The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-11-30

beside the Baron that had the slightes
influence over her.
There was only one thing that Janet
would not humor Lady Frida in.
Frida had taken fancy TO Janet's sup
posed daughter Ellie, and wanted to
have her at the castle for companion.
But Janet would never consent, and
that made Frida all the more deter
mined to have her own way.
So one day, when the Baron and she
were out riding together, she skillfully
directed their course past garden on
the outskirts of the estate, in which 8
young girl was at work, whose grace
and beauty were so remarkable, i'm
spite of her humble garb, that the
Baron stopped his horse, and spoke 10
her.
He made an excuse TO ask for glass
of water, and when the maiden brought
it, and stood with modest, downcast
eyes under his glance. he saw that she
was even lovelier than he had at first
supposed. The leaf of a white rose
could not have been more delicate than
her complexion. Her hands and feet
were small. and beautifully shaped,
and she had an air OF elegance and dis
tinction that puzzled him greatly.
Frida was delighted with the interest
he displayed.
This is Ellie, papa" she said.
'Janet's child, YOU know. She is
called after the first part of poor
mammals name, just AS | am after the
last; and Janet loves me better than she
does her. Is not that odd?"
at is, indeed" answered the Baron,
continuing to gaze with mtranced eyes
at the beautiful countenance of the
maiden.
".She won't even allow Ellie to come
to the castle for few hours, papa,
and | should so like to have her." pur-
sued Frida, thinking that if she could
induce the Baron TO interfere Janet
would not dare persist in opposing her
wishes.
The Baron promised TO speak to
Janet himself, and, as Frida had fore
seen, she did not dare object any long
er. Frida became very fond of Ellie,
whose gentle temper and endearing
manners won the affection and admira-
ton of all. Clever Janet strove TO ap-
pear cheerful as usual, but at heart she
was tortured with anxious terrors- To
her, the maiden, Ellie. Was the living
image of the dead Baroness, and she
lived in a constant dread lest the others
should remark this resemblance.
But time passed on, and no one
seemed to notice the resemblance
which so haunted and terrified the
guilty nurse. She succeeded ut last in
persuading herself that her wicked Sc
cret, being locked so closely in her
own breast, could never get out.
About this time young gentleman
came visiting to the castle. He was
called Egbert Sterne, and was the next
heir to the barony, Baron Sterne hav-
ing no son. Secretly, it was the dear
est wish of the Baron that his daughter
and young Egbert should marry. He
had kept her secluded from society
with this end in view. He had told no
one of his wish: but Clever Janet had
guessed it, and was, of cOuse, more
anxious than the Baron himself that
Frida and the BarOn's heir should fall
in love with each other.
She herself superintended Frida's
toilet the evening of EgberC Sterne'
arrival; and the Baron's false daughter
had never looked so handsome before.
She was a very SNOWY beauty, tall and
finely formed, with bright blue eyes,
and a red and white complexion that
fairly daZzled the beholder. Her dress
WAS rich but simple, for Janet well
knew that young girl to be charming
must be girliSh, and that therefore vel
vet and diamonds were quite unsuited
to her.
Young Egbert was very fine look
ing, elegant and accomplished gentle
man. Knowing the Baron's desire,
and regarding him highly. besides not
having already bestowed his affections
on any lady, he was PREPARED to like
the Lady Frida. When he first beheld
her, so handsome, stately and smiling.
he showed so plainly that he
her that the Baron was
delighted, and at once made Clever
Janet q handsome present, and told
her how pleased he was, and that he
should never forget her devotion to his
child.
What would have been the poor
BarOn's horror had he known that the
Lady Friday was not his child at all,
but Janet's! Frida, on her part,
seemed well pleased with young Egg
bert, but did not display that extraor-
binary admiration of him which the
appeared to warrant.
However" thought Clever Janet.
''she has never seen any one else, and
he is SO handsome she can not help
loving him."
The young pair were much together,
and seemed indeed in a fair way to
make match of it, when Frida took
it into her willful head that she must
have Elites assistance in entertaining
her guest.
Janet had contrived, so far, TO keep
her supposed daughter in portion of
the castle where she and young Egbert
would not be likely to meet, for she,
II. l..