The Penn's Grove record., 1885-04-25
PLAYING Ar CROSS PURPOSES.
HER STORY.

PLAYING Al CtSOoo OSIoa
HER STORY.
was A goyerness when l first met
him. and he was the new curate. l was
aot very happy, for | had charge of four
tiresome girls just getting into those
most Objectionable ages eleven to six
teen: and | was only twenty myself
Sometimes / felt as if | could not cope
with them; and | was obliged to be stern,
prim, and old-maidish to try to keep up
their respect. When the sun shone and
the flowers bloomed. l longed to sing
and dance in the fulness of youth n
health; for [ was only a girl after all.
dare say | ought to have liked teach
ing; but | did not. | hated it; and l
was miserable. Those four girls tor
mented me; they were not lovable, and
| yearned after the little one In the
nursery. My employers we're kind, [
think; but a g%Overness is rarely very
happy; and L was young and %lonely-an
orphan and alone in the world. | had
no relatives, save an uncle in Australia,
who sometimes wrote to me and oGca-
s~ionally sent me a tive-pound note.
Mr.. Ponsonby was our Rector-an old
clergyman of the humdrum style, and
the greater share of whose work fell to
the hands of neophytes, who came and
went in succession. We-that is, | and
NV eldest pupil Caroline-used to teach
in the Sunday school. Mrs. Thomson
liked her girls to be useful; and, as Car
oline was only sixteen, she wished Inc to
help her TO teach by taking part of her
class. was vexed at this, for did l not
teach all the week. And yet / grew to
like the Work. The solemn-faced, limo
cent little rusticS were a weekly relief,
In their very simplicity and awe-struck
respect for ''teacher, from the airs and
graces of the young ladies in the school
room.
On the Sunday that l saw Mr.. Clith-
eroe first | was teaching 10y small schol-
ars, when the door opened and the Rec
tor came in. He never minded me, and
/ continued trying to impress some fact
on the blue-eyed innocent who stood de-
murely before me, and who, as ] firmly
believed, was counting the bright but
tons on my jacket instead of listening.
Suddenly l raised my eyes and saw a
strange face. 1t was quiet, grave, and
intellectual. / stopped and hesitated.
1lc DlldDRtis DCCtnS bhdC hC "a Phb hAC
out, moved aside; and at that moment
Mr.. Ponsonby came up to him.
81 must introduce the teachers to
you," he said. "Mr. Clltheroe, this is
Miss Hodgson, who has the first class"
A few words were interchanged; then
they came to us.
''This is Miss Caroline Thomson of
the Grange" said the Rector, "who is
so kind as to help us; and this-this is
hum-eh-Mlss-Miss-"
"Morley," L said quietly, to help him
out of his difficulty.
"Oh, yes, Miss Morleyl" he SAID.
A formal bow then followed and they
passed on.
After this 1 saw Mr.. Clitheroe very
often; he became the greatest comfort
to me, though he did not know it. HIS
sermons went to my heart. Gradually
my life grew more tolerable to me. Poor
foolish little thingi 1 began to look for
ward to Sunday, to cherish his words
and looks, to think, l am afraid, more
of the preacher than of the message he
delivered. In nearly a year | had hardly
spoken to him a dozen times; but l often
faneied that his eyes rested kindly and
inquiringly on me. Then came our
school-treat; and, as Mr.. Thomson was
the Squire, and gave the feast in his
grounds, we had to meet a good deal
over the arrangements. l remember
how carefully | dressed on that bright
day. 1t was only a plain muslin gown
that / wore; but, with a blue ribbon in
my hair, and a nosegay in my dress, |
could see that looked nice. The day
went on; Mr.. Clitheroe never came near
me-never spoke to me. He had talked
and laughed, played with the children,
joined in the games and helped with the
refreshments; but he took no heed of
me, who was doing all this also. My
hopes-though what l had hoped 4 knew
not--drooped, and thought il was go
ing to be a blank day. Mr.. Clitheroe
took not the slightest notice of me; and
after tea | felt too lonely to play. The
children, fortified by tea, were no longer
shy ana in need of help; and | wandered
away into the park. | felt sad, aud the
tears came into my eyes. He might
have spoken a word to me, / thought.
Presently a tall figure appeared be-
side me, and a voice that thrilled me
said
Tired, Miss MorleyS You have
worked too hard"
What a glorious talk we hadl Hebrew
all my simple story out of NE, and l
told him all my ''disagreeables" and
troubles. He was so kind; he cheered
me, he made me look on the sunny side,
and he spoke of himself also. In fact,
as we sat there chatting, | forgot that
i was a governess-forgot that was on
earth; till some one called him away,
and l did not speak to him again that
day.
Icame back to mundane things sharply
enough when stupid little Caroline came
sImperlng up, and began to tease me
about him, Notwithstanding my sharp
rebuke.
1 saw more of Mr.. Clitheroe after
that, and he and 1 always seemed-at
least, l fancied SOTO lave a kind of
tacit sympathy between us. I could no
longer conceal the secret from myself
that | loved him, but scarce dared to
hope my love was returned One day a