The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-07-22

cab. And out Of this cab stepped an elderly
lady, with lean, dark face, mutlled in rich
but rather rusty black lace. She paid thC
cabman, and fingered for a moment at The
gate looking to the right and the left. Then
she advanced up the straight centre walk She
was nobody whom Josephine had eyer seen
beiore-a sour, commonplace looking person
who eyed her with great curiosity.
"Thls Is NJ iss knightley's house 2" she asked
abruptly, when she was within speaking dis
lance.
~ es madam, IL is" answered Josephine.
The lady came nearer, and looked al hcl
shrcwdly.
"And you are Miss March ?" she said, land
your portrait is in the-Galcry Have they
been good TO you-these people herey"
Josephine flushed holly. They have been
my lruest, klndest friends" she SAID warmly
But for them"
There, there, child" interrupted the
stranger, don't 20 into Mysteries. | want t.
see them. Take me 10 them"
Josephine Obeyed. She led the stranger to
the prim little drawing room, and babe maid
send the Misses Knightley to her Immediately
Then she returned to the arbor. Her heart
was beating fast with uneasy fears. No, no
1t could not he, she was foolish to imagine it,
THIS was somebody from the country town
probably begging on behalf Of some insti
tuition.
Presently there was a light step on the gravel
walk beside her. 1t was only Miss Elizabeth
but her face was pale and her eyes fearful,
JOsephlne's heart stood still.
Child" said the old lady, tenderly, 1T is
comfort to think you will not suffer in leav,
ing US as we shall suffer in losing you. We
often felt that you must long for your own PEG.
ala ipk nrn
That is not-not my mother| gasped 10,
sephine.
NO" said Miss Elizabeth, your mother
died when you were born, sweet one; and that
poor outcast of the gypsies' camp stole you
from the woman with whom you were placed.
1t was that pretty portrait which did it all, -
cried the lady, bursting into tears. Your re.
latlons saw it, and thought nobody but her
own lost daughter could be so like your dead
mother. And 30 they found out who you
were and all your story. This lady Is your
aunt-your fathers sister"
"And my tathery" gasped Josephine again.
as a learned and distinguished old gentle
man with whom she lives in profound retire.
ment, about hundred miles from here" re.
turned Miss Elizabeth, with heroic truthful,
ness. "Come into the house, child, and see
your mothers immature, and hear all your
aunt has TO say"
How different 1t was from Josephise s
dream Yet her courage somewhat revived at
the thorgt of the learned old gentleman, and
his scholarly seclusion. Only her new aunt
her real aunt" damped 1t again. She was so
ugly and business-llke. She did not want to
lay any surrepl,ious claim to Josephine's af.
fectiOns. She did not want TO carry her OFT.
A lawyer would wait on the Misses Knlghtley
nd infn M m ffpr hafn
they would be expected to resign their charge.
Then she would return for her. Her name
was Payne-M lss Selma Payne-and her niece
had been chrIstencd after her. $50 you're
Selma Payne, too" she said looking at jose
phlne March land expect you will be very
thankful to have name that really belongs to
YOU"
Josephine had just one more week in the
old Corner House. and sad and trying week
it was.
AS for the Misses Knightley, they wept
much in secret and though they said little
about NJ ISIS Selma Payne, they often wondered
over Mr.. Payne, and remarked to each other
that brothers and sisters were frequently very
unlike, rs II that offered the most hopeful
view OF that unknown savant.
Then Josephine left them. Miss Selma cut
their farewells very short, YOU'RE not part
ing forever" she said; come very near here
every halfyear about some money business,
and sometimes I'll bring her with me and
leave her tor half an hour.' And before the
Misses Knightley could protest against such
curtaiied visits the cab hau driven away.
Their railway journey brought them to a
dismal little black village called Carlow. 1t
stood up anyhow round great factory, which
was pouring forth fierce light from hundred
square windows.
That's the works, Selma" SAID her aunt
"the chemical works for which your father ex
periments and Analyses"
"Oh, how ugly!" cried the glrl-whlch was
ungrac.ous.
1T brings US bread, Selma" said her aunt
land your father will expect you to take an
interest in his work and to help him, | Can
tell you" she added though he'll claim at
tentlon from you for his hobbies and his pets
and such useless trash"
And so you're Selma" cried thin
cracked voice, in the hall of the low, dark
house into which they were ushered. "Ah
you've got Maggle's eyes. Poor Maggie
There, there don'tsmOther me! We shall have
plenty of time to get to know each other"
And as that lite began, so it went on all
through that awful winter. The old lady and
gentleman received no visitors; they had
dropped most Of the amenities of life and they
were waited on by faithful servants after
their own heart. Mr.. Payne's duties lay
among dangerous gases and acids, his recrea
ton consisted of the study and domestication
OF living snakes and nevis and frogs, and the
dissection of dead specimens-delights which
he cordially invited his daughter to share. Az
for Miss Selma, she always gave grunt
when letters came from the Misses Knightley
and when Josephine drew out hints that SHE
would like them to receive some substantial
yet graceful recognition of their goodness tc
her, Miss Selma CURLY replied that she had nc
doubt that they had paid themselves IN one
way and another.
| And this was the fultillment of the dream
for which Josephine had often turned away
from the sweet realities of her old life at tht
Corner House! There was nothing shameful
IN it; on the contrary, 1t had creditan honor
for the poor girl saw from newspaper ant
certificate how her father stood In the esti