The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-05-27
The Broken Heart.


| saw Miss Royle for the first time at
the house Of q West-end draper, where
there was christening, and she stood
godmother, and l thought | never saw q
more buoyant, beautiful creature in my
life. She was all smiles, dimples, and
vivacity, as though her world was per.
petual sunshine.
Her pale mauvc dress vas light and
airy as herself, and admirers futtered
around her like so many butterflies. One,
MIR. Varey's portly partner (who might
be forgiven forgetfulness Of bis dead wife,
he had been so long widowed) made his
joint sponsorship pretext for keeping
close to her side, and looking thunder
storms at younger devotees.
Nurse is always an important and priv.
ileged person on such occasions, and l
must have closed my eyes not to have oh.
served, since she. proud Of her newly as.
sumed prerogative, kept herself in per-
petual communication with me
1t was "Mrs. Marbury, will you let
Mrs Berry see the baby's robe ?" "Mrs,
Marbury, be kind enough to step this
way Mrs. dollhouse will not admit that
babY's eyes are blue :" and the sweetest
smile imaginable repaid me for nay com.
pliance.
She was seated on rich, covered
settee, with her face to the door. and L,
with the sleeping infant on my lap, was
installed beside her, answering very
food of questions about babies, with ref.
erence to that particular baby, when the
gentlemen came in from the drawing.
room, and with them a tall stranger, who
was no stranger to me. Mrs. Chappell.
Miss Royle was talking to me very so.
berly at the time
"You see, Mrs. Marbury, know less
about little children than the generality
of girls at nineteen. l lad no sisters.
My own mother died before l was short.
coated, and my dear father, Captain
Royle, was killed during the Indian mu.
tiny, when was nine. year.old school.
girl at Hampstead. My guardian is a
fusty old bachelor barrister living in
chambers, who only seems to remember
me periodically, when | receive my divi.
dends and though l still cling to the
school where was educated, and occas.
ionally render assistance to Mrs. Gray,
with whom l continue to board, baby is
almost as strange an animal to me as a
young opossum would be-
listened attentively to the early or.
phaned young lady as you are doing to
me now, Mrs. Chappell, whilst she went
on to say
You see, Mrs. Marbury, the solemn
promise have made at the font to-day il
great undertaking for girl SO situated
and ignorant as l, but 1 am desirous to
do my duty to my little"
She was interrupted by the entrance OF
the gentlemen-Mr. Varey marching the
stranger straight up to her, and introduc.
ing him as, "the son of respected old
friend, Miss Royle-Mr. Walter Smith
son. Of Redditch, who manufactures the
needles you use, lose, and break"
All her serious earnestness vanished
as with kindling cheek and an eye
sparkling with glee she retorted play.
fully
"Ah, Mr. Varey. we ladies only break
needles gentlemen break hearts"
"He must be cold and cruel morta
who could break yours. Miss Royle,
gallantly said the newly introduced MIR.
Smithson with deferenIial bow and the
most insinuating Of voices.
She lifted her shoulders lightly
"Oh forewarned is forearmed ; and
my heart is not brittle"
There was little more such badinage
during which he took no more notice oi
me than if had been invisible Present.
ly, to divert the current of his converse
tion. which was painfully complimentary
she called his attention to the infant on
my lap, asquainting him that she was it,
godmother, and the babe had been named
Elizabeth, after herself
II thought Mr.. Varey called you Bes
sic, Miss Royle ?"
"Ah SO my friends do. but | rejoic,
as Elizabeth on state occasions"
~ should prefer to call you Bessie,
he replied, with much meaning 10 his tone
adding. "Oh that | had such fairy
godmother what might not her magic
wand have made of me ere now ?"
| thought it was quite time to stop thi
nonsense, for the sake Of the dear young
lady, who had neither mother nor fathel
to watch over her.
"You had very good mother Mr.
Walter if she could net make a goot
man of you no fairy godmother coulo
have succeeded better"
Miss Bessie Royle opened her eyes a
if to ask, "Do you know this gentleman
from Redditch ?"
He laDguidly opened his eyes as if rec
ognising me for the first time.
why, Mrs. Marbury, what breez
blew you hither2 2"
"Not an ill.wind, | hope" was my an
swer, with the addition. "How is the oil
gentleman ?"
"Oh grumbling as usual"
MAYBE, for the old reason" l rejoin
ed, rising from the settee to make way
for Mr.. Croiton, Mr.. Varey's partner
and to leave him to watch over Mis-
Bessie whilst followed Mrs. Varey t
the nursery with little Miss Elizabeth.
A carpet-dance wound up the evening
in the course Of which Miss Royle, in
flush Of pleasursble excitement, came t
A \