Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-07-07
MARGARET.

rambling house in the north of England, a
barred window and closed door. In the pas
sage fair haired girl with the light of indie
s,ribable pity in her dove-like eyes, kneeling
upon the boards. and pushing biscuits and
sweetmeats underneath the ill-fitting door,
which disappeared as fast as they were placed
there, showing that there were human hands
to seize them on the other side. Within, an
other girl as young as the first-not twenX,
certainly-groveling on the floor like a wild
baast, with dark, disheveed hair almost hid
ing the spark of insanity that desecrated her
glorious eyes, and devouring the precious NOR
sells that her visitant placed within her reach
with the avidity of a hungry child. The room
in which she crouched was not comfortless but
had evidently been prepared for the reception
of such inmates. and the carefully guarded
window and cushioned walls showed that the
mansion in which it was situated was occupied
by one who made it the business of his life to
receive such unfortunates into his professional
care. In plain words, private lunatic asylum.
My poor Leah !" whispered the fair haired
girl outside, edo you know that am here. and
that l love you"
The soft clear voice was not unheard for
Leah raised her head for q moment, and sat
listening, with the dark cloud of tangled hair
thrown back from the low forehead and deenly
shaded eyebrows. But the look of attention
passed away almost as rapidly as it had come
and in another moment her head was down
again on tho floor. and the softly set lips, that
seemed made only to shape loves whisners,
murmured stupidly and hungrily: More,
more !"
81 am going now," said the soft voice again,
but | will come and see you this evening,
with the nurse. Do you hear Do you under
stand ?"
There was nothing but an inartculate mur-
mur in reply though she listened in vain and
the fair haired girl rose with a sigh from her
knees. and passed from the desolate corridor
into the more habitable and cheerful part of
the house in which the physician and his family
lived, having learned from habit to look lightly
on the empty human shrines of reason that
were sheltered beneath the same roof.
SIS She is so beautiful !" said the girl to her.
self as she went down the stairs. ~ hope
God does nor let her know what she is now or
she would die. as 1 should do
"My dear Margaret, said her mother, look
ing mp as her eldest child entered the room,
81 hope Won have not been among the pa
tents again?"
"I have only been to see poor Leah" said
Margaret Fenwick, in the same soft voice which
was one of her greatest charms. 81 must dc
that. yo know. if it makes her less unhappy
"Le the child alone" said DR.. Fenwick
"Shf ill do herself no harm, if she does no.
bod else any good. But you did not work
upoI Brokers feelings to give you the key, ]
hope Margaret? The door was locked OF
course ?"
''I talked to - through the door, that was
all, answered M,rgaret, simply. "Papa, dc
you think she will ,ver be like other people
again? 1t was only list week she was sitting
here with us all, ant [ was teaching her tC
play the accompaniment to her songs!"
I" know al that" saiC the physician. "but
she is suffering from an acute attack of demen-
tia now. She is very young, and may get com.
pletely over it, but then she will be always
liable to relapse. sudden trouble would
do it at any time"
"And she has money, tool" sighed Mrs
Fenwick, half enviously as if it was a sin that
so much good material for happiness should be
wasted. "Didn't you say she had money!"
"Thirty thousand pounds, 1 believe" said
her husband, dryly, "but I think there are
thirty thousand good reasons why nobody
should envy her."
1t is five years since Margaret Fenwick knel
at the corridor door, whisr ering soft words o.
love and sympathy to thu unhappy girl inside
She is living in Lordon with her mother
now, for DR.. Fenwick las been dead sometime
and the establishment at Horewood is broke,
up. The gentle charm of her loveliness is still
in its first flower, and, as she fingers over tn
letter which Isl in her hand, the clear light o
happiness is irradiating her brow and laugh
ing back from the soft sweet eyes. The word
Jldu " llhu WElu6b W HIS DFUHlScu WIG COul
be answered in no more fitting way
"MY DEAREST CHILD have got all tn
way to Wales safely, and the whole family
collected here under the paternal roof.
needn't say that one thing is wanting to me
and that, hope will soon be supplied, for, Q
course. YOU will come down and spend Chris
mas with us. My father and mother bot
want words to express their anxiety to see 70
and receive you as a daughter. Write and sa
how soon you can come
We are very quiet here, but there are or
or two new people in the village. Mr.
Fourier has taken the White House, and h'
daughter is a regular acquisition. The ol
lady is not much, but Leah Fourier plays an
sings divinely, and is unusually good lookn
into the bargain. The girls are mad abo1
her.
"You can tell how hard up am for an
thing to tell when l am forced to write abo
strangers. / suppose you would get tired of
if I were to keep on telling you that love yo
but I have very few other ideas in my hei
Just now at any one time Besides, isn't
much pleasanter to tell it with your dear hal
in mine? Your own ARTHUR ASHTON. "
"Leah Fourier !" repeated Margaret to he
self, dreamily, Il hops she won t rememh
me. | wonder whether mad people recolle
anything that has passed when they are wei
Thas would be the most wretched part of
all p
Leah Fourier is singing I" 81 tn sayais," a
Arthur Ashton is leaning over the piano, loo
ing into her magical eyes with an expression
well, which would mean good deal with sol
men, but which is merely graceful courte
Ma rgaret tries to believe, with Arthur Ashtt
She has been at Liwyn-y-mawr fortnit
now, aud has found Leah Fourier almost
cons ant an inmate Of the house as herself. I
then as Arthur said, the girls are mad alb
her, and there certainly Is an enchantm
omewhere in h or glowing face before VIII
ew are able to stand.