The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-08-20
RENA'S SITUATION.

heart. g; wish could be fine lady and
play croquet in soft muslin edged with
lace, and French kid bocts, and wear real
birds of paradise IN my hat like Miss
Clara And leaning her elbows on the
WIDE window seat she looked down
through the morning screen of Lamarque
rose leaves at the merry party on the
lawn below.
Little Rena Lewis life had all been
one upward aspiration. She had no idea
where she was DO II. She only knew that
they had found her in a basket on the
steps of the "Dorcas Founding Asylum y
with shawl wrapped around her, and Il
pair OF bright brown eyes staring up at
the skv. She had been ''bQund OUT at
ten years old, and her usual quiclness
and spirit CHANGING to attract the atten-
ton Of her mistress, had secured her a
good English education.
'Rena," said Mrs. Brown, when she
was seventeen, you are too bright and
Intelligent for 4 mere servant maid; you
have more brains than are needed for
securing pots and busting chairs. How
would you like 70 become teachcr?'
''Oh, Mrs. Brown" said she, 1T is
what I have al avs dreamed Off,
Mrs. A,en was here yesterday" SAID
her mistress; "she has nice living out
at Georgetown Heights, who wants q
governess for her little gils, Salary $25
4 month; duties light and agreeable. I
think, Rena, you could teach Two little
girls their reading and spelling, and Keep
t cir ribbons fresh and their pinafores
clean?"
sob, I know I could" cried the girl,
with reddening checks and lips all gar
landed with happy smiles. t'But-my
clothes; I've nothing but {. dyed merino
and two faded calico dresses.''
"I'll see to that, my dea1," said Mrs.
Brown, kindly. "You have worked faith
fully for me and you deserve a present.
I will give you al outfit; and will tell
Mrs. Allen, who has few foolish ideas
on the SUBJECT Of social position, that you
are the orphan child Of friend of mine.
It's a little bit of white lie, to be sure,
but I don't think the recording angel
will be very hard on me for it.
So Rena Lewis went to the handsome
Italian villa on Georgetown Heights, and
iancied herself in Eden. Mrs. Allen, the
younger, declared herself delighted with
the new governess. She's so pretty,' said
Mrs.Alen, "and has such soft, soaring
voice, and Loo and Olle are so fond Of
her. And she dresses Clara's hair so ex.
quisitely; better than any Partisan maid
could do"
For Miss Clara Allen, Mr.. James Aliens
cousin from the South, was there spend
ing the summer, and it vas Miss Claras
dresses, Miss Clara's jewelry, and Miss
Clara's general dash and glitter that had
awakened all these longing ideas in poor
Rena's heart. especially since Harold
Rcede had begun to come there so
much.
Harold Reede was the handsome young
rector of a nelghboring church-tall, dark
and distingue. lie had asked Rena Lewis
to take charge of class IN the Sunday
school; he had escorted her home one raj
ny Sunday night, as courteously as if she
had been one of the royal princesses; and
IN her secret heat Rena though hit him the
best, the noblest and the most beautiful
of human beings. Just as the big round
tears were trembling on her eyelashes, be-
hind the screen OF Lamarque roses, in the
still sunshine of the August afternoon,
Miss Aliens voice was heard echoing on
the stairs.
"Renal Rena Lewis! are you dead and
buried, Or what has become of you?"
Rena started up hurriedly, brushing
the dew from her eyelashes.
II am here, Miss Aleu-" said she.
"Can you play croquet? imperiously
called out the fair Clara.
"a little"
"Ihen come down at once" said Miss
Allen. "Alice Hartland. tiresome thing,
has gone home with headache, and we
want one more to finish the game. I
don't suppose you are much OF player
but you will be better than noth1ng ~"
Little Rena Lewis, far too much elated
by the prospect of croquet to pay much
heed to the ungrac1ousness of the invita-
tion, flew to put on her hat, and came
blushing and smiling down stairs like an
animated daisy. Rev. Harold Reede, as
It CHANGED, was her partner, and he
thought he had never seen so fair and
fresh creature as Rena, in garden hat,
with natures own roses on her cheeks.
and eyes that shone like stars beneath
their dark fringes
"Am aiming right?' she said, tim
dly, with upIifted mallet, one tiny foot
pressing the ball deep down into the
grass.
Mr.. Reede smiled.
"You could not have aimed more cor
rectly," said he; and Miss Allen. who
was watching them from the bac4 ground.
bit her lips and secretly regretted her
haste IN calling Miss Lewis to the rescue.
can arttul, flirting little puss," thought
she. But at this moment Mrs St. Jerome.
fine lady with a berouged countenance
and costume like unto the Fronch
plates in the magazines, called out trapi-
cally:
s'It's the very oner'
''Dear me, Mrs. ST.. Jerome" said
Clara, with a nervous start, "what car
you mean by frightening one out of ones
wits?'' .t'@
II have seen her at Mis-. Browns,
cried the fine lady. II knew her counte
nance was familiar to me- never We
was mistap en- in a face-scouring tn
front door steps and sweeping out tn,
hail. u.s. r....
"Who on earth do you mean?' CREE