The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-29
MISS M0NKT0N'S MAR
RIAGE.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "A FRENCH HEIREss
IN HER OWN CHATEAU"
CHAPTER VII-(CoNr1NuEp.)

Aao ohi, eaiu tno WoIkWuHldtl, person
they often employed, turning to Mrs
Bushe for sympathy.
But in Florinda's face there was moth
ing but the deepest sadness.
Mrs. Bushe hates these yanities," said
Letitia. "You will besplendid for once
though, cousin Florinda. What q pity
you did not get it in time for that
ballp
Come into your room, dear child. !
: must speak to you," said Mrs. Bushe.
do not mind these things now, Atkins;
we will see them another time. will
ring when Iwant you.'
"Well, what is the matteri Anything
neY% said Letitia.
There was straight, hard little sofa
at the foot, of the bed, on which Mrs.
Bushe sat down, while the girl stood be-
fore her. sa- Se .
20, Letitia," said Mrs. Bushe, "your
father is very cruel. 1t is wrong for me
to say it, know, but must. Is it pos
sible that you are still the only one in
this house, or even in this neighborhood,
who does not know what is to happen
next ThursdayT'
In days long after, when Letitia told
the story of her life, she never could re-
member that moment without shivering.
1t was SO cold, so sudden, the feeling Of
absolute loneliness, and then the almost
passion of self-reliance which followed it.
She had never the same again; that
evening ended her childhood. 1t was a
woman, cruelty hurt, but not in the least
subdued, and stood before Mrs. Bushe
and gazed at her silently. Florinda was
by far the most agitated of the two. She
had expected a stormy scene with Lett
tia, but this stoniness was much more
dreadful. n
my dear" she said, "sit down here.
Speak to mel" n.
~ can not conceive what you mean,"
said Letitia, quietly "You are talking
riddles, and hate them as much as papa
does What is to happen next Thurs
dayw yyT
80, Letitia, you are SO unlike your.
selfv' said Mrs. Bushe, beginning to cry.
"For Heavens sake don't do that! Be
reasonable" said Letitia. T ask YOU a
simple question; but l can answer it N.Y.
self, for i understand now. You and papa
are wonderful people. Next Thursday
is my wedding-day, when you mean to
marry me to Humphrey Barrett. Every
body is charmed, with one exception;
and that fine satin gown is intended to
to keep her quiet. Very clever, in
deed"
"Letitia, you will break my hearth
sighed Mrs. Bushe.
"You are doing your best to break
mine; but fortunately, it is not so fra
gile."
"What could 1 do? was forced to
obey Sir George. l thought he would
have told you himself before this"
"I should like to understand the why
and wherefore Of it ALL" said Letiiia,
coolly.
"Your papa thought that if you found
everything was finally settled with the
Barrets, you would be more likely to sub
NIT quietly" said Mrs. Bushe.
"He is going abroad again very
soon, and he thought, consid-
ering all the circumstances, it
would be best to leave you safely mar
ried. They are really very good people,
and admire you so much"
Florinda spoke family and wistfully
Letitia listened with her eyes on the
ground. There were no tears, no excla-
nations; she did not even change color.
After little pause she turned way from
Der cousin and walked up to the table.
eve shall be late for dinner" she
said. "You had better 90 and dress"
Florinda left her silently. This new
mood of Letitia's, the cold indifference of
her manner, was harder to bear than any,
thing that had gone before. She longed
to put her arms round the girl, to weep
with her, to comfort her, to be reproached
and scolded, if only she might give her
love and sympathy. If there had been
any wild despair in Letitia's manner,
such as she had read Of in romances, she
would have been frightened. There was
none, and yet she was frightened.
What made it still stranger and more
natural was, that Letitia talked all
through dinner to Sir George with
pleasantness which astonished him. She
had lately taken some interest in poultry
had been feeding the chickens and the
ducks herself, and she wanted to know
something about foreign fowls--how they
were managed and fed, and what were
the best breeds. Sir George knew moth
ing but tried to say something. He also
was unccmfortably conscious of the
change in Letitia-that she had grown up
in this one afternoon, that her heart was
no longer In her face. He wondered
what it meant. After dinner when Mrs.
Bushe got up to 60 into the drawing
room, Letitia remained moment stand
ing, with her hands on the back Of her
chair facing her father as he walked
across to the door. 4..
Papa" she said, while both Sir George
and Florinda hesitated between the table
anu the door, n have to thank you for
my beautiful wedaing-gown."
Sir George tried to speak and to smile,
frightfully, and grunted out:
"Glad you are pleased with it." i
II should have liked longer notice ~
said Letitia, with coldness which struck ,
Mrs. Rushe as anita awful "Rut sun-