The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-02
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story Of Love that was True,
but Didn't Run Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "Two OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.
CHAPTER IV.-(CoNTINUED.)


the happiness of all who depend upon
her; she only does it almost too much, l
sometimes think, to the sacrifice of her
own comfort, and to the spelling of them,
and though papa is sometimes so suffer-
ing that he can't help being little i'm
patient, yet he is a perfect gentleman,
you know. As for Lettice Arnold, if
ever there was person who knew how
to make the best of it, and sup cheer
fully upon fried onions when she had
lost her piece of roast kid, it is she. Be-
sides, she is so uniformally good natured,
that it is quite pleasure to oblige her.
The only danger between dearest mamma
and Lettice will be, of their quarrelling
which shall give up the most to the
other But, joking apart, she is vast
deal more than / said; she is a remark
ably clever, spirited girl, and shows it
when called upon. You can not think
how diecreet, how patient, yet how firm
she can be. Her parents, poor people,
were very difficult to live with, and
were always running wrong. If it had not
been for Lettice, affairs would have got
into dreadful confusion. There is that
in her so right, such an inherent down
right sense Of propriety and Justice
somehow or other | am confident she will
not let Randall tyrrannize over mamma
when am gone"
"Really," said Mrs. Danvers, "what
you say seems very reasonable. There
are exceptions to every rule. 1t certainly
is one of mine to have as little as
possible to do in recommending young
women to the situation of humble
friends. Yet in some cases have seen
all the comfort you anticipate arise to
both parties from such connection; and
l own | never saw fairer chance pre-
sented than the present; provided Ran
dal! as not too strong for you all; which
may be feared"
"Well, then, you do not disadvise me
to speak to mamma about it; and | will
write to you as soon as | possibly can;
and you will be kind enough to negotiate
with Lettice if you approve of the terms.
As for Randall, she shall not be too hard
for me. Now is my hour. l am in the
ascendant, and will win this battle or
perish, that is, | will tell mamma / won't
be married upon any other terms; and
to have Miss married. is quite as great a
matter Of pride to Mrs. Randall as to that
dearest of mothers"
The contest with Mrs. Randall was as
fierce as Catherine, in her worst antici-
pations, could have expected. She set
herself most doggedly against the plan.
She had intended to have everything far
more than ever her own way when "Miss
Catherine was gone;" and though she
had no doubt she should "keep the
creature in her place." and "teach her
there was only one mistress here, (Which
phrase usually means the maid, though
it implies the LADY,, yet she had sort
of misgiving about it, There would be
one at her (Mrs. Melwyn's) ear as well
ae herself, and at, possibly, her masters
too-which was of still more importance.
And then, "those sort of people are so
artful and cantankerous. Oh! she'd seen
enough of them in her dayl Poor SER
wants couldn't have moments peace
with creature like that in the house,
spying about and telling everything in
the parlor. One can't walk, or see a
friend, or have bit Of comfort, but all
goes up sthere. Well, those may put
up with it who like. Here's one as won't,
and that's myself; and so / shall make
bold to tell Miss Catherine. General
and Mrs. Melwyn must choose between
me and the new conner"
Poor Catherine! Mrs. Melwyn cried,
and said her daughter was very right;
but she was sure Randall never would
bear it. And the general, with whom
Randall had daily opportunity for private
converse while she bound up his shat
tered arm, and dressed the old wound,
which was perpetually breaking out
afresh and discharging splinters of bone,
was easily talked into the most decided
dislike TO the scheme.
But Catherine stood firm. She had
the support of her own heart and judg-
ment; and the greater the difficulty, the
more strongly she felt the necessity of
the measure. Edgar backed her, too,
with all his might. He could hardly
keep down his vexation at this weakness
on one side, and indignation at at
eempted tyranny on the other; and he
said everything he could think of to
encourage Catherine to persevere.
She talked the matter well over with
her father. The general was the most
testy, cross, and unreasonable of old men
always out of humor because always
and always jealous of every
body's influence. and authority, because
he was now too weak and helpless to rule
his family with rod of iron, such as he,
the greatest of martincts, had welded in
better days in his regiment and family
alike. He suffered himself to be gov
erned by Randall, and by nobody else;
because, in yielding to Randall there
was sort Of consciousness of the exer-
else of free will. He ought to be inAu-
enced by his gentle wife, and clever,
sensible daughter; but there was no
reason on earth-but because he chose to
Ut do it-that he should mind what Ran
dali said.
81 hate the whole pack Of them! Il
know we'll enough what sort of a creature