Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-05-25

the woman who had Deen mother 10 neF,
who had saved and worked to amass the
means Of independent existence for her,
who had loved her after her own hard but
tenacious fashion. She recalled, with
swelling heart, her grandmother's watch
full economy. her self-denial in all things
necessary to herself. She did not doubt
than any nigs ardliness toward her grand
child was for her future good. How wise
and judicious she had been in her guidance
of their lives. If she had shown too strong
tendency to marry her granddaughter as
soon as possible to the highest bidder, she
only acted according to her Hghts-to the
creed of her world and her period. Was
it well for Mona to refuse the means of
giving her longer and brighter spell of
life? Dare she incur the responsibility or
her possible death? What would she gain
what had she TO hope for, in an unmar-
ried life, that she should reject this kind
natured man who only asked leave to de-
vote his fortune to her servlcess With the
tendency of youth to believe in the perpe-
tuity Of the present, she thought that love
with her was over forever. She could
never believe anyone again. She was not
angry with Isle, so much as disenchant-
ed; her anger was more against herself, for
her weakness and credulity.
4 soft tap at the door attracted her at
tentiOn; she rose and cautiously opened it,.
MADAME Debrisay is below, wanting to
speak with you, ma'am," said the woman
who had replaced both cook and house
maid.
81 should like to see her; could you stay
for little with Mrs. Newburgh while | go
downstairs"
"Ycs'm. l think Mr.. Wchner is just
| come in. will ask him to answer the
door, and come back directly"
Having given a few directions, Mona ran
downstairs lightly, well pleased to have a
confidential talk with her visitor.
Mime. Debrisay had been her greatest
friend when she was at school in Paris.
There she had been the junior music mis-
tress, and Mona had been immensely at
| tractcd by the kindness and good humOr
| Of the hard working teacher.
When Mona left, Nine. Debrisay moved
| TO London, and with Mrs. Newburgh's
help contrived to make a good connection
as a music and singing mistress. She gave
| Mona lessons, or rather assisted her in
practicing for an expensive master, and
| continued her warmcst admirer and de-
| voted friend Both Nine. DcbriSay and
| her late husband the captain, were British
| subjects being natives of the Emerald
| Isle, but she deemed it wise to pose as a
| foreigner with a view to obtaining Il bet
ter position in her profession; and posses
| ing dramatic instincts, she played her part
artistically, speaking English with a for
| cign accent and even brOkenly at times n
proceeding she justified by asserting that
| the late Dcbrisay and herself were realty
| French, being descended from the Hugue-
nots who had fled from the prosecutions
| Of Louis the Fourteenth.
The small firclcSs dining room looked SO
| dismal and dark that chill November af-
| tcrnoon, that Mona called Wehner to light
| the gas, that she might see her friends face.
ooh! me dear child" SOUNDED like choild)
her native accent came out when She
was much moved, 81 have only just come
| back from the seaside, and heard some
! bad news, 50 | ran round to get ut the truth
! from yourself"
"You cannot have heard anything worse
| than the truth, Deb" returned Mona.
Poor grannie has lost everything. /
scarcely know what is to become Of us"
"DicH DIES Djcur! you don't say so.
Don't tell me you have to face the black
death, for that's what poverty is. There
is no misfortune like it, and l know. Oh,
my dcar-my jewel, can you see no way
out of it,"
"No; no way should care to try"
"IIa! there is n blink of hope somewhere
then? How is your dear good grandmoth-
err How will she ever bear going DOWN."
"She is very unwell and weak; am quite
frightened about her"
And no wonder
Nine Debri-ay united her veil. and sat
down with II Respondent air. She was a
plump woman, under middle height, with
dark eyes, iron-gray hair, II decidedly
turncd-up nose, a wide, smiling mouth,
which was rarely quite closed over LEI
beautifully white teeth.
Tell me all about everything"
And Mona explained as far as her i'm
perfect knowledge permitted.
Those promoters and scampS who get
up these companies To rob and plumber the
world ought to be hung, | know the cruel
way they work. You pay IA few pounds on
each share, and NIL goes swimmingly for a
bit, aud then you take more and chuckle
over the good income they bring in, never
doubling that their value will double by
and by; then comes the crash, and you find
all you possess clawed up by those villains
and I'm afraid they will make clean
sweep of poor dear Mrs. Newburgh 5
money, that she was SO fond Of Not but
that she was generous and kind, too" add
ed Mime. Debrisay, hastily correcting her
self
Il am afraid they will! | try hard 10
think what will become of us-of what !
ought to do" returned Mona, with deep
Sigh. Il fear am very useless. What
can do to earn money!"
You earn money! Why, it is hard
! enough for those who have been trained
for work to find the means of existence;
and you here she found her haudker-
| chief necessary. That | should live to
hear you speak of such thing. Not that
the work itself is hard-an idle life is the
worst of alIl-it's the looking for it, and
the failures, and the waiting. No. my
dear, you must make up your mind and
| marry some nice rich man"
Mona laughed, but her laugh was not
merry
Dear Dcb' you are rs Imaginative as
ever! Nice rich men are not plentiful nor
are they ready to marry penniless girls"
Yes, EngliShmcu are. And you must
not he too hard toplcasr remember that
night went to Mrs Niucrnt's SOircc mus
ieHiC, to play the accomplishments, there
was fine, elegant, diStiHgtc man talking
to you, and watching YOU. l asked YOU
about him after, but You would only laugh.
You told me his name, but | cannot think
of it."
Mrs. Ninccut's party" said Mona.
blushing. There was n crowd of very
polite gentlemen there" she added. eva
sively
How well she remembered that blissfuI
evening-what Il thrill Of pain the mention
of ii sent through her heart?
"Ay! but this one was more than polite
lie was captain-Captain Lisle, that's 1t.
Now, why wouldn't you take hims"
Because he never asked me for one
thing said Mona, nervinG herself to speak
lightly and smile Carelessly. Il suspect he
Is man who wants Il great deal for money
and has very little"
oh! he isn't badly off. | know they
were talking of him, and of rich widow
who wanted to marry him, and Mrs VIM
cent said he was too independent to be n
fortune-hunter-that he had six or seven
hundred year, to say nothing of his pay"
THAT is not being rich, returned Mona,
trying To evade the subject, but making
mental note of the fact that Isle was not
Door; then sudden impulse prompted her
10 contide her difficulties to her shrewd.
Sympathizing friend But am in pain
fully undecided state of mind about a
really rich man who has written to my
grandmother asking leave to pay his ad-