The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-06-21


mo-" rather pertly answered Miss
LIE Peer; "Zill is not our sister al all,
but only sort of distant relation OF
pas, whom he is very KIND 10 ana
maintains at his own expense, and who
mends our stockings and brushes our
hair Of nights, and whom we are very
kind to also"
ooh, indeed" was all | said in reply
TO this running stream Of very provin-
cially-spoken and unpunctuated Eng
lish. Twas rather puzzled, too; for II
INV memory was correct-and general
" remembered Mr.. Sutherland 5 letters
very clearly, probably because they
were themselves so clear-he had par
ticularly mentioned my future pupil,
Zillah LIE Poer, and no Miss lie Poer
! besides. waited with some curiosity
for the girls temperance; at last |
yentured to say: II should like to see
Miss Zillah. understood pierre | hes
itated. but thought afterward that plain
speech was best understood from
Mr.. Sutherland that she was to be my
1Of course, of course" hastily said
the lady, and / fancied she colored
slightly. Caroline, fetch your cous-
in"
Caroline sulkily went out, and shortly
returned, followed by girl older than
herself, though clad in childish, or
rather servant fashion, with short pet
ticoats. short sleeves. and big brown
holland pinafore. "Zill wouldn't stay
to be dire ssed, ;" explained Caroline, in a
loud whisper to her mother; at which
Mrs. lie I'oer looked more nervous and
uncomfortable than ever. =
Meanwhile | observed my pupil. |
had fancied the Zillah 50 carefully IN,
trusted to my care by Mr.. sutherland
to be a grown young lady, who only
wanted finishing" | even. thought
she might be beauty. With some sur
prise, | found her a half-caste girl
with an olive complexion, full Hindoo
lips, and eyes very black and bright;
She was untidily dressed; which looked
the worse, since she was almost Wo-
man grown; though her dull, heavy
face had the stupidity of an ultra-stu-
pid child. ! saw all this, for somehow
probably because ! had heard OF her
before-I examined the girl rather
closely. Zillah herself stared at me
much as if had been a wild animal,
and then put her finger in her mouth
with babyish air.
How do you do, my dear" said |,
desperately, feeling that all four pair OF
family-eyes were upon me. II hope
we shall be good friends soon" And
put out my hand.
At first the girl seemed not to under
stand that meant to shake hands with
her. Then she irresOlutely poked out
her brown fingers, having first taken
the precautiOn to wipe them on her
pinafore. | made another remark or
two about my being her governess. and
her studying with her cousins, at which
she opened her large eyes with dull
amaze, but | never heard the sound OF
her voice.
1t must have been now near twelve
o'clock. | thought it odd the girls
should be kept up so late; and began at
last to speculate whether was to see
Mr.. LIE Poer. My cOnjectures were
soon set at rest by a loud pull at the
door-bell. which made Mrs. lie POer
spring up from her chair and Zillah
vanish like lightning. The two 9TH
ers sat cowed, with their hands before
them, and l myself felt none of the
bravest. So upon this frightened
group the master of the honSe walked
III. .
"Hullo,. Mrs. lie Poer, Cary, Zill,
you fool Confound it, where's the sup
per-" II might have asked that, too,
being very hungry.) what the deuce
are you all about?"
My dear" whispered the wife, be-
seechingly, as she met him at the door,
and seemed pointing to me-
Certainly | could not have believed
that the voice | just heard belonged to
the gentleman who had now entered.
The gentleman, | repeat; for l never
saw one who more thoroughly looked
the character. He was about fifty, very
handsome, very well dTesSed-his whole
mien bespeaking that stately, gracious
courtliness which now, except in rare
instances, belongs to a past age. Bow
ing, he examined me curiOuSly, with a
! look that somehow or other made me
uncomfortable. He seemed viewing
over my feminine attractions as horse
dealer does the points Of new bargain.
! But soon the interest of the look died
away. knew he considered me as all
others did-a very plain and shy young
woman, perhaps lady-like II believe
/ was that, for heard Of some one saying
so, but nothing more.
Il have the pleasure Of meeting Miss
| Pryor." said he, in an ultra bland tone,
which, after his first coarse manner,
would have positively startled he, had
! not noticed that the two are often
/ combined in the same individual. Il
always distrust a man who speaks i'll
a very mild, measured, womanish
| voice.
| mentioned the name of his friend,
Mr., Sutherland.
"Oh, | recollect," said he stiiily; "Mr.
| Sutherland informed you that-that
-" He evidently wished to find
out exactly what knew of himself and
| his family.
Now, it being always my habit to
speak the plain truth, saw no reason
why should not crafty him; so stat
ed the simple facts of our friends letter
to my mother--that he had found for
me situation in the family Of Mr..
lie Poer, and had particularly charged
me with completing the education Of
| Miss Zillah lie Poer
OH said Mr.. lie Poer. "Were
those all your instructions, my dear
Miss Pryor." he added, insinuat-
ingly.
/ answered that l knew no more,
having missed seeing Mr.. Sutherland
| before came away.
Then you come quite stranger into