Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-01
LUCILLE.


~ l. 10 JodgA
LUCILLE.
aft comes bard on rs TO take that girir
William Hart grumnied TO his wife. Nv ben
Mary ian away WITH that Frenchman,
DuDreuil, my father washed his hands OF her,
and 70 toe day Of bis death be never men
toned her name, not even when the news OF
her husbands death came TO US They've
always lived in France. and ! thought we
we're rid OF them She has no clam On u,
and yet she writes 70 me On Der deatnbed,
asking me 70 take her daughter
"Weil. she thought n ycu and Hiram gos
all tho pryperty. aud soc Was disinheri'ed'
y,u ought 10 give her daughter . home" an
sverei Mrs Hart
shs was almost as cold and hard and IN
d, nonsifativs a. her husband, but, unlike
b IN. she was not seldxh. and beneato Der IN
sympathetic exterior shs had q strong sense
Of duty
That girl didn't give Us chance to say
yea or nay" Mr. Hart continued angr.iy.
..she wrns. that she would sail the day after
hcr mothers funeral. and by tins telegram
piece q business! I've the greatest mind in
the world TO send her packing"
The harsh lines on William Hart's face
grow harxner a. be dwelt on his grisE Ancsa.
Il should not have been grievance TO give
home To . pfor orphan niece, He was
wealthy farmer. with three SONS, two Of
them coarse and robust like himself, the
young st, Robert, q weakly, fretful Invalid
about H. ycsrs old
IL don't ses the use Of making fuss Mn
Har. aid In a cold voice. "Hiram's dead,
and you happen TO be Lucille DuoreuiFs oaiy
relative, 50 you've got to take her fol
cant turn a girl Of II out oil the world.
dare say she'll give Il deal II trouble-glris
always do. and then she's foreign and not
used 10 cur ways"
at don't matter her not being used 70 our
waya | reckon they're good enough for u
paaper, but the question wiki me Is, How are
going TO put up with hersi always did de
spise FrenchlAed peopie'
Here comes tho train now y said bis wife
And yes, there's girl getting out, IN
deep black ! suppose it's she
The station wss oIiy a few steps from the
farm gate, but those few steps Mr. Hart did
not take He and his wife leaned upon the
how gate and watched curously q little
figure hu!rying toward them lad who
was showing her the way pointed to tho
farmer and his wife, and then returned to
the station
She ran hastily forward. her veil thrown
bac. froitl her mail, pale face, her are gray
eyes al Gut with easerness, and an appealing
smile on ler lips
"Ab, you ar non onclev she cried. and
the next moment her arms we're around tina
farmers neck, and her kisses on his cneek
10 almost pushed her from him
Yes, I'm your unclo,' he said, coldly,
but you necdut choke me. This Is your
Aunt Jane"
HIS vojce and repellant manner Jared
upon La, lies sensitive nature. she drew
hark and gazed ttiidly at the tail, ster.l
faced woman before her She dared not
prefer "A cares which had Already bee.i re-
pul Ell, but she took Mrs iiAri'S hand w,tl Il
looa which would have gone 10 any woniaus
heart Whether it did or not, it never Ell
tered her aunt's mind to kiss Inc girl and
make her welcome
Yes, I,l your uncles wife," she an
swered. st.Ciy. land hope you're gong to
he ,co1 ,,lrl, and not make US TOO much
trouble
"Why, she isn't but u mite" her uncle
said, gazing at her disapprovingly, and
Mary was fine, large girl. But then that
little whiopersnaoper OF q Frenchman wasn't
bigger than pint cup"
Hush slil his wife, in a low voice.
But Lucille, who had never heard the word
'whippersnapper" before and understood
English but imperfectly, only gazed INCUR
ingly ut the speaker.
We'll, come to the house, and take OF
your bonnet" said Mrs. Hart She led the
way, Lucille following her, with all elasticity
gone from her steps, and a half frightened
look in her eyes Was this to be her home
and that harsh coarse man, was he her uncle.
and her lovely mammals brotheri Oh, why
did mamma send her to themf
Here's your room" Mrs Hart said, open
ins door. and there's your trunk been
brought up You'd better have wash b.
foro you come down to dinner"
"Merci madamcr' Lucille said. ~ mean
| tank you, my aunt"
You'll have to talk better Engli sh than
that" MIRA Hart said. with q grim smile,
"or you'll be laughed at. Hurry up, for
can't keep your dinner waiting; it's against
my rules
. As she closed the door Lucille sank on her
Knees by the bed, and burying her face in it,
wept violently. "Ah," she sobbed, in her
own dear language, II don't understand their
words. but their looks, yes! They do not
want me They grudse me the shelter Of
their roof They despise me. All, why,
when mamma died. did | not stay in Diuard
as a servant, nurse, anything rather than
come to these cold heartsl All, dear Dinard!
II could go back, II | could wake up in my
own little room and find this an ugly
drean,'
She closed her eyes, and before her rose the
fields OF Dinard, with their masses of scarlet
poppies against the dull green acXground OF
waving grain. The solemn rhythm of the
sea was in her ears. she was dancing the
ronde with her playnates by moonlight, and
her mothers beautiful eyes were smiling
tenderly at her.
"Ah, she wanted me to comet" Lucille
said, resolutely She knew what was best for
ME, and will be brave nd cheerful and try
to make them love me-"
As she smoothed her hair before the small
mirror. you saw Lucille was not pretty She
was pale and thin, but her eyes were full Of
expression, and her movements easy and
graceful There was refinement in the girls
every look and gesture, the refinement Of
good breeding and good blood on her fathers
side, and her pretty mother had been quick
to mold her own habits and tastes on those
Of her husbands. The family WAS half
through dinner when Lucille entered the
kitchen Her uncle looked up
You can't DO hungry much, or you take
too long to d. ink. This is your cousin Lucy,
boys That's her uame ~ this house. for no
Frenchified Lucille for me.
Lucy. That's your cousin Stephen" point
in. with his knife to the larger Of the two
tall young men, who grnned and looked
sheepisb, but did not rise from their seats.
and extend n hand of welcome "Tnis Is
James and here is Bob, q no account Grip
pie, us you can see. fou'd better SIT by him,
reckon, you re 10th puny."
Tho young men stared and looked more
sheepish than ever, as their cousin, with her
pretty, grace, ul step, went to each, shooh
hands, and tried to say q few cour,e0us
words in English, which only male them
STARE harder, and giggle until their faces
were rel
Ill YOU don't talk the funniest lingo" her
n7rlc cried. with o rude Llush Il tell YOU,
l.ly the 6rst thing YOU must learn IL to
t,is English SO that folks can understand
Hoa"
She smiled good humoreily
Alb yes, mon oncie. nlf no English We
spik 1t not in Dinard Only r. strangers,
travellers. are English. will learn it lien
tot Ny cousins will help me- with an ap
ealing smile ut them which they met
stolldiy
r, Lucille that dinner was revelation OF
how E'uch men could eat, and b w loudly
rh. foil