The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-10-11
MISS CUTHBERT'S BIRTHDAY,

"Miss Cuthbert, are you an old
maid?' The governess looked up in
surprise from the columns of figures she
had been correcting, and met the puz-
zled blue eyes of little May Fleming.
"Why do You ask me that question,
May
The child flushed and hung her head.
Nothing; only last night when you
and Mr.. Kenneth came in the ssslk we
were all on the piazza, and mamSsa said
MIR. Kenneth seemed something
French; and Alice said that was too alb
surd, for you were only governess, and
an old maid besides and Bertha
said"
"Never mind what Bertha said. Your
mamma and sisters would not like you
to repeat what you happen to hear them
remark. Your slate is correct" she
sEdded, "and you can go now."
If" Have l said any thing bad, Miss
~Vuthbert ?" and the blue eyes grew
abashed and wistful as they noted the
unwonted flush on the governess's s
cheek.
"No, dear, certainly not;" and she
smiled down in Mays doubtful face as
she gave her the kiss of dismissal.
But the smile faded as soon as the
small observer vanished, and tossing her
scattered books together, the governess
fastened out of the sunny, dusty school
room, and up to her own apartment.
1t was wonderful September day.
magnificent in clearness and color. Yel-
lowing fields and crimsoning woodlands
were stepped in magic sunshine. Down
below her, in the garden, the flowers
glowed like jewels, and far away in
misty, glittering distance, hills, forests,
and ocean were bounded by purple
sky. Was. it tears in Amy Cuthbert's
eyes that made the sunlight seem misty !?
Impatiently she dashed them away, but
still they gathered and fell slowly, blur
ring the bright day.
Only a governess Well, had she not
become accustomed to being only
governess during nine weary years of
lonely struggle with the world 3? And an
old maid besides-yes, surely that, for
this day even now declining to it's close
must be counted as her thirtieth birth
day. But that, too, was no new thought.
Why should girls careless, sighting
speech wound her so?
"Do hope and romance never die in n
woman's heart? Sitting with clasped
hands and bent head, the .governess re-
viewed the twdenonths that had elapsed
since the morning when Bertha Fleming,
smiling saucily at her sister over the top
of an outspread newspaper, had inquir-
ed;
"Say, Al, which of your New York
Adonises do you think is in this neigh
borhood ?"
Chow can 1 tell ?" and the golden
haired Miss Fleming went on carelessly
asserting her worsteds.
"I suppose you could tell by reading
this paper, but I'll save you the trouble.
It's nobody less than Mr.. Carl Kenneth,
the young and gifted artist Now as
you didn't catch him last season, aren't
you glad pas country-seat is located in
this romantic spot !? Oh, don't trouble
yourself to blush, Al I"
"Blush, indeed You are too imperti-
nent. If were your governess, 1
would teach you better manners"
"Good manners don't run in our
family" was the serene response.
"When I reach your age I'll begin to
cultivate them"
"But go ON about Mr.. Kenneth, in
terposed Mrs. Fleming matronly
lady, who loved her ease too well to in
terfere with the little passages at arms
between her daughters. "1s he alone
here 2"
"So, mamma /; there are thrss other