Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-08-31
MISS HAGGERTY.


The two stood face to face in the
splendid drawing-roOm OF n palatial
mansion-one, the patrician mistress
of this home Of luxury and splendor
. leader of society, the very creme de
la creme of the richest upper crust
Mrs. Augustus Lord; the other, the
governess whom she was Just in the act
of engaging for her two young daugh-
ters--a lady more ristocratic IN bear
ing, more attractive in person than her
self, and not one whit behind her in
the quiet highbred elegance of her
manners.
Her references were of character
to satisfy the most fastidious, while her
accomplishments, which Mrs. Lord
tested for herself, were assured be-
yond that lady's criticism. Such mu-
sic as thrilled the chords of the grand
piano under the touch Of her small
white hands was rarely heard, even in
that center OF fashion and culture;
while as to French-Mrs. Lord, who
had lived in Paris and who hattered
herself that her own rendering of that
language was beyond reproach, now
found herself out Parisisned by this
would be-governess whose smoothly
flowing accents were the purest of the
pure. Therefore, Mrs Lord had moth.
ing further to do but to engage her val
liable services forthwith, and thank
kind fortune for having sent her such
a rare exponent Cf grace and perfect
breeding.
Reclining upon sofa at the further
end of the long drawing-room, and
smiling with amused interest over the
pages of his novel, was an almost I'M
noticed spectator to this interview, to
whom the singular gifts and graces of
the governess appealed with power
rs strong rs it WAS new.
This was Fred Mar5urg, Mrs. Lords
handsome, insufficient brother, so cool
and unimpressibe that she had long
despaired of ever getting him settled in
life rs respectable Benedict And lit
tie wonder that she held that opinion,
in view Of his past career Of indllier-
ence to the fair sex? But the story had
not been told her of his ast summers
romance among the Ne y Hampshire
hills, where lovely image had been so
strongly outlined upon his careless
heat that it WAS even now dividing his
attention with one of the most char.a.
ingly impossible heroines of "Ouida' s
pages"
Yet, even with this double entertain
ment for the diversion of his mind, the
wondrous power OF. the strangers music
had sent an unwonted thrill through
his cool pulse, aud impelled him to cast
more than one furtlve, scrutinizing
glance at the interesting woman who
had called it forth.
There she stood-MiSs Haggerty-a
slender creature of medium height,
her dead-white complexion imparting
strange intensity to the expressive dark
eyes, with their level, delicate brows
and to the mobile lips whose low-toned
Partisan accents came to his ear with
an underthrill Of passion in keeping
with her music and her face.
Yet, more than all else, he was i'm.
pressed with the singular ease and ell
cgance Of her manner, which had sc
perfectly
that repose
Which stamps the caste of We're de Nera."
That calm serenity which Flora
Blake, with all her innocent lOvehness
and all her swee. girl-woman ways, had
not. And if Fred. Marburg had any
special weakness for certain attributes
beyond womanly purity of character, il
was that one held in common with his
day.sister, for high birth and aristocrat.
ic ''repose" of bearing. These had fan
greater value in the eyes of both thar
mere vulgar fortune, and they would
more readily have welcomed to THEN
exclusive circle lady in Miss Hagger.
tvs position than the purely monied
scion of a "shoddy" millionaire
Therefore, in this patrlcian family
Miss Haggerty was in no danger Of
sights or insults because other inferior
station. On the contrary, she was the
instructress of Mrs. Lords children
and treated more As Il delightful guest
than rs a hired dependent.
As to the "dehghtfulne.> Of her so
clety, there could be no question.
Who but Miss Hasgerty could evoke
such soul stirring harmony from those
responsive keys? Who. so veil rs she
could grasp the most subtle shought OF
poet or philosopher, ard give il to it,
finest Interpretation through the me-
dunn of such low and thrilling mod.
uated voice? Who else could possibly
be SO useful to Mrs Lord when giving
entertainments to her "dear five hun.
dred friend" as this accomplished gov.