Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-31

E1n u - IT IL. an t8fUoEA he
diIies Doo6e4 the waiting notes Of .
sweet cont1alte What = wpg1d Of tender
pnhos in ths tones IS they APPEALED:
eRlseas ! hird 70 the ne.sssin.
Re vko IRE veay Il in
And she sang on, with . low sob in the
voice, - though her heart echoed every
note Of tie music. Her face was very
pale and her eyes rested on Raphael's
Madonna.
The children we're very fond Of Mary
Carter, and they were kneeling and lean
ing near her, perfectly claimed BY the
sweet, sad strain. when noiselessly the
heavy curtain parted, and Mrs. Vale
walked in with her brother. John Har-
dinge.
"Mary, he e is my brother. Mr.. Har-
dinRe of whom you have heard me speak
so often. and this. John, is my friend, Miss
Carter"
The poor child's thoughts were wander
| ing to Thursday evening. when she had
rested upon these very words. with such
crushing results therefore her bow was
very cold, and her voice trembledas few
moments after, she rose. and excusing her
self, retired from the music room.
The arrow was quivering still and the
poison was absorbing the hearts vitality
it, trust in human nature.
A shade OF disappointment clouded John
Hardinge's face, a. the last fold OF her
trailing black dress disappeared from the
heavy curtain, and then he told Mrs. Vale
what had happened. She was kind. gen.
tie lady, and her heart sOrrowed for the
desolafe youn0 Orphan
Mr.. Hardinge often strolled in at the
s.children's hour" and the little ones were
really as lovely as the celebrated group
known a. Longfellows' children.
| Always in the music room he found
Mary; for never since the night Of the
ball, had she appeared in the parlor. So
ciety had only stamped the impress. which
her own heart had warned her Of. and she
felt that as goverDess. she was unrecog-
pizable. And 80 the buOyant, hanghty
spirit forced itself into the shackles, ana
the Young heart fed upon its life for food
But John Hardinge was no longer z
Young man therefore he was not easily
damned, nor was he a neophyte to be dis
Outraged by girls GOODNESS. The heart
that had been unimpressed by the suns OF
forty summers at last felt the trembling OF
termination. and the realization came with
untold strength and power; so the strong
man yearned to fold within his protecting
care the delicate blossom sOtossed by lfe's
storm.
Proud and shrinking. she seldom allowed
herself to be talked to; but music was her
passion and she quite forgot her life and
position, when Mr.. Hardinge's pleasant
visits came to brighten her winter days.
He was a cultivated. courtly gentleman.
whose wealth made him sought after in
the great marriage market; and mammas
were especially suave. and daughters very
docile, when Mr.. Hardinge vouchsafed at
tention. But men OF society seldom love
in society they weary Of note and routine,
and tire of reproduction from the one I'M
VARYING, and UNMARRIED type, pretty ex-
pensive doll! Therefore they are more Of
ten attracted by the species smi geneTts,
afforded without q grand whirl; and SO
the marriages of such men are disappoint-
ing and startling to the expbctant battal-
lions
Madge was the youngest and fairest OF
the Vale household; winsome little fail
nv of six summers; but fever flushed her
soft cheeks. and her blue eyes were bright
with that dangerous light. which makes
the heart OF the mother throb hard within
her bosom, for she feels instinctively that
the reaper is near.
Eight days and nights Mary Carter
tended the child, for the faint voice always
sounded her name, and the little arms
ever sought her breast to nestle on.
But the fiat had gone forth, and Mrs.
Vale saw the little one pass from her
saw the soft violet eyes close on Mary s
bosom, heard the baby voice plead for
Mary's HYMN. and while the low music
sounded, Mrs. Vale tainted by her dead
child.
Then the beautiful strength ofthe young
girl developed. and her tender words OF
comfort called back the mothers faith. A
woman's religion is never more lovely
than when the clouds and shadows dar-
ken; then she clings closer to the cross,
her ..rock of ages" and her words OF
trust and comfort seem almost inspira-
ton. And Mr.. Hardinge watched the
slight figure as it softly glided to and fro
on its errands Of love in the house of sor-
row.
The little one had been laid to rest be-
meath the willows at Trinity Cemetery
and the household seemed under spell
the weight of this FIRST great grief. Mrs.
Vale was in her darkened chamber. the
children in the nursery, and Mary sat in
the low bay window Of the library. Her
face was very pale, for long watching had
exhausted her MIR. Vale had told her in
the morning. of his intention of sailing fol-
Europe next month. and had placed a
check for very handsome amount in her
hands.
| This Mary at once returned. There was
flush of her old pride warming her
cheek when she wrote the simple lines en-
closing the check to Mr.. Vale:
IL should be false to my name did / re
ceive pay for any service it has only beer
my pleasure to render. The salary agreed
upon is only one fourth of the sum re-
turned This shall be glad to receive
MARY CARTER"
And now she was thinking Of her fu
ture she felt that she must find another
home. though no one could shrink mors
| from Intercourse with strangers. There
were many Mrs. Edelberts in the grea
world, and governess was only con
sidered as person to control and in
struct unmanageable children; not ;