The Penn's Grove record., 1882-01-14
Laburnums' Ghost.

Why do you not Invite your hum
BILE ervan to the L~aburnums, Fan ?'
ash ed pretty Raphaella Fairlie.
Because it is 80 lonely there,
Rae.u
For that reason, l shall come and
keep you company for a whole week,
just ss soon IS L q get away from
the city. / knew you and Phil were
moping."
A sudden gravity went over Fanny
Brudenel's gentle countenance, yet
her eyes frightened expectantly.
II should love to have you there,
of course" she said.
When the train time came, and
Fannie bad left Rae's pretty studio,
and the city, the little artist still sat,
daintily touching the photographs she
was coloring, and evidently closely
thinking of something else. She was
not sure that DR.. Philip Brudenel
would exactly approve of her going to
the Laburnums, but she meant to go,
for all that, for she loved him, and she
could plainly see that he had cares
and srplexities of which che knew
nothing. And though they had been
sngaged over a year, he made no pro-
posal of marrying soon, but looked
moody when the subject was mem
toned. Rae so enjoyed his company,
that she could live with him in the
black hole OF Calcutta, she declared to
herself, but probably Philip did not
think SO. Anyhow, she was going to
the Laburnums, his home, at Low
shore, because she felt that her love
gave her a right to .now what was
disturbing him.
Ten days later she locked her studio
door and took the train to Lowshore,
and 0 the depot carriage had set
her down at the door of a tiny cottage,
hid in laburnums.
Fannie kissed her affectionately.
What q delightful apparition you
are, Rae" she said, and led her into a
little sitting room.
Everything was very plain and very
tidy, Rae thought, accustomed to city
apartments and, when Fannie had
taken her hat and traveling-satchel,
and gone to spread a lunch for her,
Rae looked around and saw that the
carpet was threadbare, and the furni-
ture extremely old fashioned. Sud-
denly a door opened, and an old lady,
leaning on a cane, tottered into the
room. Her face, bordered by a snowy
cap, had a strange, puffy look, but yet
she showed signs of having been pretty
in youth.
"What are your" she asked Rae +;
"a fairy? Do you think you can bet
ter our fallen fortunes. No, no; that
can never be-
Rae's cheeks burned, under the
strangely significant words, but she
guessed, Immediately, that the old
lady's mind was wandering; then
Fannie entered the room.
"Come, mother, come and rest
now,n she said gently, and drew her
from the room. She came back, say
ing to Rae, MY mother is demented.
Do not be troubled by anything she
says
1t was evening when DR.. Philip
brought bis fine presence into the
home. His start of delight, on seeine
Rae, was succeeded by a rather sac
smile.
What pleasure did you expect t.
find here, dear child ?" he asked
holding her hand.
perhaps did not come altogether
for pleasure, Philip"
"For what then :"
"Proft.n
81 find very little of that here.n
Two days passed. Rae saw, plainly
what life was at the Laburnums-mo
~notonous, meagre; but ever sine
Philip first brought his sister to he
studio. Rae had loved Fannie, VIII,
was older than herself, and patientl,
becoming one of the sweetest of oil,
maids. So she enjoyed sisterly talk
with Fannie. Philip was absent mos
of the time. In q of these talks
Fannie said
"You ought to have come in tn