Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-04
souls and women's soles- she scorned the


work of this house alone, I'll CO."
| And 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 impend-
ing misfortune.
The news must 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 emphat-
ically, Betty'll have to go now. sure.
She can't stand no fine young ladies and
easy young ladies' maids about for moth
in"
Helen went to mother, put her arms
about her neck, and with II kiss and Il
smile told her of the expected visitor, ad-
ding, with an assumption of gayety: "She
sha mt 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 never said word, but began
brushing the hair back from her temples
with both bands 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 (Carroll's 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 dissats-
faction. "Oh, wish there wasn't any
Miss Ashbell! Why don't she so to a
hotel? "
I" Why don't she?" echoed |.
| said we began to prepare for her, but
for lack of the before mentioned silver
and gold, our preparations were of the
simplest kind. Carroll made and put up
two pretty brackets, and hung. with u
sigh-for he hated to part with them-the
few pictures he possessed on the walls.
looped back the white curtains Oreshly
washed and ironed, with much grumbling,
by Betty with new blue ribbons, and
covered the trunk ottoman with bright
chintz, and with Helens help made IL new
mat to place before the bureau, and we
turned an old table cloth into napkins, and
bought new napkin ring and two or
three cut glass gobles and II lovely china
cup and saucer, and when all was done,
waited with anxious hearts for our unwel-
come guest.
Mother had shut herself up in her room
early in the morning of the day we ex-
pected her, and had remained there; and
the rest of US were all as uncomfortable as
poor, proud, shy, sensitive people could be
at the thought of a perfect strangers in
gress into the very heart of their home,
and wishing audibly and inaudibly that
Miss Ashbell's father had never brought
her from England, when, rs the sun sank
in the west, and a cool summer breeze,
fragrant with the breath of the roses, lifted
the curtains of our cozy bay window, Il
carriage stopped at our door.
"She's come, and L m gone" said WILL
finging down his book and rushing out
into the garden.
gers through his golden hair, and glanced
in the mirror at his new blue silk neck
tie. Helen sank back on the lounge with
n sort of Il groan; and l opened the parlor
door as Betty went muttering through the
entry in answer to the bell.
is it Mrs. Carmody So" asked pleas
ant voice, wth-yes, it was n slight brogue
Yes" answered Betty shortly. And
in another moment round-cheeked, I'M
mistakably red-haired, good natured look
ing young girl in plain travelling dress
stood before me.
Good gracious is this the beauty?"
thought | and Carroll fell back step or
two.
care you Miss Carmody?" she asked
Il ann" l replied, holding out my hand,
land let me welcome you;'' when, turn
ing from me, she gently pulled forward
into the room the lovelest little child
had ever beheld in my life, with large
soul-lit brown eyes and sunny hair, the eX-
act color of our lost darlng's.
"This is Miss Ashbcll," said the maid;
g and | am to stay or 60 back, as you see
fit"
| looked at Carroll. He indulged in a
long under-the- breath whistle.
Helen baried her face in the sofa cushion
and laughed Historically.
The child came forward and holding ont
her little hand said with pretty drawl,
" | 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 dimplcd cheeks glowed again (you
see the house had been. so lonely without
our little sistcr), while Carroll looked on
with astonishment, admiration and tender
ness blended in his handsome face, and
Will stole in with the only bud from my
precious tea-rose, the stem carefully
stripped of its thorns, and put it into her
hand.
"Thank you, boy" she said, "I will
have you for brother, and you, too
looking with bright smile up into Car
rolls face. There is an angel home, in
big picture, with hair and eyes like
20 urs.'
Carroll caught her up in his arms, and
ran away with her to mothers room.
And there she had no sooner said: " My
papa and mamma are both in Heaven,
than mother burst out into Il blessed lit of
weeping that left Il rainbow behind it.
And from that hour the weight began to
be lifted from her brain, and soon | had to
resign my position us housekeeper, for we
had our mother back again rs of old-a
little quieter in her ways, perhaps, but
lust rs sweet, us kind and us unsellish us
ever.
And Carroll's picture of Miss Ash
Dbll! Stlllc't INN b p'tSO Ol lllC "'thn VI
the academy that autumn; and viii, Il
often think, looking at the two young
heads (there 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 smile.
Il shouldn't wonder if you were right,
Brownie" says my husband--how l laugh
when think of my jealous fears about
him one upon Il time!--" you almost
always are"
And aunt's speculation turned out
splendidly (she is still living II hale old
woman of seventy-fve), and she insisted
upon our accepting what she called IA
theirs share, and that share was no incon-
siderable one.
And the sevcn-roomcd house has grown
to u twelve-roomed one-Betty, blythe
bye, has allowed her daughter to assist in
the housework-and the twenty-five byI
twenty-five garden to hundred by a
hundred, nay corner Just filled with rose
bushes.
And everything has prospcred with us,
and no lengthening shadows have fallen
upon our paths since the rosy June after
noon we SO unwillingly opened tho door
to let in the darling who loved us, rs we