Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-25
DIANA.

tnDlI-4 ut Z neT own rlll', winch, you may
b. sury diI MT make her any the less popular 1t
wa cntirpy her own fault that at the age OF sixty
seven size was stiu Mss Hardwlcke, for her ad-
lntrprs had been legion. The admirers OF single
iadl-, with 1000 a year are, indeed, not far to
seek. IS a rule; but Clemency Hardwicke In her
younE DAYS. with her bOuny face, and her warm,
inpui,ive heart, was a bargain no man need have
regretted even had these possessions been her
Only tower.
People said they wondered at her living alone In
the grlm-lOlElug MauOr-for IL was a grim old
Mansion. though the grounds were ike fairyland-
and few sac CJssius had been heard TO pre-
dict. with many beJdshdkngs, and somewhat
vayI" phrIsruiugy, that some dly the poor dear
Old lady wpuii nnd herself murdered in her bed
For the Hariwicke diamonds ami family plate
vere famous all over the county, and Miss Hard
vicke-beiny a woman, ana therefore self-willed-
wO al not take the advice Of her friends and we'll
-,ishrrs, aud cOnsi-n thOs~ valulbies 10 the safe
keeping 81 the bank Indeed. % all appearance,
the old lady's Jewels and plate were the source Of
much Eeeuer anxiety 10 other people than 70 their
pOss'sS0r.
"what WAS the use Of the solid old safe let into
the wall IN the east corridor" she would ask
pIaciiIy atr one could not have all ones belong
ings under ones roof Al any rate there they re-
Inalned secure and unm0ested.
On the April night on which my story opens, Miss
Hariwicke was IN quite an excited frame Of mind,
a
anything unusual - Drn-fOrd Manor. but this
visitor vas the daughter 81 Clemency HardWicke'S
last surviving maze relative, namely, her nephew
james Dare who mai sailed Tor America twenty
years ago married there, and quite recently, died
there. His aun hfd heard nothing OF HIN since
IA left England, until the letter arrived-written "A
lew days before his dr3th-begSiny her to be a
frt.ud % bis only cEid Diana. Miss Har1wicEe's
heart warmed 10 this girl she had never seen. and
sbr counted she days until her arrival with almost
childish iupitieDce and longing. Diana was nOt
h0Wevrr-the letter sl!i-tO proceed 10 Dimsford
b. be-. j T. EHplF a
spend a short time in southport with a sister OF
her mothers - Miss lIa-lwiySe had been both
SURPRISED ana delighted On the morning OF this
April day To receive telegram from her grand
niece ,IyIE- that she had Just arrived In Liver
pool and would come straight on 10 DlmsfOrd, ar
irving about O'Clock. the old lady. Therefore,
had been very busy az dry experimenting with
loving care TIE arrJu1 cement OF the pretty rooms
which were 10 be occupied by tine homeless
stranger.
80 ni.e % the dear child" she unused, as she
slowly paced up and down in the freight. $50
come straight here instead 81 going 10 southport.
wonder II james has t.laed of me 10 her. Poor
james, H. was always "A hne aru-hearted Eel
low feel shall love the dear gIrI"
A. she glanced ut the tIuSp!ece for the twen-
ti,lH time IN aS IGdUy minutes, carriage-wheelS
InentS sfteTwird the hal! bell changed loudly.
Mis- UardwicSr fastened INTO the hlll, trembling
Win sNCteu-nt. jall. ereCty-buiit girl was just
eEtsriUg, mEiiird IA heavy wrappings.
"AuIlie. she exclaimed neTv0usly. "Dear,
dear Aunt tirihrncl As she spoke she threw
herself iuto The Old iady's arms, and sObbed con-
Nu!~lyey.
Aunt C!emencys kind heart was utterly taken
by storm, ami then and there she took the lonely
girl into her affections forever. And indeed
Diana was very winning and lOvable. she was
hauIsCinr gfri too WIKI weil-cut II rather large
features, thig1 brown 'iT, cut short IN the then
prevailing FASHION, and pair Of splendid, heavily
dashed, uATN eyes. But handsome a she was, her
and impul,iys,, there was q quaint air OF almost
bJyi,A IGdlcIiy about her which was iTresistaDly
captivating. She hooked quite twenty, but ia
ATTY. a. Lrr aunt knew. she was only seventeen.
Ter converse ion vas bright and original and by
lac time dinner was over Hiss HardWicke felt Us
though tney had Known each other for years.
Am i ike My father do you thinN, aunte?"
Diana asked - they st ia the draw ing-room after
well. dear replied the old lady, IL can hardly
ten u l. - long since saw your poor father.
Bur There Is !poN IN your eyes that reminds me OF
WHIST he . a boy
=! had q ~p.endid portrait OF nv father went on
Diana, HUNG HcT clear, dark eyes to her aunJS.
'-lrt letters. AMI plpe-s and that. But do you
hauw lo-t Jue Gag they wrrp IN, on board the
sfe.uurr or between the docks and the railway sta-
jiou a. Liverpool. ! r~Is provoked, becauser with
a wiusO.ne little SMILE IL didn't know II you would
take strange niece On her Owr credentials"
"Ny fedr.' sail her aunt, dJprecatiagly.
Il came over with such a queer girl, went on
piSas. looking dre&.,liy iAJO the IRE 81 quite
ESct EeT at nrst. sac had soft dark eyes. some
thing Ire yours and pretty COnndlng Kind OF
maLutr. Sh' wasn't bld-lOJdng. II she hadn't
EIi deep scar n -t acT1s, her lefJ eyebroW. she
said shc had fallen and eat u when a child Well
at nrst We were great friends. and quite confden-
tia. told her was coming here 10 you. and all
that. and then she told ne about herself. she
s.iII she was quite alone In the world, and was
going % bc-Iet me see-I think she said an
actress"
Miss HardwlcSe looked very grave.
MY dear child she demonstrated ''what most
chJectiouaOie aciuiiatance Tor you! 1 hope and
trust that you"
wait a minute auntie~ interrupted the girl.
lsuglInZ. BJ-gnd-py We had a Kind Oi row Ger
taiuly Dan; : expressions were little strong),
'-Jeclusts-v ell, ! went into ms cabin, which was
liJrlc one had all TO my sell. ana found her with
my bag Cyen-the one lost afterward-turning
over all nv papers ] got mad and said some
rather rude thinEs; and she cried, and told some
fearful lies, which Of course didn't deceive me. so
we were rather cool after that. But IL struck me
as obi that "a bag should disappear, because 1t
had all my spar" money In lOu see, aeUer used
20 lock up things, 9ut VIII after this.'
quite night, -ltl Miss HJrdwicke iInpreSSiyely
I'VE must never put temptation In feIIOw-Crea-
lures way. ana my dear. you should not enter
into COnEeTsati1I with strangers a young girl
Clnno. be too careful In travelling alone. have
10 doubt she was some low, dishonest creature
Who's 25ect from ne trst was osteal the money"
COaeld "a the oid lady with unwOnted unchari-
tdtleEe,-
..DO you think she took it, thens~ asked the girl
'.'ly der, think there Is but little doubt of it.
Il guess you wouldn't have thought that IL you
heal taoayhtiuy. she " as such sweet fn nof
cent-iooking little thing And yet II seemed queer,
TOO
.'l:ut, DANA said Aunt Clemeney in anxious
t"f,- Il hop YOU had enough money to bring
you comfortably here:"
''WgN, hadn't much, returned the girl .rankly
'BUt EOt along say auntie," she went on after
q minute or two. ''yOu weren't vexed at NV
tplalA4 Nll14BIt htrt instead or going. as ought
10 have DONE % SEE my mothers people were you?
You ST, with wistful upward look father had
talked 80 much Of you, and ieIt lonely, and So
ana SOL came, somehow IN a very low voice
Il lett IL would be more ike coming hOIne.D
The Old lady cOlOred with pleasure.
evoked, ms dear" she replied. Most certainly
not am only too glad 20 learn you were prepared
10 love your Old auntie. j hope you won't lind IL
very dull here. Though 10 be sure there are
plenty OF nice young people within walking and
driving distance, she added renectfvely.
'-Oh, don't care much about young people OBJ
served Diana "POOr father and were always 10
gether, you know, and we hadn't many friends
long conversation followed, regarding the girls
home life In America, and her passionate love for
her dead Ia her. All was simply and tOuchingly
told that the old ladys eyes overlooked more than
once. There Was long silence, broken abruptly
by Diana
.'whose portrait is that?- she asked. pointing 10
piece.
That is my godson, Chester Lennox,- returned
Miss Haruwicke with some pride. ale is a bar
lister, very Clever, and thu dearest fellow In the
world" =
Diana took down the frame. and gazed at the
lCLdlt attentlyely. IL represented young man
Win quiet, cleyer-lOoking face a dark NOUS
tiche. and Keen. rather deep-set eyes
DOES ne ever come hereT' the girl asked Is she
careiuly replaced the frame again
les Often lexpect lie may be down next
"Dd he know was comings-
why, yes my dear, Of course. He quite looks
fOTward 70 knowing you"
perhaps he won't Ike me- observed Dtana
grsvely. D'an'
..Iie Is sure 20 ike Won - returre,. ,ho -, -,