The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-07-21


| room, she stopped before o obeval glass in q
| corner to interrogste it ne to what verdict 1t
had to give between the two contradictory
| opinivns. The ftful light of fdying candles and
| ruddy peat ere, with the darb background OF
gloom in the far corners Of the room, gave the
| effeot of looking do wn in mysterious depths at
| the fairy like figure that seemed TO be rising
out of q sea of darkness aud red fire Long
trailing pink robes hiding all bat the points of
the tiny feet, "a email flushed face above
eyes like dark dismonds-red lips that trem.
bled into loveliest curves of pleasure as the
eyes looked, delicate black brows,-a crown
of soft dnsky hair with points of green show
ing in it. Lesbis turned away, quite satisfied to
bring that answer into the next room with her.
Eagles Edge was an irregularly bnilt one
storied house. with no passage but the central
hall; the b,drocms and sitting rooms ell open
log into one another. Lesba had only to turn
the handle of her bedroom door TO find herself
among the party assembled around the supper
table. Tue room looked cheerful enough just
then, in the glow of lamp light and fire light,
with the table drawn costly in front of the
hearth, and q circle of anima ated faces assem-
bled round it. Mrs DAILY invited Lesbia to
for once looked happy, The evening was
always her beat time Tue contrast between
the anxiety of the day and the satisfaction Of
having her son safe by her ti ie within sight
aud touch was 80 great as to raise her nator.
ally depressed spirits to degree of cheerful.
ness abe bad not often known in more tranquil
days and tonight the sight Of the we'll
filled table, and of Ellen and Pelham par
taking freely of such fare as there was.
the little excitement, too. of showing hos
pitaiity again, all helped to swell the
measure of her content and make her positive
ly gay. Gracious looks and words from her
seemed to mean more and gave far greater
pleasure than other peoples graciousness
Lesbia felt autter Of qualification and pride
when she found herself addressed kindly again
and again, and when once or twice her replies
called up on her hostess face the rare, beauti-
full smile that Ar. DAILY had prizsd so highly.
John observed the unusual attention bestowed
on Lesbis and cast one of his qnick critic zng
glsnoes that way. What could he be thinking
of, Babette wondered. A provoking conscious
ness tingled into her face under his eyes, and
she felt as if the shamrock wreath in her hair
was pushing itself into undue prominence, and
the note in her pocket borning her. almost as
if she feared he could read it through the folds
of the pink silk.
1t was not like the merry 9 Jennings of last
summer. when LIE. bia had come into the Days
house after a pic MIC or a sail, to join in the
evening meal, and had been thankful to sit in
the background under Ell ems wing. listening
to the extravagant- mirth end wild jokes Mr..
Daily and Conuor originated. There would
never be mirth like that among them again
yet they were far f;om silent party; and
once or twice Ellen caught herself up in the
micst of @ hearty laugh, startled by the
thought that it was the frst time gay talking
and laughter had been heard in that house
slpce they came there, and wondering what
the dipgy old walls thought of the sound.
When the meal was over and the table
pushed back into the dim, half lighted re-
gion of the wide room, the party drew their
Chairs in a circle round the hearth, and
the conversation grndoally took graver tone.
Lesbia went round and seated herself by
Ellen, perhaps with an idea of dissrming John
in case he should be disposed to criticize the
amount of low-toned talk she and Pelham
had INDUCED in at intervals during supper.
time-perhaps from secret persuasion that
the folks of pink silk and peach cheeks.
and brilliant eyes that had looked at her from
the depths of the mirror, would bs seen to
greatest advantage from the other side of the
hearth-rug, with the fire light playing on
them. Not that she was 30 wholly occupied
with these as to fail to notice one or two
FIRE, and to be touched by them in region
of Eer hear. which the surface futter of self
occupation and vanity had not yet invaded.
She saw the wistfol looks Mrs. Daily turned
on her son when John began to talk business
with him. and ehe admired the patient tact
With which Pelham replied to all the quernlnns-
to every plan that involved q heightened ride,
late return home in the evening not
arguing or givip way, but soothiDg her by re-
assuring explanations, and sometimes, when
explanations seemed only to aggravate the
nervous terror, by q caressDg hand laid on her
shoulder, and word or two Of remonstrauoe
in q tone that bad touch of authority in it.
can't help it, mother; I have got this
business to do: and you would not have me
always idling in the house, would youf'
ought not to expect it of you; bnt oh
Pelham, if you knew what suffer when you
are away, if you would but remember"
81 never forget it, mother"
The words were spoken low, but Lesbia
heard them, and noticed that Pelham took his
mothers trembling hand In his he spoke,
and gently stroked the thin fingers, till the
nervous twitchipg in them ceased. and Mrs
Daily was content TO lie back in her chair silent
while the rest of the discussion went on /; find
ing certain peace in the strength of will that
checked the unreasonable exactons she could
not herself control. Her con managed her
better than her too yielding husband had
done, and gave her over busy heart more rest.
John thought, with livelier gratitude than be
had ever felt before, of Brides self-control,
that through anxious months had saved him
from having to add the harass of constant re-
collection of fears at home to the harass of
distressing business abroad. Lesbia softly put
up her hand, and disengsged the shamrock
wreath from her hair, and looked with sigh
into the fire, as she wondered, vaguely,
whether it would be nicer to be loved by q
person who could put his admiration for you
into verses that people would talk about, or
by one who could hardly say in 50 many words
whether you were pretty or not, yet who did
the sort of things that made people trust and
look up. to him. Before she had come to any
conclusion on this delicate question, the
silence that had fallen on the gronp when the