Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-08-31

a calm and SOFT exterior Somewhat OF
her fathers infexibility o. viii. she
soon outgrew her mothers weak con
troll, and regulated her life as she chose.
without much consideration for others
Bertha was her fathers favorite. ne
had wished TO educate his daughters
himself, but, as Lena's tastes Law In a
direction where he could not guide. he
was induced TO place her at school. In
his little Bertha, however, he found
first an intelligent and docile pupil. and
afterward, as his health became worse,
the most sffectionate and indefatigable
| of nurses.
Bertha felt her fathers death keenly.
1t was her first great sorrow. She had
never been much thought Of by her
mother and sister, excepting as one
necessary to their comfort, one whom
they could not do without-and Bertha
had never been in the habit of thinking
much Of herself-but she felt very des-
olate when they first moved to st.
Johns Wood, without the dear protec-
tor and companion who had made the
happiness Of her childhood. eaa
Mrs. Dalton's income ought to have
sufficed, but Mrs. Dalton could not do
with the one good old servant who had
accompanied them from Plymouth.
She found it absolutely necessary to
have q parlor-maid. Then it was es-
sential that Lena should be stylishly
and becomingly dressed, and, as Lena
could not go out by herself, she must
also be well dressed to accompany her.
She must subscribe to Nudes, because
she would be bored to death now that
they saw so little company, unless she
had all the new novels; and subscrip-
tiOn to the Botanical Gardens was also
advisable, where she and Lena could
walk at pleasure. All these items, and
many more, such as her two glasses Of
good sherry daily, and her cream for
coffee and tea, were nothing, she ar
gued; but altogether they amounted to
she found, notwithstanding their being
the first year of her widOwhood had eX-
ceeded her income.
There was nothing they could re-
trench in-absolutely nothing, she said
to Lena-and it was then bright idea
struck her. -
Bertha was a good musician; she
played brilliantly on the piano. sung
well, and as her father had never al
AO"O0 hOA w aO4ullC
ment in merely perfunctory manner,
she had also considerable knowledge Of
counterpoint. Bertha should teach
music-so Mrs. Dalton determined. She
might very well add a hundred year
to their income. Half of that would
pay Lena's' dressmaker's bill, and with
the remainder they could go to the sea-
side somewhere for a few weeks in the
If cn rIrrlaooonf 70
remain in London while every one was
away, and then have to say, 1--WE have
been nowhere"
Thus Mrs. Dalton reasoned, and forth
with she informed Bertha of her de-
cision. Bertha was little startled at
first; she was not quite sure that her
father would have approved of that
kind of life for her. But, always ready
to do her best, never shrinking from
what was placed before her as a duty,
she acquiesced. and Mrs. Dalton was
enabled. through lady who had large
school at the West End, to obtain for
her immediate employment. Other pu-
pills soon presented themselves; and Ber-
tha's time was soon SO fully occupied
that she had little leisure for her own
pursuits, and very little for relaxation.
After time she could not help sug-
gesting that Lena might as well take o
few of the lessons that were pressing
rather too heavily upon her; but this
proposal was met by such storm of
angry reproaches that she never again
attempted any expostulation, but pa
tiently accepted her lot as it had been
laid out for her.
LENA must marry well, and her bean
ty must not be endangered by exposure
to sun and rain" Mrs. Dalton declared:
''while, when her mothers pension
ceased, and her income from other
sources came to be divided. Bertha
would not find she had any too much.
and it was better she should accustom
herself to work for her own LIVELIHOOD
Bertha made no demur to the last
part of the argument, but still she
failed to see why the difference between
Lena and herself should be taken SO
completely for granted, or how some
employment of Lena's time would in
terfere with the great object upon
which her mother and sister had set
their hearts.
1t was this that Bertha felt the hard
est to bear. She could not contemplate
these matrimonial speculations without
a wound to that womanly pride and
sensitive delicacy to which the teach
ings of her excellent father had added
depth and strength. Like other young
girls, Bertha had her own vision Of a
future; but, If she thought of marriage,
it was as holy state. not to be entered
into excepting from the strongest and
truest love. She would sooner have
toiled on to the end of her days than
have made commodity of herself.
waiting for the highest bidder. Bertha
had learned to keep silence, however,
to avoid wrangling, only now and then
protesting gently, or playfully, when
she found that she could safely put in
word.
Sir Stephen Langley, while holding d
3 post at Plymouth, had become intimate
with Captain Dalton, whom he thor
oughly liked and esteemed. He was
godfather to Bertha, and always kept
! up a warm interest in the family. The
worthy knight was now an old man,
and had retired from public life to an
estate he had lately bought.
The Larches, though: handsome
modern house, standing in the midst Of
extensive grounds, needed many altera-
tions before it even approached Sir
Stephens idea Of, comfort, but he had
been principally led to the purchase by
its proximity to Alphington Park. The
late Countess and Lady Langley had
been dear friends, and It was through
Lord Alphington's often-expressed de-
sire that the Langley's became his
neighbors. M '7I
AS usual, the greatest attention had
been paid to Lena's wardrobe. "There
was no knowing whom they might
meet" said Mrs. Dalton. The proceeds
Of Bertha's lessons for the term Just ex-
pired were added to what she herself
could spare, and out Of this united sum