The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-04-13
Mrs. HepbUrn'S COmpan-
ion.

ty years of age, but tall and erect,
with large, soft, black eyes, and a
noble yet sweet face, sat in her bou-
doIr, listening gravely to the Ismen-
! tations OF her niece, fussy, over
dressed woman, of forty, or there
abouts.
The Older lady, being a childless
widow of great wealth, was aecus.
toned to receiving frequent visits
from her numerous relatives, and be-
ing called upon to sympathize in all
their troubles.
More especially did her present
visitor, Jennie HarkneT, make such
demands upon her time and patience.
Robert Harkner, the only son of the
fussy widow, man OF twenty-five,
had been from his boyhood the pride
and darling of his great-aunt, and
rosy visions of his Inheritance OF all
her possessions haunted his mothers
dreams. From q child The willy wo-
man had trained her son to be all his
aunt desired, and from a child he had
sturdily resisted all attempts to force
him into q slavish hypocrisy.
It may have been this very Danli-
ness contrasting with the servile fiat
tering of the others, that had first
won for him his aunt's affection, and
it is certain there was bond of love
between them entirely independent
of bank accounts and real estate. Feel
ing thus, Mrs. Hepburn gave her
niece grave attention when she said
Yehemently
"I am in such trouble about Bob"
'iTrouble ? Is he i'll ?"
"Oh, no; far worse than that"
"You cannot mean that be is in dis
grace w
"Oh, no indeed !" and the little
woman ruffled her ribbons, as a bird
does its feathers.
"What is it then ?" said Mrs. Hep
burn, with q most unusual ring of i'm
patience in her gentle voice.
HE hes fallen in love with vulgar
nobody, and he declares he will mar
ry her, if all the world opposed him
On it is just awful 10 hear him defy
his only mother, as he does, and such
q mother as 1 have been"
"Who is the girl ?''
"Goodness knows / don't. She is
q teacher now in seminary at Green
Valley where Bob has been visiting 3
friend An orphan, he says.n
"She can scarcely be vulgar if she
teaches in the Green Valley Semi
nary. I know something of the
school, and no vulgar woman would
be allowed to teach there.n
"Well, perhaps she is not exactly
vulgar, but she has no money, no
family Oh, Aunt Mary, if you will
only use your influence with Bob, he
may see things in proper light, and
give her up"
"What is her name ?n
"Edna Seabright, and Bob is going
up again in July, because she has no
home but the seminary, and will be
there during the holidays"
'How did Bob come to meet her ?''
''She visits at the Holmes place,
where he was staying"
"H'm Well, I will talk to Bob, but
not now. l go away next week for
the summer, and 1 had rather leave
so important a conversation until /
return"
With this, as Mrs. Hepburn was
known to remain firm in all ber
plans, Mrs. Harkner was forced to be
content, and the next week Mrs.
Hepburn left the city, without giving
her summer address to her dear niece.
1t might have somewhat astonished
that lady, had she looked into the
private sitting room of Mr.. Holt, the
principal Of Green Valley Seminary,
in the early part of July, to see Mrs.
Hepburn cOnversing with that gentle
man, evidently upon the footing of
an old friend. Gentle Mrs. Holt
knitted busily, speaking now and
then, as Mrs. Hepburn pursued a
train of inquiries.
"Yes," Mr.. Holt said, in answer to
one of these. "Miss Seabright is an
orphan, and her ouly home for years
was the aims house. She came here
first as an erFand girl, to attend the
door, clean knives and run errands.
But Mrs. Holt found she was starving
for education, and We took her into
the school. She well repaid all the
efforts we made TO educate her, and at
sixteen was pupil teacher, studying
the higher branches while teaching
the lower ones. Two years ago she
took the place of Mrs. Hollis assistant,
with the usual salary"
"She is well educated, what more?n
IA gentle, refined lady, said Mrs.
Holt ga conscious, noble woman
have never met a girl for whom felt
more respect, as well as affection"
"WilI you lend her to me for the
holidays? ? am going to take a trip
to the White Mountains, Niagara and
Canada, and I want a pleasant COM
panion. 1 will pay the same salary
she now receives"
"What treat for Edna ~ cried
Mrs. Holt. 1--WE will gladly lend her
for such a pleasant summer, Mrs.
Hepburn. Shall 1 introduce her
now ?"
She left the room as Mrs. Hepburn
assented, and returned in a few min
utes with tall, graceful girl OF about
twenty.
The first sight Of her face excused
Rob to his aunts heart. 1t was so
delicateIy fair and sweet, yet with q
noble dignity OF expression, that won
the old lady to Rob's side at the out
set.
A short conversation, during which
the lovely face grew radiant at the
prospects Mrs. Hepburn offered, COM
pleted the conquest the first look bad
gained.
As soon as Edna could get ready the
two left Green Valley, and started up
on a summer of delightful travel.
Wholly unconscious of the close
scrutiny OF every word and action,
Edna Seabright, with a warm graft
tude, devoted herself to her new en-
ployer.
Though she looked no further than
70 the fall TO break the pleasant COM
psnlonship, she made every effort to
lIglben the hours of intercourse and
make herself useful to Mrs. Hepburn.
she appreciated keenly the perfect
equality Of position. accorded her
from the first. knowing well the at.
tentiors of Mrs. Henhnrnis friends