The Penn's Grove record., 1885-02-28
II GOVERN ESS.

"Some one must de something, y
quietly observed my mother, with that
peculiar vague kind of helplessness
which / have never seen IN any other
human being.
some one must" l replied land
that some one is this young, strong
limbed Di Cannon, whose life hitherto
has been too fun of sunshine, peace.
and poetry"
"What have we had in the shape OF
sunshine. | should like to know, since
our fathers death ? Just tell me that, y
,Hundreds of things" | replied
"and, first and foremost. we have each
other-we have been together. DO you
call that nothing, Berthe, that Tor hVe
years | should have been permitted TO
be with Won, ard wait upon you ~
''Cbild, everything is as nothing While
l am as / am, chained here and useless.
/ wonder how long 1t is to last ! he
said impatiently, turning his face from
mt.
perhaps not for long, darling |
whispered. when uncle Edward
comes home he may be rich enough to
take You to that German ocullst whom
the world seems to be talking so much
of. Who knows? He may come soon
now, BERTHE. Meanwhile no time Shall
be lost ; | will get something to do, and
work hard to make the necessary money
for you to go.'
''Di, you are "a brick p exclaimed
BERTHE, after a dreamy pause. You
are always bright and cheerful, and 1t
does one good to talk to you. As for
uncle Edward, | have lost ALI hope OF
him | do not think of his return now
We have heard so much OF it so long
that the waiting and the talking have
tired me out. | have more hope of you,
dear ; | think your sunshine may be
worth something after all, Di."
my sunshine |" | repeated sorrow
fully. "Ah, BERTHE, | talked very
grandly about it just now ! always
try to do SO before you and mamma,
and I'm IL lately it has been much to me;
but FOUR dim eyes have dimmed my
brightness more than aught else on
earth could. 1t has come so suddenly
upOn me-"
,'And upon me too,,' remarked our
mother, who had been listening to US
and watching us from her armchair.
s'Your Uncle Edward may or may not
come, and we cannot lose time in wait
ing for him | am sure | do not know
what is best to do r. she added help
lessly.
But | do l said (; land l will tell
YOU what 1t is. l viii ask every n
know. who l think can help me, to look
out for me a situation as governess
somewhere, and every penny of the
money | make by teaching shall be put
by towards taking BERTHE to this great
u~culist; and | mean to look out at once.
/ shall go after dinner to see Mrs. Tin
ley ! think she would be a good help
she hears so much, and has SO many
friends"
After our simple midday meal was
over, l enveloped myself in my thick
red cloak and started for Mrs. Tinley's.
My thoughts we're all of BERTHE as |
went. The bright happy days of long
G came to me like some sweet dream
of the past, but, oh, so sadly shaded
were they now by the dark cloud of the
present !
1t Is only a short six weeks ago since
BERTHE came home n evening from his
business in the office of old Snap, our
Ashdown lawyer, and complained that
his eyes ached and smarted painfully,
/ remember I,did not think much of 1t
at the time ; but his eyes had gradually
grown worse and worse, until DR.. Tin
ley SAID that his sight was in danger,
and that be must have perfect rest and
the adviee.of a great London o~culist, a
German, who had effected extraordi-
nary cures. 1t was perfect agony to
~. - cv.4.vEoTA fhn nAuufhflifu sf INV
handsome brother Bertie's blindness.
son, it could not-could not be - |
whispered to myself, as | walked up
Doctor Tinley's garden.
"Mrs. Tinley," | said, kissing the
kind face / had known all my life, "do
help me if you can. l want a situation.
/ want to teach some little children, or
read to some old lady-anything-l do
not care what, so that | get something
to do. l must make some money ~
And / did tell her all my reasons, and
poured into her kind motheTly heart my
one desire to do something to help Ber-
tie. She listened very attentively to all
] had to say.
Id my uear, F" she said, when l came
to a GREATNESS conclusion, sit is as re-
markedly smooth for you as a chapter
in a ~story-book ; only | do not think IN
story books people happen to find just
what they want so easily. l had a let
ter Yesterday from Mrs. Martyr, a very
old friend of mine, in which she asked
me to look out for a suitable young lady
as goyerness for her little Maud. 1t is
the very thing for you, dear, if you are
really in earnest about going. | am
quite sure you will be happy down at
Hatherleigh Rectory. l will write to
my friend tonight, Dr."
"Oh, ifyOu would" l replied. MRS.
Tiniey, it has quite taken me by sur
prise. / had never dreamed that |
should be fortunate enough to hear of
anything to-day. l only hoped that at
some future time you might hear of
some one to whom | might be of use.
/ hope it will not be too late"
"We will hope for the best, love"
And the kind hand stroking my hair
seemed to fill me with assurance and
comfort.
1 did hope for the best. / hoped with
all the strength and fervor of my heart.
l seemed almost to fly through the air
on my homeward journey that evening,
In my wild haste to carry my good news
to nv mother and BERTHE.
swell, love, if you go there l hope
you will be treated as a lady" observed
my mother, after l had finished my re-
cital. "When / was a girl l know a
governess used to be treated as n Of
the family /; but things are very differ
emit now in every way"
''Of course / should be treated as a
lady 70 / replied. And, If l we're not,
] should sot much mind l have one