Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-06-22
THE GOVERNESS.
~ }. &.
CHAPTER L

Margaret Crewe sat on a stile in the
home meadow, staring dreamily, almost
mOOdilY, at Oak Hurst, whose red rock
and queer twisted chimney-staclzs were
Wreathed In ivy, while the sunlight fell
In bars of FURNISHED gold on the win
dOWs, making them flash like polished
copper, and streamed between the
trunks of the giant oaks that gave the
place its name, and glanced on the sill
YER birches and budding beeches, and
other mOnarchs that studded the land
around the forest house.
1t was a pretty place always, and
looked its best illuminated by the
cherry spring sunshine. that woke
into life the modest violet and pure
snOWdrOp; and the girl sitting on the
stile felt 8 sob rise in her throat at the
thought Of leaving it-h0r home OF
three years.
They had been happy years
moderately, temporarily happy Onlyi
after the brilliant and stormy ones that
had gone before, they seemed full OF
peace and quiet to the stOrm-tOssed girl.
However, there was no help for it
she must go.
Henry Locksley's new wife hated
Margaret Crewe, the gOVerness, be 'ause
she was beautiful, and she Mrs. Locks
ley, was plain; and she was jealous OF
the good honest fellow whose affections
she had won.
Why she need have pitched
on Margaret as the object of her
jealousy was mystery,f for if the master
of Oak Hurst meant making love to
her, surely he wOul have done so when
she first came to his house three years
before to teach his little mOtherless
boy and not after he had taken to him
self of his own free viii another W fe.
only the green-eyed monster took hrm
possession of Gertrude l.Ocksley' heart.
and nothing would exercise this demon
save the departure of the gOVerness.
Each day Mrs. LOcksIey became
more rude and insulting In her manner,
found fault with everything she did-her
mode of teaching the CHI ld her dress,
her manners, etc. and lost no OppOr-
tunitY of lowering and humiliating in
the eyes of the servants, who readily
took their cue from their new mistress,
and were insOlent to the dependent
governess, who, after all, they argued,
was little better than themselves and
really a servant for all that she dressed
like a lady and had her meals with the
family.
Mrs, LOcksley altered this, and after
her arrival Margaret breakfasted in
lonely state in the schOOlrOOm.
Henry LOcksley made a feeble pro
test against this, bat he was completely
under his wte's thumb, and gave way
to her in ia Kings
''NO it must come to end. cannot
brook any more insults" said Margar-
ct slowly. as she looked at the old red
house thorough d mist Of binding tears,
that blurred and blOtted out the land
scape for a while She hates me; and
it is better 1 should 60.
Poor little Jim!' tenderlv after a
pause, while the tears VEelled afresh to
the sad blue eyes; she viii miss me;
hope do hope she will be kind to
him." and then she thought of the days
she had spent rambling in the fields
and meadows with the boy, his little
hand cIasping hers, b little feet pat
tering along, and his tongue going at
no end of a rate as he asked her all
sorts of queer questions, the outcome
of the dawn of intelligence and under
standing.
she treats me like 3 dog" she
murmured angrily. ~ will not lay
myself open to such treatment any
longer, her pride stung by the thought
of the many humiliatiOns She had ex-
perienced at Mrs. LOcksley's hands ~
will look out for something else, and
tell Mr.. LOcdsley-nO, my employer, >
as she would term him, bitterly, ''Of my
decision to IL OrrOw.
And having come to this conclusion,
Margaret rose slowly from the stile
with her usual grace Of movement. and
turned toward the house.
Hallway across the lawn, she was
encountered by big fair woman, de-
testably, cOlorlessly fair; flax hair,
light gray eyes, with white lashes, and
skin like a snow drift
so, Miss Crewe," commenced this
large white woman, 'idling away your
time as usualP 1t was only yesterday
told you thought you might occupy