The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-28

zone, and II am ID y ept atfeau5.ss -
Won think / can fnifIi the duties OF the po
Lsition shatl be but too glad 70 take IL y
pride of stat ton VIII not trouble me.
Then 60 at once, my der. The cal
that was to have taken my eau hter ls az tn
door-put your things together and go. !
may be that Mrs. Sinclair will think you toe
Young, but She take you for tue present
at least, unit Mrs. Davis can come to her
You tell her I sent you and you'll see. 60
So Edith, feeiiag like one In dream
droYe to the address ttiat had been given
her, and asking FOR Mrs. Sinclair, sent Suf
word that her new bousekeeper was beioW'
h OF course Mrs. Sinclair concluded that tne
tall and lovely but sorrowfui.looking gar
was Mrs. Gray's daughter-Mrs. DAVIS
moreover, she being exceeding deal, Editn
found it almost impossible to make ner un'
eerstand the contrary.
g You're young indeed TO he widow ana
the mother Of four.rear-oid chtd, salo
she. seGod help usl What trouble some
people do have to endure, to be sure Well,
well, you'll have comfortable home with
me, If you suit me, my dear, ana nave no
doubt that you will
"My name is Merrion." began Edith,
somewhat more loudly. The old lady put
uD UcI SlluhtCOA MANU. ohe SaNiSA N'~>
shook her head.
{. A merry one I" said she. No, no, my
dear: have no fear OF that. live very
quietly, Indeed. No mcrriment TO jar upon
your feelings here, but quiet and comtorta-
bic enough"
So. then, Edith, weary and faint for lack
OF food, and sick at heart. resolved to let
the mistake go at present; there would be
p,enty OF time to rectifv it afterward.
"After [ have taken Mrs. DaVis's place l
will take her name as vel" she thought.
"It will only be until the child gets well,
most probably. Aud my head aches 80 Bit
terly tonight am. not able to talk to Der.
Mrs. Davis be it, then, until Tomorrow,
ut all events" -
But though man proposes, tits God dis
poses" That proyerb, be it ever so musty,
il always true; and just as mistakenly as
Paul had said, "Only for week, darling"
nearly two months ago. did Edith tell her,
self "untii to- morrow" now.
For ate-morrow the racking headache
bad. increased uutil she was almost blind
with agony. During the first hours OF the
morning she crept around the house i'll a
brave and mute endcayor to understand and
perform her duties, but when noon came
She tainted suddenly, and had to be carried
to bed.
Mrs. Sinclair was extremely kind.
.Tbe poor soul has had a deal OF trouble
for one so young" said she. She has
worn herself out with worry and fatigue,
I suppose, 10 looking for place. Pve sent
for the doctor, and shall nurse her round
ocain. AS yourself and Mr.. Sinclair are
going to be absent from home awhile, /
shall be able to manage quite nicely, dare
say"
This kind little speech was made to her
husbands partner, who usually made their
house his home. A man some twenty years
his Junior, and the son OF a dear old friend.
Whether business-worrieso or private ankle
ties cngroSsed his thoughts, [ cannot tell,
but he paid small attention 10 the old lady's
account of berl protege, and merely in po-
likeness asked her name.
Mrs. Davis. A young widoW-dcar me,
very Young with one child. A really
beautiful creature, too; and seems fitted for
q better station. How unfortunate some
Her companion looked into her gentle,
kind old face.
"This one is fortunate, rather, ] should
he said, 'sin having come to you"
And really it seemed so. Mrs. Sinclair
was kindness itself to the poor gill, and
tiled hard to keep the place for her, but
when the days heightened into weeks, and
Edith, though recovering, was weak and
delicate still, the bona .fde Mrs. Davis came
to take the place OF bousekeeper.
"And don'i you let it discourage you one
bit, nv dear" said Mrs. Sinclair kindly.
and with a merry twinkle Of her bright
black eyes. "Pve got filter situation
whiting for Edith Merrion. Well, we'll, to
think that things should come about so
And what deaf old adder was, to be
sure! !"
"You don't ask after my protege," she
said To her husbands partner that evening,
81 believe you had forgotten all about. the
Door child. Have you no heartfo: any child
bu YOUR lost Edithy Better try to forget
her, 1 thiuk, sluce she has been lost SC
long," @r3j.ti .:aH"
Paul Selden sighed bitterly. ~ :.
stTbat would be impossible" he said
81 have begun to lose hope, indeed, but
shall never cease to love her. went to hel
father, while in Chicago lately, and from
bia,I learn that she is i'll the city still, FOL
they write to her ut the post-ofice bere.''
For the past two weeks they have not heard
from her, however. and have grown very
uneasy. Ny poor, lost darling! Sick, per-
haps, and poor! shall engage detective
tomorrow" ~, ,..- .s..-"
They were sitting in Mrs. Siuclair's bou.
doir, and Paul had spoken loudly for the
dear old lady's benefit. AS he ceased there
| came little, eager, gasping cry from the
adjoining room. Paul started. Is. >
"What's that?" cried he, and rose ca.
gerly. r.. -
The old lady laid her hand upon his
arm. .,.... ~ t,r e. "A-t.. 50 s-aa.e.
..OnIy my protege She is sitting up to-
day, and bears you. She can help you
more than q. detective, Paul, for she knows
your lostloSe well}'9a
"she ?: Mrs. Davis? Oh, let me see her
madanl Edith-my own Edith where
is .he2 Pa On ....-.-....a~
he was rushing to.-tbe door, when i
opened softly, and figure upon the thresh
oid-a slight, young figure; with pale
worn face. and eyes as full Of love as O
tears. She held out her slender, trembling
arms: ,a..i~l ia'r. s.'<.s ....e. 3. Ht@.'.
81 am here, Paul, here !" she cried Joy
fully. - -. 80. ~ = =: p. .
Next minute she was folded to his breast
"My late housekeeper," ch,lckled Ole
Mrs. Sinclair, when she reioined them pre-
sentiy. "Mrs. Davis that was, Miss .Mer
rion that is, aud Mrs. Seldom, suppose
soon to be. Didn't tell you would tint
you another place. my dear, and haven't
kept my word? The best and happiest 0
all places Will be. yours, child, as the mis-
tress OF q loving husbands home"
Aud it was so indeed. One month late
Paul led his Iong-lost love to the altar, ant
Edith as 8 happy. hoaored wife has foun'
s'her proper ststion' once for all.