The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-02
EBENSBURG PA. FRIDAY. OCTOBER 2. 1885.

handsome maintenance. He said he
hoped we should all live happily togeth-
er-She, my mother and Until he
came back. He spent a short time with
us all at his country seat-a time
which, looking back upon, seems in its
eight days like eight separate years.
l ought to speak of Zillah. the uu-
moved center of so many convolving
fateS. She remained still and silent as
ever-dUll, gTieved, Inundated. | told
her gradually and gently the whole
truth, and explained from how much
she had been saved. She seemed CRATE
full and penitent; it was clear that her
heart had never been touched bY love:
she was yet a mere child. The only
evidence of wOmanly shame she gave
was in keeping entirely out of her
guardians way; nor did he take much
notice of her except in reproaching him
self to me with being negleCtful of his
charge; but he had so thoroughly trust
ed in the girls uncle as being her best
protector.
The only remark he ever made on I'll
lah's personal sell was that she had
beautiful eyes. adding, with half sigh.
THAT he liked dark Oriental ewes. =
One day his mother told me something
which explained this. She said he had
been engaged to a young lady in India.
who on the eve of their marriage had
died. He had never cared much for
wOman's society since. and his mother
thought would probably never marry.
After his departure l learned the whole
story. My heart bled over every pang
he had suffered; he was so good and
noble man. And when / knew about
his indifference to all women, | felt the
more grateful for the trust he showed
in me, by making me Zillah's guard
ian in his absence, and wishing me to
70 fF RI Of haT
The last words lle said were asking me
to 90 and see his mother often: and
then he bade God bless me, and called
me Ibis dear friend" lie was very
kind always
We had a quiet winter, for my health
was not good being often delicate in
winter time. My mother and Zillah
took care of me, and was very CRATE
full for their love. I got well at last as
the springtime advanced, and went on
IN my old ways.
There are sometimes long pauses in
ones life-deep rests or sleeps of years
in which month after month and season
after season, float on each the same:
during which the soul lies either OUiet
or torpid, as may be. Thus. without
any trouble, JOY or change. we lived for
several years-my mother, Zillah Le-
POer and l. One morning l found,
with curious surprise, but without
any OF the horror which most women
are supposed to feel at that fact. that l
was thirty years Oldl
We discovered by the same reckoning
that ZIllah was just nineteen. / re-
member she put her laughing face be-
side mine in the glass. There was a
great difference truly. | do not mean
the difference in her from me, for l
never compared that. but in her former
self. She had grown up into woman,
and, as that glass told me. and my own
eyes told me, a very striking woman
too. l was little Of a judge in beauty
myself: still | knew well that every-
body we met thought her handsome.
Likewise, she had grown up beautiful
in mind as well as in body. was very
proud of my dear child.
member this day, when she
thirty. l remem-
lind friend in
IndIa Hau reL e. .y-s-.t wise, and
sent us each a magnificent sia.r-l' far
too magnificent it was for a little bOuy
like me, but it became Zillah splendid
". She tucked me under her arm as if
had been a little girl, and walked me
up and down the room; for she was ola
cheerful, gay temper uOW-juSt the one
to make an old heart young again. to
flash upon a worn spirit with the
brightness of its own long-past morn
ing.
| recOllect thinking thus at the time
i wish l had thought so OfteneT. But
it matters little; only chronicle this
day, as being the first when Zillah un-
consciously put herself on a level with
me, becoming thencefOTwaTd a woman,
and my equal-nO longer a mere pet
and a child.
About this time-I may as well just
state the fact to comfort other maideus
FRf NTF-+r 4
offer of marriage, the first l had ever
had. He who asked me was gentle
man OF my own age, an old acqualnt-
ance, though never a very intimate
friend. | examined myself well. with
great humility and regret, for he was
an excellent man; but l found l could
not marry him. 1t was very strange
that he should ask me, l thought. My
mother, proud and pleased-frst, be
cause | had the honor of a proposal;
secondly. that it was refused. and she
kept her child stlll-wOUld have it that
the circumstance was not strange at all.
She said many women were handsOmer
and more attractive At thirty than they
had ever been in their lives. My poor,
fond, deluded and deluding mother, in
whose sight even l was fairl That
night | was foolish enough to look long
into the glass, at my quiet little face,
and my pale, gray-blue eyes-nOt dark
like Zillah 's-fOOlish enough to count
narrowly the white threads that were
coming one by one into my hair. This
trouble mean the offer of marriage
I did not quite get over for many
weeks, even months.
The following year of my life there
befell me a great pang. OF this, a grief
never to be forgotten, a loss never to
be reStOred-I cannot even now say
more than is implied III three words
my mother diedl After that Zillah and
l lived together alone for twelve
months or more.
There are some scenes in our life
landscape scenes l mean-that we re-
member very clearly; one strikes me
now. A quiet, soft May day; the hedg-
es just in their first green, the horse
chestnuts white with flowers; the long.
silent country lanes swept through by
travelling carriage, in which two wOm-
en-, equally silent, sat-Zlllah lie Poer
and l.
1t was the month before her coming
of age, and she was going to meet her
guardian, who had just returned from
India.
Mrs. Sutherland had received a letter
from southampton, and Immediately
sent for us into the country to meet her
son, her beloved Andrew l merely
repeat the words as l remember Zillah's
doing, while she laughed at the ugly
name. / never thought 1t ugly.
When we had really started, however,
Zillah ceased laughing, and became
grave, probably at the recollection of
that humiliating circumstance which
tiTat brought her acquainted with her
qua dian. But despite this ill-Omened
beginning. her youth had blOssOmed in
to great perfection. As she sat there
before me. fair in person, well cultured
III mind. and pure and virgin in heart