Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-04
Gales aud Sketthes.
A BOND WITH SATAN.

agreeable manners 10 act as companion. Terms I'D
eral. Address, box, for three days.
A word-a look even. are sometimes
pregnant with our fate, and serve as the
portals through which we pass to happi
ness or misery. 1t is not wonderful, then,
that the above Observation-Disclosures
on by accident while going hopelessly. al
most aimlessly through the morning news
papers list of "Wants''-was the turning
point in the destiny of Marian Fosdick.
On her 18th birthday an aunt who had
grudingly doled out to her her living gave
her, BY way of a birthday gift, week of
grace in which to find some means of sus-
tanning herself, as she was now of age:
and on the last day of the seven she had
obtained nothing more substantial as a re-
suit of her weary pigrimages than lit
tie additional knowledge OF the unmerci-
full virtue of suspicious and immaculate
world when dealing with penniless youth
and beauty.
Marian had nothing to lose; she had
therefore nothing to fear; and in less than
week from the date of the first note
tremblinglv addressed by her to "Box
-" she had patched up her scanty
wardrobe, gone through the formalities
of a drv-eved, stony parting with her aunt
and was Only installed as companion of
Mrs. Barrett, in fine, old country house
not hundred miles up the Hudson.
The Barretts were an old family; had
traditions and ancestors (English), and
titled. of course. They had taken root
and ramfied over half the Union and
been careful to intermarry only in fam
lilies likewise powerful and possessed of
traditions and ancestors.
They had old servants and an old house
the latter utterly devoid of the trcksy
ornamentation of modern buildings.
square. solid and comfortable; built on
gently swelling knoll shaded by trees a
hundred years old. with brook in front
and ugly, well-constructed, red-gabled
barns in the rear. Apart from the lowell
ness OF the surrounding country, without
beauty of any kind, yet so thoroughly
comfortable and we'll Ito do. so suggestive
of the substantial good things of this life
in its surroundings and out Rankings of
fields of grain, huge. well-kept kitchen
garden and heavily orchard
with such good dinners cackling. scratch
ing, lowing, winged, feathered, hoofed
and horned about it-above all, in itself so
substantially. squarely and uncompromis-
ingly ugly, that it actually bullied people
into styling it one of the handsomest plac-
es in the country.
There were only two OF the Barretts to
uphold the family dignity in this particu-
lar section Of the country-Mrs. Barrett. a
fair, gracious woman. looking younger
than she really was, and her brother, the
owner of the vast estate, and neither fair
M hut tbo;r c,r,,1o o;rrhl or
spoke of themswith as much reverence as
of an army, and select and fortunate in
deed was the merry-maklng considered
that was honored with their presence
that is to say, with Mrs. Barrett's, for her
brother was never seen except at church
or on horseback and was understood to be
eccentric and something of misanthrope.
Mrs. Barrett was one of the best of
housekeepers her household economy
was clock work; her days were arranged
by system. At precisely such an hour
Miss Fosdick was summoned to read to
her; at given moment she was dis
missed. From that time she was free to
sit under the old trees and work, or dream.
or read; to investigate the mysteries of
barn yard life. or of bread and
butter making; undisturbed quiet
reigned everywhere. She was treated
with the same solemn respect and observ
ance as the rest OF the family. There
were romantic walks, and no end of mar
velous views; above all, no one to scold,
to spy out faults, to irritate with incessant
taunts and insnuations.
For the first few weeks Marian was en-
chanted; then she began to tire; then she
grew weary unto death. She was only
negotiating. instead of living; she had no
end TO mplish--nothing to pursue;
her faculties were stagnating; the place
she had found so delicious grew terrible
the monotonv CALLED and irrtated her;
she was walled out from lite and its SYM
pathies and her soul grew clamorous for
release.
1t was at this time that the existence of
Mr.. Barrett first obtruded itself upon her
as fact to be considered.
Sitting idly under the trees after one of
her afternoon readings she was startled bv
his coming suddenly around the corner of
the house, in close conference with his
farmer. Resisting, as undignifed her first
impulse, which was to run, she sat quiet
ly. and for lack of better occupation be-
gan to analyze Mr.. Barrett, whose dark
face, when lighted up by a smile, had.
she found to her surprise. something in it
both attractive and handsome, and so alb
sorbed was she in the discovery that she
did not see Mr.. Barrett coming towards
her, and started violently when he spoke
to her.
"You have been here six weeks" he
said abruptly. "How do you like the
place?'
mot at all; that is" she added, hastily,
shocked at her own incivility, 1.-THE place
is well enough, but it don't suit me-
''Oh. it doesn't May inquir how it is
so unfortunate as to offend? Come. out
with it. You have told me my place is
well enough;' you can't say anything
worse. Is it the house You object top
Don't YOU think it model of beauty?"
~ think it monument of taste" she
returned demurely.
MIR. Barrett caught the wicked sparkle
in her eye and laughed heartily.
'1ou mean taste lies dead and buried
under it. Good! You are both obstinate
and malicious. Any one must be that who
doubts the beauties of anything belonging
unto Barrett. So am I. | could never
properly appreciate the beauties Of this
paradise, though it is my own. There is
to me, as to you, something hateful in
all this loveliness; as though the peace,
the verdnre, the very air of substantial
comfort were only the mask of some dire
secret, that ought to rend yonder walls