The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-09-27


and was so broken down by his trouble
that his life was in danger.
His death was very bitter blow to
Alice, who loved him in her strong,
quiet way, and although she took the
tenderest care of her pretty, frail
mother, she never felt that sense of
sympathy and fellowship she had
known for her father.
For two years the mother and daugh-
ter lived quietly and comfortably, sup
ported by the generous aid of Mr.. Hol-
den, Mary's husband, and then Mrs
Disbro died. and Alice found herself at
twenty with no claim upon any one but
her sister
OF course her brother-in-law offered
her his home, but Alice knew she would
not be happy to occupy a dependent
position even where she would be in no
sense a burden.
She had, however, an aunt living in a
country village, and securing the posi-
ton of teacher in the district school, she
became member of Aunt Margaret S
family and it is here our story finds
her.
The letter to the proprietor of the
l. House was sent and an answer
duly received, stating that they were in
need of more help in the dining room
and would engage her services for the
time she had named.
SO Alice set about her preparations.
She would only need two new cambrics,
but even if they we're to be worn
by a table girl, there was no reason
why they should not be made pretty,
and pretty they were.
The first day of July found her en-
route for the AdirondacKs. 1t was a
day when everybody seemed to be
going somewhere, and having made
herself comfortable, Alice gave herself
up to the study of her railway compan-
ions instead of the new novel in her
lap.
Now it happened that q gentleman
occupied the seat directly behind, and
it happened also that this gentleman
was the particular friend of Ned Hol-
den. Mr.. Herbert Illesley, of whom
Alice had often heard but never seen.
But Mr.. ulesley had seen her, that is
not in the flesh, bat in particularly
good cabinet photograph which
adorned the mantel Of his friend s
library. He had paused to look at it
on his last visit to the Holdens, when
Tom and Lawrence, "the bows" vol
unteered the information that that was
Aunt Alice, and an awfuIiy jolly aunt
she was, too.
"N ny, you know" said Tom, eager
ly, ''she amt afraid to let fellow
have little fun. She used to play
ball with us down at Newport, and one
night she got us out of an awful scrape.
Mamma wouldn' let us 90 out rowing
alone, but we couldn't help it, you
know Another boy had the boat, and
it tipped, and we got an awful soaking,
and Aunt Alice found us when we
were afraid to go into the house, and
smuggled us up to her room, and sent
us up dry clothes, and she went down
and talked to papa so as to give us q
chance 20 90 down the back stairs and
come in the front door" During this
rather long sentence, Herbert Illeslev
had studied the bright face with its
honest eyes, rather decided looking
mouth, and the hair worn in loose rings
IullC low Oll JilC lOl 6ltdtl, anu ll6 ndu
mentally decided that she looked Jaw
fully" nice.
Indeed, so we'll had he studied the
picture that when Alice entered the
car he knew her instantly.
But Alice herself was ignorant that
she was being observed by any one who
knew her even in such q remote way,
and having grown tired of her observa-
tions OF her fellow passengers, she gave
her attention to her book, leaving Mr..
lllesley only opportunity to admire the
classic coil of light brown hair at the
back of her head. There was little in
Miss Disbros appearance to indicate
she was going out TO service. She had
that air of quiet elegance which many
handsomely dressed women lack, and,
in her well-titting travelling dress with
dainty cuffs and gloves, she appeared
much better dressed than she really
was.
Now in order to have furnished ma
terial for truly orthodox story, there
should have been a railway accident of
Il very distressing nature at this june
ture, giving Mr.. Illesley an Opportuni-
" Vi IcSCulHD our ucIOlue from most
perilous situation, that they might
have become acquainted in an approved
style. Instead of this, however, the
train went rushing on in 81 most COM
monplace manner and only one little
incident occurred.
At one of the stations. Mr.. Tleslev
went for a stroll on the platform dur
ing the ten minutes pause. Then
Alice, glancing ut the seat behind her,
saw, strapped with an umbrella and
canes, a fishing rod cncased in cover
upon which was embroidered in very
pretty letters, II. lllesley, Tarrytown,
N. Y. Could this be the Herbert
Illeslcy of whom she had heard so
much about at Mary's? "a very nice
follow only little bit to fastidious,
Mary had said.
Now, it happened (?) that on return
ing to the car, Mr.. lllesley entered at
the opposite door to that at which he
had left it and so, for an instant the
eyes of these two people met, and Alice
had time to notice that her brother-in-
laws friend was remarkably fine
looking man.
After this trivial incident nothing
occurred, for at C Mr.. Illesley left
the train to meet a friend who was
OF s., Al A.