The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-05-04

lued Oi llAc lEuLn ndu occurred 10 QeT.
at was foreboding," she replied;
"it was because had to come to Eng
land" Then she glanced at him again
Are you my guardian ?" she asked,
timidly.
yes" he replied. q came TO meet
you; 1 thought you would feel dull at
first in strange country"
Il have been dull all my life," she
said, with smile-the saddest smile he
had ever seen.
"We must try to make you happier"
he said.
'Why arc You my guardian ?'' she
asked. II cannot understand it. NV
aunt nevers spoke to me of you until she
was dying, and then she told me that
far away in England there lived a rich
gentleman who would be my guardian
when she was dead that was to live
with him in England and be docile TO
him. 1t viii not be difficult to be very
docile to YOU"
"Why?" he asked
because like you," she answered,
simply Il can always tell st first sight
whether I shall like anyone or not, and
1 do like YOU"
He helped her into the carriage and
sat down by her side the servants were
busy with her luggage. Mr.. Segravo
drove home with Sir Jasper and his
ward, and all the way the baronet was
saying to himself:
This is Giulia's daughter; that beau
tiful head lay on Giulia's breast-that
i Giulia's child ~ He longed to clasp
her in his arms, to say: 'You have
your mothers eyes, child; you have the
same sweet voice and the same loving
heart"
All his fancied dislike melted as he
gazed on her. He wondered how hc
could have hated her, how he could
have forgotten her. He reproached
himself for it with bitter reproaches.
How could he have been unkind to
Giulias child? Il have been dull all
my life" she had said, and the words
smotc him with pain. He longed to
say to her, Il am your father, Veronica,
but my love for your mother is slut up
in my heart 1t is my most cherished
secret; it is 50 sacred to me that l can
not talk OF it; cannot tell others OF it;
it is the very core OF my heart" He
was sorely tempted, but Not yet" he
said 10 himself-"not yet" He turned
to her suddenly.
Tell me about your life, Veronica"
he said. "What made it so dull? How
have you spent it ?'
81 have lived always with my Aunt
Assunta," she replied, "and my aunt
was a woman whose heart must have
been broken when she was very young,
l think. She never laughed, she never
even smiled, but she hated the Eng
ish. ''They are as perfdious," she
said, "as Judas. The sun never shines
on England; it is always dark with
Heavens frown." She would not let
me have any friends. We used to sit
for days and months and years in that
dark old palace, watching the water,
watching the sky, seldom speaking a
word. She gave me histories TO read,
and after many prayers she allowed me
to have masters for painting-nothing
else; and for many years have passed
my life in reading dull histories and in
painting"
"Poor child" he said; at was not a
very bright life, was it ?'
"No. have often asked her to tell
me where my mother and father lie
buried but my aunt would never in
form me- 1 have never seen my moth
er's grave"
Sir Jasper's face grew white with
emo ion. He said to himself at is
Giulia's child who has lei this sad Ifs
who has never known one bright
hour" He dared not look at her lest
she should wonder at the pain on his
face.
Glow old are you, Veronica ?" he
asked.
81 am tive (ty, as men count years."
she said. at seems to me that have
lived century in the dark Old palace.
1t was full OF spirits who walled all
night through the long, dark passages.
When my aunt was angry with me, she
said always that was a child, an ignor-
ant child. l think myself 1 am very
old, more like Woman whose years are
run than child"
"You will not feel so when you have
lived little longer" he said, gently.
Veronica, look round you. This is an
English winter. Do you see how white
the ground is = how great icicles hang
like huge diamonds from the trees and
hedges When the sun shines on the
snow and sparkles on the ice, do not
think there is a grander sight in the
world"
81 wonder" said Veronica, musingly,
"why my aunt disliked England so
much-do you know"
He tried to answer her indiferently.
alt would require a very learned phi
losopher 20 understand all lady 8 likes
and dislikes,' he sail Veronica, you
say that you have had very sad ne;
let me advise you TO try TO forget it
forget the gloomy aunt who seems TO
have been so mistaken. Just as a flower
opens its heart to the sun, open yours
TO the sunshine of happiness. Viii you
try?"
81 viii try" she answered. ~ viii
do anything you tell me-"
Then he pointed out to her the hcau-
ties OF the park through which they
were driving and then, in the distance,
the towers of Queens Chace.
"Hcw beautiful pa she cried. "And
see-the sun on it; it looks as
though Heaven were blessing it"
He wonde red what she would say If
she knew that this superb house ought
ono day by right to be hers.
'Tell me-" she cried-Hwhat do Won