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

When twelve years old my mothers 8
death made me an orphan, poor and
frieudless. Miss Laura De Neale found
me one day, crying bitterly, took COM
d 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 BON Miss Knox, the housekeeper.
had been there year when the Rev
Mr.. Walderon, the rector of st. Paul's
became frequent visitor, and at last
Miss Laura's accepted lover. He was
not handsome, but yet man of splendid
p presence; and, because of his love for
my mistress, aud for his commanding
q cure and noble bearing, came to look
up to him with reverence, almost with
worship.
Four years slipped by. One day Miss
Kuox told me that Miss Laura's cousin,
Pnilip Lansing, had returned from
abroad. She also informed me that ht
and Miss Laura had once been lovers;
that he wanted her to run of, but sh,
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.
tice change in Miss Laurl. 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-in fact, entirely
unlike herself. also saw thst she went
oftener to her money desk, and some.
thing weighed upol her spirits; that
now and then she went out in a sort of
disguise; hut dared not even coniec-
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 absorbed way, to pull the
pins out of her hair.
"Won't you let me do that for you,
Miss Laura ?" / 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-there now, my dress
ing-gown, child-the easy-chair-that is
comfortable. don't often keep you up
30 lates Renie. How cold your hands
arel"
1t was not that nay 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 oil
golden brown palpitated as they fell
over my arm, in rich, unrestrained
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 I fingered. 81 can ge
along myself now."
Then 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
Paul's. Was it on account of her hand
some cousin ? Vainly tried to sleep
The CHASTITY fancy that she was sobbin
on the other side of the wall haunte
me. What if she still loved Phil
Lansing2 The grave, proud face of Mi
Walderon seemed to tighten in its dis
dain as l caught myself acting the pal
Of Miss Laura in an imaginary dramati