The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-10-29
mNn. Mr.. EYering.'

considered sentence JudJ uOeS all inc hdIu
in this world-it is the idle word
"Such charming day as we have had,
Mrs. Traine. said Blanche, as she came
in, smiling and radiant, as if the worm,
remorss was not gnawing at her heart.
"Yes, said the blooming matron, who
was reading in an easy chair under the
shadow Of the vines. "But what sent Mr..
Evering away in such a hurry?'
''Sent him away p
"Yes-by the evening train. be came
home, packed his things and drove away
as If there was not a moment to lose. L
am very sorry We shall miss him so much. y
Blanche went slowly up stairs and sat
down by the window, looking out at the
purple glow of the evening landscape as if
it were featureless blank. So he was
really gone away aud by her own folly
she had lost the priceless treasure of Gil
bert Everings love.
and cannot even write to him, for
do not know his address, she thought,
with clasped hands aud fearless eyes
"Wen, it is my own fault, and l must
abide the consequences as best l may.
So Blanche Penroy went home from the
gay, fashionable place a sadder aud wiser
woman. and the November mists droop
ing DER the brick and mortar wilderness of
her city home had never seemed half so
dreary to her as they did now.
Il suppose | shall be an old maid,
thought Blanche, walking up and down in
the hre-lit darkness Of her room, her dim-
Piled hands claspcd behind her waist. II
never cared for any one as / cared for
for Gilbert; and dare say | shall keep
eat and grow fond Of green tea. All, we'll
a.day life cannot last forever.
\ drcaTy comfort that for girl of nine
teen summers.
She rang the bell wi,h an impatient,
jerk.
"Are there any letters, SandeTson
"0ns ma'an it came BY the evening
post, about Eve minutes ago.
Light 1he gas, iheu, and give il to
me.
Blanche sat dowa By the Ere aud open
cd the letter, suppTessing yawn.
Black edged and blaek-scsled 50
poor Mrs. Marchmous IS gone Al last
II vas from the executors Of Miss Pen-
ruys distaas cousin, formally aud briefly
saooaaeiag her death, which had taken
place 10 one Of the West India Islands
some moalhs since but Of which The
melancholy news, as the letter ran, had
only Just been received Ii vas not Gu
tirely unexpected, IS Mrs. MaEchmoas had
bsca slowly fsdiBg 0as Of the world, a vic
tim to hereditary consumption.
Leaving cue child, son, slowly re-
peaicd Blanche, leaning her check 90 her
hand aud looking down into the hery
quivcr Of the whitening coals. Poor lie
tie fellow be must feel nearly as desolste
as do Oaly have one advantage. /
have At least a snfheieuey Uf this worlds
goods aud this orphan child must be
throWn penniless aud alone on his oSn
resources, for, Il remember Alright, Mrs
MAsehmout forfeited al the wealth Of her
frss marriage by her second alliance with
the poverty -striekea lawyer whose death
plunged her into such bitter mourning,
That was genuine love match, yet nov
sleaying one child sou e Why shoald
I not adopt the stray waif, aud make is
the business Of my life 10 cherish and c0m-
fort him | hase 40 object in existence;
here IS one that Providence itself seems 70
point cut to me
0nce more she raag the bell, With fresh
color glowing in her cheeks aad a new
light 10 her eyes.
"Bring IN NY writing desk immediate
ly, SaudrFsou, and get ready TO take \
letter TO the post for me as soon as posi-
be"
The old servant obeyed, wondering at
his mistress uawonted energy. and yet
well pleased 20 see some Of her old anima-
ton returning.
"She do lock more ike herself to night,
do Miss Blanehc, than she has for q long
time, be said TO the housekeeper as be
came down stairs after obeyiug the sum
mons. II only wish Miss Blanche would
take fancy 10 some nice, properly be
hayed young man il don't seem right that
she should live all BY herself in this big
house, 50 forlorn like"
The hOasekeePer nodded sagaeiously to
old Dir. Sanderson's proposition. She
iuily agreed with him.
"Only Miss Blanche was too willfoi
ever to listen to word Of advice"
1t was a very simple letter that Blanche
Psnroy wrote to her star away" cousins
executors, dictated by the fullncss Of her
heart
Il shall never marry nov" she wrote,
''and it seems to become my plainly indi-
Gated duty to undertake the care of this
orphan child of Mrs. Marehmout. With
your approval, therefore, | propose to
adopt him, and endeayor, so far as in my
power, to supply the place of his lost
mother. You may at first deem me rather
too young to undertake so grave and Sc
rious a responsibility; but | was nineteen
last month, aud l am very, very much |
older in thought and feeling than in years
OF course at my death the child will in !
herit the property which was left to me by |
my deceased parents"
81 hope my cousins executors are like |
the nice, white-headed old lawyers one |
reads about, said Blanche to herself, as
she folded the little sheet of paper, "and |
not cross old Judges, talking of "expedien-
ey" and appropriateness" for | do so
much want somebody to love and care for;
and I've sort of promonition that little
fellow will be nice, rosy and loveable. 1
think I'll teach him to call me 'Aunty."
Exactly a week subsequently, prim,
legal note was received from Messrs. Alias
and Corpus, the deceased lady s executors,
stating that "they saw no valid objection
to Miss Penroy's very laudable projects,
and that in accordance thereto the child
of the late Mr.. Marchmont would arrive
at Miss PenrOy's residence an the follow
ing Saturday"
Saturday, and this is Friday" ejacu-
lated Blanche, with the new brightness
dancing in her hazel eyes. "Oh, how
glad l shall bel Sanderson, tell Mrs.
Brown to have the blue room fitted up
Immediately for Master Marchmont, and |
you had better so yourself to the station
with the carriage at FIVE tomorrow after |
noon to meet him"
"Yes, maam, said Sanderson, stolidly. |
The apparition of great unruly boy |
tramping with muddy boots on the velvet
Al AL