The Democratic advocate., 1881-08-13
Selert gtOrg.
AUNT SUSAN.

You re to 20 down to the railway sta
ton, sir, at once; there has been an acci-
dcnt upon the line
On my arrival, however, found the
train standing whole and sound by The
platform, while little knot Of railway
officials aud some few passengers were col
lected round the motionless figure Of a
girl Of some fifteen orsixteea years Of age,
who laY on enc Of the benches in the dusty
waitiug-room. An elderly woman, appar-
entity respectable servant, stood BY her
side sobbing helplessly, while the officials
we're discussing the accident and its causes
aud dispuiing as TO where lay the blame
&" Twas altogether her owu fault, said
the guard, what business had she to be
getting Gu, Of the train till j. stopped p
The door onghs to have been locked,
Tom, said the stalion.master.
$50 twas, sir, but she had a key Of her
own. never see such young lady,
Didu she offer jim half crown awhile
ago 10 let her travel on the engine She Il
get no compensation anyhow
Compensation It's lined she ought
to be.
"Husb, said the ins speaker, heres 5
the doctor.
And the Ii,,le crowd, dividing, made
way for me TO pass.
Ms patient was tai, oysEsrown girl,
with fFecklcd face and quantity of dark
red hair hanging in thick plaits over her
shoulders, the mischieyoas east Of eouute-
nance, With its turnea,up nose and vide
mouth, forming pajufsl contrast to the
death ike pallor which, nov ovorsprcad
t. 4 short examination showed me thai
the case vas not serious, 4 disloCaied
shoulder and broken collaEbone making up
the sum Of the girls Injuries. / turaed
to the servant who had suspended her sobs
and vas watching me eagerly.
is there 20 Que with her but you |
asked.
"No one, sir. I'm sure did my best
to take care Of her, bat Miss Violet is one
that viii never Be gainsaid BY anyone.
VIII she die, sir, do you think
Il ihisk not. As far Is | can judge
as present, her injuries arc bat tFiaiug
She must be taken to ny house At once.
can deal with her better there than aay-
where else.
As soon as had reduced The dislesa-
tiou aud seen my pasieui comfortably set
tied 10 bed, ! went in search Of the maid
who had nov recovered sufficient cqasni
nifty 10 BE- OF some use. Telling her that
she might 70 up and sii with her yOuHg
mistress, asked To whom | was to seai
news OF the yonag lady ) accident.
II think you had better write to Miss
Violels aunt, sir, she said after a mo
men.s consideration Ny master IS III
at present, and a shock would be bad for
him
VERY we'll, said, asilI you kindly
tell me the lady name aud address p
Miss FeIrars, Templcarden Roe.ory
C4Fliughan-
Il suppose, 1 said as pcneiled the
words in my note book, ''shat Mass Violet 5
name is FeTrars, also,
YES, sir, Her father IS the Bec,oF Of
Caaingham, be is great invalid, aud his
sister, Miss Ferrars, manages everything.
He has been worse than usual this time
back, aud Miss Ferrars has been so busy
attending to him that she had no time 10
spare for Miss i0let, 50 she sent her on vi-
sit 10 another aunt she has, sister Of her
mothers, living near London, little think
ing what would be the end oft I'm sure
| never thought when | saw her putting
that railway key 10 her pocket, but that
she was taking il back TO her cousin, Mr.
Tom, for twas he that forgot it after him
last time be was at the Reetory hope
you'll say when you write, sir, that the
accident was altogether Miss Yiolet's own
fault.
Il shall, at any rate, say that it was
not yours" | answered. II suppose that
will be sufficient
/ wrote to Miss Ferrars by the evening
post, making my letter as short and sim
Die as | could. Fortunately there was in
so doing no need to suppress or soften
the truth, as Miss Violet's injuries were
really only such as would be completely
cured by time and care. | said to Miss
Fesrars that if any of the young lady 5
friends wished to come TO her, my sister
and would do our utmost TO make them
welcome; but should they not fud it con-
veuient to do so, they might rely upon
our taking every care Of the patient.
Next day Miss Violet was much better,
and able to give warm thanks, somewhat
brusquely expressed, to Mary and me for
our hospitality. My first idea as to the
expression of her face proved correct; |
never before or since, saw so much mis-
chievous fun concentrated in single
countenance Aud this bright expression
was the one thing which redeemed her
from absolute plainness, since she had not
a good feature in her face, her gay eyes
even being small ard fringed with sandy
lashes. She made no secret of her vexa-
tion at the accident, while fully admitting
that it had been caused by her own care
lessness.
at is such a shame she said; II was
looking forward to pleasant time at Aunt
Margaret's 1t is a jolly house to stay at,
and am very seldom allowed to 90 there
Papa and Aunt Susan have some preiu.
dice against my cousins. My cousins are
the prettiest aud incest girls ever saw
As Shaw says, it would be well for me to
be like them"
[ went on to tell Violet of the letter
had written to her aunt, and the invitation
contained therein.
"She will not come" said Violet, de.
cidedly. "My father could not possibly