Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-01-11
HeliOtrOpe.
BY EMMA GARRISON JONES.

[ went to live with Aunt E lmonton
when poor papa died. That was half
dozen years ago, yet my trouble seems
as fresh to-day, my loss as irreparable
rs Oh that terrible morning when I left
him lying in his lonely grave under the
old willows.
Poor papa! how fond we were of each
other. He had no one in the wide
world but me. Mamma died when l
was a wee baby, not quite two summers
old-died away off in Southern France,
and sleeps there now under the shadow
of the purple vine hills.
have seen many fair women, but
never face half so lovely as hers.
Her portrait used to hang in the old Ed.
monitor Hall gallery, but it gone now.
Aunt Edmonton had something to do
with its disappearance, think, for she
never liked my mother.
The Edmontons are an old, proud
race, you see, with pedigree running
back to the days of the cavaliers, and an
ancient crest on their massive old silver,
and the bluest of "blue blood" in their
aristocratic veins. At least Aunt Ed
monitor says so.
Papa always laughed at her high fan
cies, and held that one honest soul was
equal to another, no matter whether its
owner wore royal purple or holden
gray; and when he met my pretty NAM
ma, and loved her, he did not hesitate
about making her his wife, though she
was penniless and daughter of the
people.
Aunt Edmonton was terribly an
gered, and. when the pretty bride came
home to Edmonton Hall, she met her
with scowling brows, and led her such
life that papa soon took her abroad.
and there she died and was buried a
few brief months after was born.
Papa never outlived his grief at her
loss, he loved her dead as tenderly as
he had loved her living. and cherished
me as no other child was ever cher
ished. I grew up in his very bosom
ne was my teacher, companion and
friend. We were never separated.
What blissful life we led. Bohe-
mians though We were! Whittier our
fancy led US, there we pitched our tent,
under sunny southern skies, in the
solemn shadow of time-famed ruins.
by the margins of storied rivers. was
Graded on the great deep and reared
amid the classic wealth of foreign
lands.
But as time crept by papa's health
grew feeble, and we came home to Ed.
monitor Hall; and there he died.
lett the dear old southern home
and his grave under the dropping will
lows. and went to live with Aunt Ed.
monitor.
IA have said, Aunt Edmonton was
q proud woman. She was more
worldly one. Wealth was her Moloch,
and she held no heart treasure too pre-.
caous to be given as an Offering to his
fiery embrace.
l was an Edmonton as we'll as her
self, and despite the disgrace of nv
pretty mammals alien blood, I could
not be put to household drudgery.
Hence l was installed as a sort of com
panion, to read Balzac and George
sand, while my aunt and Marguerite
sipped their noon chocolate, and to
Keep the point-lace in order, and the
family jewels we'll FURNISHED. Not A
aborious task, and it brought me bread
and butter. and bread and butter we
must have in this commonplace world
even though our hearts break and our
souls starye.
Aunt Edmonton did not like the old
hall. She declared frankly that the
old house was better suited for bats
and owls than human beings; and il
was shut up, aud We lived first in one
gay city and then another, and finally
crossed the sea and went to Paris.
Dear me, how my aunt and Marguer-
ite did enjoy the life they led there
and how i pinned and longei for home,
10 is marvel how differently consti-
suited people are, with the same blood
In their veins. too.
Belle, said my aunt. one autumn n
night. when preparations were going
on Tor SONS famous ball, will Won
have the kindness to 60 the green.
house. and cut the flowers for Mar.
gneri'e's hair. She wears natural flow.
ers To- night. and can I trust 10 Felice