The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-06-28
The HALF.CASTE.
AN OLD G0VERNESS'S TALE.
FOUNDED ON FACT.
BY MISS UNLOCK.
Continued from last ,oeeh.
BY MISS UNLOCK.


the silent but not less apparent con
tempt of her cousins, but at night il
INV own room after all the house hat
retired. l made this hour as little lik,
lessons as possible, by letting her 81
and work with me, or brush my mar
instructing her orally the while: A.
much as her reserve permitted, iuret
her into conversation on every indluer
emit subject. All wanted was to gel
at the girls heart.
One day was lecturing her in a qui-
ct way on the subject concerning which
she was the first young woman thai
needed lecturing-care over her person
al appearance. She certainly was the
most slovenly girl ever saw. PooI
thing! she had many excuses; for,
though the whole family dressed shah
billy, and, worse-tawdrily, her clothes
were the meanest Of all. Still, nothing
but positive rags can excuse a woman
for neglecting womanly neatness. !
often urged despairingly upon poor I'll
lab that the coarseSt frock was no apol-
ogy for untidy hair; that the most UNI
pleasant work did not exclude the pos
sibility of making face and hands clean
after it was over.
Look at yours, my dear said
once, taking the reluctant fingers and
spreading them out on mine. Then
saw what | have often noticed in the
Hindoo race, how delicate was the
shape of her hands, even despite her
hard servants work. told her so; for
in creature so crushed there was little
fear Of exciting vanity, and made it a
point to praise her every good quality,
personal or mental.
Zillah looked pleased. my hands
are like my mothers, who was very
handsome, and Parsee."
"Do you remember herp"
"a little, not much; and chiefly her
hands which were covered with rings.
One, a great diamond, was worth, she
told me, ever so many hundred rupees.
1t was lost once and my mother cried.
l saw it a good while after on my faith
er's finger when he was dying" cOntin-
ued she carelessly; and afterward add
ed mysteriously, II think he stole it,"
Hush, child! hush! 1t is wrong to
speak so of dead father" cried /,
much shocked.
SIS itp Well, III not do it If it vexes
yon, Miss Pryor"
This seemed her only consciousness
of right and wrong-pleasing or dis
pleasing me. 1t argued well for her
being guided by the affections. | asked
her again about her father: somehow,
with a feminine prejudice, natural
though scarcely right, felt delicacy
in mentioning the mother. But She
was the only parent of whom Zillah
would speak. 81 hardly know" II
can't remember" II don't care"
were all the answers my questions
won.
you saw your father when he was
dyingW persisted. "What did he say
II don't remember, except that l was
like my mother. All the rest was mere
swearing, as uncle swears at me
now. But uncle did not do it then"
$50 Mr.. LIE Poer was present"
Eyes; and the ugly, borrible-lOOking
man they said was my father, talked to
him in whispers, and uncle took me on
his knee and called me My dear He
never did so afterward."
| asked her one more question-"H0w
long was this ago?" and she said, "Sey-
eral years; she did not recOllect how
many"
l talked to her no more that night,
but babe her 90 to rest. In fact my
mind was so full of her that was glad
to get her visible self out of the way.
She went, lazily and stupidity as ever.
Only at the door she paused. "You
won't tell what I've been saying, Miss
Pryor?-You'll not mention my mother
before them2 l did once, and they
10 of
uncle and all. They did-they--" She
stopped, literally foaming at the mouth
with rage.
Come in again; do, my poor child"
said /, gently approaching. But she
shut the door hurriedly, and ran down
stairs to the kitchen, where she slept
with her dire enemy. yet sole compan-
ion, the servant-maid.
Six months after coming to the Le-
Peers | began heartily to wish for some
of my salary; not that had any doubt
of it-Mr. Sutherland had said it was
safe and sure-but wanted some re-
punishment of my wardrobe, and be-
sides it was near my mothers birth
day, when l always took care she had
some nice useful gift. 1t quite puzzled
me to think what little luxury she
wanted, for she wrote me word Mr..
Sutherland brought her so many. He
was just like a son to her. she said
All me!
One day, when disconsolately exam
lining my last pair Of boots-the wee
boots" that for foolish reason | had,
were one of my few feminine vanities
Il took courage to go downstairs and
ask Mr.. lie Poer ''if he could make it
convenient" &C., &c.
my dear Miss Pryor" said he, with
most gentlemanly empreSsement, 'if /
had thought-indeed you should have
asked me before. Let me see, you have
been here six months, and our stipulat-
ed sum waS--"
thought he hesitated on account of
the delicacy some gentlemen feel in
misunderstanding with lady; indeed |
supposed it was from that cause he had
never spoken to me on money matters.
However, felt no such delicacy, but
answered plainly: my salary, Mr..
Sutherland said, was to be one hundred
guineas a year"
Exactly so; and payable yearly,
believer" Mr.. LIE Poer added care
lessly.
Now, had not remembered that; but
Of course he knew. However, looked
and felt disappointed. AT last as Mr..
LIE Poer spoke with the greatest polite
ness, l confessed the fact that | wanted