The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-08

after she was gone. And then 1t occur
redto me that Julia Harper was certainly
on rather large scale. She had good
figure of its kind, and she had fin eyes
but Rachel's were quite az bright and
much softer; and as for all the essentials
of graceful and feminine figure, the mis-.
tress' was far inferior to the maids. ]
kept thinking of this all the evening,
and after I had gone to bed. And ]
thought, too, of the very unpleasant
specimen of Julia's insincerity which
had betrayed itself in the case of the
slippers.
The next day was an auspicious one.
Looking prettier than ever, Rachel came
with note from her mistress. I was in
no hurry to open it, you may be sure.
I asked Rachel a great number of ques-
tions, and was especially solicitous on
the score of wet feet, which T feared had
been the result of her last homeward
voyage from my lodgings. She had by
this time habituated herself to talk to
me in much more free and unembar-
ras,ed manner than when first she came
to my apartments and the more she
talked to me the more charmed l was ;
for she expressed herself 80 well, had
such pleasant voice and delivered such
sensible opinions, that I soon began to
think that the mental qualifications Of
the mistress (none of the highest be it
said) were by nomeans superior to those
of Tie maid. Indeed, to tell the truth,
nv good fellow, I was falling in love
with little Rachel as fast as I possibly
could.
This day, indeed precipitated the
crisis. We had talked some time to.
gether, when Rachel reminded me q
thought that there was an expression OF
mock Representatives, the little round
face) that I had not read in her mistress
letter. Iopened it in a careless manner;
and had no sooner read the first line
than I burst out into loud laughter.
"Bravo, Rachel" I exclaimed. "You
are nice little messenger, indeed, to
carry a young lady's 6illets doa1. You
have given me wrong letter." She
took up the envelope, which had fallen
to the ground, and showed me that it
was directed to edward Blo1ham,
ESQ.," call the better, Rachel, said !;
"but this begins, I am am 80 delight
ed, my dear Captain Cox Hurrah,
for the envelopes"
I looked into Rachel's face. 1T was
not easy to read the expression of it.
First sheseemed inclined to laugh-then
to cry. Then she blushed up to the
very roots of her hair. She was evident
" in state of incertitude and confu-
sion-puzzled what course to pursue.
folded up the letter, placed it in an
other envelope-not having, of course,
read another word of its contents. What
was the cause of Jula's excessive de-
light am not aware up to this moment !;
but I could not help asking Rachel
something about Captain Cox. One
question led to another. Rachel hesi
tated at first but at last, with faltering
voice and fearful face, told me the whole
truth. She said that she had felt her
self for some time in very painful and
embarrassing situation. She recognized
her duty to ber mistress, who had been
kind and indulgent to her-but she
could not help seeing that much which
had been done was extremely wrong.
She had all along been ashamed of the
duty on which she was employed, and
had more than once limited her disap-
probation but had been only laughed
at as prude. She had often reproached
herself for being party to the fraud
which had been practiced on me. She
had not at first fathomed the whole
extent of it; but now she knew how bad
a matter it was. The truth was, that
Miss Harper had for some time been
carrying on something more than fir
tation with Captain Cox. But her
father disliked the man, who, though
very handsome and agreeable, bore any
thing but good character-and, there
fore, Julia had acted cautiously and
guardedly in the matter, and had
feigned an Indifference which had de-
ceived Mr.. Harper.
When I first came to anchor at Can
terbury, Captain Cox was on "leave of
absence;" and, as he had gone away
without making declaration, it had ap-
peared to Julia that an overt Irritation
with me in the captain q absence-some-
thing that would certainly r ach his ears
might stimulate him to greater &C.
tivity, and elicit an unretractable
avowai. Her Irritation with me was in
tended, also, to impress on Mr.. Har-
per's mind the conviction that she was
really attached to me, and he ceased,
therefore, to trouble himself about Cap
tain Cox. He liked me, and he encour-
aged mo, on purpose that the odious
captain might be thrown into the shade.
Such was the state of affairs at the out
set OF Julia's Irritation with me. But
Rachel assured me thatI really had made
an impression on the youug lady's
heart, though she had not by any means
given pp the gallant captain.
I asked Rachel how this could be-
how it was possible that any heart could
bear two impressions at the same time.
She said that she supposed some i'm
pressions we're not as deep and ineface-
able as others. At all events, she be-
lieved that to Miss Harper it was mat
ter of no very vital concernment whether
she married Captain Cox or Mr.. Blo1-
ham; but that she was determined to
have cne or other. The fact is, the girl
was play ing double game, and deceiv-
ing both of us. All this was very clear
to me from Rachel's story. But she
told me it was her own belief, that Julia
would determine on taking me, after all
and that for the very excellent reason
that Captain Cox was engaged else
where. At least, that was the story in
the town since his return to barracks.
Poor Rachel shed a great many tears
while she was telling me all this. She
said that, having betrayed her mistress,
she could not think of remaining with
her. She was decided on this point.
With warm expressions of gratitude, I
took her little hand in mine, and said
that 1 would be her friend-that she had
done me an inestimable service-that I
was glad to be undeceived-that the
little incident of the deception OF the
clippers had shaken my belief in Miss
Harper's truth, that altogether my
opinions had changed, AMI that I knew
there were worthier objects cf affec-
tion. Then spoke Of her own position
said that of course her determination
WAS right-but that she would confer
very great favor on me if she would do
nothing until she saw me again. This
she readily promised; and it was agreed
that on the following day, which was
Sunday, she should call Oh me during