Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-06-28
AUNT AND NIECE,
OR.
The Mistress Of
HazelWOOd.
By GERALD CARLTON.
CHAPTER XII
FAREWELL FOREVER.


we shall miss you very MUCH she
said, kindly. 1t dlspleases me that you
should be inoonvenienced through no fault
OF your own, 1t seems unjust; but, as you
say, 1t is necessary. In short time YOU
made yourself part of the idea which is con-
veyed by the words Hardwood House.
We shall be sorry to say Farewell to you. +"
There are thousands of drawing
masters more talented than l, he replied.
Possibly she answered, raising her
eyes from her hand, and herself from the
chair. and speaking more in her usual way.
| "Possbly-but l took the liberty Just then
of thinking of you as friend, and not as
drawing master. There are thousands Of
| drawing masters, know; but, as you told
me on the first day saw YOU there is only
one Mr.. Tryfoll. | am afraid shall make
| you vain," she added, with her musical
laugh, 80 let us say no more about regrets
at parting. One word before we end this
| unpleasant interview. / want you to in
| dulge Wilma very foolish whim of
mine--will you?"
Miss Bentley asked the question with q
smile, so Will smiled in return, though
ever SO family.
1t was. of course n very serious matter to
him-this loss Of eight hundred dollnrs a
year.
You know" she proceeded, "that the
Bentley determination is strongly Develop
ed in in me. said to Sir Landy the other
| day, these words Mr.. Tryfoil will only
leave Hazelwood House at his own re-
| quest 1t pains nae to have to break this
promise; it pains me to, treat you like a
servant. There seems TO be so much
selfshncss IN saying: You have behaved
| perfectly, but you must go. The incon-
venlence to you is nothing to me, and
therefore you must 60
am anxious" she went on, sadly, "to
show my esteem, and to prove the trust /
have in you; to show in fact that you have
given every satisfaction from first to last.
Mr. Tryfoil, wantyou to go, but will not
bring that about by the influence of the
mistress: prefer to employ the influence
OF friendship. dare say you consider me
a very odd creature. No matter / have
my whims occasionally, as have all people.
This is my foolish within 4 positively TO.
fuse to discharge you.
! Miss Bentley! You are not serious?s
Il am perfectly serious, she replied. u
II positively refuse to discharge you; but ]
say to you. Mr.. Tryfoil, the happiness OF
my niece depends on YOUR leaving Hazel
4 wood House at the end of this week"
He understood her; but there seemed to
be lump in his throat which would not
let him speak steadily. He answered. how
] ever:
Miss Bentley, that N part was my in
tention. Since the happiness of your niece
depends on my leaving Hardwood House
beg to discharge myself"
She seized his hand, and again gave il
that one hearty, grateful shake Then the
interview was at an end, and they parted
| for the night.
! On the following day Mrs. Harcourt and
viii breakfasted alone. From the morn-
ing till few minutes before the dinner
hour Miss Bentley and her niece were
closeted together in the iatters bedroom.
The lady of lakewood found Ada in
unusually gay spirits. She kissed her
affectionately. then proposed that they
should spend the morning and afternoon
IN that loom together. unseen and undis
turbed.
Ada asked the reason which led her aunt
70 propose such al arrangements the reply
was, that she desired to have a very long
and serious converse ion with her. Ada
blushed, and inquired the subject. Her
aunt answered: Mr.. Tryfoil"
Say his Chris IAN name" said the poor
girl. Let me see if your dear lips look
like mine when you pronounce WILL"
But Miss Bentley positively refused, de-
spite much coaxing, to humor her in this
particular.
Tho girls anxiety lest Win should sus-
pect that she l0,ed him was very great.
Her aunt assured her that such thing was
in the last degree improbable, and upon
that appealed to her pride.
Did not Ada think that it was shockingly
un-Bentley like, to desire ccncealment and
fear suspicion? Yes; but she could not re-
gist loving him.
did che ths.,I III l;,-sl.. IL.4 Nj
I'ryfoil would retsgn her foolish passionP
No! Did that inoGght distress her very
sorelyT No, not ex,ctlv--there was ecsta-
TIC JOY IN its deep mourniulness. Could
she bear to think of Mr. Tryfol as married
to another? Yes--if he were happy in that
marriage. Could she bear parting with
him with the knowledge that she would
never see him again? Yes-if separation
from her brought him happiness.
And so gently, gradually and tenderiy -
with her arms around her, her lips touch
ing her niece's at every word that might
strike harshly- employing all the forces
OF her strong mind, her knowledge of her
niece, her affection for her. and her sweet,
potent. woman's tact studying each word
and IFS probable effect before she made il
beautiful by giving it soft utterance- the
perfect woman prepared, by religion and
pure love, the poor imperfect child to bear
her bitterness.
MIR. Tryfoil had discharged himself from
her services, and he would leave Halle
wood House at the end of the week. He
was going to leave them and be married.
Neither she nor Ada would see him more
Ada received the intelligence with as
founding calmness. Her cheeks blanched;
her signs were frequent; the gay spirits of
the morning had left her. but there was no
excitement, no loud wailing attending her
grief-yet her love for Will was no delu-
sion.
Il should like to see him once again,
aunty, she said. SO quietly and resgnedly
that Miss Bent ey felt fearful lest the calm
ness should prove tc be the prologue CT o
er-ending storm.
So, still with the astounding calmness
upon her, Ada appeared at dinner that
evening. She scarcely uttered a dozen
words, and when the ladies retired for
night, she calmly held out her hand to
Will, tried to appear natural. and bIushed.
Good night. Mr.. Tryfoil, she said, in
her soft, low tones. "Aunty told me this
that You are going away in few
lays to be married. congratulate you
'ery sincerely, and wish wish you happi-
less always. Good night.
But when she reached her own ROOM she
ell on her knees and buried her face on
he bed and tried TO pray, but could not.
Ill