Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-04-17
AGNES.


the smothered sobs of the mistress OF whom
she was so unselfshly fond.
'sWhat is it, dear? Did the letter bring bad
news! Tell me all about it, and maybe the
telling of your troubled 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, sho controlled
herself sufficiently to speak and unburden her
mind of the sad truth which pressed go heavi-
~ upon it.
"Wel soon be without home, Mrs. Will
lard. The money that papa left mo isall lost.
The letter is to me-
well, Miss Agnes, you have yonr cousin
Ernest to look to. He will take care Of you"
A crimson flush chased away the girls pal
Flush, Mrs willard! Don'tspealo to mo Of
him again; he il married The news came this
morning.
"Dal luck to him, and he engaged to you He
is u black -hoartetl-'
enc, Mrs. Willard; he's only ticklo and
thougbtcss Ho fell desperately liz love with
the pretty young thing he has married, and
they have made runaway match. ] am glad
o. found ont the nature Of mis- liking for me
before instead Of after our union had taken
place. He had cousinIy feeling for me, that
was all"
Agnes spoke with silent dignity which ST.
lencel her listener at once.
"Wci', come aad have your lunch now.
broiled bit Of chicken for yov,, AND hope it will
taste good, Sitting here aud frettiuy won't meud
things bit"
She succeeded IN cooking Agnes into the
dining room, and poured her cup Of fragrant
Mocha laid the morning paper beside her plate
and ;h"n left her alone
Agnes sippon the coffee and tasted the chick
en- Ih"n she glanced oy3r tbs colamus OF the
newspaper.
An advertisement attracted her attention. It
was this
:Wante>l, hor.se.eepcr She must be &C
tive and good -t,Inp0r,d as we'll as competent
to direct the domastics under her particular
charge
Il vii. have to earn my living now, thought
Agrees with L sigh; And l. kept house for
papa 50 why can't | for some ono else. At any
rate l. vii. answer thu advertisement and lind
out what kind Of duties are requirel'
81" wrote note and sent it 20 the address
given
The following day brought reply from Mr..
DNrant requesting her to call at the writer's
honse, giving its number and tie name OF the
street.
4. tn d long walk she reached the place.
1t was quito al imposing looa!Ng structure.
A carriage was drawn up before it, and y
nVerle,t ,hotblan ran up the steps and gave a
Tremendous pull ut tho door bell, Slanclng at
As1!, > crr:ously as he did 80.
servant came to the door
Ages gave him her card, and he moved
nolsrioss!y away, returning to say, ''pease
Miss, walk into the library
A gentleman was seated ut q writing table,
he t,Ir l,iS 1,1,I
lessly at rlat, thon c,niously. His eyes were
very dark and bright, and their preston was
one OF UnmlstaknDle surprise.
81 hore you will par'.t IN me, said he, 'for
saving your youth is >~;taiIst you"
Agnes tried to FAKE 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, 40 thought might manage other
peoples; but soc my mistake"
Il must again ask pardon for intr,1ling my
opinions upon You But why, may ASK have
you selected this particular kind of employ
ment:'
1T was sudden impulse which led me to
answer your notice. Poor papa. has been gone
from mea whole year, and now / have just
heard THAI all the money he left is lost
must earn my living some way:
II like your spirit The taking of such a
responsible place as that of the directing spirit
OF my hons hold machinery wonld not be feas;-
bio; but have an invalid aunt who is about
to part with her cOlupanlon--a lady who has
come into small property lately, and does not
need the position any longer. If you succeed
in making u favorable impression upon the Old
lady, who is rather queer in her way 1t will 10
a1nuch easier employment than that Of a honsc-
keeper. will conduct you to her, and $50 how
the plan is likely to succeed"
Agnes modest face at once attracted the III
valid's fancy and she VAS engaged to take the
place OH the following week.
She fulfilled her duties every day, and After
several months became very much attached 10
her, and she had every. reason to make her
journey through life as happy as it could Do
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
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.
II never thought to put trust in woman
again. he said ''but have learned to like to
see you about this lonesome old house. You
are still on the sunny side of llfe and l am for
t.; but will try to make you happy DO not
answer mo now. Think of what | have said,
and give me my reply TO- morrow at this time. "
Surprised aud hewildered at the s1lddcn prop
osition, Agnes withdrew from Mr.. Durant's
presence
''Was there such thing as true love in the
world?" she questioned herselt-"that is III a
mans heart:'
cNo.a " >'''4 - ~ 'S'''' 'O D'' " '''A'"'l
She did not love Mr. Durant, hut she was
conscious "f a feeling OF respect and admira-
ton for him
He had not protested to love her.
Itwould be purely friendly union and was it
not the truest kind OF marriage after all?
q hal ki,,,,c
pies, and at last made up her mind 10 tell Mr.
Durant that if he would take her for his wife
knowing that her heart had once received q
blow which had given love it's 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
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
it's object happy.
One morning while looking over some old
fashioned daguerreotypes packed away in the
drawer of an old cabinet, Agnes came upon
an exquisitely painted miniature of a young
girl.
The artist had depicted the sweet face,
curving the delicate lips, dimpling the pink
cheeks, and laughing rogushly out of the eyes
as blue as tbs lax-fower blossom.
Agnes hastened with her new found treas
ure to the library, her husbands favorite
haunt Il
She held up the picture toward him.
'See what / have found What shame for
such beautiful face to be hid away in a place
which ia so seldom visited"
Mr.. Durant glanced up with a preoccupied
look. but as his eye rested on the picture, with
sudden darkening Of his usually calm face
and with lowering brow, he caught it from
Agnes and threw it across the room.
Then seeing BY his wife's pallor that he had