Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-09-25

far-between letters. On the contrary. I am
afraid we had led her to believe that we
were in quite a hourishing condition. OF
course Miss Ashbell would look with scorn
on our seven-roomed dwelling, with back
garden twenty-five by twenty-five, and a
courtyard ten by ten. And suppose-as
aunt, with shortsightedness very unusual
to tohercomplacently remarked Carroll should
fall in love with herr
And somebody else might be attracted
toward her-men are so susceptible to wo-
mans beauty-somebody who now thought
my brown face the sweetest in the world.
ne very thought made my heart stop
beating.
And the maid Even if we eould make
arrangements to accommodate her-and il
seemed utterly impossible for us to do So
Betty, our faithful servant for the last fifteen
years, would look upon her in the light of
An lnterIoper, and treat her as such. Betty
had been used to being d" monarch of all she
surveyed Even in house-cleaning times
those times that try mems souls and women's
soles-she scorned the idea of an assistant.
NO, maam, III have no strangers pokin'
roun' me. When I'm not able to do the
work OF this house alone. III no.
ANA mother-dear, shrinking, grief-stricken
mother--how would she bear the advent of
this dainty Miss Ashbell ? But we could
DO nothing TO avert the impending mis-
fortune.
The news mnst be Immediately broken TO
mother and Betty. l. being the house
keeper, undertook to face the latter She
heard me grimly, never ceasing TO pare the
potatoes she held in her lap and when
had ended, looked up with sharp nod of
her head, and said, slowly and emphatically,
" Bettyll have to go now, sure. She can't
stand no fine young ladies and easy young
bridesmaids about for nothin'."
Helen went to mother, put her arms about
her neck, and with kiss and a smile told
her OF the expected visitor, adding, with an
assumption of gayety: 81 She sha'nt come
near you at ALL mamma dear, if you don't
want her; but you know aunt has been so
kind to us, and father loved her so dearly,
it would be impossible to refuse the first
favor she ever asked of u.s.
Mother said never word, but began
brushing the hair back from her temples
with both hands in nervous way she had
when anything grieved or annoyed her.
And then we began preparing for Miss
Ashbell Wills room was to be given up
to her, and Will CAROLS room was scarcely
large enough for himself and his art traps,
as he called them) was to be slowed away
in the loft-a proceeding which he viewed
with immense dissatisfaction. "I'll smother
up there in hot weather." he said with
wry face. ooh, | wish there wasn't any
Miss Ashbell Why don't she 90 to a hotel ?"
"Why don't she ?" echoed l.
SAID we began to prepare for her, but
for lack of the aforementioned silver and
gold, our preparations were of the simplest
kind. Carroll made and put up two pretty
brackets, and hung, with sigh-for he
hated to part with them-the few pictures
he possessed on the walls. looped back
the white curtains Greshly washed and
ironed, with much grumbling, by Betty
with new blue ribbons, and covered the
trunk ottoman with bright chintz, and
with ielen's help made a new mat to place
before the bureau, and we turned an old
tabe-cloth into napkins, and bought new
napkin-ring and two or three cut-glass COB
lets and lovely china cup and saucer, and
when all was done, waited with anxious
hearts for our unwelcome guest.
Mother had shut herself up in her room
early in the morning of the day we expected
her, and had remained there and the rest
OF us were all Us uncomfortable as poor,
proud, shy, sensitive people could be at the
thought of perfect strangers ingress into
the very heart of their home. and wishing
audibly and inau1ibly that Miss Ashbell's
father had never brought her from England,
when, as the sun sank in the west and n
cool summer breeze, fragrant with the breath
OF the roses, lifted the curtains of our cozy
bay-window, carriage stopped at our door.
She's come, and I'm gone" said viii,
hinging down his book and rushing out into
the garden.
Carroll rose from his chair, ran his fingers
through his golden hair, and glanced in the
mirror at his new blue silk neck-tie. Helen
sank back on the lounge with sort of groan
and opened the parlor door as Betty went
muttering through the entry in answer to
the bell.
"Is it Mrs. Carmody's ?" asked pleasant
voice, with-yes, it was a slight brogue
Yes" answered Betty, shortly. And in
another moment round-cheeked, unmis-
takably red-haired, good-natured-looking
young girl in plain travelling dress stood
before me.
Good gracious is this the beauty ?"
thought and Carroll fell back step or two.
Are you Miss Carmody 2" she asked.
i am" replied holding out my hand
and let me wel%me you :" when, turning
from me, she gently pulled forward into the
room the loveliest little child had ever be-
eyes, and sunny hair, the exact color of our
lost darling's.
"This is Miss Ashbel,' said the maid :"
and am to stay or go back as you see fit"
looked at Carroll. He INDUCED in a long
under-the.breath whistle.
Helen buried her face in the sofa cushion
and laughed Historically.
The child came forward and holding out
her little hand, said, with pretty drawl,
A." am to love you, and you are to love me.
Aunt said so''
| went down on my knees on one side of
her and Helen went down on her knees on
the other, and we kissed her till her dimpled
cheeks glowed again (you see the house had
been so lonely without our little sister,,
while Carroll looked on with astonishment,
admiration and tenderness blended in his
handsome face, and viii stole in with the
only bud from my precious tea-rose, the
stem carefully stripped of its thorns, and
put it in her hand.
Thank you, boy she said, 81 will have
you for a brother; and you, too" looking
with bright smile up into Carrolrs face.
There is an angel home, in big picture,
with hair and eyes like yours
Carroll caught her up in his arms, and
away with her to mothers room. And there
sue IhA hp SobhtI SAUL - MY papa anu
mamma are both in heaven" than mother
burst out in blessed fit of weeping that
left rainbow behind it. And from that
hour the weight began to be lifted from her
brain, and soon | had to resign my position
as housekeeper, for we had our mother back
again as she used to be of old-a little
quieter in her ways, perhaps, but Just as
sweet, as kind, as unselfsh as ever.
And Carroll's picture of Miss Ashbelli"
gained him place on the walls of the
academy that autumn aud Win, | often
think, looking at the two young heads
Ohere is only four years difference in their
ages) bending over the same book, some
day will tell her the old, old story, and she
will hear it with a smile.
al shouldn't wonder if you were right
Brownie" says my husband-how | laugh
when | think of my jealous fears about him
once on a time =" you almost always are"
And aunts speculation turned out spen.
didly (she is still living, hale old woman
of seventy-hye), and she insisted upon our
accepting what she called fathers share, and
that share was no inconsiderable one.
And the seven-roomed house has grown TO
twelve-roomed one--Betty, by-the-bye, has
allowed her daughter to assist in the house
work-aud the twenty-five by twenty-five
garden to hundred by hundred, my corner
just filled with rose bushes.
And everything has prospered with us,
and no lengthening shadows have fallen