The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-02
to me, Catherine-I can't abide such

pNhc'Sb anu tlOuSn SIC lOI pditlo-
ularly pretty, she's the pleasantest look
ing creature you ever saw. And as for
bemoaning herself over her neighbor's
sins, I'll be bound she's not half such a
methodist as Randall"
Randall is very pious, good woman,
I'd nave you to know, Miss Catherine"
"Pm sure l hope she is, papa; but you
must own she makes great fuss about
it, And I really believe the habit she
has of whispering and turning up the
whites of her eyes, when she hears of a
neighbor's peccadillos, is one thing which
sets you so against the righteous, dearest
papa--now, you know it is"
you're saucy baggage. How old is
this thing you are trying to put upon us,
did you sayY
"Why, about nineteen, or, perhaps,
twenty. And then, who's to read to you,
papa, when / am gone, and play back
CANNON? You know mamma must not
read on account Of her chest, and she plays
so badly, you say at backgammon; and
it's so dull, husband and wife playing,
you know" poor Mrs. Melvyn dreaded,
of all things, backgammon; she invaria-
bly, got ridiculed if she played i'll, and
put her husband into a fit of passion if
she beat him. Catherine had long taken
this business upon herself).
"Does she eplay backgammon toerably
And can she read without drawing OF
galloping%'
Gust at your own pace, papa, what.
ever that may be. Besides, you can
only try her--she's easily sent away if
you and mamma don't like her. And then
think, she's poor clergyman's daughter,
and it would be quite kind action"
ga poor parsons! 1t would have been
more. t2 the purpose if you had said q
poor officers. pay tvthes enough tc
the black-coated gentlemen, witih;3nt be-
ing bothered with their children; and
who ever pays tythes to us, / wonderi
| dou't see what right parsons have to
marry at all-and then, forsooth, come
and ask other people to take care of theil
bratsp
"Ahl but she's not to be taken care Of
for nothing. Only think what comfort
she'll bew
"To your mama, perhaps, but not tc
me. And she's always the first person
to be considered in this house, know
very well; and l know very well who il
is that dresses the poor old soldier.
wounds, and studies his comforts; and
he'll study hers, and won't have hel
yexed to please any of you"
"But why should she be vexed? IT,
nothing to her. She's not to live with
Lettice. And, | must say, if Randall
sets herself against this measure, she be
haves in a very unreasonable and unwor.
thy manner, in my opinion"
"Hoity toity! To be sure; and who:
behaving in an unreasonable and unwor.
thy manner now, wonder, abusing hel
behind her back, worthy, attached
creature, whose sole object is the welfare
of us all? She's told me so a thousand
times"
IL dare say, Well, now, papa, listen
to me. Pm going away from you fol
good-your little Catherine. Just for
once grant me this as favor. Only try
Lettice. Pm sure you'd like her; and if,
after she has been here a quarter of a
year, you don't wish to keep her, why
part with her; and I'll promise not to say
a word about it. Randall has her good
qualities, l suppose, like the rest of the
world; but Randall must be taught to
keep her place, and that's not in this
drawing-room. And it's here you want
Lettice-not in your dressing-room.
Randall shall have it all her own way
there, and that ought to content her,
And, besides, papa, do you know, | can't
marry Edgar till you have consented,
because | can not leave mamma and you
with nobody to keep you company"
Edgar and you be id! Well, do as
you like. The sooner you're out of the
house the better. shan't have my own
way till you're gone. You're a sad coax,
ing baggage, but have pretty face Of
your own, Miss Catherine"
If the debate upon the subject ran
high at the Hazels, so did it in the hum
BILE little apartment which the two sisters
occupied.
"a humble friend! No." cried Myra,
chat | would never, never be-rather
die of hunger first"
dying of hunger is very horrible
thing" said Lettice, quietly, "and much
more easily said than done. We have
not, God be thanked for it, stood near
enough to the dreadful gulf to look down,
and sound its depths and darkness. |
am very thankful, deeply thankful, for
this offer, which | should gladly accept,
only, what is to become of you?
ooh! never mind me. It's the fashion
now / see, for everybody to think of you,
and nobody to think of me. Pm not
worth caring for, now those who cared
for me are gone. Oh! pray, if you want
be domestic slave yourself, let me be no
hinderance."
"a domestic slave!-why should | be
a domestic slave? see no slavery in
the case"
81 call it slavery, whatever you may
do, to have nothing to do all day but
play toad-eater and fatterer to a good
for-nothing old woman; to bear all her
ill-humors, and be the butt of all her