The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-05-04
,BENSBURG, PA. FRIDAY. MAY 4. 1883.

And he taught Giulia's child to call
him Sir Jasper, while longing with all
his heart to hear the word "iatherD from
her lips.
"Some day." he said to himself, 'I
will tell her all about it, and she will
know. Then / Will ask her to call me
"father'-and l shall hear all earth's
music in the world"
Sir Jasper said one thing to Veronica
on entering the house. He turned to
her with an expression of pain on his
face.
Veronica" he said, "I want TO ask
you one fayor-that is, l wish TO give
you one piece of advice, afterward you
viii know the reason why. / advise
you to say nothing whatever OF the
home you have left. People are sure TO
ask you questions. Do not answer
them; evade them"
Veronica, looking up at him with tho
simple faith Of child, replied:
81 will viii DO Whatever YOU tell
me"
And he knew from that moment that
any secret, anything which touched
his interests, was rs safe in her hands
IS in his own. He never forgot the ex-
preston OF utter astonishment on Lady
Brandon's face as the young girl came
forward, with her graceful, seli-posessed
manner, to speak TO her.
Il really thought" she said afterward
to her husband, that an old Venetian
figure had descended from its frame.
What face she has, Jasper It's es-
sentially Venetian, not Florentine Il
know the Florentine type so well-nor
Roman, but purely Venetian. Her
mother must have been a beautiful
woman"
lie WINGED at the words, but made no
reply.
Lady Brandon smiled as she con-
tinucI:
"She is a great contrast to Katherine.
l am not sure that it is wise to bring
rival beauty into the house"
Jasper looked up impatiently; this
woman's tattle annoyed him.
''Shc viii never harm Katherine he
said, somewhat sternly. "Do not put
ideas OF that kind into Katc's head. L
want her to like tho young stranger.
See-that is pretty picture"
Husband and wife were standing by
the fireplace III the Yellow Drawing
room, rs one olthe prettiest apartments
IT Queens Chacc was called. The two
girls were at the other enI-katherine
seated on low chair her golden head
thrown back, and Veronica kneeiing on
the floor by her side. The two faces
were each lovely, yet differed entirely.
Veronica was gazing at the English girl
with something ike rapture in her face
katherine was a new revelation of
beauty to her.
Tell me something about your
home" said Katherine "The one
dream of my life is to 20 to Italy; but
papa will never hear OF it."
Veronica gave one hasty glance across
the room to the dark, handsome face of
the man who had so great an influence
over her. Remembering her promise,
she answered:
"Ask me about anything you will"
she replied, except about home.
cannot speak of it."
Katherine looked at the flushed face,
AM, thinking that the subject was one
too sad for her, she stopped down and
kissed her.
81 Will not ask you about home or
anything else that grieves you, Neroni-
ca" she said. 1T must be very sad you
have lost everything everyone. But
You viii be happy with us after time.
You shall be my sister, have alwavs
longed for one; and you, viii love
pIp1-5vcryone loves him when they
know him" 1t was strange but typ
ical that she did not speak OF Lady
Brandon. She said nothing about low
ing her. "Kiss me, Veronica" she said
mot coldly, but as if you We're really
my own sister. l shall love you as
though you were"
The dark eyes filed slowly with
tears.
"You will love me ?'' she sad. at
seems impossible; it is too COOL it
cannot be true. You viii really love
me ?'
Why should l not asked Katherine,
wondering at the girls emotion
"Why should you, rather" she re-
piled. you are so different from me.
You seem to me like a fairy princess.
You live in the midst OF beauty and
magniticence; everyone loves you
even the servants who wait upon YOU
seem almost to worship you. You
have the sunshine ever on your head
Look at these bright threads OF gold !
You seem to me more lovely than a
poets dream"
Katherine laughed; flattery was al
ways Pheasant to her. She experience Il
girt's natural delight in being called
lovely. Then she passed her white fin
gers over the bowed head.
HAS no one ever told you that you
wers beautiful ?''
NO; / have never heard anyone
speak of me in that way" replied Yer
onica.
"rhen let me tell you now," said
Katherine. "You are a thousand times
more beautiful than / am. But | am
not jealous of you-I Low e you. Mine
is a pretty pink-and-white, healthy,
happy kind of beauty; yours is a grand,
half-sad, wholly imperial loveliness. 1
am like a rosebud, you are like a
mystical passion-fower. There are
hundre DIS of girls like me-there can be
few others like you"
''ls it really true ?' asked Veronica
"Am / really beautiful l.? Tell me,
Cdteriad Saia-do you think that any
one who saw me for the first time
would like me ?''