The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-08-19
A SARCASM OF FATE.

A very elegant looking letter lay in
little Minnie Velsor's hands, a letter
that bore delicious perfume of violets
"a letter addressed in a fine, flowing
hand and the envelope of which was
stamped with an intricate monogram,
that unless Minnie had known she could
never have deciphered as Mrs. Paul St.
Eustace Carriscourt's initials.
The girls small, pretty hands grew
Just trife cold and trembling as she
took up the letter to open it because so
much, oh, so much, depended upon
what was in the letter, because it meant
either a new, Independent life, in which
she would not only earn her own liv-
ing, but very materially assist in taking
care of the dear boys of five and sven,
or it doomed her to the old tiresome
routine, out of which Minnie felt at
times she must fly.
Mrs. Velsor looked up from a stock
ing she was darning, and said nothing,
seeing the nervous glow in Minnie's
eyes. Then, with little, halfdesperate
laugh, the girl tore open the thick satin
envelope.
ITS almost like an ice cold plunge
bath, but here goes, mammal"
She hurriedly read the short, friendly
note, and by the quick tears that
gathered in her eyes, and the smiles
that parted from her lips, and the flush
that bloomed like red roses on her
cheeks, it was quite plain that the news
was good news.
Then she dashed the letterfo the
floor and rushed over to her mother,
and kissed her, laughing and crying at
the same time.
"Oh, mamma! Mrs. Carriscourt has
given me the position, and she wants
me to come immediately-to-morrow
Just think! Five hundred dollars a
year, and she assures me l must make
myself perfectly at home in her house;
and she says | am to have room TO
myself, and to eat with Pauline and
Pauletta, in the nursery. Oh, mamma,
it will be just glorious! Aren't you
glad, delightedP"
Her blue eyes were dancing, and her
cheeks glowing like rose leaf.
Mrs. Velsor's sweet, sad voice was in
such odd contrast to her child's eager
animated tone.
Glow can be delighted to have you
go away from me, dearP Besides, / am
30 afraid you will not realize your
vivid anticipations. The outside world,
which seems to you so rose-colored and
golden, will not be what you think"
"Oh, mamma, what a Jobs COM
forter you would be! But how can l
help being happy-perfectly happy, ex-
cept being away from you-in New
York, in magnificent house, among
people of wealth and distinction, and
with their two sweet children my only
carep Mamma, / will ride with them,
and l am to make myself perfectly at
home. the letter says, and you remem-
Der what charming lady we thought
Mrs. Carriscourt was when she was
visiting Doctor Mansfield last SUNNI or.
Mrs. Velsor sighed softly. 1t seemed
so cruel to pour the chill water of dis.
appointment on Minnie's bright hopes
"Well, dear, perhaps am growins
cynical as Igrow older. Certainly you
deserve fair fate, and now, to descend
to matters of earth earthly, suppose you
see if the beans are boiling dry"
The third day thereafter-a day fra
grant with the smell of frost in the air
"A day when the leaves sailed slowly,
stately down throug the tender, gold
en- atmosphere and the hush of mild
October was over all the earth and sky,
Minnie Velsor went away from the
little cottage where she was born and
had lived, into the world waiting TO re-
ceive her--all her girlish hopes on glad
dest wing, all her rosiest dreams burst
ing in iondest realization.
1t was a splendid place, Mrs. Paul
st. Eustaco Carriscourt's palatial resi-
dence on Fifth avenue-a house that
seemed to Minnie's fancy like n trans
lated bit of fairy story, with its pro-
fusion of flowers and lace drapCries its
luxuries and elegance, OF which she had
never dreamed, and of whose uses she
was equally ignorant,