Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-21
MY ONE CLEAN OF ROMANCE.


being. Now and then the young ladies whom
meet In society think me unromantic and per-
maps uninteresting. The gay hues Of morning
which belongs to the afternoon of life For me
1t is quiet, cheerful happy afternoon; with the
music OF the voices that love, the fragrance of
bractng evening breezes will rise, and the eve
ming skies be flushed with immortal hopes.
Once had CLEAN of romance, which grew In
ueed, into steady radiance; and plain and pro-
Sale as am now-and 1T Is mainly the ordinary
episode OF womans life-I think 1t perhaps
more romantic than happens to most young
ladies OF the period, and hope that they, too,
may have CLEAN equally propitiouS.
We were the SIX daughters OF country vicar;
we lived four miles from the county town,
which was also the cathedral city. we were
pitiouS love affairs, which, however, came an
right before the end OF the third volume. our
Squire's son was very attentive 10 III, my eiu uI,
sister. and our Squire, though very civil 10 us;
was not supposed to like it, for ne aad trotted
on his son Tor long tour, and nobody knew
for how long it might pc ny seG nIl, slsIer
hopelessly engaged. He had only hundred
q year and was not TO think OF marrying until
he had at least another hundred / came
third The rest OF my younger sisters have
become engaged to the series OF subsequent
curates. My father could not afford to send us
TO school, but we grew up somehow, and like
education our good mother gave us was some
thing like Shakespeare, taste, and the musical
glasses" but our father added robuster fiber.
lie considered that boys and girls ought, to a
certain extent, to have the same education.
Like Shakespeare aforesaid, we had a little
Latin and less Greek. AS far as Greek goes l
never got beyond the irregular verbS-those
rocks which have Shipwrecked many a young
scholar-but in Latin l read several OF the
easier classics l did not compose any Latin
verses, because my father very properly said
that young ladies should not write verses, but
have verses written to them. l had done the
frst three books of :. Euclid" and in algebra
Ian1
Into them. do not mention these humble at
fainmentS boaStfuly, but because Ii will be soon
seen that they have something to do with my
little story
My father was able to give us a good home,
but then l knew 1t was not a home that would
last always. did not see that there was any
maldenS should always be living together or
course, 1t is necessary that one or two girls
should always be at home looking after the
father and mother but half dozen were really
more than sufficient. l made up my mind
thus: should like to go out as a governess My
father and mother did not at all like the notion.
The living was fairly good one, and the notion
had never entered their heads; but it had fully
taken possession of mine. was naturally fond
OF teaching, and had done even more than my
share In teaching the younger ones Moreover:
should like to see a bigger world than that
which our village made up, except that on Sat-
urday We wentto the neighboring city, where
we did some shopping and marketing, walked
about, and went TO hear the anthem In the cath
edral. One day saw an advertisement which
seemed to suit me precisely. A governess was
desired by country gentleman in the Mdands
bOytSh education came in excellently. These
lads were intended to go to Rugby, and it was
discovered, after some little correspondence and
comparing of notes, that 1 should be able to
educate them up to the point of entering Rugby;
even my father said so, and my father was a
man who was sternly Just and particular In
OF his children fly false colorS. Then this gen
tleman and lady wanted my photograph, and
was rather ashamed 10 send it, for / was only
poor small brown little creature Those who
loved me said that / had loving eyes, lust like
our dog POmpey, who, am sure, had eyes that
were simply magnificent, only eyes do not come
matter was ultimately arranged between my
father and these people. i suppose few young
ladies made so good start first off in the gov
erness world as l did at nineteen and ali be-
cause l was able to teach the boys Latin and
mathematics. / was to have fifty guineaS a
year, with laundreSS and travelling expenses, so
that really should not have to pay away any
thing out OF my salary. In fact, the Reverend
Jones' who was engaged to my sister Fanny
told me that was great deal better off than
he was. When he had paid all his expenses he
was hardly fifty shillings to the good. If it had
been guineas instead OF shillings he thought he
might be tempted to perpetrate matrimony on
the strength of it.
In order 10 get to my ''place." as we laugh
ingly called IL, down in the sh1res, 1t was neces-
Sary that l should go up from our cathedral
city to London, and tn, then 60 down into the
very long way from the railway. At this time
our railway system was still young, but even at
the present time, though there are four or five
railways in this neighborhood, none come with
In four or five miles of bennington. l was to
go down to Manningham Road Station, which
was 10 miles from the market town OF Manning
ham itself, and then the village of bennington
was five miles on the other side OF Manning
ham.
1t was late In September afternoon when
came to Manningham Road Station. The sta
ton itself was In a little village, but 1t ambi
tiously preferred taking its title from the mar
keu town, which was many miles of. The ar
raDgement was that should be met by one of
the Wilmslows in their trap, which should take
me and my belongings over to bennington.
Everything was taken out, but unfortunately
the WilmslowS' conveyance had not arrived
The porter knew them very well, and said that
they were sure to be there before very long. 1t
was long way TO come, and they might have
business at Manningham. SO after waiting a
rather long time left my luggage on the plat
form, " here the porter assured me 1t would be
quite safe, and took stroll about the Village
very little one, but presenting two remarkable
features. The church yard was very much tim
Dered, almost grOve-like In character, and with
an avenue OF fine branching elms. Moreover,
the church doors were unlocked, with every APP
pearance OF that being the normal state Of
things, and the church was gently filled with
dim sufIusion of religious light. 1 paced that
avenue, and sat quietly In that church. and my
eyelidS being heavy with little wholesome
crying. il is just possble-I admit this con-
f1dentlaily-that l may have slumbered for
lew III UlOSt large square
pew, which / gratefully recall to the present
day. AT last the thought occurred to me that
might in my turn be keeping the Wilmslows
waiting at the station, and so somewhat hur-
Ttedly retraced my steps,
when got once more upon the platform /
noticed with dislnay that my luggage had van
tshed.
"Well, porter" said, "what about my lug
gage? suppose you have put it in the CLOAK
room"
"Eh, miss, be that you? - said the porter
t.Whod have thought of seeing you here
But where's my luggage? " answered s.and
wonder how long shall have to wait"
1.-The luggage, mi5S-Why, Mr.. Wilmslow's
got it. He are not been out Of the station-yard
SIX minutes"
"Gone and without me- / exclaimed, per-
lectly thunder struck.
"Why, Miss. he came and asked after you.
said you had left your luggage here, but how
1t was my belief that you had walked on be-
cause he had KEEP you SO long waiting. Where
upon his man whisked up your luggage and
they started of after you"
/ was in absolute despair, and asked If he
could by a short cut get TO any point where he
could attract their attention by shouting or
waving handkerchief. AT our place at home
1t was possible to resort to move OF this kind;
but the railway porter only grinned, and ex-
planned that II was QUE impossible. Then
having caused me this Inconvenience and an
noyance the fellow touched his cap, and uncon-
Ecionably expected tip.
was In great quandary. What would it be
best TO do? Surely, Mr. WilmSlow would return