The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-09-25
EBENsBURG. PA. FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER s6 1885,

eAA@AV
forward had very little of the girls
company. He was certainly a kind
brother: could not but acknowledge
that. He took them about great deal
or else stayed at Hollywood, leaving us
by the late evening train, as he said, TO
go to his lodgings at Belfast. j, the
temporary mistress of the establish
ment, was Of course duly polite to my
pupils brother, and he was really very
civil to me, though he treated me with
the distance due to an ancient duenna.
This amused me sometimes, seeing 1
was only twenty-six-probably his own
age; but was always used to be re-
garded as an old maid.
OF Ziila the lieutenant hardly ever
took any notice at all, and she seemed
to keep out of his way as much as pos
sible. When be left us in the evening
and there was always a tolerable con-
fusion at that time, his two sisters
wanting to see him of by the train.
which he never by any chance allowed
then came the quietest and pleasant
est half-hour of the day. The Misses
LIE Poer disliked twilight rambles, 50
Zillah and I always set OF together;
though oftentimes we parted company,
and was left sitting on the beach,
while she strolled on to pleasant walk
she said she had found--a deserted
house whose grounds sloped down to
the very shore. But 1, not very strong
then, and weighed down by many anx-
ious thoughts, loved better to sit and
stupify myself with the murmur OF the
sea-a habit not good for me, but pleas
ant. No fear had l Of Zillah's losing
herself, or coming to any harm; and the
girl seemed so happy In her solitary
rambles that had not the desire to
stop them, knowing how habit of self
dependence is the greatest comfort to a
woman, especially TO one in her DESC
late position But as the frost of her
nature broke up, and her dullness was
melting away, Zillah seemed more self
contained, so to speak; more reserved,
and relying on her own thoughts for
occupation and amusement; still, she
had never been so attentive or affec-
tionate to me.
It was a curious and interesting
study-this young minds unfolding;
though shame TO say that just then /
did not think about Ziilah as much as
ought to have done. Often re-
preached myself for this afterward; but
as things have turned out, 1 now feel,
with quiet Self-compassion, that my
error was pardOnable.
/ mind one evening-that II mind' is
not quite English, but learned it with
other phrases, in my young days, so let
it stand!--I mind one evening. that. be-
Ca Il
went out walking with Zillah. Some
how the murmur of the sea wearied me:
i turned through the village and along
the high road-almost like an English
road, so beautiful with overhanging
trees. did not talk much and Ziila6
walked quite silently, which indeed was
nothing new. / think l see her now,
floating along with her thin but 1.-the
figure and limp, clinging dress-the
very antipodes of fashion = nothing
about her that would really be called
beautiful except her great eyes, which
were perfect oceans of light. When we
came to gateway-which, like most
things in poor Ireland, seemed either
broken down or left half finished-she
looked round rather anXiously.
DO you know this place, my dear?"
1t Is an old mansion-whereI l often
like to stroll"
What have you been there alone?"
'Of course L have" said she quickly
and slightly coloring. You knew it;
or thought you did"
She appeared apprehensive of reproof.
which struck me as odd, in so inoffens-
i've matter as her adventuring soli-
tary stroll; especially as l was anything
but cross governess. To please and
reassure her / said: "Well, never
mind, my dear, you shall show me your
pet paradise. 1t viii be quite
"I don't think so, Miss PRYOR. It's
all weeds and disorder, and you can't
endure that. And the ground is very
wet here and there. l am sure you'll
not like it at all.
.'Oh, but will, if only to please you.
Zillah," said I, determined to be at
once firm and pacific; for 1 saw trace
OF her old sullen look troubling my pu-
pills face, as il she did net like her
haunts to be intruded upon even by me-
However, she made no more open op-
position, and We entered the grounds,
which were almost English in their as
pect, except in one thing-their entire
desolation. The house might not have
Deen inhabited, or the grounds culti-
grew wild-great patches of white cio-
yer overspread the lawn and flower
garden. and all the underwood was one
mass Of tall fern
had not gone far in and out of the
tangled walks of the shrubbery when I
found that Zillah had slipped away. /
saw her at distance standing under
tau Portugal laurel, seemingly doing
nothing but meditate-a new occupa-
tion for her; so left her to it, and pen
etrated deeper into what my old French
governess would have called the bocdoe.
My feet sunk deep in fern amidst which
plunged, trying to gather great arm
Iul OF that and Of wild flowers; for 1
had, and have still the babyish propen-
slty OF wishing to pluck everything I
see, and never can conquer the delight
1 feel in losing myself in q wilderness
OF vegetation. In that oblivion of
child-like content I was happy-hap-
pier than had been for a long time.
The ferns nearly hid me, when I heard
a stirring in the bushes behind, which
took for some harmless animal which
had disturbed However, hares, foxes,
or even squirrels do not usually give a
loud "Aheml" in the perfectly human
tone which followed. At first had ter
rOrs of some stray keeper, who might
possibly shoot me for a rabbit or a
poacher, till recoilected that l was
not in England but in Ireland. where
unjust landlords are regarded as the
more convenient game.
"Aheml" reiterated the mysterious
aheml Is it you, my angslP''
Never could any poor governess be
more thoroughly dumfOundedl OF
course the adjective was not meant for
me. Impossiblel Still it was unpleas-
ant to come into such near contact with
a case of philandering. Mere philan-
derlng 1t must be, for this was no hon.
est vil1age-tryste, the mans accent be-
ing refined and quite English. BESIDES.
little as | knew of love-making, it
struck me that in any serious attach
ment people would never address one
another by the silly title of ''my angel"
1t must be some idle filtration going on
among the strolling visitants whom we
occasionally met ON the beach, and who
had probably wandered up through the
gate which led to these grounds.
To put an end to any more confiden-
tlal disclosures from this unseen gen
tleman, l likewise said "AhemIiS as
loudly as j could, and Immediately
called aloud for ZiIlah. WhereupOn-
there was hasty rustling in the bush
es, which, however soon subsided, and
the place became quite still again.