Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-07-13

pearance beside her more fortunate
cousins?
What she really found was roll of
stout, serviceable calico for under-gar-
ments; a dress-lcngth of coarse,
strong navy serge, and another of =
neat chocolate cambria, and these were
all.
Margaret looked from these things to
her silent, troubled mother, and back
again, tossed them into q heap, and
ran away to throw herself on her bed
and weep bitter tears of disappoint-
mcnt.
Il don't understand it at all. sighed
Mrs. barton, in confidence to her sym
pathizing elder daughter. Unless
your aunt thought it would be wiser to
make her present plain and useful,
than to encourage in Margaret a love
of dress, which, in our circumstances,
it is more prudent to repress."
Perhaps Aunt Bessie dresses very
simply herself" Mary suggested.
"A rich widow, who had discarded
her Grape when she landed, and is
evidently not i'll the habit of denying
herself any luxury! No, no, Mary my
Nl0AtI lptoHlt tptS Iub ClDlllt IltTStlI Ill
coarse serge and common print But
what is to be done? your father will be
vexed if this invitation is declined; vet
to bid Margaret go, arrayed in q garb
that would mark her as the poor rela-
ton, | cannot"
However, Mr.. barton, rendered irrita-
bic by ovcrwork and the anxiety of
making small income meet the wants
of a large family, angrily pooh-poohed
the mothers objections.
decline so kind an offer simply be-
cause your sisters good sense prompted
her to send useful articles instead of
tinery. You shall do nothing so foolish.
Margaret is to go to Brighton | insist
on it, and let her remember that by be-
having rudely or ungratcfully she may
ruin the prospects of her brothers. If
anything should happen to me, pray
what friend have you in the world be-
sides Mrs. Laurence?"
IF papa insists, of course | must
obey" said Margaret, gulping down
sob. And for Matrices sake
| will try to be civil and all
that; lat shall take care
not to stay longer than | can
help, and wear those horrid things l
will not. The serge can be cut into
blouses for the boys"
But, my dear child, you are so
poorly provided for such visit"
sighed Mrs. barton.
DO not | know that, and writhe at
the thought of displaying my poverty
to my rich relatives! Yet if they were
not ashamed to insult it, why should l
care? Not even to please papa will l
put on Aunt Bcssie's something suita-
BILE
And to this resolution Margaret adj,
hcrod. Her loving mother would have
sold a small quantity of lace she pos
sesscd and made few additions to
her daughters wardrobe with the price
obtained for it, but her purpose was
discovered and forbidden. 1t was,
therefore, with very small amount of
luggage gray cashmere, Just made
up for Sunday wear, the dark green
worn all last winter, and an Indian
muslin embroidered for her by Mary
Mt the beginning of the summer-that
Margaret went away, to be conveyed
to Brighton by the highly respectable,
middle-aGed woman in black silk and
furred mantle, who introduced herself
to the young lady as Mrs. Laurcnces
personal attendant.
Some of Margaret's resentment
melted beneath the warmth of her re-
ception, for Mrs. Laurence, u hand
some, energetic, middle-agcd woman,
came into the hall to meet her niece,
and tell her, with hug and kiss,
that she was almost rs pretty as her
mother used to be at her age.
Then she was hurried upstairs, to he
introduced to Emma and Marion, sal
low, sickly looking girls of thirteen and
fourteen, whose time seemed to be
spent in ceaseless squabbling with the
brisk little French governess, who was
endcavorinG to arouse them from their
indolencc.
There was not much companionship
to be expected from them, and for the
first three or four days after her arrival
Mt Brighton, Margaret scarcely saw her
aunt, except at lunch.
Mrs. Laurence brcakfastcd in her
own room. came TO the luncheon-tray
with her hands full of papers, over
she ate few biscuits. The carriage
bore her off directly after, and she mere
~ returned in time to dress for din
ncr-party, being overw helmed with in
vitations from friends and relatives of
her late husband.
Perhaps Margaret preferred that it
should be so. She felt 10 desire to i'm
prove her &C Iuaintance with the lady
who had made her feel so keenly that
she was poor relation: but, at the
same time, she was in no hurry to re-
turn home. Gossiping neighbors might;
whisper that she had been sent back in
disgrace; and her father, whom press
of work often rendered unjust, would
be sure to suspect her of having given
way to temper, and forgetting that any
act Of rudcncsa on her part might mar
the future of those she loved.
So Margaret resolved not to do any
thing hastily. Madcmoiselle, when
set free from her duties in the school
room, was yiyacious, intelligent com
Ianion; and the gaiety of Brigton was
| as dcliGhtful as it was new to the
young girl who had never before left
! the village in one of the Midland coun-
ties where her parents resided.
70 stroll along the Kings Road,
watching the cvcr-changing groups that
came and went; to sit on the pier list
| pninCr 10 tbo ,bCicoeI ,,,,e;o. -, 30 ,-ook