Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-24
LETTICE.
BY ANNA BRANDON.

BY ANNA BRANDON.
A bitter day. Not pleasant day to
travel on, by any means; but then Lettice
Mainwaring was one of the sort that makes
the best of everything.
ats long journey over the hills, MISS"
said the wife of the landlord of the little
one story tavern that was perched on the
crest Of the highway, "and the SHOWS
powerful deep.
~ think winter landscape is the pref
test thing in the world said Lettice,
round her neck"
Sand old Stokes stage is awful uncom-
Portable" added the landlady.
~ like stage riding asserted Lefty.
"You'll not get there till dark"
ooh, that is sooner than expected
And Lefty climbed up into the stage,
coach which stood creak1ng and grooming
at the door, having just rampled up from
the next village, mile or SO down the
hill. One solitary passenger occupied the
opposite corner-a tall, dark man. with
Spanish sort of complexion and clear
dark eyes, who wore an odd sort of olive
green cloak or mantle, heavily trimmed
with sable fur. He nodded briefly, IN
return to Letty's smiling recognition. Our
| little heroine would have talked with a
polar bear, had polar bear CHANGED to
be her travelling companion. Lettice ar
ranged her rugs and her basket and her
bonnet strings, and wondered secretly
how far the tall man was going.
"Can be of any assistance to you?"
courteously querled the gentleman as
Lefty searched in the straw at her feet
for dropped glove.
"Thanks-no," said Lefty, coming up
again with very red cheeks, and curls a
little disheveled. care you going all the
way through9'
GAS far as the stage goes-yes."
7Oh" said Miss Main airing; $50 am I
The gentleman nodded interrogatively,
and went back to his paper.
''Cross thingr' thought Lefty. involun-
tarily pouting her cherry lips. Why can't
he talk and make himself agreeable?
And he knows very well that we are to
be shut up here together for eight long
hours!''
But the wild landscape, as it fitted by,
white cleaning with SHOWS, and darkly
fringed with the waving boughs, was, af-
ter all, nearly as good a study as the
"human face divine" Lefty soon forgot
her temporary annoyance and chagrin in
the white, skeleton-like wall of deserted
old paper-mill, long since disused and
fallen to ruin.
~ wonder if it is haunted" said she
aloud.
The stranger smiled, and laid down his
paper.
"Do you believe in such things?'' he
asked.
| Lefty Mainwaring laughed and colored.
"Of course not. And yet, are you
much acquainted with this part of the
country9"
II have lived hereabouts good deal"
"Oh then, perhaps you know Easter
ham Halle"
His face frightened
! "Oh, yes. You are going there?"
eyes. I am going to be governess to
the little children" said Lefty, making
haste to enlighten him as to her true po-
sition, in order that he should fully COM
prehend that she was no elegant young
lady coming to the Hall to make a visit,
but an humble little working bee, who
was obliged to toll steadfastly for the
daily bread she ate.
Indeed !" he said.
| And Lefty was vexed at herself for
noticing the polite indifference in which
his tone subsidized.
81 suppose it is very fine old place."
she went on.
"Very-for those who fancy find old
lplaces.' To my taste, they are apt to be
over-run with rats, full of draughts, and
lpicteresquely inconvenient."
"And haunted, perhaps9" mischievous-
ly put in Lettice, the rough sparkle COM
| ing back to her eyes.
$50 far as | know, Easterham Hall is
free from any supernatural occupants. .
~ am sorry for that" SAID Lefty.
i He arched his eyebrows.
"You would like to share your room
with ghost or two2'
"No; but do like little tinge of ro-
nance about tue place-something to set
it little above and beyond the level of
the commonplace
He did not answer; and talkative Let
ty once more set the conversational ball
rolling.
i "The Easterhams are very rich, sup
lpose2"
i eyes"
81 never heard of them until last week, y
said she, musingly. "And now-how
strangely things are ordered in this
world II am going to cast my lot among
Them"
| "How DOES this happena' said the gen.
tlemsa. he could not very we'll say less,
in { rdlnary politeness, and yet Lefty felt
trl, mphantly that she had "drawn him
out
"Thev wrote to Madame Moligny, my
old teacher, to select a govcIness qualified
!, to teach two little boys; and madame
knew that wished for situation, and
SO here am. / wonder how they will
like me2n
4 II hope you will like them, " said the
gentleman, sitting yawn.
"That isn't the question: said Lefty,
imperatively. "Mr. Easterham is q dread
n ful bear,
II "Yon are acquainted with him?''
j "0h, no; only what / have heard, an
swered Lefty.