Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-29
MARGARET.

A corridor at the end of one wing of a
large rambling house in the north Of Eng
land, a barred window, and a closed door.
In the passage fair haired girl with the
light of Undesirable pity IN her dove-like
eyes, kneelng upon the boards, and push
ing 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, another girl as
young as the first-not 20, certainly-grov-
cling on the floor like wild beast, with
dark, disbeveled hair almost hiding the
spark of insanity that desecrated her glori-
Gus eyes, and devouring the precious NOR
sells that her visitant placed within her
reach, with the ayidity ofa hungry child.
The room in which she crouched was not
comfortless, but had evidently been pre-
pared for the reception of such inmates,
and the carefully-guarded window and
cushioned walls showed that the mansion
in which 1t was situated was occupied by
one who made it the business of his life 10
receive such unfortunates into his profess
sional care. In plain words, private lun-
attic asylum.
"My poor Leah r. whispered the fair
haired girl outside, 'do you know that 1
am here, and that love your
The soit clear voice was not unheard, .or
Leah raised her head for a moment and sat
listening, with the dark clond Of tangled
hair thrown back from the low forehead
and deeply shaded eyebrows. But the look
Of a, roniIlx
as 1t had come, and in another moment her
head was down again on the floor, and the
softly-se. lips, that seemed made only 10
shape loves whispers, murmured stupidity
and huugrily, "More, morep'
~ am. going now" said the soft voice
again, "but will come and see you this
evening, with the nurse. Do you hear ?
Do you underestimate"
There was nothing but an inarticulate
murmur 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 aud his family lived, having
learned from habit to look lightly on the
sheltered beneath Me same roof.
"She is SO beautiful r. said the girl 10
herself as she went down the staircase. "I
hope God does not let her know what she is
now, or she would die, as l should do"
"My dear Margaret" said her mother,
looking up as her eldest child entered the
room. 81 do hope you have not been
among the patients again?"
II have only been TO see poor Leah," !"
said Margaret Fenwick, in the same soft
voice which was one of her greatest charms.
81 must do that you know, if it makes her
less unhappy"
"Let the child alone," said DIR. Penwiek.
She will do herself no harm, If she does no.
body else any good. But you did not work
upon Brokers feelings TO give you the
key, hope, Madge? The door was locked,
of course2"
al talked to her through the door, that
was ALL" answered Margaret, simply.
"Papa, do you think she will ever be like
other people againH 1t was only last week
she was sitting here with us all, and was
teaching her TO play the accompaniment to
her songsp'
II know all that" said the physician,
"but she is suffering from an acute attack
of dementia now. She is very young, and
may get completely over it, but then she
will be always liable to relapse. A sud
den trouble would do it at any time"
"And she has money toop' 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, believe"
said her husband, dryly, "but 1 think
there are thirty thousand good reasons why
nobody should envy her."
1t was five years since Margaret Fen
wick knelt at the corridor door, whisper
ing soft words of love and sympathy to the
unhappy girl inside. She is living in Lon
don with her mother now, for DIR. Fen
wick has been dead some time, aud the es-
tabllshment at Horewood is broken up
The gentle charm OF her loveliness Is still
| In Its first flower. and, as she fingers OveI