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

Il am very sorry" I said; "but, indeed
ma'am, / have excellent health"
"Then your face tells stories about you
You play of course ?"
Eyes, ma'am."
"You're warm now. Go and play some.
thing. Can you cling ~"
"Ges, ma'am."
'Then sing, too; and look here, Miss
Miss-Miss-n
was about to tell her my name, but re-
membering the last buff was silent.
"Now, look here, my good young lady,
how am to remember your dreadful name2
What is it ?"
Laurie, ma'am." replied.
"Of course it is; | remember it quite
WELL Now go and play and sing some
thing, and mind, don't want my ears deaf
ened with fireworks, and the drums split
with parrot-shriek bravuras. Sing some
thing sweet and simple and old fashioned,
if you cam" she added ungraciously.
crossed the room and sat down to the
magnificent piano, and for the next five
minutes | seemed to be far away, down in
the home, us l forgot where was, in sing
ing my poor dead fathers favorite old bal
lad, "Robn Adair;" while as finished, /
had hard work to keep back the tears.
"Ro-bin A-dair," she sang, as l rose,
in not unpleasing voice. Nov let me
hear you read. l always make my COM
panions read to me great deal; and mind
this, hate to hear any drone like school
girl. Go over there into the corner of the
window and stand there. Take that book;
you'll find the mark l left in where Miss
Bellville-bah l believe her name was
Stubs and her father green grocer--left
off. Now then begin"
She pushed a lounge-chair close up to
the window and sat down with her hands
in her mutf, while l stood there feeling like
Il school girl and ready to drone, as / be-
gan to read with fatering voice what hap
pened to be Thackeray's most beautiful
chapter-the death of poor old Colonel
Newcombe. ! know my voice trembled
at times, and a strange sense of choking
came upon me as l went on battling, oh,
so hard to read those pteous heart. stirring
lines but was weak and suffering, l was
faint with hunger and cXertion, sick with
despair OF hope deferred, and at last the
room, with its costly furniture, seemed to
swim round before me, cold perspiration
bathed my face, and with weary sigh |
caught teebly at the curtains and then fell
heavily upon the polished floor.
have some faint memory of being lifted
and wheeled in chair whose casters |
heard chirrup to the front of the fire, and
then, as my senses began to return, SEEM
ed to feel arms around me and pleasant
voice saying, half aloud
"And she just lost her poor father, too
to set her to read such thing as that l
declare I'm about the wickedest, most
thoughtlcss and unieclng old woman un-
der the SUM-"
Then there was the refreshing odOr of
vinaigrettc, and the sick feeling began to
pass away.
"I-I beg pardon" ialtered, trying to
rise.
II beg yours, my DEAR" she said tender
ly. "Sit still, sit STILL Now, then, try and
drink that.n
Some sherry was held to my lips and
then | was almost forced to eat biscuit,
They, however, rapidly revived me and |
found Mrs. Porter had torn off her bonnet
and mantle and was kneeling by my side.
"That's better, my DEAR" she said, smi-
ing at me- as she passed her arm around
me and drew me nearer to her and kissed
me in gentle, motherly way. And now
this was too much, for l was weak and
hysterical. | could fight against harshness,
but her tender words and ways unlocked
the tloodgates of my grief and laid nv
head down and sobbed as if my heart
would break.
An hour later, after she had literally
forced me to partake of the break fast or
dercd up, she sat beside me, holding my
hand, and more than once / saw the tears
steal down her pleasant face as she won
from me, bit by bit, the story of my trou-
bles and my bitter struggles here in town.
At last | rose to 20, trembling and ex-
pcctant. Would she engage me2 1t was
more than | dared to hope.
"Sit still, my child" she said tenderly.
at has pleased God to make me-a child
less, widowed woman-His steward over
much wealth, and ifI did not make this a
home for one of His tempest smitten lambs
| should be worse woman than think
am. Stay with me; we shall be the best
of friends"
/ staycd-sta to know her real worth
and to win her motherly love-stayed to
find when John Murray returned, that his
love was greater for my sister than for me-
and patiently resigned my love to her, and
then battled with long illness when they
had gone together to the r-off home
But every day gave me new lesson on not
Judging too hastily. That is ten years
since; and am still in my peaceful, hap
Ply home, though only "as companion to a
lady, CdsseUS M11Gzine.