The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-07
A QUIXOTIC FANCY.
How It Was at Last Quite Dis
PEELED. . ...,--

l thought her the most beautiful woman
i'll the world. l worShiped her with
passionate girlish alteration that can only
be comprehended by those who have had
like experience to my own. How it came
about that an intimacy shouldhave sprung
mp between the fashionable Mrs Dalyel, of
Dalyel Court, Warnshire-a FrenchwOman
by birth, but now the widow of wealthy
Englishman-and my small insignificant
self, will be seen by the conversation which
took place the morning after arrived on a
visit to her at Bath. We were sitting in a
private room of the Grand Hotel, overlook
ing the busy thoroughfare of Stall street,
and were watching with melancholy in
terest the numerous Bath chairs with their
sad-eyed occupants passing III endless sue
CessiOn to and fro. Contrasting the lot of
these poor sufferers with my own, my heart
overhowed at the thought of all Mrs Dalyel
had done for me, and turning to her tried
to express in few broken words some of
the gratitude | felt. She slenced me at
once. Dear Lucy she said in her musical
voice, with the slight touch of foreign ac-
cent which gave to her speaking such a
charm; dear Lucy, after all what is it
that have done! Why, truly nothing
You eSaggerate che facts, my child. l was
in London for the season, and, like others
ofmy friends, l took the pottery craze, and
Joined a class at Powell and Storms. You
taught that class, and | took a wonderful
liking to my charming little teacher. The
other day celebrated physician spoke to
me eXtollingly of Bath. | decided at once
to come here-aS 4 preventive rather than
a cure, for, thank heaven, my health is
excellent. / came, but found it dull; oh |!
SO dull. Then suddenly remembering that
hn1i1aVS no Oni on | 70
inviting you to join me here. In short,
wanted you to amuse me, Lucy. You owe
me no thanks for that"
MY poor father began.
HE was i'll, blind, dying, when l knew
YOU first. That accounted for your Door
little white face and oft-times fearful ewes
You had to toll and slave to earn money,
that he might not want for necessaries
When | learned this my heart bled for
your trouble, and WHO had more money
than could spend upon myself-gave you
some of it for him. / sent also a little fruit
a little wine, doctor All l believe he
was little doctor too! Say, was it not
solr
Dear Mrs Dalyel, do you count it moth
ing that you made my fathers last days
happier. that you gave him what all my
loving toll could not procurel Ny graft
tude-n
'Pshaw Child, speak not of gratitude
II consists but in the name. 1t is the
rarest-n
But mine protested.
"Ah, yours will doubtless bear fruit such
Us the world has never known. II will en-
able you to move mountains-to give up
Kingdoms for my sake.n
why do you laughW / asked, much
panied. "Since l can remember any thing
have lived only for my father-and my
art. From to-day shall live for some
thing more; to prove to you that thore is
such thing as gratitude
Dear little enthusiasm exclaimed Mrs.
Dalyel, with laugh. Then be it, 50. Con-
vert me TO your belief as quickly rs you
will But see how the morning passes.
must go and drink the water
A few moments later we crossed the
street and passed under the colonnade to
the pump-room where Mrs. Dalyel took her
glass of water from an attendant and sat
down at one of the small tables within the
Gordon, signing to me to do the same.
Though every thing was new to me, |
glanced but carelessly about the room, at
the well known statue of Beau Nash. the
King of Bath, at the anxious faces of the
water drinkers. Isought for something
else and found 10 soon in the shape Of a
white board bearing in large black char
acters the word1 ITO the Roman Baths, y
on which also was a hand with index finger
pointing out the route. IL was there l had
promised to meet Horace but what excuse
could frame for leaving Mrs. Dalye