The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-10
GerSrude's Stratagem.

4 My sister Patricia was an hcircss
y Strange enough for we had always been
q terribly poor down at Lowbridgc my wi
4 dowcd mother bringing up her four daught-
4 ers with the greatest difficulty; but, when
Il brought up, were worth looking at, be-
u licvc. Healthy habits and frugal living
4 are apt to make good conditions, and Bcss
4 and Amy and Patricia and | were as bright
and handsome girls rs arc often seen.
Ress and Amy were twins, with eyes as
blue rs the sea near which they were born,
1 rosy checks, and long, light brown curls; {;
Patricia was Il sparkling brunette; while
was Il perfect blonde, with crinlllcd hair
like molten gold. Great had been our
excitement when Aunt Betty wrote from
Fuirhavcn:
DEAR SIsrEE-lN-LAw: am going to do
myself the pleasure Of visiting you this
J summer. | hear that brother Abel left four
girls, and want to see them. | am get
ting Oh in years, and will make one of them
my hcircss.
Aunt Betty from Fairhavcn WAS worth
500, 600 if she was worth cent
Well, in due time she came. She put
up ut the hotel, for our cottage at Low
bridge wasn't big enough to hold her. with
tunatcly that was close by. and she spent
the larger half of the three days with us.
We all thought Bcss would he her choice,
tor father had named her Elizabeth for
Aunt Betty, though she had always been
"3css" with us. But 1t was neither of
the twins and ii was no, |. 1t was Pa
tricia
"Whcrc did that girl get her black harp
Aunt Betty asked, as soon as she saw her.
81 think she looks like my brother Luke,
don't you?" asked my mother, with n
wistfu look.
1.-THE very image of him." answered
Aunt Betty, turning pale.
OWNED then, as | learned aitcrward,
that Uncle Luke had been a lover of Aunt
Bctty's. when both were young, before
their marriage, and the fact seemed to have
Il power over her
She looked at Patricia until the girl
blushcd rosy red, and would have slipped
out of the room when she called to her, and
drawing her down upon her knees upon Il
footstool before her, she put up a withcrcd
hand each side Of the young cheeks, and
said warmly:
'My dear, you shall be my hciress ?"
SO it was Patricia she chose to leave her
. money to, but VIC were not out in the cold,
for she sent the twins, who were only lG,
to school for two years, and invited me,
with Patricia to the Hermitage.
1t was her 'homc-a stately old mansion
side, but luXuriously comfortable within,
without being in the least modern We
had each maid, and the free Use of the
horse and carriagc. After making this
provision for our comfort, Aunt Betty cX-
cuscd herself from making company of us,
and were as free as air to enjoy ourselves
as we chose, provided we did not interfere
with her nap. We chose TO make a great
many acquaintances guided cautiously by
Aunt Bctty's wisdom, and the result was
that returned to Lowbridge in the summer
engaged to Mr.. Clyde Shcrrington. lie
was wealthy, handsome, agreeable, well
connected. Everybody said, "Gertrudc
4 has done well for herself"
That autumn Aunt Betty died. Patricia
was to come in possession of her fortune in
q year, when she was 2l-full and undis-
puted posscssor of 500, 900.
1t was arranged that we were all to come
to her Hermitage to live. We did SO, and
lived there quietly as was becoming for
Il nearly year, when Patricia made the nc
qualntance Of Mr.. Gage Redmond.
She met him first at funcral-of all
places THE occasion caused by the death
of our nextdoor ncighbor, General De
Lacy, Gage Redmond being a neighbor of
his. Hc was well connected, but as poor
I as church mouse, people said $50, of
course, he was after Patricias fortune"
mamma declared. ,@ l,g,a
"Patricia is rich and beautiful. Pray
don't let her marry q fortune hunter, nam
ma, said |, looking up from letter / was
writing to Mr.. Shelringtoil.
81 would not IL could help it but
what authority have I, Gertrude" said
my mother. 't5Wsti
y "ln q few months Patricia will be in I'M
b divided possession Of her fortune. We are
only here by courtesy. The Hermitage IS
4 her home. ! have no right to control her
& whatever"
q "Fut your influence, mamma ?"
81 "Wiil have very little effect if she sets
n her heart on this Gage Redmond. Pray
a stop staring vacantly out of that window,
Gertrude, and attend t6.What say. Iwant
q assistance in this matter" 81 II.
~ PLEASE cxclle mo am thinking of my
d own affairs just now, mamma. They may
SS&be of no consequence to you, but my letter
is OF some Importance to mo. :, s if 5,5
did not mean to be saucy, only pcttisl;