have spoken of you"
"But you have"
81 think not"
"You did. You said was like flow
err"
Mr.. Mowbray smiled again. Eyes, in
deed" he said. 81 remember. The pre-
ceptress asks me if you do not resemble q
flower yourself, white jasmine and 1 re
tortured such simplicities into such COM
plexities. And so far from expressions of
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES me if say that do
not admire you in the least" And with
bow, Mr.. Mowbray set open the glass
door and struck his bell.
So Miss BelleschevauX went down to
her music room, and sat there listening to
the drumming, but with her mind as far
away as the east is from the west. It was
drawing upon her that she had been guilty
OF horrible absurdity, and she was burn
ing with shame and rage. In the light of
her vanity she had interpreted simple
charity into gallantry. and she had insisted
upon it that man admired her when he
assured her that he did not admire her in
the least. She never would dare to look
at him again. She felt her face hot up I'M
der her hair How courteous and how cold
he had been No Belleschevaux gentleman
could have conducted the interview bet
ter: it was he that was the patrician, and
she-she had done dishonor to her blood
She would have given the world to leave
the school; Mr.. Mowbray had promised the
principal to remain till spring. What an
unblushing fool he had seen in her And
from that moment she thought of him as
very far from tool infinitely
nobler than herself and one day she wish
ed she had never seen him; the next
would have given a years life if he had
never heard of her; and the duy after
longed to show him she was not so bad as
he thought. If Mr.. Mowbray wanted re.
dress, lie was fast obtaining it, for Louise
Belleschevaux was thinking altogether too
much of him
She observed him now, from her desk
through the glass door. There was some
thing very gentle and fine in his manner
with those he taught; he was not so plain
as she had supposed; rugged features, to
be sure, but who could be plain with those
great deep-set eyes and that smile? She
listened when the door was ajar He lad
singularly clear and penetrating voice.
How lucid he made the problems she
might have known something fMr. Now
bray had been her teacher. What now
Well, the Mowbrays might be as good as
The Belleschevaux, and il they were not,
were not all men equal before God Miss
Belleschevaux was becoming little radi-
'al. She used to listen to him, too, talk
ng on indifferent themes with the princi-
pal in the long recess. Well, she had
wrought her fate, she must put it on and
wear it; the patience she had used in ac-
'epting poverty and work she must use in
accepting the disestCem of this one man
N the world. So she plodded on her
lreary path; and, as before, nobody knew
what it cost her. There was no CHEEKY
good morning now from any deep voice
here were no more flowers to brighten the
lay, to take to her mother ard children ut
hight; yet if she missed them, size deserv-
'd 1t; she must make amends by bright
ening the day to those around her. And
She did and the girls began to say never
my body taught like Miss Belleschevaux
she was just music itseli-while the old
assured them that "bluod al.
ways tells"
Thus through the long dark half of the
autumn term, through the beginning of
he winter, the dark days when life and
gloom seemed one. There was little pleasure
N the school, and home was so changed
hat there was little solace there. She was
thoroughly dispirited, and more than
'nce she might have been seen lingering
ltter the rest at close Of day, with her arms
lung across the desk and her head fallen
them, abandoned to her tears. She
vas very unhappy, and she learned at last
hat she had brought it ON herself that
Ter heart awokc too late, and the light
hat might have burned an eternal altar
ire she had herself put out. She grew
worn and thin; sad smile played with
he dimples now, although they were Just
IS lovely, but the rich color, slowly wan
ng, seldom hung its signal on the soft |
,heek, unless some voice startled her, a
'oicc that her heart sprang up to meet
She dragged herself every day to school, |
md it seemed to her that instead of the |
legend over the gate, should
AVE been written, abandon hope, all We
who enter here" 1t would he vacation
Don; the second half of February was
breathing space; he would be gone; and
he would escape her troubles or gather
to endure them.
1t was the last day but one of the term.
Hr. Mowbray lett on the morrow. AS she |
icard the regrets every where about her. |
Ter heart sank. The hours crawled. AT
ength the bell struck, the files departed /: |
lie was left alone.
Alone Mr., Mowbray, behind the glass
loors, was sorting some final papers. Could
he let him leave with this cloud over herr
Fear shook her. But no; at any rate she
must dispel that; and all at once she |
walked, not boldly this time, but twice
urning back on the way, to his side. He
lid not look up ut once. She put out her
land to attract his attention; it fell on
lis then he rose. She was stone-still
lot word came TO her.
"Can l help you ?" he said.
"Mr. Mowbray, want to beg-your-"
And she broke into flood of tears. and
an away too fast for any feet to follow.
l was harder work to 10 to school next
lay than any she had ever done; but she
must and, white as u little ghost, she
ook her seat at her desk, to blush on the |