The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-01-02
LOaning a Iover.


widowed mother bringing up her -four
daughters with great difficulty; but
when brought up we were worth looking
at, 1 believe. Healthy habits and frugal
living are apt to make good conditions,
and Bess, and Amy, and Patricia, and |
were as bright and handsome girls as are
often seen.
Bees and Amy were twins, with eyes as
blue as the sea near which they were born,
rosy cheeks, and long light. brown curls !;
Patricia was a sparkling brunette. while
/ was az perfect a blonde, with crinkled
haig, like molten gold. Great had been
our EXCITEMENT when Aunt Betty wrote
from Fairhaven:
DEAR SIsTER-IN-LAw-I am going to
do myself the pleasure of visiting you
this sumrHer. vi bear that brother Able
lett four girls, and I want to see them. !
am getting On in years, and will make
one of them my heiress, etc.
Aunt Betty, of Fairhaven, was worth
a hundred thousand dollars if she was
worth a cent.
Well, in due time she came. She put
up at the hotel, for our cottage at Low
bridge wasn't bic enough TO hold her,
with her maid, coschman and carriage ;
but fortunately that was close by, and
she spent the larger part of three days
with us.
We all thought Bess would be her
choice, for father had named her
Elizabeth for Aunt Betty, though she
had always been "Bass" with us; but
it was not either of the twins, and it was
not lit was Patricia.
where did that girl get her black
hair" Aunt Betty asked as 0 as she
saw her,
81 think she looks like my brother
Luke, don't you ?' asked the mother,
with a wistful look.
THE very image of him." answered
Aunt Betty, turning pale.
OWNED then, as l learned afterward,
that Uncle Luke had been a lover OF
Aunt Betty's when both were young, be-
fore her marriage, and the fact seemed
TO have apov over her.
She looked Patricia until the girl
blushed rosy ed and would have skipped
cut of the room, when she called her to
her, and, DR. ag her down upon her
knees on a fuot,tool before her, she put a
withered hand each side of the young
cheek, and.said, warmly:
My dear, you shall be my heiress."
Soft was Patricia she choose to leave
her money to; but we were not left out
in the cold, for she sent the twins, who
were only sixteen, to a. convent school for
two years, and invited me, with Patricia,
to the Hermitage.
1t was her home--a stately old man.
sion of gray stone, gloomy looking on the
outside, but lux%uriously comfortable and
beautiful within, without being in the
least modest. We had each a maid and
the free use Of the horse and carriage.
After making this provision for our COM
fort, Aunt Betty excused herself from
making company Of us, and we were free
as AIR to enjoy ourselves as we chose, pro-
yided we did not interfere with her mans.
Wechese 70 make a great many pleasant
acquaintance, guided conscientiously by
80
Aunt Betty's wishes, and the result was
that | returned to Lowbridge in the sum
E'er engaged to MI. Clyde sh~errington.
he was wealthy, handsome, agreeable,
well connected. Everybody said Ger
trude has done we'll for herselt.'
That autumn Aunt Betty died. Pa
tricia was TO come into possession Of her
fortune in 8 year, when she was twenty
one-,fun and %undisputed possession Of
one hundred thousand dollars.
II was arranged that we were all to
come to The Hermitage to live. we did
80, and had lived there quietly, as was
becoming, for nearly a year, when
Patfica made the acquaintance of Mr..
Gage Redmond.
She met him first at a iuneral-of all
places tbs occasion caused by the death
Of our next neighbor, Gen. De Lacy.
Gage Redmond being a neighbor of his.
He was well connected, but poor as a
church msuse, people said " 30 of course
he was after Patricia's fortune" mamma
declared.
Patricia is rich and beautiful. PRAY
don't let her marry a for-tune-hunter.
manIvna," said I, looking up from d letter
| was writing to MI. Sherrington.
u would not if / could help 1t: but
what authority have /, Gertrude p, said
my mother. " In q few months Patricia
will be In undisputed possession Of her
fortune. we are here only BY courtesy
The Hermitage Is her home. / have no
alght to control her whatever.n
But your influence, mamma p,
" Will have very little effect If she sst
her heart on this Gage Redmond. Pray
AHE
stop staring %vacsntly out Of the window.
Gertrude, and attend to what I say. /.
want assistance in this NATTER
Please excuse hi I am thinking
Of my WI affairs just now, mamma.
They may be no consequence to you,
but my lette a matter of some i'm.
portanoe to re
l did nol 70 BE- saucy, only pet
tish and I'M having had long ex,
Periencs wit to4r headstrong girls, bore
with me quite patiently.
Well, finish your letter, Gertrude,
and then advise with me.n
But 10y train of thoughts was broken.
and alter 1 few moments / put the sheet
10 ny writing desk
What can't be accomplished openly