The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-25
THE DAILY STAR
THE RYER'S SACRitiCE.

she felt that she would not quite like to
live the We RS over again.
Her childhood had been as bright and
sweet as love and wealth could make it,
until the good father had died so utterly
ruined financially that nothing was left
for his widow and only child except a
small, but pretty and pleasant residence,
and an exceedingly meagre income de-
rived from certain property not for
feitable by his many creditors
Since the death of that loving, indul-
gent, but NEST incompetent plrent, the
girl had known almost every vicissltude
OF trouble and privation possible to the
experience of the young, the sensitive
and the refined.
Fortunately The elegant, finely edu-
Gated and rarely accomplished Mrs. Riv-
ers was competent to instruct her child
in scholarship as we'll as in subtle lore of
etieaette affected oy the social circles
from which she had been ostracized by
her pecuniary misfortunes. And the
daughter being dutiful and tractible, as
we'll as sensible, had profited by this
gentle but thorough home tuition.
At twenty Vassarite might almost
have envied Tessie Rivers for her cru
dition; and many pampered favorte OF
wealth and afistocratic pretensons
might have coveted her unaffected grace
and dignity of demeanor more perhaps
than her rich, vivid and heathful lowell
ness.
But she was not at all satisfied with
the station to which fate had assigned
her. She was sick to the soul of this
perpetual struggle between hidden want
and ostensible modest comfort. She
longed for life, not of utter Incidence
and clogging luxury, but ofsperlect free
dom from prosy cares-a life filled with
sweeter possibilities and BROADER pur-
poses, and that might bring few seasons
Of rest.
II should not quite care to live my
twenty years over again." she averred
mentally, as divesting herself of her be-
coming black cloth cloak and prettily
pfhmed black velvet hat, she entered the
cheerful room where her mother was
rather eagerly awaiting her coming.
Are you tired, dear" questioned
Mrs. Rivers, tenderly, as she poured the
tea she had made ready an hour before.
o "Not at all, mamma" answered Tessie,
taking her seat at the cozy table, "When
ones task is interesting, one does not be-
come fatigued easily; if had nothing
less pleasant to do than to arrange Lu-
ellie Carrington's flowers and tlounces, |
should be happy, l think"
"Ah, Tessie," smiled the mother, "the
most humble labor would never be dis
tasteful to you so long as you might find
an element of the aesthetic in it."
"And if | might always serve lady
rs c.nsiderate and gracious as Miss Car
rington," she added. "She never patro.
nizes me; she treats me as she might a
trusted friend. And yet am in rebel
ious mood tonight am, indeed, man.
ma. Why should she be given 50 much
and so little? The lace that drapes the
rose silk dress she wears-the single dia-
mond on her white hand-,he pearls that
gIeam on her bosom-if mine to trans
mute into money, would lift the mortgage
from this dear old home and this heavy
burden from our hearts"
Mrs. Rivers 81 ghed asTshe slipped her
tea silently, choosing neither to contem-
plate or discuss an impending trouble
unless that it mi ght be averted.
II do not care to think nor speak of a
misfortune that can not be prevented,
my DEAR" she observed, after sorrowful
pause. "To grieve in prospective is but
folly. Heaven has proportioned our
strength to our trials, and to rebel
arainst the inevitable is unwise; beside,
Tcssic, / am sure that Monreith Caring
ton is much too kind and generous to
distress us about that mortgage"
"But should prefer not to appeal to
Mr.. Carrington's generosity, mamma,
and if you love me you will not do So -
returned the girl, quickly, as she blushed
before the tender, inquiring eyes turned
toward her.
"You fancy he would think you in
delicate to request favor since he has
honored you with preference that you
may not rcciprocate," suggested Mrs
Rivers; "but you wrong him, Tessle. He
is too astute, as well as too magnani
nous, to misjudge you. ] wish, my love
you could give him some little hope. Az
his wife you might be very happy, Tes
sin."
"And ! might be very miserable" pro
tested Tessie; "kidIy as his family treat
me now they might behave very differ
emily toward me as the wife of the only
son and brother of whom they are sc
proud and expect 50 much. They might
regard me as an interloper, as an ambit
io1s creature caring less for my husband
than for the pleasant life he could give
me. And as am rather fond of appro
baton might not find the situation
agreeable. Beside, mamma--"
The young lady paused growing slight
" pale; and vague expression OF .yearn
Ing and pain Swallowed her bonny brown
eyes.
Besides what?" urged her mothe
gently.
"Neyer mind what, mamma dear,
was the grave answer; "but l have hat
dreams Of very different and much NOR,
passionate and enthusiastic affection
+L,n 7 .,op ever fnel for Monreith-