Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-19


from the lot in life of the other, they pre-
scented a contrast in personal appearance
which was more remarkable still. In the
prime Of life, tall and fair-the beauty Of her
delicate complexion and her brilliant blue
eyes. riyaled by the charm of a figure which
had arrived at its mature perfection of de-
velopment-Mr Linley sat side by side
with frail little dark-eyed creature, thin
and pale, whose wasted face bore patient
witness to the three cruelest privations under
which youth can suffer-want Of fresh air,
want of nourishment and want of kindness.
The gentle mistress Of the house wondered
sadly II this lost child of misfortune was ca
pable of seeing the brighter prospect before
her that promised enjoyment of a happier
life to come.
II was afraid to disturb you while you
were resting" Mrs. Linley said. Let re
hope that my housekeeper had done what
might have done myself If l had seen y.u
when YOU arrived"
The houSekeeper has been all that is good
and kind to me, madam"
Don't call me madam; it sounds so form
al-call me Mrs. Linley.' You must not
think of beginning to teach Kitty till you feel
stronger and better. | see but too plainly
that you have not been happy. Don't think
Of your past life or speak of your past life"
Forgive me, Mrs. Linley; my past life Is
my one excuse for having yentured to come
into this house"
"In what way, my deaTp
At the moment when that question was
put the closed curtains which separated the
breakfast-roOm from the library were softly
parted in the middle. a keen old face,
strongly marked by curiosity and distrust,
pGered through-eyed the governess with
stern scrutiny-and rctirad sGnin into hid
Ing. The introduction of a stranger with
out refercnces) into the intimacy of the fnTni-
ly circle was, as Mrs. Presty viewed 1t, a
crisis in domestic history. Conscience, with
its customary elasticity, adapted itself TO the
emergency, and Linley's mother-in-law stole
information behind the curtain-in Linley's
best interests, it is quite needless to say.
The talk of the two ladies went on, with
out suspicion on either side that 1t was
overheard by third person.
Sydney explained herself.
IF / had led happier life," she said, II
might have been able to resist Mr.. Linley's
kindness. l concealed nothing from him.
lie knew that had no friends to speak for
me; he knew that 1 had been dismissed from
my employment at the school. Oh, Mrs.
Linley, everything L said which would have
made other people suspicious of me made
him feel for mel | began TO wonder whether
lie was an angel or man. II he had not
prevented it, / should have fallen on my
knees before him. Hard looks and hard
words | could have endured patiently, but
had not seen kind look, | had not heard a
kind word, for more years than i can reckon
up. That is all | can say for myself leave
the rest TO your mercy"
Say my sympathy" Mrs Linley answer
ed, land you need sayno more. But there
is one thing | should like to know. You
have not spoken to me of your mother. Have
you lost both your parentsw
mo"
Then you were brought up by your moth
err"
"Yes."
"You surely had some experience of kind
ness when you were childY'
A third short answer would have been no
very grateful return for Mrs. Lnley's kind
ness. Sydney had no choice but to say plain
ly what her experience of her mother had
been.
Are there such women in the worldW
Mrs. Linley exclaimed. 'Where is your
mother nowg"
an America think"
''Y GU Think"
MY mother married again." Sydney an
swcrcd. "She went to America with her
husband and my little brother six years ago."
"And left you behind?"
eyes"
"And she has never written TO your
"NcYcr"
This time Mrs. Linley kept silence; not
without an effort. Thinking of Sydney's
mOtncr-and for one morbid moment seeing
her own little darling IN Sydney's place-she
was afraid TO trust herself TO speak while the
first impression was viyidly present to Der
mind.
II will only hope" she replied,
ing little, that some kind person piticd
and helped you when you were deserted.
Any change must have been for the better
after that. Who took charge of yOu?"
"My mothers sister took charge of me; an
elder sister who kept school. The time
when l was most unhappy was the time
when my aunt began to teach me. If you
don't want to be beaten and kept on bread
and water she said, learn, you ugly little
wretch, and be quick about it,"
Did she speak in that shameful way to
the other girls?"
"Oh, mol | was taken into her school for
nothing, and, young rs was, was expected
TO earn my food and shelter by being hit to
teach the lower class. The girls hated me
1t was such n wrCtchcd life that | hardly like
to speak of it now. l ran away, and was
caught and severely punished. When l
grew older and wiser tried TO find some
other employment for myself. The elder
girls bought penny journals that published
stories. They were left about now and then
in the bedrooms. | read the stories when
had the chance. Even my ignorance disCOv-
cred how feeble and foolish they were. They
encouraged me to try If could write a story
myself; couldn't do worse, and | might do
better. | sent my manuscript to the editor
1t was accepted and printed-but when
wrote and asked him if he would pay me
something for it he refused. Dozens of
ladies' h" said wrote stories for him for moth
Introduce me to Miss Wcsterfield," Mrs
1rcSty proceeded, as coolly as ever
Mrs. Linley showed some hesitation. What
would the governeSs think of her mother?
Perfectly careless OF what the governess
might think, Mrs. PTeSty crossed the room
and introduced herself
Miss Westerticld, l am Mrs. Linley's
mother. And | am, in one respect, a remark
able person. When form an opinion, and
find it's the opinion of fool, am not in the
least ashamed TO change my mind. have
changed my mind about you. Shake hands,"
Sydney respectfully obeyed.
''Sit down again."
Sydney returned TO her chair.
~ had the worst possible opinion of YOU"
Mrs. PrcSty' resumed, 'before had the pleas
ure of listening on the other side of the cur
tain. 1t has been my good fortune-what's
your Christian name? Did hear it, or have
l forgotten it? Sydney ell? Very we'll |
was about to say, Sydney, that it has been
my good fortune 10 DO intimately associated,
In early life, with tworemarkable characters.
Husbands of mine, in shc-t, whose influence
over me has, l am proud 10 say, set death
and burial ut defiance. Between them they
have made my mind the mind OF man.
judge for myself. The opinions of others
(when they don't happen 10 agree with mine)
regard as chat to be scattered to the winds.
No, Catherine, l am not wandering. / am
pointing out TO young person, who has her
way to make in the world, the vast impor-
lance, on certain occasions, of possessing an
independent mind. Ii had been ashamed
10 listen behind those curtains there is no in
Jury that my stupid prejudceS might not