Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-08
SCORN FOR SCORN.
A CONTINUED STORY.

rick! w must al pS 'o'y NN " -'
DOOR child-she is so utterly dependent
upon us; but too much kindness from You
will be the greatest cruelty"
had been dreaming about the Queen
and the Prince Of Wales out in the garden,
in the shade between the laurel.busheS
and the corner Of the house. The draw
inp.room windows we're open to the
ground, for it was drowsy summer alter
noon. had felt sleepy and stupid in the
house, 90 had come out into the garden
and made myself luxuriously comfortable
in the shade, with a sofa cushion for my
elbow and for prop for the big sheet Of
the Times, settling myself to an unir-
terrupted half hour of enjoyment over the
account of the previous days drawing
room. Every girls name in the list of
presentations was story to me; did not
envy them in their glory from the depths
of my poverty and dependence. The
radiant light in which they lived shed its
beams into my dull life when 1 read their
names and pictured their faces from the
bare and quite untrustwOrthy material
before me. pictured my own name in
the list--"Mlss Violet Luce, by her
cousin, Lady TredeaHick. There was not
the very smallest chance in the world OF
my being presented by Lady Tredennick,
or any one else; but, If had been rich
orphaned relative instead of a very poor
one, of course Lady Tredennick would
have presented me. AS It was, she gave
me food and shelter and a place in her
household infinitely less comfortable than
q hOusemaid's. Lady TIedennick and
Helen barely noticed my existence, so l
could hardly call them friends; and,
because l was their cousin and guest, and
because l was ST. poor and so proud in my
extremely doubtful position, could not
have social interiors for friends.
Just one friend l had made, and that
few days before another oousin-Ken.
rick Tredenuick, who had come down
with Lady Tredennick and Helen for two
or three days rest and "settIng up" to
carry them on tu the end of the season.
was never taken to London, of course;
my mourning was the reason at first, and
then common sense was the reason for
what should do in London--a poor
dependant who ought to have been work.
ing tor my living, but that my grand
relatives would not allow il? They felt
themselves bound to give me shelter and
clothing, but not to present me at court
and introduce me into society; and my.
self was grateful for their kindness In
taking me in and shielding me from the
hardships Of the world outside. II was a
spiritless sort OF gratitude perhaps, but
then had TredennIck blood in my veins,
and l had not been educated in the
modern independent style. or taught that
women were sent into the world to fight |
for themselves like men; and 1t seemed to
me a simple impOSsibility that girl born
as / was should become paid governess
or companion, and, unpleasant as my life
at erik KnowsleY was, it had to be sub.
nitted to as the only possible life for me.
They did not take me to parties even in
The country. They told me at first that
i was because Of my mourning, and then
because the parties were stupid, and that
was not quite strong enough tor the long
light drives or the violent tennis by day.
They also agreed that was too Young for
he home dinner parties. Mrs. Berdell,
he rectoTs wife, who did make an attempt
It intimacy with me, said they would not
ct me 90 out with Helen because l was
% much younger and prettisT; but
iisliked Mrs. Berdsll and her proffered
friendship, and would not be pitied or
laIteTed by her, OF admit that there was
ny need for consolation in my lot. Even
n my loneliness l would not have q
rend whom | thought beneath my
tandard; and Mrs. Berdell's friendliness
onsisted Of iattery and patronage, and
ndless demands for Information about
~ cousins dolngs, and sympathetic
smarks on their supposed unkindness to
ne. ! despised the aAttsry OF a woman
rho, As l considered. inaAmsd pride aud
las too vulgar and ignorant to know 4
hat was really worth praisei and wild '
Ores would not have drawn from me an 8
acknowledgement that even a TIedenniok {
ould dare 10 despise or be unkind to a
redenniek'Lues; aud | would not S
roiAns the sacred secret. of the Treden. '
Iek household by revealing them to the |
llgAr inquisitive eyes Of Mrs. Berdell, i
no was not "bOrn" at all as the Ger. 5
ans say. U
Was happy enough between my pride d
I'd my Powers Of imagination and the U
,undless Young hopefulness Of eieht.rp