Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-25
WILL SHE?
lAll The Year Round

UOuite On aosufuity, ish ~ suu
..,v unpleasant for you and Mr.
,,o,niblow, I'm sure. said so when
avs, heard what old Josh Brooke was
manipulating. We'll, Hugo said,
~ don, envy the new rector Of Ash
,,ch ard his wife, 10 have the old rec
,or's daughter perpetuatcd in the
~,,ish as village schoolmistross.' OF
course it's very awkward, isn't 1t
now?"
Mrs. Foftescue, who was tall, plump,
ard iorcible in figure, manner, and
,o;ce. looked into the some what insig-
,,gean, face Of the new rector's wife,
As che put the last query conadentially.
Well, you see, Mrs. Fortescue,"
she answered, unsesling her thin, COM
,,,ssed lips, las new corners we are
cot obliged TO take antecedents into
consideration. To us, Miss--what is
her rame? Oh, yes, thank you-Aiss
BArtlemy need merely be the village
sehoolmistress, unless We choose to
have il otherwise, so that, you see, for
Nc there ia no awkwardness at all. But
am really glad to know your feeling
about her, for we had heard, no doubt,
quite a false report that your son
hsd--"
Mrs. Fortescue let her say no more.
"Ah, indeed, 50 you heard Of that
How things do fly! Oh, yes, indeed,
and il was almost true lie was quite
fascinated. Poor dear Hugo Such an
eve for beauty as the boy has. "
Boy ." echoed Mrs. Horniblow,
al mean your son, the curate Of Flax
ton" -.
$50 do my only sonny Hugo,
REPLIED Mrs. Fortescue "but he is
oply boy where a pretty face is con.
oerned. Fell in love at first sight with
Miss BArtlemy. She IS very pretty,
YOU know-Quite beauty in fact, and
very taking too. Poor Hugo! But
then that was in her best days, before
il was discovered that her father had
lost all his property. The income
from Ashlegh, Of course, died with
him. and he had saved nothing. For
tunately, dear Hugo was not too deep
" implicated he was on the verge,
but he had not proposed, and, oil
course, now il is all over still, l may
confess 10 you in private, dear Mrs. Hor-
INFLOW, that should greatly have pre-.
fcrred the young woman's being located
elsewhere.
"Ab, to be sure, | dare say" re-
plied Mrs Eorniblow, and pressed her
thin lips iogether. " And this Mr..
Brooke, | suppose, is relative Of the
young wom-yOung person, ! sup
pose
"No, only her godfather. lie was
old Bsrtlemy's pupil-a lad Of nineteen
when she was born, and he stood god
father to her; but it's the most ridicu-
lous idea bis settling her down here.
II be wanted to provide for them-shc
has a paralytic mother, quite helpless
ard childish, poor thing he might
bsye done St elsewhere but he's most
eccentric in his 'ays-mad you might
call him-and = if he takes a thing
into his head it he will. They call
him 'Old Josh irooke in the neighbor-
hood, not that &c is so very old, but SO
uOtctety."
"Well, if he must make her school
mistress, be need not have made her
oresDist. have always expected my
goyerDess to play, and this salary
would have been a great help toward
her own; besides which, play little
mysell-not much, certainly, but
used to sometimes in the holidays,
when Miss Maxim was away, and
suppose this girl plays so well that
Couldn't play after her. Yes, the or
gan business is a nuisance certainly"
eyes, no doubt very awkward in
deed, =" agreed Mrs. Fortescue, glad tC
ind the rector's wife had a grievance
after all as well as herself, and she
felt well satisfied with her afternoons
work.
Meanwhile "Old Josh Brooke" is
standing in the shady little tv0-seated
porch Of Ashlegh school cottage talk
ing to the "yOung wom-yOung per.
son" who bends her head and does not
smile in answer to her godfatner's hal
anxious, half playful
"Well, Mary, feeling reconciled
YETI"
She looks up at his kindly face
rather large, plain face, with bald
head, that gives him almost venerable
appearance in spite Of his having only
just turned forty but she does not
smile, and she speaks graycly, almost
sadly.
IL wish ! had never consented to
stay in Ashlegh, Mr.. Brooke, " she says.
But why 2" he asks, and his plea,
SAINT mouth puts on vexed expression.
"Why should you wish such thing
Tell me your reasons, Mary"
I've told you so many times, Mr..
Brooke" she SAYS quickly, "but you
never will listen or believe me it's no
use repeating them -; and the least
glimmer Of smile shOne out over heI
face at the remembrance of his deter
mined incredulity.
I'm glad that you can still smile,
Mary. was afraid that it was some
thing serious. Come, at least tell me
Your new reasons for being sorry
persuaded you to remain in Ashlegh."
1--we no new reasons" she au-
swers land know | ought not to
have any old ones. Dear mother is
quite happy she doesn't miss the rec
tory now that her room is so like the
old one, and that is all your GOODNESS,
br. Brooke, as well as all the rest
but | can't help feeling sorry that am
here instead Of elsewhere"
Thank you, Miss Mary, for the
implied compliment. am sorry
truth forbids my returning it, for | am
very glad your mother and you are so
near that can at least watch over you
both little. You shouldn't begrudge
me that little pleasure, to say nothing
OF my having stood up for you as a
deeply-aggrieved infant. Your mother
was my first friend long before l was
squire At Ashlegh; and | am vain
enough TO think she would miss me. "
"Oh, she would indeed; l think
you are the o My one she knows now,
besides old Margaret and me And /
should miss you, too, Mr.. Brooke l
should indeed. You are the only