The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-14
SHARP PRACTICE.

but D. 50 glad to be home"
The next moment pair of soft young
arms were clinging about Mrs. Bertram's
neck, and loving kisses were showered
upon her forehead, cheeks and lips.
"Don't, Phillippa; you will smother
mep
But the mothers face frightened with
mingled pride and pleasure, as she held
the girl a little way from her and sur
veyed her deliberately.
"You are the image of your father
since your hair has come in in that boy
ish way, Poor Philip" and Mrs. Ber-
tram sighed. Her child had never re-
ceived fathers carcss. He had died
suddenly of pneumonia a short time be-
fore her birth. Ambitious for her child S
future, she had already formed her plans
to make it brilliant one; but as yet the
one most interested was in ignorance of
them.
"But, mamma, why didn't you come
to my graduation exercises asked Phil
lippa.
Il will tell you the reason, Phillippa-
| could not afford to take the journey
You are old enough now to understand
and help me. We are not rs well off as
would appear from our style of living;
and in fact are almost at the end of the
means your poor father left. | would
not cloud your school days with this
knowledge, for | wanted You to move
among y.ur mates untrammeled by
money worries but all my pinching and
saving to make an elegant presentablc
girl in society is richly repaid by your
improvement" continued Mrs. Bertram I;
"and it you manage your cards rightly,
all will be we'll You must make good
match, my darling, and with you, beauty,
it will be an easy thing. A distant
cousin of yours on your fathers side
who is to inherit a rich old unclc's
money, is coming here tonight by that
uncle's request. The old gentleman
would be well pleased to have the two
branches of the family nited by mar
riage. So you see, unless you are obsti-
nate in the matter, your future is Sc
cure"
"So | am to be put up like Circassian
slave-girl for Il strangers inspection. Eli
not do it! will die first"
"You use rather strong terms with re-
gard to your cousins visit said Mrs.
Bertram, coldly.
Evening came. Philippa was called to
the drawinc-room and found two gentiC-
men awaiting her entrance, instead OF
the one of whom her mother had spoken.
"hIr. Conant, this is your cousin Phil
| ippA." said Mrs b ,rtrAm.
Mr.. C0uant bowed, turning, said:
MY freud Like, Miss B.rtram. He,
also, IS a stranger, 50 | took the liberty
of bringing him up with me-
hlr Conant was undcniably y handsome,
with a grave dignity of bearing which
would have won at least pie SAINT greet
ing from her had it not been for her
mothers too well remembered word.
ii $ companion was tall and manly look
ing, but was much younger. lie had Il
pleasant face, lightcu by pair OF merry
brown eyes, Mluch cvidcn y thus far
had seen only the bright side Of life. He
found his way to the piano as naturally
and unatltcedly as a bee to its fayorte
flower. After a time PniIippa's girllsn
treb.c joined in, rcmarkall only Ior its
sweetness and purity OF tone; and the
evening, which promised 50 poorly
passed away .H though on wings.
Visit followed visit, the friends always
coming together. PAillppa wa polite to
her cousin, but her bright speeches and
most win,omo smiles were only bestowed
on hi, friend.
One evening Mrs Bertram wasaway TO
fulfill an engagement. As PIiiippa
knew that both the gentlemen h ID heUd
he intended abs nee ref rryd to, it WAS a
great surprise to her, as she had comfort
ably cnscon5ced herself with a f;Vorit'
book beside the vivid rays Of an ArgaHd
burner in The cozy sittlng-foom, i";p
which company rarely entered, 10 nave
Mr.. Like ushcred in.
You must excuse me, Miss BGrtram,
but the temptation to see how you look
wncn taken by surprise proved irrcsi-ti-
bic, and would not send i'll my numc, but
| insis ted 10 be taken at once to YOU
Pnilippn received his apologies rather
conatraincd,y. Sac WIS not accustomed
to entertaining gentleman in h..
mothers alsrnce, and it was ON y doubty
embarrassing that her visitor had com,
alone.
"Yru are not glad to see me, Miss
Hertran. ! you wish it ] will go aw y
Ii you only knew, though, how ] hay,
counted the mon nts To give me thl:
chance to see you alone, you W. uld pi J
my disappointment at my :, ception. Car
it be that you have been b ind to nny
love for YOU all this timer seel ] hay,
been a sil y moth huttcring around !
light which held no warn for mtr'
&c u, be Friends Mr.. Lake, and for
get the words which have passed bctwecI
us"
"If you would promise to try and leHrl
to love me, no matter if it took years Il
win you, ] would wait patiently"
Phi ippa blush d and said:
owe are not rich people, and my futur
is not my own. Mamma has spent he
all on my education, ard | must worl
and take care of her"
"Think of this tiny hand working
What could dor Then, with deaI
tender tone, Which went straight t
Philippa's heart, "Giye me y sons righ
to care for your mother"
"Mnmma would never consent" mul
INJURED the girl, confuNdy. But tn
soft blush and the swiftIy-dropped eye
told the happy lover different story.
Much to Phllippa's surprise, Mrs. Bel
trans consent was easily won; but it wa
explained after the wedding, when Hal
ry appended his name to the marriag
certificate as Harry Lake Conant.