The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-05-13

snrnr;sed tbev would ali be- to find anyth ng |
in the shape of womsnkind occe more grao,nS
the dear old Ioom!' Aud again h's voice
slightly trembled. wen, no" 90 you INV my
"Delghtful cried Fanny. ready to dance
with delight. ,..
Aud you Maude1 1ou are Tue pH''S H''''
~ will do my beat, uncle p bn. her lip qniv-
cred nervously. Would it not be better for
au nj Bar bsra TO preside ~ abe whiepereo' G!ahc
ing to- ards the little table.
clio in the same subdued tone. WHY; Mandie;
Won would spoil the morale OF the whole am Ar
You and no other. must play the hos'e7s'
Maude looked so miserable that amy cou'd
not forbe.r laughing. just at t2i1 moment
the pen in the corner stopped. ana aunt on,
bAra cast "A for ve but seaTchiug glance towards
them Mr. Neville Immediately selZsd the OPP
portnnity to inform her of HE plan, and In
vitcd her in Maudesrname to join the party,
The very fact that it had been proposed ana
adopted without consulting her would at any
| timo bav. been a snffi or mt reason with aunt
Barbara for refusing the Invitation but on
| thi occasion, with her jealousy OF Maude seeth
| ing in her heart, her refusal was even more
| curt aud uDgracous than usual, aud was ac-
companed by q glance that seemed to betokeu
something very like the envy barred malice,
and all Observation-Disclosures that she prayed
against every Sunday. Finding, however, that
her nephew and his children were loo ihuch
| interested in their consultation to notfce her
| ILL., temper, she formed to her writing, and was
|
| Groans.
Inspired at last by her unoles assurances.
Maude took heart, aud after q little more con-
versation with him began to agree with Fanny
that helping to give party" might be very
| good fun after all.
"Of course it will, ;" cried Mr.. Neville, rub
| bling bis hands again. "Why, Maudie you
could not possibly begin on q better occasion
| We are fe v in ns, mber now for death has been
buoy among ne; and though one or two younger
people may sometimes fill their fathers places,
il IL not every young man that cares to meet
snoh old foGes as most of Us are now. The
first time sat in my poor brothers chair We
| were twenty five, the last we were fourteen,
and there have been changes even since then
so cheer up Maudie; your guests will be few,
| unless The young fellows should chance to get
| win ofmy little plan and in that Gaze Will not
| answer for il, Bat W i'll keep 1t TO ourselves,
child aud don't be afraid, for am sure you
| will play the hostess to perfection. Depend
| upon 1T, pusey, wo ''lords of the creation" are
| far more easily pleased than orr ladies If You
should get nervous, and pour coffee into tea, l
promise You shall not he TnlZZsd by any of
| your guests; but would not promise As much
! mind, If their wives were going TO DE there y!
CHAPTER TX.
| ST PArRICKs EVE arrived, and although
dark and somew hat stormy, our little party
from the rcctory arrived IN safety and high
spirits at the east lodge of Neville Court. As
the carriage wound upa steep drive nearly
half q mile in length, it may we'll be imsg med
with what earnestness the young heress
peeped ont into the gloom; but dense shrub
berries, looking very black and dreary In the
darkness, and a dim network OF leadess
branches overhead was all that met her view.
Nor was the result of her scrutiny much more
satisfactory when Maude reached the house
and al ted for the united CLEAN of the Its
in the windows, coaohlights, aud stable Ian.
terms only seemed to make the darkness more
palpable, and all that she could Distinguish OF
her paternal home was o broad flight of gray
stone steps. somewhat mossy aud grass. gro wn,
surmounted by q heavy portico of the same
material Bot that poFtico once passed, the
gloom and darkness ceased for the vestibule
behind was flooded with light and in that
vestibule all that remained of the old servants
bad gathered, with loving hearts and bright
faces. TO welcome their young mistress homes
The aged builsr-A kind of universal genius
in his way-had arranged them in picture
esYne group, with the Housekeeping at their
head, while he himself stood in tie foreground,
bowling his white head 10 a series OF profound
saiaams Maudes entrance was the signal for
q general bnrst of Welcome, vociferous in
it's heartness that she chung, startled, to her
uucles arm. After q time. at q sign from the
housekeeper, quiet W as restored aud then the
butler, producing highly ornamented scroll,
prepared himself, with supdry preliminary
coughs, to read an address of welcome to his
| young lady. Alas, poor Mills, that address
was never read! Even at the Honoured
: Madam" the old mans voice began to fail, and
) the second line saw him fairly sobbinE on his
, knees. with his cherished production crushed
10 his withered hands. Maude stepped lightly
} forward, and taking it from him pressed it to
Der lips, and told them all she should read il
| lot heTbeit anu Keep III LOT over us u toStmbhy
of their affection. AS she spoke. the light fell
full on her beautiful blushing face; and wher
che had concluded, another shout of love and
welcome woke the echoes of the old house. 'h'
like of which had never been heard since he
, father bad first brought home his bride t.
3 Neville Court.
Ifgood Mrs. Barton could have had her owl
way she would have conducted her younl
mistress through every nook and corner of tn
Il old Ill auison Immediately GU her arrival. Blu
= dinner parties are always disturbing iuhuen
o ces ; and the one then in preparation in tn
y large kitchen of Neville Court called the oil
II ouseheep per so many different ways, that ooul
o she have been in dozen places at once sh
!, Oould hardly have satisfied it's requirement.
y Very msjestically did che usher the ladies u
,. the grand staircase and more mi jestioaiiy sti
It did she desoaut on the various family -portraii
d that lined the gallery above Dearly woul
st abe have loved to have told them the storit
il and legends that urked in every grim old fac
l they passed but just as she was expauatin
Of GU a certain bewigged and berU III ID pair, til
10 Changing bells gave the 6rstlaunuunoement {
ID dinner. Poor Mrs irton ont her story shor
III aud hurried to a room which, she whispered
t; Maude - sho turned the handle of the doc
" had once been my ladys." And grand OLE
al r,..N, - ~