The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-24
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story Of Love that was True,
but Didn't Run Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "Two OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.

having kissed her tenderly, witha heart
quite divided between anxiety for her
and sense of happiness that would make
itself felt in spite of all, had retired to
her room, the mother sat down, poor
thing, in the most comfortable armchair
that was ever invented, but which i'm
parted no comfort to her; and placing
herself by merry, blazing fire, which
was reflected from all sorts of cheerful,
pretty things with which the dressing
room was adorned, her feet upon a warm,
soft footstool of GATHERINGS own working,
her elbow resting upon her knee, and her
head upon her hand, she, with her eyes
bent mournfully upon the fire., began
crying very much, And so she sat long
time, thinking and crying, very sorrow
full, but not in the least repenting. Medi-
tating upon all sorts of dismal things,
filled with all kinds of melancholy fore
bodings, as to how it would and must be,
when Catherine was really gone, she
sank, at last, into a sorrowful reverie,
and sat quite absorbed in her own
thoughts, till she, who was extremely
punctual in her hour of going to bed, for
reasons best known to herself, though
never confded to any human being,
namely, that her maid very much dis
liked sitting up for her; started as the
clock in the hall sounded eleven and two
quarters, and almost with the trepida-
ton of chdden child, rose and rang
the bell. Nobody came. This made her
still more uneasy. 1t was RandalPs Gus
tom not to answer her mistress bell the
first time, when she was cross. And poor
Mrs. Melwyn dreaded few things in this
world more than cross looks in those
about her, especially in Randall, and
that Randall knew perfectly we'll.
"She must have fallen asleep in her
chair, poor thing. 1t was very thought
less of me-" Mrs. Melwyn did not say,
but would have said, if people ever did
speak to themselves aloud.
Even in this sort of mute soliloquy she
did not venture to say, "Randall will be
very ill-tempered and unreasonable"
She rang again; and then, after proper
time Welded to the claims of offended
dignity, it pleased Mrs Randall to ap-
pear.
81 am very sorry, Randall. Really, /
had no idea how late it was | was think
ing about Miss Catherine, and ] missed
it when it struck ten. | had not the least
idea it was so late" began the mistress
in an apologizing tone, to which Randall
vouchsafed not an answer, but looked
like thunder cloud as she went bang
inc up and down the room, opening and
shutting drawers with loud noise, and
treading with a rough, heavy step; two
things particularly annoying, as she very
well knew, to the sensitive nerves of her
mistress. But Randall settled it with
herself, that as her mistress had kept hel
out of bed an hour and a half longer
than usual, for no reason at all but Just
, to please herself, she should find she wa.
I none the better for it.
The poor mistress bore all this witt
patience for some time. She would have
zone on bearing the roughness and the
noise, however disagreeable, so long al
Randall liked; but her soft heart coulC
not bear those gIum, cross looks, and thi
alarming silence.
81 was thinking of Miss Catherine
. marriage, Randall That was what mad
me forget the hour. What shall / d.
S without her"
i "Yes, that's just like it" said the in
solcnt abigail; "nothing can ever conten
D some people. Most ladies would be gla'
: to settle their daughters so WELL bu
+ some folk make a crying matter OF every
thing. 1t would be well for poor servants
+ when they're sitting over the fire, thei
J. bones aching to death for very wearines'
I if they'd something pleasant to thin
e about They wouldn't be crying TO
|. nothing, and keeping all the world ou
. of their beds, like those who care to
:, nought but how to please themselves"
Il Part of this was said, part mutteret
IS part thought; and the poor, timid mi'
IL tress, one of whose domestic occupation
s it seemed to be to study the humors {
her servants, heard part and divine
the rest.
"Well, Randall, I don't quite hear a
you are saying; and perhaps it is as we
Is do not; but | wish you would give N
. my things and make haste, for I'm reall
very tired, and l want to go to bed"
C. "People can't make more haste tha
they cam
at And so it went on. The maid servan
4. never relaxing an atom of her oflende
|. dignity continuing to look as ill-humore
6 and to do everything as disagreeable
= she possibly could, and her poor victir
III by speaking from time to time in &
o. anxious, most gentle, and almost fatte
lg ing manner. hoping to mollify her d
I'd pendent, but all in vain.
ly cpl teach her to keep me up again f
re nothing at all" thought Randall.
1T And SO the poor lady, very miserab
&c in the midst of all her luxuries, at la
:, gained her bed, and lay there not able
a. a, sleep for very discomfort. And the al
~ ~ gail retired to her own warm apartmer
ID where she was greeted with a pleasa
OF fire, by which stood little nice chot
es late simmering, to refresh her before S
ar went to bed, not much less miserat
lg than her mistress, for she was dreadful
is out of humor, and thought no hardsh
on earth could equal that she endure
he forced to sit up in consequence OF a
~ others whim when she wanted so sad
ie to 90 to bed.
as as Whilst thus all that the most abun
"o 'a ant possession of the worlds goods cou
Il bestow, was marred by the weakness
,c' ~ the mistress and the ill-temper of t
a maid--the plentiful gifts of fortune re
of dered valueless by the erroneous facili
ire upon one side, and insolent love of do
eet nation on the other; how many in
re, large metropolis, only a few miles dista
and of which the innumerable ligl
=. might be seen Frightening, like an A