The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-02-06

them all alike: at least so rar as Zillah's
small capacity allows. Ibelieve," and
he smiled sarcasticaIly, ''her modieum
of intellect is not greater than general
ly belongs to her mothers race. She
would make an excellent .datdtl and that
is ALL
sPoor thingl'' thought, not inclined
to despise her even after this painful
information; how could /, when--now
that fairly nonplussed mel What made
the girl an object of interest to Mr..
SutherlandY and why did he mention
her as Miss Zillah LIE Poer when she
could legally have no right to the manner
| should, in my straightforward way,
have asked the question, but Mr.. Lee
Peers manner showed that he wished
no more conversation. lie limited
something about my fatigue, and the
ACCESSIBILITY of retiring; nay, even light
ed my candle. for me, and dismissed his
wife and myself with an air 50 pleasant
and gracious, that thought had
scarcely ever seen such a perfect gem
tleman.
Mrs. lie Peer preceded me upstairs
to my room, babe me goodnight, asked,
timidly, but kindly, if all was to my
liking. and il / would take anything
more seemed half-inclined to say
something else, and then, hearing her
husbands voice, instantaneously dis
appeared.
/ was at last alone. | sat thinking
over this strange evening-so strange
that it kept my thoughts from immedi-
ately flying where had supposed they
were sure to fly. During my cogita-
tions there came knock at the door,
and on my answering it, voice spoke
without, in adult, sullen tone, and an
accent slightly foreign and broken
please do you want to be called to-
morrow, and win you have any hot
water?"
Iopened the door at once to Zillah.
rs it you, dear? Come in and say
goodnight to me-"
The girl entered with the air and
manner of a servant except for "a GER
tain desperate sullenness. / took her
hand, and thanked her for coming to
see after my comforts. She looked
thoroughly astonished; but as went
on talking, began to watch me with
more interest," Once she even smiled,
which threw O soft expression over her
mouth | cannot tell what reason /
had-whether from mere impulse of
kindness, with which my own state Of
des0lation had something to do, or
whether I compelled myself from a
sense. of duty to take all means of max
ing good first impression on the girls
feelings--but when l babe Zillah good
night l leaned forward, and just
touched her brown cheek with mine
French fashion; .forI could not really
kiss anybody except for love.
/ never saw creature so utterly
amazed She might never have re-
ceiyed that token of affection since her
birth. She muttered few unintelligi-
BILE words-~I fancy they were in Hin
dostanee = flung herself before me,
Eastern fashion, and my poor hand was
kissed passionately, weepingly, as the
beloved ladies' hands are in novels and
romances. Ali my hand was never
kissed save by this poor child
All passed in moment, and | had
hardly recovered my first surprise when
Zillah was gone. | sat q little while,
feeling as strange as II bad suddenly
become the heroine of fairy tale; then
caught vision of my own known self,
with my pale, tired face, and sad-c0lored
gown. 1t soon brought me back to the
realities of life, and to the. fact that |
was now two hundred miles away from
my mother and from-London.
had not been three weeks resident
in the LIE Poer family, before discov-
cred that if ont of the domestic mystic
ries into which became gradually in
itiated / could create any fairy tale, it
would certainly be that of Cinderella"
but my poor Cinderella had all the
troubles Of her prototype without any
of the graces either of mind or person.
1t is great mistake to suppose that
every victim of tyranny must of neces-
sity be an angel On most minds OPP
preston has exactly the opposite effect.
II dulls the faculties, stupefies the in
stinctive sense of right, and makes the
most awful havoc among the natural
affections. | was often forced to doubt
whether Mr.. lie Poer was very far
wrong when he called Zillah by his IA
vorite name of the ugly little devil"
There was something quite demeniac
in her black eyes at times. She was La
zy too-full of the languor of her native
cline. Neither threats nor pnnish-
ments could rouse her into the slight
est activity. The only person to whom
she paid the least attention was Mrs
lie Poer, who alone never ill-used her.
Poor lady! she was too broken-spirited
to ill-use anybody; but she never
praised. l do not think Zillab had
heard the common civility, THANK
YOU" until l came into the house;
since. when l uttered it, she seemed
scarcely to believe her ears. When she
joined us in the school-room found the
girl was very ignorant. Her youngest
cousin was far before her even in the
commonest knowledge; and, as in all
cases of deadened intellect, it cost her
incalculable trouble to learn the SIM
plest things. took infinite pains with
her, aye, and felt in her a strong inter-
est--ten times stronger than in the 9TH
er two; yet for weeks she seemed
scarcely to have advanced at all. How
ever, 1t must be taken into account
that she was rarely suffered to remain
with me half the school-hours without
being summoned to some mental duty
or other; and the one maid-servant be-
slowed on me many black looks, as be-
ing the cause why she herself had some
times TO do mornings household work
alone.
Often puzzled myself in seeing how
strangely incompatible was Zillah's po-
sition with Mr.. Sutherland's expressed
desire concerning her. Sometimes |
thought would write and explain all
to him; but did not like. Nor did /
tell my mother half the Disbursements
and odd things belonging 10 TINS lamI-
demonstrating that such retieence
even toward her nearest kindred is
every governess's duty. In all domes-
tic circles there must be little Eleus-
inia, the secrets of which chance OBJ
servers should strictly keep.
More than once | determined to take
advantage of the very polite and socia-
BILE terms which Mr.. LIE Poer and my
self were on, to speak to him on the
subject, and argue that his beneyOlence
in adopting his brothers unfortunate
child might not suffer by being testified
in more complete and gracious form.
But he was SO little at Homeland no
wonder; for the miserably dull, seclud-
ed and painfully economical way in
which they lived could have little
charms for aman of fashion and talent,
or at least the remains of such, which
he evidently was. And so agreeable
as he could bel His conversation at
meals--the only time | ever saw him.
was n positive relief from the dull
bles and their mothers faint remons-
| frances and complnintq Rut WhaneV.