Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-12-04
Lost MinolAl
A MIDNIGHT INVASION.

Madame Carrelle's school was a re-
markable institution, and the madame
was remarkable woman. | was of,
what Byron calls, the bread-and-butter
age, and therefore, did not appreciate
these thing much; but did appreciate
the four lovely girls who were my init
mates. Vestella Raymond was my fav-
orite.
shall never forget an incident re-
lated by her brother.
She and her mother lived alone on
their estate, and were one day alone in
the house-the servants being all out
a struggling ruffian entered the parlor
where they sat, and demanded their
money and jewels.
Mrs. Raymond was paralyzed with
fear. Vestella feigned excessive terror,
and taking a small box from her pock-
ct, she handed it to him with the key,
saying:
1--WE were preparing for a journey
and had packed up our jewels. L be-
lieve this box contains them; will you
open it and see? My fingers tremble
so l cannot unlock il"
The man laid his pistols on the sofa
III pun pOoC VI ulllOOhlDS OOAg
when Vestella snatchcd them up; and
commanded him not to stir hand or
foot.
1t was his turn to be appalled,, for
there was no installing the will flash
ing from those eyes, and there was no
trembling in the finger that pressed the
trigger.
He remained motionless.
In few moments the servants en-
tered, and he was secured.
This was Vestella's style, and she
manifested it in various ways among
us. But the steely vigor of her char
acter was softened and rendered lus-
trous by the glittering polish of mirth-
fulness and frolic.
Her merry conversation was our UNI
failing antidote for homesickness. So
cheerful and affectionate, so warm
hearted and confding. And what sar-
castle observations she would make, not
exactly upon men and things" but
upon things in general, and the madame
in particular.
At her instigation we five formed our
selves into society ''for the mutual
discussion and preservation of all such
secrets az it seemed unadvisable to
communicate to our many friends
among the other young ladies in the
school,
Our rules provided that there should
be no reserve upon any subject between
the members; that any interview with
gentleman should be faithfully re-
ported, and all that transpired at said
interview; and that any member guilty
of falling in love should have her hair
cut short, and woven into bracelets fer
the other four.
Vestella was rogue, mischief.
very Amazon. She could skate, ride,
swim, and oh dear, l cannot mention
half her exploits. Yet when j remem-
bered how she hung over me through
the long nights, when l was racked
with fever, away from home and friends,
how nearly she filled the place OF a
mother to me, felt persuaded that, If
the members of our society had an OPP
portunity to fall in love, she would be
the first one TO improve it.
The house was built in style I'M
common in this country. Its peculiar
ity consisted in two square towers upon
the front-one upon each corner-giv-
ing it the appearance of an Episcopal
church.
Vestella called it the double-barrelled
school-house. The house proper was
three stories in height, and the towers
rose one story above the roof. The
windows in each story opened upon
broad veranda, extending across the
front of the house, and quite around
each tower, and these piazzas were sup
ported one above the other by slender
pillars.
The upper story in each tower had
formerly been used as deposit for old
furniture and other rubbish, but when
Vestella entered the school, her ram
bling disposition led her into one OF
these rooms, and nothing would do but
it must be fitted up for her occupation.
She had such a taking way with her,
and the increasing popularity OF ma
DANES establishment had so often
forced upon her mind the propriety OF
shortly enlarging her buildings, that
Vesteila carried her point, and was in
stalled in the "tower-top."
1t suited the society, for we could
discuss our secrets without danger OF
being overheard, and could vent the ex-
plosions of mirth which they often
elected, without risk of visit from the
hall-teacher.
The lawns and gardens extended in
front of the house for great distance,
with great slope, terminating in
circular pond, surrounded by an artifi-
cial grove. 1t was my delight in the
afternoons, at such hours as we were
not required to be in our rooms, or at
recitation, to take my book or fancy
work, and slip away to cunning little
seat had constructed in the shade OF
the grape-vines.
/ was sitting here one afternoon,
when was startled by mems voices on
the other side of the paling.
Ny first impulse was to run; but L
thought, perhaps, might gather some
thing to report to the society. eau
tiously parted the vine leaves and
peeped through a crack in the boards.
There were two young men, whom L
recognized as members of the Colleg-
late Institute. One of them, tall
gracefully-formed young fellow, with
a laughing blue eye, was conversing
and gesticulating with great animation.
II can do i'll tell you / can do 1t; L
LII ,yo nor n dozan baskets of cham