The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-12
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story of Love that was True,
but Didn't Run Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF 1.-TWO OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.
CHAPTER vi (CoNTINUED).

old hag Mrs. RandalPs confounded care
lcSsness. Mrs. Mclwyn ! oked miserable;
she saw the case was bad, and yet she
knew that to send for the doctor, and
take it out of RandalPs hands, would be
an insult never to be forgiven.
But Lettice was steady. She was not
quite ignorant in these matters, and she
felt it her duty to be firm. She expostu-
lated and demonstrated, and was just
carrying her point, when Mrs. Randall
came home; and, having heard below
how things were going on, hurried, un-
called for, into the dining-room.
She came in in mighty pucker, as she
would herself have called it, and began
asking who had dared to open the wound
and expose it to the air; and, seeing Let
tice preparing to apply a bread-and-
water pouitice, which she had made, fell
into such passion Of rage and Jealousy
that she FORGOT herself so far as to snatch
it from Lettice's hands, vowing, if any
body was to be allowed to meddle with
her arm, she would never touch it again
as long rs she lived.
Mrs. Meiwyn turned pale, and began
in her softest way:
"Now listen, Randall. Don't be angry
Randall. The bandage was too tight; |
assure you it was. We should not have
thought of touching it else"
what the devil, Randall, are ouabout
to do now?7 cried the general, as she
took possession of the arm, in no gentle
fashion.
Bind it up again, to be sure, and keep
the air out of it,"
"But you hurt me confoundedly. All!
it's more than | can bear. Don't touch
it; it's as if it were on tirel'
"But it must be bound up, | say"
going on without the least regard to
the torture she was evidently putting
him to.
But Lettice interfered:
Indeed, Mrs. Randall she said, 81 do
not think that you seem aware of the
state of inflammation that the arm is in.
| assure you that you had better apply
the bread-and water poullice, and send
for Mr.. Lysons."
"You assure me. Much you know
about the matter, should fancy"
81 think | know this much. Dear
Mrs Melwyn! Dear general! It's more
serious than you think. Pray let me
write for Mr. Lysonsw
II do believe she's right, Randall, for
the Internal torture you put me to is
more than / can bear. Ach! Let it 60,
will you! Undo it! Undo itw
But Mrs. Randall unrelentingly bound
on.
"Have done, I say! Undo It'll Will
nobody undo it? Lettice Arnold, for
Heavens sake!" His face was bathed
with the sweat of agony.
Randall persisted; Mrs. Melwyn
looked pale, helpless, and aghast but
Lettice hastened forward, scissors in
hand, cut the bandage and liberated the
tortured arm in a minute.
Mrs. Randall was in an awful rage.
She forgot herself entirely; she had often
forgotten herself before; but there was
something in this, being done in the
presence OF a third person, one so TighJ
minded and spirited us Lettce, whicn
made both the general and his wife view
| it in new light. A sort of veil seemed
to fall from before their eyes; and, for
the first time, they both seemed-and
simultaneousIy-awa of the impro-
priety and degradation of submitting
to it.
Randall! Randall" demonstrated
Mrs. Melwyn, still very gently, however;
but it was great step to demonstrate at
all; but Randall was abusing Lettice
most violently, and her master and mis-
tress into the bargain for being governed
by such as her! "Randall! Randall
Don't; YOU FORGET YOURSELF
But the general, who had been silent
a second or two, at last broke forth and
roarod:
"Have done with your internal noise
won't you, you beldam! Here, Lettce
give me the poultice put it on, and thel
write for Lysons, will you"
In matters such as this, the first step is
everything. Mrs. Melwyn and her fiery
partner had both been passive as a poor
bewitched hen, we are told, is with {
straw over her neck. Once shift hel
position and the incubus is gone.
The arrival of Mr.. Lyaons completed
the victory. Modification was on the
eve of setting in. The relief from tht
bandage, and the emoient poultict
applied by Lettice, had in all probabilit!
saved the generals life.
Little Mrs. Randall cared for thi
demonstration of her mistaken treat
ment; she had been too long accustomed
to triumph, to yield the field undisputet
to rival. She took refuge in sulk,
silence and, when Mr.. Lysons wa
gone, desired to speak with Mrs. Mel
wyn.
The usual harangue was made. "a
she could no longer give satisfaction
/ would Mrs. Melwyn please provide her
self in month";
The blood ran cold to Mrs. Melwyn'
heart. What! Randall. Impossible
What would she do? What would tn
f general do? What would become Of tn
, servants? Who would look after them
. What could be done without the faith
i full Randall?
80, Randall! you don't think of leavin
me?' she began.
am not going to repeat the dialogue
which was much the same as that whic
: usually ensues when the mistress entreat
: the maid to stay, thus putting hersel
into an irremediably false position. Th
: result of such entreaties was the usua
!, one. Randall, assured of victory, too
:, the matter with high hand, and, mos
t luckily for all parties, refused to be mo
p lifted.
$ Then poor Mrs. Meiwyn, in disma
i and despair, returned to the drawn
0 room. She looked quite ill; she dare