The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-10-23

in freezing tone, " and confess my
surprise is very great to meet q charity.
girl amongst my friends
"A charity girl +" cried several voices
"You may doubt me" said Maude, an.
swering them, :" hut let Miss Worthng
ton deny, if she can, that she was takcr
from a charity hospital, to be the nurse
~ maid Of Mrs. Thruston. my aunt,
cousin and ncighbor. Let her deny, ii
she can that she did "a meniars work fol
years in their house. She may palm her
self off as Mrs. Mortimer's niece, upon
strangers, but !, knowing her, decline the
honor of her acquaintance.
The delicate, beautiful Esther Worth
ington grew very pale, during this insult
ing address, but she drew herself erect as
haughtily as Maude Piersou, herself, q.
that young lady ceased to speak,
IAN you have said, is quite true sh,
-eplied, ~ and any only ee".on for oon
cealing the facts you now force upon my
friends, was the request of my dear aunt
Mrs. Mortimer. Mrs. Hursey, Lady Raj
ston. and several others of those who
honor me with their friendship, know
we'll the family history you force me to
relate to our friends here. You will par
don Inc for obtruding my private affairs
upon you; bit since Miss Pierson has
attacked my veraeity, l must defend 1t.
My parents were married against the
wishes of my mothers father, who car.
ried his resentment to the grave, and cut
my mother out oil his will When | was
babe, my father died, and my mother.
i'll, febele and penniless, was taken to the
workhouse, where she, too, died Her
sister, Mrs. Mortimer, wa. 10 Canada, at
the time, and wholly unaware OF my ex.
| istence.
What Miss Person has so delicately
told you Of my childhood, is quite true
l was taken from the workhouse to fill a
servant, place; but my employers were
kind, and l WAS allowed to attend school.
in the winter. think they will testify
that if my duties we're mental, they were
faithfully performed When was thr-
teen, my aunt returned home, and found
me out. Since then have been her
charge, and the kindest love was lavished
upon me, until, at her death, became
the guest of my friend, Mrs. Hursey.
hope you will pardon me for taking up
so much Of your time; and il you desire,
wi h Miss Pierson, to decline the further
acquaintance of workhouse girl, l can
only accept your decision, with some re
greet for n deceit that was only in accord.
ance with the wishes OF the dead"
Stay moment" said Lord Freder
lex Seymour, as the friends of the beau.
tiful girl would have pressed m ore warm
ly than ever around her; "let me speak
one word. BY the request of Miss Wor.
Ellington, have reirained from mention
ing the honor she has conferred upon me,
and which is the browning pride aud hap
Diness of- wv life. when asked her to
treasure Of her love, she told me the sto-
ny you have just heard, and /. too, join,
cd my entreaties to those OF her aunt
Not he added haughtily. that valued
my future wife the less, but that under
stood that, even in our own society there
are some ignohle enough to count her
early misfortunes as shameful fact, aud
ignore the beauty OF character that could
keep her noble, pure and true. even in the
ioNly uOulS w Wdlcu b!iC hAioioA tuLCo Va
her parents condemned her. Miss Wor.
Ellington, will you take my arm to the
conservatory2 you are pale, and need
erst"
With an air of tender affection, of fond
pride, he led her through the group Of
friends, who spoke warmest words as she
passed.. Finding her a seat near the
fountain, he said in q low tone: +" am
glad they all know it, Essie, for secret
is troublesome burden"
"But, you-oh, Fred, il It shames
YOU
Hush l never honorcd you SO
highly, or loved you SO fondly, as l did
when that girl found insulting tsunts
answered by your own dignifed frank
ness. We will not speak of 1t again
Rest here, till l bring you an ice, and we
will return TO our friends"
"Maude," Cora said, as the girls un-
bound their hair ia their own room, be
fore retiring. don't think your little
scene was altogether a success. From
the warmth of her friends, when Esther
Worthington returned to the drawing
room, and Lord Frederick Seymours
devotion, l really imagine you placed
that lady upon higher pedestal Of "a
vor than ever, in your amiable endeayor
to take her down"