Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-16

room, she heard her name called. and
felt insInctively that the eyes of the
strange man were bent upon her with
an impertlnent stare. Even penetrating
as the look was, it failed to meet a recog
milton from Lima, for, without ever rails
ing her eyes, she passed quickly into the
diuing-room and closed the door. She
eat hurried supper and went up to hel
room. The children came to sit awhile
with her before going to bed, aud beg.
ged dear Miss Lima to play and sing
for them. Poor little thingsl how she
pitied them. They were deprived OF the
one great blessing which makes child.
hood days pass SO joytully. They knew
not OF a parents rich, abundant love,
and as it is natural for the human heart
to long Tor the soft. sweet eloquence OF
sympathy. which greatly inruses into
the soul this sacred thought and feeling
which beauties one life. When the hear,
tails to receive these from the one legiti.
mate source from which should flow
sincere love and all its pure, rich .enti.
ments. then will that heart. impelled by
the passionate impulses of its contiding
nature, search on and ever until it finds
an object which inspires it sufficiently tc
cause 1t to bestow upon it its puresl
sympathy and warmest affections. Thu.
1t was that these sweet children clung
so tenderly to Lima. Their wishes wer,
gratltied. The little impoverished heart,
had SO methlng to love. and lie was n,
longer dull and insipid tor want o
something to enliven and diffuse sun
shine and love INTO their beings.
Alter Lima went to her room she wa.
restless and uneasy. She was dread
'ully afraid that Madam Dupont woul'
send for her to play tor them. No. sh,
will not want me this first evening o
his visit at any rate do not wish to g,
down, and sincerely hope she viii
spare me the modification All thes,
thoughts were flying through Lima.
poor distracted hrain while she wa.
playing for the children. True to hel
conjecture, Nalty came TO say that Mrs
Dupont wished to know if she was to,
much iatigued to come down to the Ii
brary and give them some music Lima
first impulse was to disobey the com
|
inand, or rather request. but upon re
Election. she thought that would do nt
good, but probably provoke much harm
and besides, that odous man was ther,
now. and she would have to accuston
her self to his presence: but she felt tha
she never could have the patience to trea
him with common cvility. Without on,
word of comment she went down anc
glided nolselessly through the half.oper
door. crossed the room and took her sea
at the piano, land commenced playing. .thi.
was done without passing q single wore
with any one present. or even looking Il
them, for the music was all they wan,e,
her for, and When she gave them tina,
she felt that her duty was completed
for she was too proud. even in her pov
erty, to solicit attention from those whom
she knew to be naturally her interiors
| though their thousands Of dollars nigh
make them hold themselves above her
While she was playing. her music
blown by the breeze which cam,
through the open window, futtered te
the floor. Tracy Myrle sprang forward
to pick it up. but Lima was too quick for
| him. and replaced the truant sheet even
while he was grasping. it seemed. at tn,
grotesque figures IN the carpet. Thu,
his first attention was ignored, and thai
gentleman's vanity for the time wa.
slightly piqued. 1t may have been that
he saw the scorntul expression hoverine
about Lina's lips, or it may have beer
the contempt with which she repulsed
him. but it is sufficient to say that he fell
it more than Lima imagined. AS soon
as this young lady had played over I,
certain number of pieces, those which
Mrs. Dupont usually called for, she ros,
from the piano and quilted the room a.
Independently as she came in.
When alone in her room and the door
locked, she went to the window. knell
down beside it, threw aside the curtain,
and looked ou. upon the tranquil beauty
of the gorgeous loneliness which reigneu
without. With heart filled with dis.
trust and wrung by sorrow, she uplifted
her face to heaven and invoked the On
nlpresent Being to preserve and keel
her through the efficacy OF his inexhaus-
tible love. then undressing herself, sh,
retired Tor the night. The next morning.
dawned wonderfully bright and fair .
the fresh air. suit and pure laden will
the richest perfumes. sent forth sa
tary sweetness. alike over hill and dali. .
reiulgent beams OF sunshine, beamin,
exquisitely. crept slyly through the hal :
open curtains. and bathed Liua's lac,
with its ethereal light. This touch of l.,
rosy-tipped fingers. dripping with lh,
golden mist. awoke Lima from he,
dreams, which must have been fraughl
with pleasure, for she was smiling III,
her sleep. Lima did have dream. min
gled with both pleasure and pain. She
thought that DR.. Morton WAS not mar
RED. Then came a vision Of the olden
times. in the vine-clad cattage far away.
where flowers were the brightest hue.
and the birds were joyous from day to
day. There she dreamed that Trac.
Myrtle carried her off to dark. ugl,
place, and was going to make her MARI,
him. Then she thought that DR.. Morton
came to the rescue aud saved her. Then
it was that she was so happy in hel
dream; and here 1t was that she woke. |
She found that she had slept later than i
she intended, SO she made hasty toile, |
aud hurried down stairs, and found the
amily already around the breakfast
able. Mrs. Dupont raised her eye
orows lightly as she took her seat;
md this was not good omen in that lady
'ut showed that a storm was brewing,
which Lima knew would burst forth the
irst opportune moment. AS she took