Delaware weekly Republican., 1884-07-31


g Don't you think yon are just trl
fle hard on the clerical brothers p
queried the General.
mo sirl" was the prompt reply
" For noble men who have God'H cauHt
truly at heart, who practice the truth
they teach, aud who honestly labor 4
elevate humanity to wider, higbHl
sphere, ! have a profound respect. But
for those desiring TO be teachers OF thu
law, yet understanding neither what
| they say, nor whereof they affirm,
and whose secret thought Is, Lord,
thank thee that / am not as other men !,
| for such have only contempt. II Il
the Iscariots of the world who injurf
Christianity more than the Sauls."
She spoke earnestly, the color In her
cheek deepening. Evidently sho felt
what she said. She was young and her
ideas on important subjects were often
apt TO be crude still the fact that she
could think and had opinions which
she clothed In intelligible English,
rails her In the estimation OF the
General who, from observations, had
begun TO think girls were rapidly be-
coming creatures OF two ideas--beaux
and fashion. t9H
Since you have read the masculine
sex 30 we'll, suppose you turn your glass
of observation upon that silken clad
Eve at the foot Of the table," remarked
| the General. saa fffN
&" Excuse me; IL would be bad policy
to critioise my own SEX. Besides, yon
know gentlemen firmly believe one
woman can Devef be just to the per-
tections of another" She glanced
arcbly Mt him asAbe spoke.
"Then, since en are not 10 be
occupied her place what answer You
would give to a similar question COZ
cerning me ?"
al should say, stamped with the
image and superscription of the
C@sars,' she quoted. But of true
metal and will ring WE'LL"
"If your discrimination increases
with your experience, | predict you a
famous 5ibyl ten years hence" said
the General, smiling.
After this he was rarely absent from
the table when the black.robed, mother
ly woman and her clear-eyed charge
were present. To him she was bright,
refreshing study. He liked to talk
with her, to draw her out and to listen
to her quaint speeches and original re-
plies. No thought of love In connection
with her ever entered his head, and as
the days went by and he saw more and
more of her, and each day unfolded
something new and pleasing In her
character, he began TO wish that Provi-
dence had blessed him with Just such a
daughter. She had all the marks of
refinement, consequently she must be
of good birth, he argued. But under
the spell of her bright presence, she
might have sprung, mushroom like,
into existence for all the thought he
gave to her pedigree.
With the exception OF good "Aunt
Silence" she seemed utterly alone, and
the General observing this rendered her
many corrtesies, small In themselves,
yet which serve TO make life pleasant
and which he saw she appreciated.
Coming out on the wide balcony one
breezy afternoon he foufd her seated
In bamboo rocker, reading. Stepping
softly up behind her he leaned over her
shoulder and exclaimed
/" Ruskin you don't actually read
that. Your taste is certainly vitiatsd.
Don't you know that you would be far
better employed, were you occupied
with Democrats Fashion Book"
His unexpected presence startled her
into letting her book fall, and rs he
stopped to pick It up, IL opened at the
title page, and he saw written In
round, firm hand the name Rachel r..
Leroy.
"That ia your signature, I presume"
ho queried, holding it toward her.
I" That is my name, yes," she re-
piled.
Then It Ia only fair you should
know mine. II is Ralph Croyland,
Of Croylands-my home on the Schuyl-
kill' he added in explanation.
II the General had been observant,
he might have noticed the singular
effect the announcement seemedto have
on Miss Leroy. She started convul.
sively, caught her breath and then
avertfug her gaze toward the foam
covered sheet Of sapphire, ripping in
soft undulations on the golden beach,
asked in voice slightly husky, Not