Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-06-27
The Head of Apollo.

mere ulIectly.
The soft French name had queer
sound, coming from Mrs. Monson's thin
lips and acid voice. Felicie came slow
ly up the stairs to where Mrs. Monson
stood talking volubly with her lodger,
Mr.. Thornton.
"Felicie, walk little faster" said
Mrs. Monson, sharply. "Here is Mr..
Thornton, that has missed his finest
cameo. You were in his room dusting,
yesterday
at was the head of Apollo, said Mr..
Thornton. 81 bought it in Naples
Could you have swept it behind the
furniture ?'
At the first mention of the cameo,
Felicie put her hand in her pocket. she
turned deathly pale, and half cry es-
capped her.
"Have you got it 2" cried Mrs. Mon
son, shrilly. eff you have. out of these
doors you shall pack. Trouble enough
l have had with you already-and all
your relations"
She seized her by the shoulders, and
attempted to put her hand into her
pocket. Felicle resisted desperately.
| She was as white as a ghost
"Come. come, Mrs Monson The
cameo is not worth all that" said Mr..
Thornton.
1t was really worth enough to have
made Felicie open her innocent eyes wild
er than they had ever opened before.
Mr.. Thornton had often noticed Fe-
licie. He believed her to be honest, and
saw that she was terrified at Mrs. Mon
sons violence.
"But l mean to get to the bottom of
it," said Mrs. Monson.
Thornton caught her by the wrist and
forced her to unloose .Felicie. He gave
her look before which the shrewish-
LESS vanished like smoke.
"You had better 60 down stairs"
said he quietly. II will settle this with
Felicie."
Mrs. Monson walked submissively
down stairs. and left Thornton and the
frightened girl alone.
Now" said Thornton, kindly, but
with determination in his voice, "tell
me how all this happened
81 know you won't believe me-" she
said, bursting into tears; ''but did not
steal it."
81 believe you," said Thornton. "Go
on"
81 was dusting in your room. | put
my handkerchief on the mantlepiece.
When | took it up | did not notice that
| took anything with it. When | got
down stairs felt it in my pocket.
was hurrying to put it back when
found you and Mrs. Monson here"
She was very pretty when she cried
She had delicate beauty very different
from Mrs. Monson's buxom daughters.
He wondered how two types so differ
ent could be produced in the same fam
lily.
"Are you Mrs. Monson's neice 2" ht
asked.
"No." she answered, with a ring oi
! Indignation. "My mother was Mr.
Monson's sister. and lady. My father
was French"
Sand how came you here ?"
"My father and mother died, and
had nowhere else to CO.
) She began to cry again.
l Thornton had never felt so sorry fo
any human being in his life.
f "And have you never been educat
; ed?" he inquired, after pause.
"a little. l can read and write, an,
), / can speak French. My father was
French teacher, and he used to say t
? me. when was little thing, .Felicie
0 you must study hard some of these day
!, and you must learn to play and sing
: but cannot play, and have not th
: heart to sing"
= Thornton looked at her in silence fo
+ some time.
81 never benefited others much, bu
: this is chance | will not let slip. FL
e licie, how would you like to 60 to schoc
o and then learn some business that woul
: make you lndependent-such as flower
= making ?"
"Or dress-making." responded til
}" practical Felicie.
z Every well.' said Thornton, 81 kno
IS of a respectable place where you ca
live. Let me see-you are about Fl
"a teen.'
- NEARLY eighteen" said Felicie.
% Thornton stared.
20 She was, then, quite woman. an
k, an uncommonly pretty one. too, he sal
I'd to himself.
he -,
n "You are sure you will not repent
oe But perhaps am wrong in taking yc
away from your natural guardians
Q. this manner"
+ ''You may take me away or not, sa
II Felicie. coolly. "But if some one do
,g not take me away | shall take myse
is