The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-04-13
Selett StOrg.
d IA N A

/ Few people we're better liked IN Dmsiurt
than Miss Hardwicke of the Manor. She wa
kiudhearted to a fault, hospitable, and gener
Gus. She was handsome, too, and came Of 1
good old family. Besides all these claims L
( popularity, she had FIVE thousand year it
/ her own right, which, you may be sure, did
not make her any the less popular. Il VA
entirely her own fault that a, the age O.
sixty. seven she was still Miss Hardwicke, foi
{ her admirers had been legion. The Admirer;
of single ladies with e5,Oo0 a year are, in
deed, not far to seek, as a rule; but Ciemency
Hardwicke in her young days, with her bonny
face, and her warm. impulsive hear, was q
bargain no man need have regretted, eveu
had these possessions been her only dover
People said they wondered al Der living
alone in the grim looking MAnor-for 1t was
a grim old mansion, though the grounds were
like faisylAnd-and few sage gossips had
been heard to predict, With many heAdshak-
ings, aud somewhat vague phraseolOgy, that
some day the poor dear old lady would hnd
herself murdered in her bed. For the Hard.
wieke diamonds and family plate were famous
all over the country, and Miss HardsicEe-
being 3 woman, and therefore self Willed-
would not take the advice cf hcr friends and
well wishers, and coaSga those valaables TO
the safe keeping of the bank. Indeed, to all
appearance, the old lady's jewels aud plate
were the source Of much keeaer anxiety 10
other people than to their Possessor.
What was the asc Of the solid cid safe le'
into the wall in the east eorridor," she vould
ask plaeidly. ''ifoae coald not have al one s
belongings auder ones roofs At any rate
there they remained, seearc and unmoles;ed.
On the April night on which my story
opens. Miss Hardwieke vas in qaite 40 eHeii-
ed frame Of mind. for sbe expected visitor.
No, that visitors wcrc anything aaasaal Al
DimSford Manor; bat this visitor Eas the
daughter Of clemeaey Hardwieke's last sar,
yiving male relative, namely heF nephew,
James Dare, Who had sailed Tor AaasFiea
twenty years ago, married there, sad, qaite
recently, died there. HIS aEns bad heard
nothing Of him SINCE he lea Engiand, unni
=
his deash-begging ber 20 Be = friead to bis
Only child Diana. Mss Hardwieke's heart
warmed 20 this girl whom she had never seen,
and she counted the days until her arrival
with aluos, childish impaiienec and loaginE.
Diana Sas not. however-the letter said-to
I proceed to Dimsford Immediately on her ar
rival ia England, bat to spend short iine
in Southport witA q sister Of her mother s,
So Miss Hariwieke had been 10th arprisod
and delighted on the morning Of shis Apul
day to receive a telegram from her grAnduieee
saving that she had just arrived ia Liverpool
and woald come straight on to Dimsford, r.
irving about seven O'Clock. The old lady,
therefore, had bera very basy all day super
( intending With loving care the arrangement o.
the pretty rooms which Were to be occupied by
the homeless stranger.
so nice Of the dear child. she mused, a'
she slowly paced mp aud down 80 the sreligh',
ITO come straight here instead Of going 'e
Southport, | wonder If James has talked ot
me TO her Poor James He ~as always q
6ne, warm hearted fellow. feel shall love
the dear girl
As she glanced at the time piece for the
twentieth time in IS many minutes, carriage
wheels we're heard grinding up the drive. and
a few moments afterwards the hAll bel
Changed loudly. Miss Hardwi0ke kasieaed
into the hall, trembling with excitement. A
tall, ereetly bull, girl vas just entering muf
fed in heavy wrappings.
"Auntie ;" she exclaimed neFyously
/ Dear. dear Aunt Clemency As she
spoke she thres herself into the old lady
arms, and sobbed eooSaisisely.
Aunt Ciemency's kind heart was utterly
/ taken BY storm, and then and there she tool
the lonely girl into her affections for ever
/ And indeed Diana was very winning anC
/ lovable. She was handsome girl, too, viii
we'll cut, if rather large features, thick broEr
hair, cut short 10 the then prevailing fashion
and pair Of splendid, heavily lashed, darl
eyes. But handsome as she was, her principa
charm was her manner Frank, loving, ans
impulsiYe, there was a quaint air Of almos
boyish audacity aboDt her which was irresisti
bly, captivating She looked quite twenty, bu
in reality, as her aunt knew, she was opl
seventeen. Her conversation was bright an'
original, and by the time dinner was owe
Miss Hardwicke felt as though they ha
known each other for years.
Am | like my father, do you think
auntie ?'' Diana asked as they sat in th
drawing room after dinner.
''Well, dear" replied the old lady, 81 ca
hardly tell. 1t is so long since | saw you
poor father. But there is look in your eye
that reminds me of what he was as boy"
II had splendid portrait of my father,
went on Diana, lifting her clear, dark eyes
her apnt's, 'and letters, and papers, and tha
But do you know lost the bag they were il
on board the steamer, or between the docl
and the railway station at Liverpool. ! wa
provoked, because with a winsome lit
smile, II didn't know if you would take
strange niece on her own credentials" 3"
'My dear!" said her aunt, deprecating
Il came over with such a queer girl, wei
ON Diana, looking dreamily into the fire.
quite liked her at first She had soft dan
eyes, something like yours, and pretty co
filling kind of manner. She wasn't bad loo
ing, if she hadn't had a deep scar right aero
her left eyebrow. She said she had fall'
and cut it when child. Well, at first '
we're great friends, and quite confidential.
: told her was coming here to you, and a
Il.
!. She said she was quite alone in the worl
and was going to be-let me see-l think s
said an actress.