The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-30
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story Of Love that was True,
but Didn't Ran Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "Two OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.
CHAPTER X [CoNr1NnEpN.

~ upon the subject He had attributed
her silence, believe, to bashful feeling of
lnferlority in rank, for her face was so in.
telligent and full OF meaning, that he did
not divine its real cause, SO he said, with a
certain gentle abruptness which became
him much:
Il have discovered a fault in you, Miss
Arnold, at last though everybody here
seems to think it impossible you should
have one May tell you of it?'
"Oh. if you once begin with my faults |
am afraid you will never have DONE |
know the length OF the score that might be
summed up against ME, though others are
not so good natured as to forget it. Yes,
indeed l shall be much obliged to YOU"
Don't you think it is the duty of all to
exert themselves in family party to make
conversation circulate in an agreeable man
ner?"
ITO be sure I do; snd' how
we'll you perform that duty, she was prompt
ed to say, but she did not. She hesitated a
little, and then added: "And, perhaps, you
think do not do that so much as | ought
to dop'
Precisely. You will not be angry No,
you can not be angry. You never are. The
most trying and provoking things, | OBJ
serve, cannot ruffle you. So will venture
to say that | think you don't play fair by
me. We are both here chiefly tomake our
selves agreeable, believe; and sometimes
wish had little more assistance in that
duty from one who. am sure, could per-
form it admirably, il she so pleased"
Lettice shook her head. Then she said
with her usual simplicity: II used to talk
more before you came"
"Did you? but that's not quite generous,
is it, to throw the whole burden upon me
I ofa l., ! o
will you not talk now?"
''Simply because | can't. Oh, Mr.. st.
Ledger, the talk is so different since YOU
came here, and feel my own incapacity so
sadly my own ignorance SO forcibly
should say so painfully; but that indeed is
not my own fault, and that takes the worst
pain, you know, out of things.
Ignorant" he said, ''of what?'
"Of all these things you talk about.
used to pick up a little from the news
papers, but now have done reading them
seem literally to know nothing"
"Nothing Nothing about books, ! sup
pose you mean for you seem to ME to un-
derstand men and things better than most
people | have met with"
II have experienced more, perhaps, than
most girls of my age have done, through
my poverty and misfortunes; but what is
that?'
"Ah, Miss Arnold what is it but the best
part of all knowledge, 10 understand ones
self and others; the best of all possessions
to possess ones own spirit? But beg your
pardon, / will only add that do not, by
what say, intend at all TO undeyaue the
advantages of reading, or the happiness of
having love for reading. Do you love
reading?'
'Wby, don't quite kyoW. | find the
books | read aloud TO Mrs. Melvyn often
very tiresome I must confess,
"And what sort OF books do you read to
Mrs. Melwyn"'
"Why, only two sorts--noyels and es-
says"
He laughed little in his quiet way, and
then said: II wonder at any young lady
reading they liked best; but as for essays,
with very few exceptions, | must own |
share in your distaste for them'
81 can't understand them very often. I
am ashamed to say it; but the writer's use
such fine language and such strange new
words, and they go over and over again
upon the same thought, and illustrate it
twenty different ways, when one happy
illustration think, would be so much
better; like writer who marches prompt
ly through a subject; those essaysts seem
as if they never could have done"
"What you say is just, in many in
stances, ] think. 1t is a pity you have not
tried other reading History, travels poe
try; you can not think how pleasantly such
subjects seem to fill and enlarge the mind.
And if you have little time Of your own,
you can not easily believe, perhaps how
much may be done. Even with an hour
each day, of steady reading, a vast deal"
"Ah. but where shall begin? Every
body reads Hume's History OF England first,
and | have never even done that; and if
were to begin | should never get to the end
of it,
"Oh. yes but you would, and be sur
prised to find how soon that end had ar
rived, and what pleasant journey you had
made. But if you are frightened at Hume,
and | own he looks formidable, let me
select you something in the library, to
commence operations with, which will not
be quite so alarming"
"0hl if YOU would . II #'
"With the greatest pleasure in the world.
If YOU will allow me to assist you little in
the choice Of your books, think with the
virtues of perseverance, and | know you
have all the virtues, you would get through
a good deal in comparatively short space of
time; and when reflect how much it would
add to your happiness, as it does TO every
ones happiness, | confess I can not feel
easy till have SET you going"
This conversation had been carried on in
low voice, whilst the rest had been talk
ing over some family matters together.
The speakers at the head of the table
stopped, and the silence aroused the two.
J Catherine glanced at them suddenly; she
saw Lettice color little Mr.. st. Ledger
preserved the most provoking composure.
The evenings Mr.. st. Ledger devoted ex-
clusively to the good pleasure of the gem
eral. He read the newspapers, making
them the vehicle of most intelligent and
agreeable comments; he looked out the
places mentioned in the maps, and had
something perpetually to say that was in,
teresting of this or that. He answered
every question the general wanted solved.
in the cleverest manner; and, in short, he
50 won upon the old mans heart that he
became quite attached to him. The even
ipg's once so heavy and spent in sort of
irritable fretfulness, became quite delight
full to him; nor were they less delightful to
the others. AT last, things came to that
na,a that the wearisome back CANNON Was