The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-04-10
ACIS
'coms His Agnes or your iunch'll bs cold

Ernest to look TO. He will take care of YOU +"
A crimson flush chased away the girls pal
lOr.
''IIush, Mrs. Willard. Don't speak to mo Of
him again; he 10 married The news came this
morning."
Dad luck to him, and no engaged you. He
is bio ck-hcarted-"
$50, Mrs. Willard; hos only fickle and
thonshtlcss. He fell desperately in love with
the pretty young thing he has married, and
they have made a runaway match. am glad
no found out tho nature of mis- liking for mo
before instead of aftor our union had taken
place. He had q cousinly feeling for me, that
was alln
Agnes spoke with silent dignity which sic
fenced her listener at once
Vel, come and have your lunch now. l
broiletl bite chicken for you, and hope it will
taste GOOD Sitting here and fretting won't mend
Thugs bit"
She succeeded in coaxing Agnes into the
dining room, and poured her cup Of fragrant
Mocha, laid the morning paper beside her plato
and then loft her alone
Agnes slipped tho coffce and tasted tho chick
on. Ihcn she glanced over the columns of the
newspaper.
An advertisement attracted her attention. It
was this:
WANTED, housckecper. Shc must bc &C.
tive and Sood-tempercd, as well as competent
to direct tho domcstcs under her particular
charge"
vi will have to earnmy living now" thought
Agnes, with sigh; And l kept house for
papa, so why can't for some one else. At any
rate will answer this advertisement aud find
out what kind of duties are required"
She wrote Q noto and sent it to the address
given.
Tho 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 long walk she reached the place
1t was quite an imposing looking structure
carriage was drawn up before it, and q
Inverted fOotman ran up the steps and gave a
tremendous pull at the dOor-bcfl, gancing at
Agnes curiorisly as he did so.
servant came to the door.
Agnes gave him her card, and no moved
noiselessly away, returning to say, "please
Miss, walk into the library
gentleman was seated at writing table,
he turned his head as Agnes entered, care.
lessly at first then curiously. His eyes wero
very dark and bright, and theirexprcsson was
one Of unmistakable surprise
II hope you will pardon me-, said he, ''for
saying your youth il against You"
Agnes tried to mako her voice steady as she
answered, but in spite of her efforts it trenl-
blcd.
Il never had any trouble with our own ser
wants, cir, SO l thought might manage other
peoples; but I SEQ my mistake"
must again ask pardon for intruding my
opinions upon you. But why, may ask, have
you selected this particular kind of employ
ment?"
SIT was a sudden impulse which led me to
from mo whole year, and now have lust
heard that all the money h. left is lost l
must earn my living some way"
81 like your spirit The taking of such q
responsible place US that of the directing spirit
OF my household machinery would not be FEAST
to part with her conpanlon-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 way, 1t will no
much easier employment than that Of house
tho plan is likely to succeed"
Agnes modest face at once attracted the in
vallds fancy and she was engaged to take the
place OH the following week
Mo fulfilled her duties every day, and after
several months became very much attached ia
her, and she had every reason to make her
Journey through life as happy as it could be
while enduring 80 much pain
Her death came suddenly, ana was such a
shock to the kind young care-taker that at
nrst IT put all other thoughts out Of her mind
must leave the hospitable home that had shell.
Tered her. When she preached tho matter to
MT Durant, however, he would not listen to it,
and to her great surprise supplemented his re-
fusal with an offer Of marriage.
never thought to put trust in woman
again, he said; "but have learned to like to
bee you about this lonesome old house. You
ere still on the sunny side of life, and am for.
y; but will try to make you happy. Do NOT
answer me now. Think of what have said,
and give me my reply to- morrow at this time. n
surprised and bewildered at the sudden prop
osltion, Agnes withdrew from Mr. Duranfs
presence
Was there such a thing as true love in the
mans hearth
~, Aer own sadexperience taught her to answer,
She did not love Mr. Durant, but she wa.
conscious of feeling of respect and admira.
He had not professed to love her.
Nwould be purely friendly union and was il
not the truest kind of marriage after allY
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 I
blow which had given love its death wound
and to accept friendship and respect instead
sne would be to him true and faithful com
Mr. Durant was pleased with her candor, ani
after brief delay they were married.
The Young wife proved like ray of sun
shine in tho grand old house. Every room
showed tokens of the change that had been in.
smgnrated with Its new mistress; and, best OF
oil, Agnes learned to love hor husband not
with the romantic devotion which had char
actcrized tho first love, and had ended &c
disastrously, but with calm, enduring affec.
ton, which was far better calculated to make
its object happy.
t. One morning while looking over some old
drawer of an old cabinet, Agnes came uron
an exqulsitely painted miniature of young
girl e
The artist had depicted the sweet face
e,%rv,ng the delicate lips, dimpling tho pinl
ss blue as this fax flower BLOSSOM
Agnes FASTENED with her now. found treas
ure to the library, her husbands favorit<
haunt
she held up the picture toward him.
Sec what have found! What shame fol
sncha beautiful face to be hid away in place
which is 80 seldom visited"
Mr. Durant glanced up with . preoccupiei
LOOK. nut az his eye rested on tho picture Will
sudden darkcning of his usually calm face
and with lowering brow. he caught it from
Agnes and threw it across the room
Then seeing by his wifes pallor that he h.t
startled her, he Gained himself hy suprem,
effort, and said: SIT is throu~l your igno
rance OF nv past, Agnes, that You have give1
me such . wound. That picture represents m,
daughter Grace. Her very existence cost tn
life of her fair young mother, and when at las
forgave her tbatdebt, and gave her the warm
est place in my benumbcd heart, she deserted
me for stranger, and again was desolate
She proved an migrate. Never mention her I,
mo again, Agnes. / have to depend upol
me-" f''A
Agnes stood for an instant in mute surprise
longing but not daring to plead for forgiven "a,
for the discarded child of whose existence sh,
had now heard for the first time.
1t seemed 70 cruel for her to be enioyin,
the beautiful home of her noble heartef
husband, while his daughter was an exile from
it e---' =" Va
But Agnes had the rare gift of patience. n
she said nothing until she could see the wa,
clear not to injure the cause of the absent one
But from the time when her husband firs
dire osed to her the carefully guarded score
at his heart, she determined to eventually OF
feet n reconciliation.
BY inquiries she learned the whole bite,
truth. Grace Durant had fallen in love wifi
the son of Mr.. Durant's bitter enemy. am
hopeless Of gaining her fathers consei.t t.
their marriage, had yielded to the entreaties q
the young lover and had made a clandcstin,
match with him. He had lived but few
years, AMI then had left his darling to bait.