The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-01-16

great, beautiful parlors below, where she
made charming sweet, ,quaiut little picture
as she sat nestled in huge silken chair, the
color of the roses on her cheeks, and at
which Miss Cleona Carriscourt looked in
astonished, imperious disdain, and Mr..
Geofirey Fletcher in undisguised admiration
as the two entered the room at the farthest |
entrance.
BY Jove, what a lovely girl Who is
she, Miss Carriscourt ?? he asked in tone
of unusal interest.
Cleona's black eyes looked unutterable |
anger from Minnie to Mrs. Carrscourt.
What on earth is she doing here mamma,
is she crazy"
Her sharp, cutting tone was distinctly |
heard, as she intended it should be, by Min. |
ME, who flushed painfully as she rose, ven-
turing just one glance at the naughty beau
ty's face, and Mr.. Fletchers eager, admir-
ing eyes, whose bodness startled her.
am sorry to have made such mistake.
l thought Mrs. Carriscourt meant l was to
sit here little while. Please excuse me / |
will not come again
| Her voice was sweet, and just little
nervous and she instantly crossed the room,
| followed by Cleona's cold, cutting words,
every one of which brought a sharp thrill of
modification and pain to her.
BE careful you make no more such mis-
takes, girl. Your place is among the hired
help, not in the parlors Be good enough to
remember that
And even Geoflrey Fletcher's callous heart
gave thrill of sympathy at sight of the
scarlet pain on the sweet, young face.
Once safe in her room, poor little Minnie
fought and conque red her first battle with
fate.
'Tll not be crushed by my first expert
ence,' she decided, resolutely, an hour or so
after, when her breast yet heaved with con
vulsive sghs, and her eyes were all swollen
from crying. Il 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 philosophizing could not con-
troll, at the memory of Cleona Carriscourt's
cool insolence.
I'D not have spoken so to a 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 op-
portunity given by Minnie for Mrs. Carris
court or Cleons to lay any blame to her
charge.
She performed her duties as no governess
had eyer performed them, and the twins
progressed to their mothers complete salts
faction.
Minnie never was seen in the rooms of the
family, but lived entirely to herself, taking
her solitary little walks when the days
duties were ended, and disciplining herself
; into an unconsciously unselfsh, brave, pa
tient woman.
Her letters home were bright and cheer
tul-until one day Mrs. Velsor was Mortified
to learn that her darling wss dangerously
ill., that the fever had come suddenly upon
her and that in fear and sefshness, Mrs.
Paul st. Eustace Carrscourt had insisted
> that the raving girl be taken from her house
to the hospital.
1T will kill her to move her. DR.. Leth-
bridge had demonstrated Indignantly.
u What nonsense, mamma ? Cleona retort'
ed, looking fiercely at the physician. III
II will not hurt her to be moved nearly al
much as it will for US to keep her here. She
d is nothing but the children's governess, she
r, had better die, even, than to risk all ou
lives any longer You will please superin
n tend her removal to day she added, i'm
'e perously, to DR.. Lethbridge.
:! He looked coldly, almost furiously, a
s. Miss Carriscourt's face as he spoke. Ther
1t he bowed, and answered quietly:
% Il beg to agree with you. This poor, suf
l. ferng child had better dine than remair
q, among such inhuman people,
t And DR.. Lethbridge personally superin
tended Minnie's transfer-not to the hospi
er tai, but to his own house, where his lovely
white-haired mother and his sister opene,
h their hearts to the girl, and nursed her bacl
ID to health and strength, and-the sweetes
happiness that ever came to a girls heart
70 for Hugh Letbbridge asked her TO be hi
20 wife,
j. And the memory of those brief days wa
to hidden away beneath the glad sunshine c
be her beautiful new life, and Minnie in he
new home was proud and honored, and bs
ou loved as queen.
p. The years passed-as years have trick {
ay passing-brtnging their burdens of joy an
mt sorrow, and to Hugh Lethbridge and h
&C. wife there were only landmarks of conter
ny to mark their fight.
IN Three dear children had come to then
lie, and matron Minnie was even fairer an
a sweeter than the maiden had been, for 81
art had been benefited by the stern discipline
as earlier days.
And as the years went by Doctor Let
so bridge grew famous and rich, until the
nt- were no comforts or luxures he was oblig,
to refuse to his wife or family-and one
nj those coveted luxuries was a.resident COVE
1ed ness at the home of the children.
ers Il remember my own governess days
ans well, DEAR, Minnie said one day to her hu
band, when they were discussing the fea
ant bility of securing one. Il feel as if | nev
lay could be kind enough to any one in such
wn position in my house. And yet all the ha
md piness of my life resulted from my positi
the in Mrs. Carriscourt's family
way And she looked the great unutterable 10
orn she had for him, and DR.. Lethbridge kiss
re. her lovely upturned face tenderly
lest Then | will take this widow lady, witt
nd. Allison recommended, shall ], MinnieY
says she is of good family, and in every
st. duced circumstances. Her husband wa
on miserable, drunken fellow, and she supp
lin both herself and her valid mother. 1t wol
| ha ohar ity I but af