The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-08-02

Ell to the HaldaneS.
There was a stormy scene n few
weeks after the interment of her
husband and father. 1t required
the assistance of two lawyers to
convince the bereaved widow that
her sole dependence and that OF
her child was the charity of the
young man she had Tilted for the
father.
II was a very bitter combination
of circumstances, you allow; but
when, upon his return from abroad,
(where he went Immediately upon
his fathers marriage,) he found a
little blue-eyed sister, he accepted
the situation with very good
grace, II aking the widow a hand
some allowance, and asking her to
preside over his home "untiI / see
fiji toInstall another mistress here"
That had been fifteen years be-
fore that July morning of '84, and
it is safe TO say no step mother was
ever more thoroughly attentive TO
the wishes of a son than had been
Mrs. Haldane to those OF her for
mer lover.
Helen Durand had, from early
childhood, heen the constant com
panion and playmate OF Belle Hal
dane, although a few years senior.
Brother Egberl" had petIed and
spoiled her, as he had done his sis
ter, with no thought that the young
girl had enshrined him as her hero
in her heart of hearts.
When Helen was eighteen her
father died, after having lost his
entire property, leaving as his
daughters sole inheritance an in
valid mother, with small cottage
near the Haldane estate. But the
brave girl never ial!ered i'll her
thorny path; she told her friends
il was necessary for her to work,
and she should be glad of their
patronage. She was a natural ge-
MUS in the making OF artistic cos
tunes, and one morning, a few
weeks after Mr.. Durand'S death, a
placard bearing the inscription,
"Helen Durand, Fashionable Dress
maker" was a noticeable feature
of the cottage now occupied by
Miss Helen and her mother,
Mis-. Haldane was shocked al
The unladylike business qualities OF
her daughters early friend, and
would have cut The acquaintance
altogether had not her step.son in
sisted upon the members of his
household treating her with the
courtesy of former days. They
obliged him to the extent of order
ing many of their charming cos
tunes of The indefatigable young
worker, and the widow did not hes
ltate TO pronounce her prices eX-
orbitant when she modestly asked
a tair remuneration for her labor.
Egbert Haldane, calling at the
cottage week before the opening
of this story, had found Helen in
tears, and her mother moi a little
agilated. He forgot the fact that
she was a young lady of twenty
two, and not miss Of seven, and
in his old brotherly manner asked
her the cause of her distress, where
upon she commenced sobbing pain
fully. As Mrs. Durand was no
more communicative, he finally
mastered the situation by forcibly
seating the young lady upon his
knee, and, pinioning her arms to
her side, "a trick of former days
he demanded The why and where
fores Of the case.
The mother, pitying her daugh-
ter's evident confusion, hastily ex-
planned that Mrs. HaIdane had just
left, after being unusually unkind
and insulting. She had intimaled
that she did not approve of their
receiving so many unceremonlous
calls from himself, who, though a
model man, was probably no bet
Ter than other men, etc, and ended
by saving that she really must
Withdraw her patronage from Miss
Durand il she still continued her
present line of conduct. Belle had
been present, and added: "You
cannot, of course, expect Egberi
10 marry Helen now, no matter
how good friends we used to be-"
He looked for one instant into
her eyes, and reading there some
thing more than modification, in
stantly released her-whereupon
she rushed from the room.
"Mrs. Haldane is doubtless cor
rect Mrs. Durand, and you are TO
be censured for receiving so OBJ
jectionable parsonage as myself.
But Belle was entirely wrong, for
for-I think | do mean TO marry
Helen-that is, if you-if She
will overlook this unkindness on
the part of my sister and her moth
er, Will you tell her so please Z
and III call again Tonight.
Two hours later he received this:
sMR. HALDANE :-D0ubtless you
thought that little scene was got
ten up this morning for your es-
pecial benefit, and mama expected
/ YOU to offer yourself as an anti
doie TO your mother and sister.
Many thanks for four kindness,
but III not take the prescription
notwithstanding mama's endorse
mrnt Of it. Don't come down any
more, please.
Yours gratefully,