The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-01
THE DAILY STAR
Gertrude's Strategem.

NV sister Patricia was an helress.
Strange enough, for we had always been
terribly poor down at Lowbrldge, my
widowed mother bringing up her tour
daughters with the greatest dllncully I;
but, when brought up. were worm iooh,
inc at | believe. Healthy habits ana
frnoal living are apt to make good condi-
tions and Bess and Amy and Patricia
and / were as handsome girls as are often
seen. III 40
Bess and Amy were twins with eyes as
blue as the sea, near when they "eio
born. ROSY cheeks, and long, ight'brown
curls: Patricia was sparkling brunette;
while was a perfect blonde, with crln,
kled hair, like molten gold. Great nao
been our excitement when Aunt DeIVy
wrote from Fairhaven:
"DEAR SIsrER-IN-LAw: am going TO
do myself the pleasure of visiting you
this simmer. hear that Brother Abel
left four girls, and l want to see them l
am getting ON in years and will make one
of them my heiress."
Aunt Betty, of Fairhaven, was worth
300 600. if she was worth a cent.
up at the hotel, for our cottage at Low
bridge wasn't big enough to hold her.
with her maid, coachman and carriage,
but fortunately that was close by, and
she spent the larger half of three days
with us.
We all thought Bess would be her
choice, for father had named her Eliza,
beth for Aunt Betty, though she had
ALWAYS been "Bess" with us. But it was
neither of the twins and it was not l. 1t
was Patricia.
"Where did that girl get her black
hairw Aunt Betty asked, as soon as she
saw her.
al think she looks like my brother
Luke, don't your asked my mother, with
wistful look.
"The very image of him." answered
Aunt Betty, turning pale.
OWNED then, as learned afterward,
that Uncle Luke had been lover OF
Aunt Betty's when both were young, be,
fore their marriage, and the fact seemed
to have power over her.
She looked at Patricia until the girl
blushed rosy red, and would have slipped
ont of the room when she called to her.
and drawing her down upon her knees
on footstool before her, she put with
cred hand each side of the young cheeks
and said, warmly:
"My ear, you shall be my heiressP'
So it was Patricia she chose to leave
her money to, but we were notout in the
cold, for she sent the twins, who were
only 16, to school for two years, and in.
vited me, with Patricia, to the Hermit
age.
1t was her home-a stately old man
sion of gray stone, gloomy looking or
the outside, but luxuriously comfortable
within, without being in the least mod
ern. We had each maid, and the free
use of the horse and carriage. After
making this provision for our comfort
Aunt Betty excused herself from making
company of us, and we were as free as
air to enjoy ourselves as we chose, pro.
vided we did not interfere with her nap
We chose to make a great many ac,
quaintances, guided consciously by Aunt
Betty's wisdom, and the result was that
returned to Lowbridge in the summer
engaged to Mr.. Clyde Sherrington. HI
was wealthy, handsome, agreeable, wei
connected Everybody said, "Gertrud
mas done we'll for herself"
That autumn Aunt Betty died. Patri
cia was to come in possession of her for
tune in year, when she was 2l-ful
and undisputed possession of 100000
1t was arranged that we wereal to com
to the Hermitage to live. We did SO
and lived there quietly as was becomin
for nearly year, when Patricia mad
the acquaintance of Mr.. Gage Redmond
She met him first at funeral-of al
places!-the occasion caused by the deaf
of our next door neighbor, General D
Lacy, Gage Raymond being neighbo
of his He was we'll connected, but a
poor as a church mouse, people said; IS
Of course he was after Patricias fol
tune" mamma declared.
"Patricia is rich and beautiful. Pray
don't let her marry fortune-huntel
mamma" said |, looking up from lei
ter was writing to Mr. Sherrngton.
"T would not if | could help it, bu
what authority have |, Gertrudeg' sal
my mother. 'In few months Patriot
VIII De In undlVlueQ possession OF ne
fortune. We are here only by courtesy
The Hermitage is her home. | have n
right to control her whatever"
"But your influence, mamma%
"Will have very little effect if sh
sets her heart on this Gage Richmond
Pray stop staring vacantly out of tina
window, Gertrude, and attend to what
say. | want assistance in this matter
"Please excuse me; / am thinking o
my own affairs just now, mamma. The,
may be of no consequence to you, bu
nv letter is matter of some importanc
to me-"
l did not mean to be saucy, only pei
tish; but mamma, having had long ez
perience with four headstrong girls, Dor
with me patiently.
"Well, finish your letter, Gertrude
and then advise me-"
But my train of thought was broker
and after few moments l put my she'
in the writing desk.