The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-08-09

| q
dered and luxury around me while wa
literally starving; for my poor living wa
telling upon me fast. What should | do
What should l do?
1t was with weary iteration had sait
those words and wept till tears came Ut
more, and dull, stolid feeling of despai
had come upon me. | had almost shrunl
away in the streets from the bright faced
happy girls | passed, and ut times fount
myself asking what had been my sin tina
should be thus punished.
| lay awake that night for many hours
Watching the light from the street LAM
playing upon my ceiling; and at last, to
wards morning, the remembrance of word
| had often heard came to me with cain
sense of repose, trust and restfuncss, and
believe ] fell asleep at last with smil
upon my lips, repeating portion Of tina
comforting sentence ending, "Aro We no
much better than they 2"
1t was II bright, sunshiny morning whel
awokc to hear some one knocking at m,
door, and hurrying on Il few things, an
swered.
"Ah l was just going to take cm dowr
again" said the landlady harshly. "SomC
folks can afford to lay in bed all day
can't. Here's two letters for you, and mine
TINS, Miss Laurie; never bargained tc
come tramping up to the top Of the house
with letters and messages for you"
"l'm very much obliged, Mrs. Ruddock,'
| said gently, as l took the letters will
trembling hands, while muttering and
complaining, their bearer went down
stairs. 1t seemed very hard then, but
believe it was the woman's habit, and that
she was not bad at heart, but warped and
cunkered by poverty, hard work and ill,
usage from drunken husband, whom she
entirely kept
One letter | saw at a glance it was from
Minna, the other was in strange grabbed
hand, and | longed to read them; but ex.
ercising NY sclEdenial l dressed, lit my
fire, and prepared my very frugal breakfast
before sitting down and dcvouring Minna's
news.
What right had to murmur as l did
last night, | asked myself, when she was
evidently so happy and contented? And
then | opened with fluttering hand, the
other letter, and was puzzled by it at first,
but at last | recalled the fact that three
weeks before had answered an advertise
mcpt in the Times where lady wanted a
companion.
The note was very brief and curt and ran
as follows:
call upon Mrs. Langton Porter, AZ Morton
ST., Park Village South, at II o'clock, to-
morrow (Thursday."
"At last" said to myself, ,ioyfully, and
with beating heart prepared myself for
the journey, for the appointment was for
that morning.
Just as had pretty well timed myself
for my walk sudden sluall came on, the
sky was darkened, snow fell heavily, and
in place of a morning in spring we seemed
to have gone back into winter, for the
snow lay thickly in II very short time, and
the branches of the trees in the squares were
whitencd
Weak as / was, this disheartened me,
but | fought my way bravely on, and just
at even rang timidly at the door of an i'm
portant looking house, and was supercili,
ously shown by stout, tall tootman in
drab livery, into a handsomely furnished
room. Everything in the place | noticed
was rich and good; heavy curtains hung by
window and door, skins and Eastern rugs
lay on the polished wood floor, and ire
mcndous fire blazed in great brass fire
place, and the flames danced and were re-
Elected from the encaustic tiles with which
it was surrounded.
an take your note in,' said the foot
man, as | handed it. you can sit
down."
Iprelerred to stand and as soon as was
alone | shivered with fear and cold as ]
caught u glance of my pale, sallow face in
great mirror. Every moment expected
to see the owner Of the place, but | remain
ed standing YEARLY for an hour, and then
sighed and turned wistiully to look at the
door, wondering whether the iootman had
taken in the note which | had given him
as my passport
l started, for close behind me, having
entered unheard, was II rather plump tall
lady in black. She was dressed as if for
going out, and well wrapped in furs.
son. you are waiting" she said harsh
ly, and shade Of displeasure crossed her
face as she looked at me till my eyes drop
ped. "There, Miss Miss Miss"
Laurie" suggested.
eyes, yes; know" she said sharply; ait
is in my note. Pray, why in the name of
common sense did you not sit down? Take
that chair. Now, then, have you been COM
panion to a lady before ~
mo, ma'am," l replied; and then, in
answer to her questions, all sharply given,
| told her SO much as was necessary of my
story.
81 don't think you will suit me-" she
said 1--WE had misery enough, and want
some one cheerful and pleasant, u lady
whom l can trust and who will be pleas
ant companion. There, Pm sure there is
not such body in London, for the way
I've been imposed upon is dreadful I've
had six in six months, and the number of
applications l have had nearly drove me
out of my senses I've had one since you
wrote to me-a creature whose sole idea
was herself. want one who will make me
her first consideration. | don't mind what
| pay but | want some one tall and lady
like; and you are not pretty you know"
shook my head sadly.
"Humph Welln she went on, s.you
won't be so giddy and be always thinking
of getting married. There, you need not
blush like that; it's what all the cUmpan-
ions / have had seem to think about.
You don't | supposeW
81 am engaged to be married." | said,
hanging down my head, ain couple of
years"
"lIo ! WE'LL he mustn't come here, for
Pm very selfish, pragmatical old woman;
and if engage you-which l don't think
shall do should want you all to myself
What is he ?"
"a sottlcr-abroad," laltered.
"IIo! That's better; and perhaps he'll
settle there altogether without you"
looked at her Indignantly, and she
laughed.
"Ahl know, my good girl. l haven't
lived eight and forty for nothing. How
old arc you?"
Twenty" | said, shivering for her rough
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