The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-19

man YOU described to me. have been a long
time coming TO the fact, for it was very long
in coming to me. i knew great deal CT Les
bias history before her real name came oot'
1t is q very sad history and hts the grave
brother and sister yon describe better than
our pretty Lesbia, Their father, though he
W as q near relation of Uncle Charles, seems to
have been O very imprudent man, and bis con-
duct offended his cousins, DIR. and Mrs.
May nard, that they dislike the very mention
of his name, and acquiese gladly in the mis-
take strangers naturally fail into of calling
Lesbs Miss Maynard instead of Miss Thorn
ley. There were several Thornley, brothers
and sisters at one time, but all are dead now
except these three. 1 wish Lesbia WAS not
subject to he seized with fits of sbyness when
ever anything about the troubles they all lad
to bear IN their fathers lifetime. comes ont in
the course Of conversation /; for it seems to nee,
from little words she has let drop now and
then, that the grave brother and sister must
have done some things that were rather fine,
aud should like to hear more about them.
They have had to Work-actually work-wlth
their own hands like common people to help
the Others in very bad times. Lesbia speaks OF
them with Il kind of loving awe that 1mpres.
ses greatly. 1t seems there is rich old
uncle on the mothers side, and when their
mother died he offered to adopt his grand
nephe VS. and nieces and take them to live with
hm il they would adopt his name and solemn
" promise never to hold any further commnni-
cation with their father, who was abroad at
the time. TheEe were four nearly grown-up
brothers anG sisters then, and LesbIa tells me
they held family council over the letter,
and decided not to accept their grand uncie's
offer. Taey would not give pp their father or
their name, which they did not CONSIDER lie
bad in any way disgraced, and they did not
ohoose to be dependant on q relation who had
allowed their mother to die in pnvsrt y--Ihey
agreed, however, that Lesbia, who was then
only ten years old, ought not to be bound by
their resolve. and they made compromise
nbout her. They sent her here to live with
their mothers cousin. Mrs. Maynard, and
wrote to the grand uncle begging him wait
for her determination till she was old enough
to make il for herself. He never answered the
letter, and he has not taken any special no
tloe of Lesbia since, though be is on good
terms with his relations here, and sends
presents to their children sometimes. l thiuk
Lesbis almost hopes ke has forgotten her ex-
isteuce. She breads having q decision to
make; she could not bear to separate herself
from her brother and sister; and yet she
sCkno Wedges that luxury aud riches would be
great temptations to her. l can see they
would, by the disgust with which she of.en
looks at her own shabby bonnets aud faded
gowns. Why do tell you all this l am
coming to the reason soon but first must
plain the link between us aud the Tnorn'
leys that sent them to Castle Daily. Uncle
Charles was mixed mp at one time iu some of
the speculations that brought the elder Mr.
Thornley, to grief aud it was the eldest sons
conduct, when the fathers difficult at airs
came to be woand up, that inspired our wise
nce with such au opinion of his ability that
be would not believe anyone could set orr
affairs to rights we'll as he. asked LssDs
one day if the appointment had been good for
her brother, and to my surprise she shook her
head and began to cry and when Conner ami
tried to confort her by going into rap:nres
about the country, and telling her how
longed TO live there again ourselves, she pat
letter from her sister INTO my hands' and beg
ged me to read it, II was a very clever letter
full of little touches of description that made
me cry out with longing for home but at the
eud came an a'luslOn 10 some danger which
she seems to believe hangs over her brother,
and threatens bis life 1t was only word or
. I,t,tt tisay ETipl
| that felt they meant moro than they eX-
pressed. Anne, is this danger Gil delusion,
or is there grain of truth in it | will not
believe in more than grain, especially as
Miss Thornley, iusinuate that you have used
your influence to pref Idics the people against
her brother, aud that you are to blame some
how for bis not being safe at Castle DAILY. Pll
tell you what you must do to open her eyes.
The instant You have finished reading my let
| ter you must order ont Peter Lynch and the
car, aud drive over to Castle DAILY. whatever
other business you may happen to have In
| hand and invite tho brother and sister to
come and stOy With you in Good Peoples Hol-
| low. If they hesita'e, you and Peter must
| brin 2 them off by force When You hayc pos
session of them you must take them about in
| the car to all tue wakes and fairs ald stations
| you can hear of, till their faces and yours and
| Peter Lypch's have got 50 mixed mp together
in peoples thoughts that they will never dis
| connect them again. Then you must write q
| letter for me to show Lesbia, such IS will set
her heart at rest, saying how well yoH and
/
every body's ill-will has given way at the sight
of yonr triple alliance Be quick, dear Cousin
Anne, and accomplish this, or I'll never be-
| lieve you are trne descendant of the OF'ls'
| herty witch. l shall expect that letter before
| another month is over, and the shortening of
the days which Miss Thornley, says she dreads
so much has become perceptlble."
| CHAPTER Y.
Miss O'Flsberty went about her usual occu-
patton for the rest of that day and the next,
carrying Ellen Daly's letter in her pocket, and
bearing her mind the conviction that dis
| agreeable duty, to which she must bring her
| self sooner or later, hung over head. 1t was
not any personal feeling against the Thornleys
that made Ellen's request dstasteful, it was
rather that it brought her, as despotio rulers
are liable to be brought, into unexpected col
lis'on with the limits of her power.
sympathetic people with active minds and
not very strong Wills sometimes appear TO have
almost unbounded power over those with
whom they are brought constantly in contact
Their bnsy brains and hearts quick to interpret
the emotions of slower intellects seem to have
an irresistible faculty for moulding the actions
of others in accord ance with their wishes but