Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-02-26

my uears th'uA csa' A"on" ~"
heart"
"You said you were friend OF m,
MOTHER" Fidelia murmured, gazing witt
childliko wonder ut her guest, and aotu
)" ally smiling through her tears.
"That you may have confidence, le
me tell you OF myself. was schoo
friend Of your mother in Paris. M.
name is Nannette Ricard. am widow
without children; consequently / hav'
no resting place. I am traveller; l &c
around the world. BY accident ! paused
at this town TO stop over night at the
hotel Two Isles. There the rumor o.
the birthday fete encountered me.
made inquiries. ! learned that the hus
band OF my dear school friend whose
death I mourned had married again, and
had chosen for his second wife q widow
with two children, the elder being the
heroine OF to.night's fete. ''Where ia
} Ndelia,' I asked, the charming little
daughter Of the Kingslands, the inter
esting child Of whom early letters Of my
friend gave me suoh agreeable advicea'
She has grown TO be a woman, they
answered, 'and she is kept captive In
her own house. Il must see, I cried,
this captive at once.
"I came, and availed myself Of doors
opened to guests. From the dressing
room found my way with difficulty. II
was child-a visitor, I imagine--who
conducted me up stairs to the last fright.
Shining OF light through the crevice Of
your door guided me the rest. Now,
my child, speak to me freely as to your
own heart. There is nothing so consol-
ing as friend. Tell me why you suf-
fer and what you wish"
II suffer-" said Fidelia, without the
slightest reserve or distrust, "because
am q motherless girl. No one loves
me. have no right-indeed, I often
feel SOTO be in the world. And I wish
it is easier to say why suffer than
what l wish-I wish to be happy and to
be loved"
The bright little lady listened atten-
lively to this speech. She sighed once
or twice, but at the last seized Fidolia's
hand warmly, and with bright smile
said: ... ...
"My dear, you shall have your wish.
Do not fall into despair; keep your faith
in life. I shall help you; know how.
morrow I continue my journey, but
any day after fortnight you may look
for my return. Then shall send for you
to visit me- Keep courage: sunny days
come to all; they will come toyou. And
now kiss me, if you like. my child. and
Fidelia bent down from her queenly
height to kiss lovingly the strange little
lady whom an hour ago she had not
known to bear an existence in the world.
She lighted her guest along the pas
sage; blazing luster below showed plain
" enough the descent. Then she re-
turned to her own room, and having un-
dressed and said her prayers with a
comforted heart, lay down in her bed,
and the dance music lulled her to sleep.
When at dawn she aweke, her expert
ence of the evening seemed like dream.
Nor could she by such inquiries as she |
ventured to mako learn anything of her
guest. A fortnight passed; three weeks;
month On the last day OF the month |
she received note:
"MY DEAR CHrLD.-Come and spend the day |
and night with me at the hotel, 1.-TWO Isles |
have obtained your fathers permission to |
extend to you this request. Y...}
'Your mothers friend,
"NANNETTE REGARD"
On no more unpropitious day could |
the note have been sent. AS if fate had
decreed that Madame Ricard should visit
this special town only on its days of un.
usual excitement, there was this time
grand ball to be given in honor of q
citizen; and not merely
was the whole place in ferment, but
each house had its share of excitement,
the Kingslands' not the least.
The citizen whom the ball honored
was a young soldier, Colonel Darrell,
whose habitual bravery had been made
famons by brilliant act of valor. The
war having ended, he was commissioned
to 60 abroad on an important diplomatic
service. He possessed the hearty ap-
probation Of his townsmen; and though
he had dwelt but briefly in his native
place, yet as he was a fine looking man,
with affable manners, and, moreover,
the largest landowner in the county, he
had the happiness to possess the good.
will of his tOwnswomen also.
This feminine regard was heightened
by an appeal to compassion. Edgar
Darrell had met with a sad misfortune.
W ullo ntlu Ill UOyAOou uo uhu 1OSG ny
one nights tragedy both his parents. A
fire, quickened by tempest, had at
lacked his homestead and burned it to
The ground. His mother, an invalid,
perished in the flames; his father,
dragged from the burning building in
an unconscious state, survived his wife
but few days. The only heir inherit
ed the estate encumbered with this life
long grief. .ua II
"You surely will net be SO heartless
as to leave your sisters to-day9" said
Mrs. Kingsland to Fidelia, when the i'm
port OF Madame Ricard's note reached
her. "Your father, manlike, forgot all
that must be done to make your sisters
tonight. For once in your
life you can be of use. The Paris ball
dresses, only this morning arrived, re.
quire stitches and tact to make them
&t."
Fidelia sighed in spirit, but, schooled
10 self-sacrifce, uncomplainingly re-
NAMED. Oonscientiously all day she
piled her needle and exercised her taste. {
Her arrogant step sisters did not hesi-
tate to wreak upon her at once demands
for her service and contempt for her ser
vile state.
It was evening when, hooded and
she few from the door. All {
The way to the hotel she encountered
signs of the coming event. The atmos- {
phere was impregnated with a sense of |
Groups of gossips fingered
in the streets. The doors of the spacious 9
hall where the ball was to take place was I
guarded by iveried men, and struggling
musicians sauntered across the avenue I
and disappeared, in adjacent vaults. le
The lovely June night had its air @
scented with the perfume of roses, t
,yringas, and honeysuckles. The sky
was flushed with the rosy lights of sun
vet. Fidelia forgot her sorrows, and g
began to affiliate herself with the joyous &
spirit that inspired the scene. By the
time she had reached the hotel she was
kindled by sympathetic excitement into
he blooming beauty that only the ma
ignant depression of her unhappy con- I
1ition had kept paled. {
Madame Ricard, whose apartments !