Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-03-19

tor, "and quite calculated to unhing a
mind more mature and self governed than
this poor girls. But you will pardon me
for saying that it was culpably careless to
allow her to visit that room unprepared."
OF course we intend to prepare her."
said Miss Martha distractedlv; "but she
came long before the appointed time, and
Jane, who had charge of the house, be-
lieved Isabel to be upstairs all the time"
.'Can nothing more be donep" asked
Miss Mary.
No" he answered, "but with your
permission will remain here for the
present in case any change should take
place. My impression is that she is con-
scious at this moment. and NAV before
long recover speech and memory. and
need instant attention. II it would not be
too painful to you, ladies, perhaps you
would not mind explaining to me the
necessity of the existence of this horror.
which mnst always be a danger to any one
entering your house without prepara-
tion.''
A slight pause then Miss Mary said:
Sister Martha, tell DR.. Lloyd the story.
II he had been longer in the town he
would not have needed to inquire. The
chatter of servants makes the keeping Sc
cret of even part of the tale impossible.
and DIR. LLOYD NAV as well hear it told
truly by you as garbled by the town gos-
sipmongers
And Miss Mary obediently began the
story. suppose she had had to tell it
before, for her words seemed to come
very readily:
my sister Mary and were brought up
hx, Fat xx,;I hr 1tuod baro
and when we were thirty and thirty-three
years of age he married. to everyone's
great surprise. a young and pretty woman.
About year after his second marriage he
was thrown from his horse and brought
home dead. That night his twin daugh-
ters were born, and his wife died. In the
midst of our grief at this double loss (for
we had loved our fathers second wife)
the dear little babies comtorted US; we
called them Edith and Isabel. We gave
them all our thought, care. love, and de-
voted ourselves to bringing them up con-
scientiously. As they grew up they
seemed to fill the whole house with SUM-
shine, They were so sweet. so beautiful,
so graceful. so fond of US and so devoted
to each other. Perhaps Edith was thought
more beautiful, but then Isabel was so
intellectual and brilliant, When the girls
were about eighteen Isabel met at a ball
in the next county a young man named
William lockwood. who. after short
acquaintance. asked US for her hand. He
was of good family. and his people were
quite favorable to the match, for no one
could help loving our Isabel. She had had
some money left her by her godmother.
and as he was in receipt of a handsome
salary. their position would be one of
comfort. The engagement was quite sat
isfactory to everyone. and it was expected
they would shortly marry and settle down
near US. We were all, therefore. much
astonished when Mr.. Lockwood one day
announced that he was going to accept a
lucrative situation in India Isabel could
not endure the idea of living there. and
begged him to give il up, but he would
not One night we took the girls to a ball
at the E. Assembly Rooms. At about two
O'Clock Isabel came up to me. and said
she was tired and would like to go home.
asked if something else was not the
matter, for she looked more than tired
Continued tomorrow