The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-06-04
LEoNA'S PRIDE.
BIZ HELEN FORREST GRAVES

LEUNAS Pride. rs
&c iaa lii7eHaa
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES ..!T
Z 8 ~ = --- eas iae .n
Marry a common carpenter!" said
Leona Bracebridgea s"No, indeedr'r eli
She was tall and pretty, with dark
broHnshair, lovely blue,gray eyes, with
long, curled lashes, and a fresh red-and
white color insher face; and old Mrs.
Lynton was short and stout, with a dou.
bic Fox aof suspiciously bright brown
curb, sad 3 capwhich was not tlimmed
with skse freshest of ribbons Mrs.
Lynton reddened at the girls remark. y
He's q carpenter, / know, Leona,' -
said she. "But as for, being common y
"Oh, You know what j, mean," said
Leona. sWe have been extensively ed
ucated, Zoe aud I, and papa was law,
yer, and mamma was distantly related
to the Severns of Severn Manor"
"Yes," said Mrs Lynton, shut all that
don't help you to penny now. And as
you have been my guests for three
months, perhaps it isn't so very unnatu-
raj that Felix should think" -, /,
"0h, if we have worn out our vel
comel" interrupted Leona, baughtily. D.
"Itisn't that, my DEAR" said the old
lady. aGoodness knows you're vel.
come to stay here as long as you can
put up with our old-fashioned ways
But its most pity, isn't it, that you
can't make up your mind to comfort
able home here, with man that loves
the very ground you walk on ?",7ifaa
"Pm very sorry, Mrs. Lynton," said
Leona. "Because Felix is very nice
and do love you dearly: but 1 never
could entertain the idea OF becoming 9
mechanics WIFE" isa-a sss7a+ar,
.Justras you please said old Mrs
Lynton, knitting away until her needles
seemed to fash magnetic fire. 4
And Leona went up stairs, to the lit
tie apartment where her. sister Zoe was
cuttings out giughamg aprons. ~ TWT
Maurice Brscebridge had been gen
tleman-sone of the seedy, impoverished
kind, that are always writing begging
letters and borrowing five dollar bills
and he had brought up his daughters a
Madam Lurelli's seminary, until ,tha
lady declined to receive the two girl:
any longer without the accompanying
ceremony of a small payment on &C
count. 1,Eslc 10 siil ego aEI
And then he had hired lodgings o
Mrs. Lynton, and died there, leaving
Zoe and Leona penniless. Mrs. Lyntor
was q kind soul, and had never told th,
poor young orphans that their fathe
had not paid her solitary cent. s
"What would be the usei" said she
ePoor lambs, they've got nothing to pa.
withss' $50
Leona was beauty, with a soft, con
tralto voice, a willowy, graceful figure
and face that every one turned instinct
lively to look at the second time; bu
Zoe, the younger sister, had not been S
favored by nature. ~
She was slight, aud below the medium
stature; her face, although pale an
sweet, was not one to attract admiration
and she was shy and retiring. But-some
how Zoe made friends everywhere 9
.Zoe," said Leona, limpetuously, a
she flung herself into chair by th
window, 1--WE must go away from here.
$50 away7 oh, Leo!" cried Zoe.
"Idon't like the idea any better tha
you do" said the beauty "but Fell,
Lynton has been goose enough to fall ii
love with me !''Ga .feaal fsgpiiai ga.
"Has he 2" and Zoe's face Enlightened
"Oh, Leo, how nice-"udas t-8na a,5fa
"How awkward, you, mean"s inter
rupted Leona, impatiently.s sHave gyo1
got common sense, Zoe Bracebridge, o
have you not 2''od c has 800 ii d
"Leo, did you refuse him p 20
"Do you think I would marry car
penter-I, papa daughter, with m,
heritage of good looks and, genius 2
Yes, may as well speak it out"
"But he is very handsome, Leo, ant
very intelligent; and he owns the house
dear. and he's such good son to hi
mother. Leo, darling, won't you recon
slider your decision ?" ..'..' : s'.a7
III certainly shall not said Leona.-
1--WE must look out for home some
where else, Immediately" - ''i.i'.
"But I'm afraid l can't do that, Leo,
said Zoe, apologetically; "for l hav
promised Mrs. Lynton to help her wit
her plain sewing this winter, and sh
has got two or three little music pupil
for me, and"
aWell, let that be as you choose,
said Leo, yawning. 81 don't mind bt
ling by myself just at first-it will pei
haps give me more leisure for practice.
"For practice. Leo ?"
eyes" said Miss Bracebridge, with a
Imperial nod. "Mrs Buckingham think
l shall succeed on the operatic stage
and in the meanwhile shall be writin
Iout few poems. Mr.. Scribbleton, th
| English literature master at old Lurelli'
always said my compositions woul
look well in print. Don't you see, 70
/ have career before me2 1t woul
be madness to blight 1t all by becomin
a carpenters wifef' so
j "Do you think soi" said Zoe, pei
sively. /. "Well, I'm not genius, dea
and I can't tell how geniuses feel. b.
Felix is very nice; and he is so good
his mother. And good sons alwa.
make good husbands, Leo" EIy.a4. A1
i So te6na Bracebridge went ava
bidding her faithful friends very cavs
ier sort of .sgood bye."' So pot
, "Felix,' said Zoe, looking timidly |
: in her young hosts sad and abstracts
i face, after the last trunk had departs
r 'you are not vexed with Leo3"
"Vexed, Zoep No." ia. a-s
si "Because I'm sure she never meant
J hurt your feelings" coaxed Zoe. "B
she is genius, you know, and genius
) are not like other people" g.a9 -
i "She is a genius, little Zoe" said F
lix, with faint smile, ."and | am a foe
Is that what you meant to sayF' n
; sob. Felix, how can you be SO cruel
! said Zoe; and she retreated into her l
tie dark bedroom to cry, and wond
j, why it was that she was always sayir
awkward things. a1is rsegF.
Leona Bracebridge threw herself hea
. ,ok hn