The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-11-24

she looked so tired out, and sweet withal
that. forgetting my intended indifference, L
almost instinctively took her travelling
satcheI and offered to go with hertz her room
AS we entered the room together she
said, heartily: "0h, how kind you are /!
and | am so thankful you are here; | was
afraid there might be no young people in
the house"
Then | left her, and Immediately the tea
bell rang.
In few moments Miss Van Withren
came down, charming picture to my eyes;
she apologized for coming to dinner in trav-
cling dress, but explained that she felt too
tired to open her trunks at once. Her
| travelling dress, indeed | realized on the
instant how accustomed she must be to fine
clothes, for the dress in question was a
striped black and white silk, all pulled and
looped, and ribboned and buttoned, until,
to my eyes, it was perfect marvel of the
dress makers art.
1 Aunt Phoebe remarked that her family
dined at noon, whereupon Mrs. Herbert, in
what appeared tonne very i'll taste, descanted
at considerable length upon the improper
and unwholesome practice New York peo-
pie adopted, of eating their heartiest meal
at nightfal!; to all of which the young lady
assented, with well-bred acquiescence.
The next day was spent by our stately
visitor in unpacking She had explained
that the reason of her coming to x
without her parents, was because they were
unable to leave the city for two months
longer, and Uncle Eben offering his escort,
it was thought best to send her thus early,
where she could breath good country air.
Later in the season her parents hoped to
join her.
Well, it was not In the nature of things
for two young ladies of about the same age
to occupy adjoining rooms without being
familiar. Yet l had stood aloof, really ad-
miring this beautiful girl, but determined
she should never have cause to feel con-
tempt for me, for forcing myself upon her
notice in any way. But she was mighty
fascination 1t frequently happened she
would ask me some question which would
result in my straying into her room while
she was dressing for the afternoon. And
what pleasure and attraction it invariably
was to watch the completion of her toilet.
With shapely white fingers she would deftly
plant launty bow, or sweet tuft of flow
ers, in the midst of crimps over her smooth
brow, and it would seem as if they came there,
both bow and crimps without being placed
by hands so perfectly graceful, and unstud-
led would be the entire arrangement. Her
elegantly laundried muslin, or crisp silk,
fitted her faultless figure to a charm, and
even the ribbon or flower was so daintily nes
tied among the laces at her throat, as though
placed by fairy fingers, She became to be
beautiful study with rich attire, and fin
ished manners, although probably brought
up in ballroom" as Mrs. Herbert had
rather spitefully remarked. usedto pray
God to convert and save the lovely girl,
for, reared as I had been, [ feared there
must be much of sinfulness and danger
lurking beneath so much of tasteful display.
A few afternoons after her arrival, Mr..
Spencer, the talented young minister of
NJ, had called, and while | sat confus
edly wishing [ knew just what to say, Rosa
swept noiselessly into the room. Oh, the
ease and grace with which she received and
conversed with him [ can see now the
perfect attitude.she assumed, all unconscious
apparently of the faultless adjustment, as
seating herself sideways on the sofa, so as
to face him as he sat in his armchair, her
long trail laid in ample folds along the
floor.
To my surprise, some question which Mr..
Spencer asked revealed the fact Rosa taught
large class of boys in the Howard Mission
Sunday y-school.
"Why p | said afterwards, "do you
teach in the Sunday-sehool? ?"
Certainly" she replied; ''Icouldn't well
get along without my poor dear boys; ma
sometimes worries about my going so often
to their wretched homes, but it is one of
my chief pleasures to try to comfort them
now and then"
Aha here was new phase in this
dressy beauty's character That was more
than [ had ever done in my life. l had
prayed for the poor, but most people in our
village were comfortably off, so knew lit
tie about wretched homes of poverty, but
the New York poor of all others.
1t is true Rosa used frequently to ride
with fashionable acquaintance at the hotel,
and spent more or less time in gay company,
butsweeter or more agreeable manners | had
never seen, although remarks and innuen-
does, continually thrown out by Aunt Phoebe
and Mrs. Herbert, made me always some
what reserved in her presence, but often
she would seem lonely, and on one occasion
standing before me--exquisitely gotten up
as usual-she said, lovingly:
"You are SO bright and pretty, Maggie
dear; but l think-I imagine-you don't
just fancy me- could love you dearly, too :"
I longed to throw my arms around her
white neck, and bury my lips in her dimp-
led cheek; but l thought of the illusions so
constantly made as warnings, concerning
her sinful worldliness and sat still, silly
dolt that | was.
One evening, just as we had finished
supper, one of the neighbor's boys bursted
excitedly into the dining-room, with the
unpleasant intelligence that one of the Glen
boys chad been run over" and DIR, Gray
doubted if he could live the night.
The sGlen boys" belonged to a very poor
but respectable family, who lived about a
mile from Aunt Phebes, and although
every one expressed surprise and curiosity,
no one seemed to take very deeply to heart
the fact that "mother's boy" was suffer
ing great bodily pain, and in danger of
speedy death.
A few moments later, to my surprise, |
met Rosa in the hall, plainly dressed in
short cambric-of remarkable pretty pat
tern-and with her gypsy and gloves, [
saw she was equipped for walk.
"Why, it is almost dark" | said, "are
you going out alone"
II am going to poor Mrs. Glen's," she
replied, simply; "she must need help, or, at
least, sympathy, this long, painful night.
ooh, let me 60 too! do" pleaded, for
she hesitated to reply.
Certainly, if your aunt is willing, but [
may stay until morning.
Aunt Phebes face would indeed have
been "a picture for painter" when | told
her where [ wished to go, and with whom.
claw, yes" she said, when her surprise
enabled her to find utterance, "and for
mercy sake notice what she does, for all
-, ~ DIT T 1vo;tad 70 baor NO mora