Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-06-05
+ law awake that night for MANY

niembrance of words | had often heard
came to me with calm sense of re-
pose. trust and restfulnesS, and l be-
1ieve I fell asleep at last with smile
upon my lips, repeating portion of
that comforting sentence ending, care
We not much better than they!" -
1t was a bright, sunshiny morning
when L aWoke 10 hear some one knock
ing at my door, and hurrying on few
things, l answered.
All! L was just going to take en-
down again." said the landlady harsh-
". .'Somc folks can afford TO lay in
bed all day; L can't. Here's two let
ters for you, and mind this, Miss Lau-
. Tie; never bargained to como tramp
ing up to the top of the house, with
letters and messages for YOU"
"pm very much obliged, Mrs. Rud-
DOCK" | said gently, as took the let
tiers with trembling hands, while NUT
tering and complaining, their bearer
went down stairs. 1t seemed very
hard then, but | believe it was the
woman's habit, and that she was not
bad at heart, but warped and uttered
by poverty, hard work and ill-usagc
from drunken husband, whom she
entirely kept.
One letter [ saw at a glance was
from Minna, the other was in strange
grabbed hand, and [ longed to read
them: but exercising my self-denial,
I dressed, lit my fire, and prepared
my very frugal breakfast before sit
ting down and devouring Minna'S
news.
What right had I to murmur as |
did last night, L asked myself, when
she was evidently SO happy and con-
tented? And then | opened, with tlut-
tering hand, the other letter, and was
puzzled by it at first but at last re-
called the fact that three weeks be-
fore | had answered an advertisement
i'll the Times where lady wanted
companion.
The note was very brief and curt
and ran as follows:
eff Miss Laurie is not engaged she can call
upon Mrs. Langton Porter, 4, Morton street
Park Village 5Outh, at eleven O'Clock to-
morrow (Fhur5day.D
''At last!'' [ said to myself, joyfully
and with beating heart | prepared
myself for the journey, for the ap-
pointment was for that morning.
Just rs | had pretty well timed my
self for my walk Il sudden squlll
came on. the sky was darkened, snow
fell heavily, and in place Of a morning
i'll spring we seemed to have gone
back into winter, for the snow lay
thickly in a very short time, and the
branches of the trees in the squares
were Whitencd.
Weak as | was, this disheartened
me, but | fought my way brayely on,
and just at eleven rang timidly at The
door Of an important looking house,
and was superciliOusly shown by II
stout, tall foolmam i'll drab livery, into
a han somely furnished room. Every
thing in the place [ noticed was rich
and good; heavy curtains hung by
window and door. skins and Eastern
rugs lay on the polished wood floor,
and tremendous fire blaZed in a
great brass Fireplace, and the fl lmes
danced and were reelected from the
cncaustic tiles with which it was sur
rounded.
''I'll take your note in" said the
footman, as L handed it. GU can
sit down."
l preferred to stand, and as soon as [
was alone | shivered with cold and
fear as L caught a glance of my pale,
sallow face in the great mirror. Every
moment L expected to see the owner
OF the place, but | remained standing
YEARLY for an hour, and then | sighed
and turned wistfuIIy to look at the
door, wondering ii the footman had
taken i'll the note which l had given
him as my passport.
started, for close behind me, hav-
ing entered unheard, was a rather
plump tall lady in black. She was
dressed as if for going out, and we'll
wrapped in furs.
"Oh! you are waiting" she said
and a shade of dispIeasure
crossed her face as she looked full at
me till my eyes dropped. There,
Miss-MisS-'
"Laurie,' l suggested.
"1es, yes; L KNOW she said sharp
ly; it is i'll my note. Pray why in
the name of common sense did YOU
not sit down? Take that chair. Now,
then. have you been companion to
lady bcforc?''
No ma'am," l replied and then, in
answer to her questions, all very
sharply given, told her as much as
was necessary of my story.
Il don't think you Will suit me-"
she said, ''Pve had misery enough. and
L want some one cheerful and pleasant
Lady whom can trust, and who will
he pleasant companion. There, I'm
sure there is not such q BODY in Lon
don, for the way I've been imposed on
is dreadful! Eve had six in six
months, and the number of applica-
lions L have had nearly drove Inc out
ofmy senses. I've had one since YOU
wrote to mc-a creature whose sole
idea was herself. [ want one who
will make me her first consideration.
l don't mind what pay. but l want
some one tall and ladylike; and YOU
are not pretty, you know
/ shook my hetd sadly. s&eaSzss
sIIumph! Wcll.' she went on, "you
won't be so giddy and be always
Of getting married. There,
you need not blush like that; it's
what all the companions | have had
seem to think about. You don't |
81 am engaged to be married." |
said, hanging down my head, 'in q
couple of years"
clio! Well, he mustn't come here,
for Pm a very selfish, pragmatical old
woman; and if engage you-Which
| DONE think [ shall dol should
L.