The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-08-07
MY MISS LAURA.

When twelve years old my mothers
death made me an orphan, poor and
friendless. Miss Laura De Neale found
me one day, crying bitterly, took CON-
p lssion on me aud brought me to her
home. Mise Laura's mother was an in
valid and the care of the house devolved
u oon Miss Knox, the housekeeper.
had been there n year when the Rev
Mr.. Walderon, the rector of St. Pault
became a frequent visitor, and at last
Miss Laura's accepted lover. He was
not handsome, but yet q man of splendid
presence; and, because of his love for
my mistress, aud for his commanding
Fl cure and noble bearing, 1 came to look
up to him with reverence, almost with
worship.
Four years slipped by. One day Miss
Kuox told me that Miss Lauras cousin,
Philip Lansing, had returned from
abroad. She also informed me that he
and Miss Laura had once been lovers
that he wanted her TO run off, but she
refused. He was heir to millions and
bound body aud soul to his uncle
Miss Laura was too poor to please th'
old man, and having a spirit of her own
she refused to marry the nephew.
Tue weeks passed on. began to no.
tice change in Miss Laura. She had
not been won't to sit brooding over her
thoughts, but she did now. ] noticed
that her cousin often callel in the early
morning, and that she spent much time
with him; that when he had gone, she
was pale, preoccupied-i fact, entirely
unlike herself. also saw thst she went
oftener to her money desk, and some.
thing weighed upoI her spirits; that
now and then she went out in q sort of
disguise; hut dared not even conjec-
ture, though my min was full of terri
BILE misgivings.
One night sat up waiting for her till
the clock struck eleven. / knew the
rector had gone sometime before, aud
was wondering what had become of Miss
Laura, when the door flew open and she
came in.
Her face was startlingly pale, and her
eyes, unnaturally large, seemed to scin.
tillate with quick fiery flashes. For a
moment was frightened, but at sight
of me her countenance changed. She
nodded and smiled in her own pretty
fashion; then, going straight to the mir
ror, she suddenly gloomed again, and
began, in an a6sorbeS way, to pull the
pins out of her hair.
"Won't you let me do that for you,
Miss Laura?" 1 asked.
"Not now-I'm in hurry; my hair
is so heavyl it hurts me-my head has
ached all the evening. You may do il
mp for the night-therel now, my dress.
ing-gown, child-the y-chair-that is
comfortable. don't often keep you UP
80 late, Renie. How cold your hands
arep
1t was not that my hands were cold
it was that her head was hot, it threbbed
heavily at the temples, and it almost
seemed as if the thick, warm masses o.
golden brown palpitated as they fel
over my arm, in rich, unrestraineG
luxuriance.
At length the long coil was combeC
and carefully fastened just above the
nape of the shapely neck.
'"That will do" she said almost i'm
patiently, for 1 fingered. ST can ge
along myself now."
Then 1 heard one quick, passionat
sob, but her face was hidden from me
for she had thrown both arms over he
head, and the drapery concealed he
features.
1 left her reluctantly, feeling tina
trouble had come-trouble between m
beautiful mistress and the rector of 81
PauPs. Was it on account of her hand
some cousin? Vainly tried to sleer
The CHASTITY fancy that she was sobbin
on the other side of the wall haunte
me. What if she still loved Phil
Lansing? The grave, proud face of Nj
Walderon seemed to tighten in its di
dain as L caught myself acting the pa
Of Miss Laura in an imaginary dramat