The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-06-28
HELIOTROPE.

] went 10 live with Aunt Edmonton when
poor papa died. That was half dozen years
ago, yet my trouble seems Us fresh today, my
loss as irieparable as on that terrible morning
when left him lying in that lonely grave un-
der the willows.
Poor papa! how fond we were of each 9TH
.er. He had no one in the world hut me,
Mamma died when was but wee baby, not
quite two summers old-dled away off in south.
,ern France and she sleeps there now under the
shadow of the purple vine hills.
have seen many fair women, but never n
face half so lovely as hers, Her portrait used
to hang in the old gallery at Edmonton Hall,
but il is 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, with
pedigree running back to the cavaliers and
an ancient crest on their masslye old silver,
and the bluest of blue blood III their aristo-
cratic veins AT least Aunt Edmonton boasts
of it.
Papa always laughed at her high tancles,
and held that one honest soul was as good as
another no matter whether its owner wore
royal purple or holden gray; when he met
my pretty mamma and loved her, he did not
hesitate about making her his wife, though
she was penniless and a daughter Of the PEG
pie
Aunt Edmonton was terribly angercd, and
when the pretty bride came home to Edmon-
ton Hall, she met her with scowling brows,
and leo such lite that papa soon took her
abroad ana there she died and was buried IA
few short months after was born.
Papa never outlived his grief at her loss; he
loved herbead as tenderly and truly AS he had
loved her living, and cherished me. l grew
up in his bosom; be was my teacher, compan.
ion and friend. We were never separated.
Whata happy life we led, Bohemlans though
we were! Whittier our fancy led us, there we
pitched our tent, under sunny Southern skies,
in the solemn shadow of timefamed ruins by
the margin of stored rivers. ] was Graded
on the great deep and reared amid the classic
wealth OF foreign lands
Blu, as time crept by papas health grew
feeble, and we came home to Edmonton Hall
and there he died
left the dear old Southern home and his
grave Under the dropping willows, and went
20 live with Aunt Edmonton.
As have said, AuntlEdmonton was proud
woman She was more-a worldly one. Riches
were her hloloch, and she held no heart treas
IRE too precious TO be given to his fry en-
brace
| was "a Edmonton as well as herself, and
despite the disgrace of my pretty mammals
low bloon | could not be put to household
drudgcry Hence was installed as a sort OF
companion, TO read Balzac and George Sand
while my aunt and Marguerite slipped their
noon chocolate, and kept the point lace in or
der, and The family jewels well Furnished
Not laborious task, and it brought me bread
and butter. and bread and butter we must have
in the commonplace world, even though our
hearts break and our soul starve
Aunt Edmonton did not like the old hall
She declared frankly that the old house was
better suited for bats and owls than for human
beings; and it was shut up, and 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 Marguerite did
enjoy the life they led there, and how pinned
and longed for home! 1t is marvel how diff
ferently constituted people are, with the same
blood in their veins, too.
Belle. said my aunt, one autumn night
when preparations were going on for some ia
NOUS ball, will you have the kindness TO &c
TO the greenhouse, and cut the flowers fol-
Marguente's hair She wears natural flowers
tonight, and can't trust to Felice. Look al
her dress, riease and select what you think
will suit