The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-06-06
LEOEA'S PRIDE.
story Of a Girl Who Went Tur-
Their and Fared Worse.

ona BracebrIdge. NO indeed
She was tall and pretty. with dark
brown hair. lovely blucgrar eyes.
with long. curlei lashes. and a fresh
red AMI white color IN her face. ana
old MIS-. LINTON Was short and stout.
With "A double row Of e~aeplclousit
bright brown curls and q cap which
va, not trimmed With the freshest II
ribbons. Mrs. LINTON reddtntd at
the girls remark.
lies a carpenter. | know. Ieona.
said she. But Il for being com
ION
"Oh. you know what | mean. >ali
Leona. We have been e~Npenolveiv
educated. Zoo and /. and papa was a
lawyer, aud amm MAS a~l>tantiy re-
lated 10 the yer Of >evern Manor.
Yes. said Mrs. Lynton.' but All
that don't help YOU to- penny now.
And as You have been mN guests Tor
three months. perhaps it ism [ 50 very
unnatural that Felix sh uld thlnk-
"Oh, il we have worn out II wei
come" interrupted Leona. haughtlf.
II isn't that my dear. sand n"
old lady. Goodness knows You are
welcome to STAY here ~ long as you
can put up with our old-taShlohed
ways. But its most a pity, lsn IL
that you can't make up your NINA 10
a comfortable home here. with a man
that loves the very ground YOU walk
on"
II am very sorry. Mrs Lynton. said
I.eona. because Felix is very KIND.
and love you dearly. but never could
entertain the idea OF becoming a me-
chanic's wife"
just as you please. said old Mrs.
Lynton, knitting away until her
needles seemed t, flash magnetic fire.
And LeOna went up stairs to the
little apartment where her sister Zoe
was cutting out bingham aprons.
Maurice Bractbridge was a gentle
40 of the seedy, Impoverished
kind. that are always writing begging
letters and borrowing five dollar bills
and he had brought up his daugh
tiers at Madam Laurelli'S seminary,
until chat lady declined to receive the
two girls any longer without the &C
comparing ceremony OF a small pay
ment Oh
And then he had hired lodgings of
Mrs. Lynton, and he died there leav-
ing Zoe and Leona penniless. Mrs.
LINTON was a kind soul and had never
told the poor young orphans that their
father had not paid her a solitary
cent.
What would be the use z said she.
poor lambs, they've got nothing to
pay with
Leona was a beauty, with a soft con-
tralto voice, a wl!lowy, graceful Jig
ure, and a face that every one turned
instinctively to look at the second
time: but Zoe. the younger sister, had
not been % favored by nature.
She was slight and below the medl-
UNI stature; her a &c, although pale and
sweet. was not one to attract admlra-
ton. and she was shy and retll ing. But
somehow zoe made friends Ievery-
where.
Zoe" said Leona, impetuously, as
she flung herself into a chair by the
window, CIV must so away from
here"
go away" Oh, Leo!' cried Zoe.
4 don't like the idea any better
than you do, but" said the beauty
but Felix Lynton has been gross
enough to fall III love with me-"
Has he = and Zoe's face brighten
ed: "Oh, Leo, how nice"
How awkward, you meant" inter
rupted Leona, impatiently. "Have
you got common sense, Zoe Brace
bridge, or have you not
Leo, did you refuse him."
"Do you think | would marry a car
penter-I, papa.s daughter, Will
my heritage of good looks and genius
Yes, | may as well speak it out"
But he is very handsome, Leo, an(
very intelligent; and he owns tn,
house, dear, and he's such a good sol
to his mother. Leo darling. won't yol
consider you decision"
4 certainly shall not said Leona
Eve must look out for a house some
where else immediately
But | am afraid | can't do that
Leo said Zoe, apologetically, for
have promised Mrs. Lynton 10 help he
with her plain sewing this inter, am
she has two or three little music pa
pills for me, and
Wen, let that be as you choose,
said Leo, yawning, i don't mind be
ing by myself just at tirst-it vii
perhaps give me more leisure 70
practice"
For practice, Leo?'
Yes said Miss Bracebridge. wit
an imperial nod. 'NIrs. Buckingham
thinks | shall succeed on the operati
stage: and IN the meantime [ shall b
writing ont a few poems. Mr.. Scrif
bleton, the English literature maste
of old Laurelis. always said my con
position would look We'll III prlni
Don't you see. Zoe, | have a career b,
fore me: 1t would be madness t
blight it all By becoming a carpeI
tiers wife,
do you think so" said Zoe. pei
sively. We'll, I'm not a geniu
, dear, and [ can't tell how geniuse
: feel. But Felix is very nice and /
IS 50 good 10 his mother. And goo
: sons always make good husband
4 Leo
!. So Leona Bracebridge went ava,
: bidding her faithful friends a yer
: cavalier sort of goodbye"
: Felix. said Zoe, looking tiInidl.
up in her young hosts sad and abstrac
! ed face, after the last trunk had d
parted, you are not yexed Wit
:, Leo%'
"Nexed. Zoe: No"