McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-05-21
AGNES.
"Come, Miss Agnes, or your lunchll DO cold

as she saw the bowed young head, and heard
the smothered sobs of the mistress Of whom
she was so unselishly fond
s'What is it, dearg Did the letter bring bad
news? Tell me all about it, and maybe the
telling of your troublell make it easier to bear"
Agnes raised her head and looked at
Mrs. Willard in dazed sort of way for an in
slant Then, with an effort she controlled
herself sufficiently to speak and unburden her
mind of the sad truth which pressed so heayi-
ly upon it.
"We'll soon be without a home, Mrs. Will
lard. The money that papa left me is all lost
The letter is to me-"
''Well, Miss Agnes, you have your cousin
Ernest to look to. He will take care of you"
A crimson flush chased away the girls pal
lor
''Hush Mrs. willard! Don't speak to me of
him again; he is married The news came this
morning."
'tBad luck to him, and he engaged to you. He
is black hearted"
''No, Mrs. Willard; he's only tickle and
thoughtless. He fell desperately in love with
the pretty young thing he has married, and
he found out the nature of mis- liking fer me
before instead of after our union had taken
place He had cousinly feeling for me, that
was all"
Agnes spoke with silent dignity which ST.
fenced her listener at once.
"Well, come and have your lunch now. /
broiled bit of chicken for you, and hope it will
taste good. Sitting here and fretting won't mend
things bit"
She succeeded in coaxing Agnes into the
dining room, and poured her a cup of fragrant
Mocha, laid the morning paper beside her plate
and then left her alone.
Agnes slipped the coffee and tasted the chick
en-. Then she glanced over the columns of the
newspaper
An advertisement attracted her attention. 1t
was this:
''Wanted, housekeeper She must be &C
tive and good tempered, as well as competent
to direct the domestics under her particular
charge"
81 will have to earn my living now" thought
Agnes, with sigh; ''And l kept house for
papa, so why can't for some one else? Atany
rate l will answer this advertisement and find
out what kind of duties are required"
She wrote note and sent it to the address
given
The following day brought reply from Mr..
Durant, requesting her to call at the writer's
house. giving its number and the name of the
street
After a long walk she reached the place.
1t was quite an imposing looking structure.
A carriage was drawn up before it, and
Inverted footman ran up the steps and gave
tremendous pull at the door-bell, glancing at
Agnes curiOusly as he did so.
servant came to the door,
Agnes gave him her card, and he moved
noiselessly away, returning to say, ''please
Miss, walk into the library"
A gentleman was seated at writing table,
he turned his head rs Agnes entered, care
lessly at first, then curiously. His eyes were
very dark and bright, and their expression was
one of unmistakable surprise.
81 hope you will pardon me-" said he, 'sfor
saying your youth is against you"
Agnes tried to make her voice steady as she
answered, but in spite OF her efforts it trem-
bled.
Il never had any trouble with our own SER
wants, sir, so | thought might manage other
peoples; but L see my mistake"
81 must again ask pardon for intruding my
opinions upon you But why, may L ask, have
you selected this particular kind of employ
ment?"
SIT was sudden impulse which led me to
answer your notice Poor papa has been gone
from me whole year, and now l have just
heard that all the money he left is lost. l
must earn my living some way"
81 like your spirit The taking of such a
responsible place as that of the directing spirit
of my household machinery would not be feast
to part with her compan1on-a lady who has
come into small property lately, and does not
need the position any longer If you succeed
in making favorable impression upon the old
lady, who is rather queer in her wav, 1t will be
much easier employment than that OF house
keeper. | will conduct you to her, and see how
the plan is likely TO succeed"
Agnes modest face at once attracted the in
yal1ds fancy and she was engaged to take the
place on the following week.
She fulfilled her duties every day, and after
several months became very much attached to
her, and she had every reason to make her
Journey through life as happy as it could be
while enduring so much pain.
Her death came suddenly, and was such a
shock to the kind young care-taker that at
first it put all other thoughts out of her mind
Then she awoke to the knowledge that she
mustleave the hospitable home that had shell
tered her. When she preached the matter to
Mr.. Durant, however, he would not listen to it,
and to her great surprise supplemented his re-
fusal with an offer of marriage.
81 never thought to put trust in woman
again, he said: s'but have learned to like to
see you about this lonesome old house You
are still on the sunny side of lIfe and am for
ty; but will try to make you happy. Do not
answer me now. Think of what l have said
and give me my reply to- morrow at this time"
Surprised and bewildered at the sudden prop
osition, Agnes withdrew from Mr.. Durant's
presence
"Was there such thing as true love in the
world?" she questioned herself-'that is In
mans heart?"
Her own sad experience taught her to answer,
'sNo"
She did not love Mr.. Durant, but she was |
conscious of feeling of respect AID admira-
ton for him.
He had not professed to love her
Itwould be purely friendly union and was it |
not the truest kind of marriage after all?
Thus she reasoned her conscientious scru- |
pies, and at last made up her mind to tell Mr. |
Durant that if he would take her for his wife |
knowing that her heart had once received |
blow which had given love its death-wound, |
and to accept friendship and respect instead, |
she would be to him a true and faithful COM
panion throughout life's journey
Mr.. Durant was pleased with her candor, and .
after brief delay they were married.
The young wife proved like ray of sun
shine in the grand old house Every room
showed tokens of the change that had been in
augurated with It's new mistress: and, best of |
all, Agnes learned to love her husband, not |
with the romantic devotion which had char
acterized the first love, and had ended so
disastrously but with calm, enduring affec-
ton, which was far better calculated TO make
its object happy
One morning while looking over some old