The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-11-26

| Once safe in her room, poor little Minnie
fought and conquered her first battle with
| fate.
"I'll not becrushed by my first experience"
she decided, resolutely an hour or so after,
when her breast yet heaved with convulsive
signs and her eyes were all swollen from cry
ing 81 will not give it up and rush home to
mamma-my first impulse. | will endeavor
to construe people less literally and keep my
place"
But there came flush to her cheeks that
all her brave philosophzing could not con-
troll, at the memory OF Cleona Carriscourt's
cool insolence.
I'D not have spoken so to dog" Minnie
said, as she repressed the bitter tears that
sprang in wounded indignation to her blue
eyes.
After that there was no shadow of an OPP
portunity given by Minnie for Mrs. Carris-
court or Cleona to lay any blame to her
charge. She performed her duties as no gov
erness had ever performed them, and the
twins progressed to their mothers complete
satisfaction.
Minnie never was seen in the rooms of the
family, but lived entirely to herself, taking
her solitary little walks when the day duties
were ended, and disciplinng herself into an
uncOnsciously unselfish, brave, patient
woman. yks
Her letters home were bright and cheerful
until one day Mrs. Velsor was Mortified to
learn that her darling was dangerously i'll I;
that the fever had come suddenly upon her,
and that in fear and selfishness Mrs. Paul st.
Eustace Carriscourt had insisted that the raw
ing girl be taken from her house to the hos
pital.
ut will kill her to move her." DR.. Leth-
bridge had demonstrated Indignantly.
"What nonsense, mamma !" Cleona re-
torted, looking fiercely at the physician. ut
will not hurt her to be removed nearly as
much as it will for us to keep her here. She
is nothing but the children's governess; she
had better die, even, than to risk all our lives
any longer. You will please superntend her
removal to-day" she added, imperiously, to
DR.. Lethbridge.
He looked coldly, almost furiously, at Miss
Carriscourts face as he spoke. Then he
bowed and answered quietly
81 beg to agree with you. This poor suf-
fering child had better to die than to remain
among such inhuman people,"
And DR.. Lethbridge personally superinten-
ded Minnies transfer-not to the hospital,
but to his own house, where his lovely, white
haired mother and sister opened their hearts
to the girl, and nursed her back to health and
strength and-the sweetest happiness that
ever came to a girls heart, for Hugh Leth
bridge asked her to be his wife.
And the memory of those brief days was
hidden away beneath the glad sunshine of her
beautiful new life, and Minnie in her new
home was proud and honored, and beloved
as queen.
The years passed-as years have trick of
passing-bringing their burdens of Joy and
sorrow, and to Hugh Lethbrdge and his wife
they were only landmarks ofcOntent to mark
their flight.
Three dear children had come to them, and
matron Minnie was even farer and sweeter
than the maiden had been, for she had been
benefited by the stern discipline of earlier
days.
And as the years went by Doctor Leth-
bridge grew famous and rch until there
were no comforts or luxuries he was obliged
to refuse to his wife or family-and one of
those coveted luxures was resident govern
ess at the home Of the children.
81 remember my own governess days so
well DEAR" Minnie said one day to her hus-
band, when they were discussing the feasibi,
ity of securing one. II feel as if never could
be kind enough to any one in such position
in my house. And yet all the happiness of
my life resulted from my position in Mrs,
Carriscourt's family"
And she looked the great unutterable love |
she had for him, and DR.. Lethbridge kissed |
her lovely upturned face tenderly.
"Then will take this widow lady, whom |
Allison recommended, shall |, Minnie? He |
says she is of good family, and in very re-
duced circumstances. Her husband was |
miserable drunken fellow, and she has to sup
port both herself and her invalid mother. 1t
would be charity, suppose; but of course
we must also look to our interests"
But the decision was to employ the widow |
lady Allison so confidently recommended,
and day or so afterward an interview was
arranged.
1t was just at the dusk of winters after
noon that the servant announced to Dr. Leth- |
bridge and his wife that lady wished to see |
them in the parlor-the lady whom Mr.. ALI |
son has sent-and Minnie and her husband |
went down to meet her-tall, pale, bearing |
the unmistakable traces of misery and sorrow
on her face-Cleona Carriscourt.
Minnie gave little exclamation of aston
ishment.
'"Is it possible? Miss Carriscourt-"
She interrupted quietly
Mrs Fletcher-Mrs. Geotfrey Fletcher
And you are little Minnie Velsor. had no
idca-I had no ideal had forgotten DR..
name-of course, cannot have
the position. 1t would hardly be natural
that you should wish to befriend me-"
Mrs. Fletcher turned toward the door, her
face pale and piteous, her voice bitter and
wailing.
Doctor Lethbridge looked sternly after her;
but Minnie shot him an appealing glance be-
fore she stepped toward the departing woni-
an
"Wait-just moment, please / was so
surprised, Mrs. Fletcher. Pray sit down, you
are in trouble, and if we can be of any SER
vice. know the,tloctor will be glad to assist
you"
Mrs. Fletcher's lips quivercd a second, as
she turned her pitiful eyes on Minnie's sweet,
II am in need of work, but do not expect
it of you You can only despise me and hold
me in hatred and contempt for what did to
you. But that or something else has come
home to me-"
~ do not hate or despise you, Mrs. Fetch
er. God has been too good to me for that
Stay! Doctor Lethbridge will indorse my
forgiveness, am sure, and we will make you
as happy as we can. We will forget oil that
was unpleasant and start anew. Do stay and
teach my little girls, Mrs. Fletcher"
And Cleona sat down, overcome with pas
sionate tears, while the doctor, with an in
dulgent smile, and nod of the head to Min
ME left the two women alone, under the
strange circumstances into which the sarcasm
of fate had led them.
"A man in Kentucky, all alive and well,
recently saw statement ofhis own death in
a newspaper. Heidi not so much resent the
general statement as the inaccuracy of the
details; so he wrote to the editor;-" Sir,-I
notice few errors in the obituary of myself
which appeared in your paper on Wednesday