The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-03
CHAPTER XII.
THE LONDON CHURCH.

IL lNNlbltt uuu ODCC OditOo hCt NVohtiy y
home living sepulchre, the London
house in which she now found herself
deserved that title much more. 1t was
in narrow street of tall, dark old
houses like itself, with no thoroughfare,
50 that nobody ever came down it who
had not some business at the houses them
selves. Even then these houses, though
they were close to busy part of the city,
were kdeserted by the people, for whom
their fine, broad stair-cases had been
built, their large rooms floored with oak,
their panelings and balusters carved
handsomely. But no wonder, for they
were terribly dark and dismal. Letitia
could not help fee ing this, though the
woman to whom the house seemed to
belong--a wild, untidy, warm-hearted
Mrs. OBrien--had received the run
aways as if they were prince and prin-
cerr, had almost gone down on her knees
to adore Letitia, and had raved about
her beauty till Letitia was obliged to beg
her to stop. At last, leaving Mrs.
OBrien to Kitty, she found herself stand
ing with Crosby in one of the windows
of the drawing-room, which smelt rather
musty in spite of its large fire, and the
magni6cence of all its yellow brocade
and carving and mirrors.
80 Gerald. what strange housew
said Letitia; "and who is that funny
womanW
"She is countrywoman of mine, the
best and faithfulest of creatures" said
Crosby. "She was in our service, and
then married Lord Killarney's butler;
and they took this house with all its old
furniture, as you see, and let lodgings. l
trust you won't dislike hcrw
80, no; not if she is friend of yours" "
said Letitia.
1t struck her directly that by ques-
ton to Mrs. O'Brien she could probably
hear the whole truth as to Crosby's pa
rentage; but this was temptation easily
conquered.
81 shall not ask her who you are," she
siad, smiling at him.
GAS to that, my darling, please your
SELF" answered Crosby.
Letitia shook her head, and the sub
ject was not again alluded to between
them.
Kitty was not so delicate-minded. She
asked Mrs. O'Brien a whole string of
questions, and apparently had satisfac-
tory answers, for her spirits rose, while
those of Letitia tagged little. They
remained quietly in their lodgings for a
week or more. Crosby, who was staying
somewhere else, came to see them every
day, and had often to spend most of his
time in consolng Letitia, who was seized
with fits of home-sickness and self-re-
proach.
"At any rate, my dearest angel" Cros-
by demonstrated, "your father brought
it all on himself. If he had not treated
you with such tyranny, you would have
been at home at this moment, and we
should have waited patiently for better
times. But we had no alternative"
"Ah, yes, l know. But am so sorry
about Florinda. She is such a dear
creature, and loves me sincerely. My
happiness was everything to her, and
papa made her completely miserable.
What must she be feeling nowF ~,
"We will make it all up to her, one Of
these days" said Crosby. "Her home
shall be with us; will that please you,
my, Letitia?"
eyes, indeed; you are very good"
Somehow the clouds soon passed away,
and the future shone out very brightly
again. The mystery of it was only like
soft golden haze, which made it more
attractive and delightful. No matter
whose son Crosby mi ght turn out to be,
he must always be himself, and he was
perfection. At last came morning,
when through thick yellow fog, lighted
by link-boys along the streets, a small
party of people went from Mrs. O'Brien's
house to the very dismalest of city
churches, with pews and galleries, stuAy
moth-eaten curtains and hangings, few
dim candles lighted about the east end
fat old clerk with spectacles and a bad
cough, vague, dreamy elergym with
pale face and mass of gray hair.
What a strange wedding for the heiress
Of Sir George Monkton! Perhaps such
things had often happenedin that church
before, for both parson and clerk seemed
to take it as a matter of course; and
there was no awakening Of interest OF
curiosity in either pair Of eyes, at the
sight of this elegant young gentleman
and lady in travelling dress, with their
two incongruous witnesses, Kitty Pratt
and Mrs. VBrien. The clerk gave away
the bride as if it was part Of his days
work, and he had given away hundreds
before. The solemn words Of the service
gabbled as they were, had great effect
on Letitia; when it was over, she was
crying SO much that she could hardly
see to write her name in the register, and
neither saw nor thought of the name
that was written above. Kitty did
however, and smiled as she scratched her
own.
Gerald Crosby led his wife down the
damp old passage between the pews, and
out at the side door of the church into a
street where post-chaise was waiting.
de and Letitia were inside it, and the
horses were moving, before she realized
what had happened.
30, gOod-by-yOod-by, Kitty!p she