The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-23
ALICE HYlAND.
BY ANNA snIkLDs-

In the wide, pleasant drawing-room Of
Alice Hyland's home, two people had
been seated for nearly half an hour in a
silence so profound that the room might
have been thought unoccupied by any
one listening outside. Alice Hyland her
self, a fair, sweet woman Of % or "a, was
busy with some crimson wool-work, over
which. as it lay in rich, warm mass in
her lap, her small white hands moved
slowly, and as if the work was making
but little progress Very often her eyes
we're lifted and fastened on the face of
her companion, tall, fine-looking man
Of thirty, who was taking visiting cards
one after another from a basket and
drawing faces or figures upon them,
and very evidently absorbed with her
thoughts.
By some intuition many persons pos
sess, but which cannot be defined by
wortis, keen observer would have
thought, She loves him, and her love is
not returned"
Yet DR.. Fred Whiteman would have
described himself as distant connection
of Alice Hyland's, and her warm friend,
and the lady herself would have claimed
no closer tie.
The silence had long been oppressive
to Alice, but she did not break it, Dr.
Whiteman spoke at last. his eyes fixed
upod a profile upon the last card from
the basket, to which he was adding eIab-
crate whiskers.
Have not heard you speak of Ella
Blake, Allie?"
"Yery likely. She was my dearest
friend for years"
" And is not now ?"
A vivid blush rushed into AIice's
cheek.
"WiIl you tell me why you ask? 1t is
not my fault that have not seen Ella
for nearly five years
"Did you quarrel?"
She was very unkind to me- There
You will misjudge that speech if do
not tell you the whole story"
And that is just what want you to
do
When Mr.. Blake died, and Ella was
left without any money, after having
supposed herself rich mans daughter,
wrote to her imploring her to come here,
to let me be her sister, to share in all
possessed. could not go to her, for it
was when Uncle Mark was diving, and
he did not want me out of his sight.
Ella wrote me very unkind letter That
is, it was a beautiful, noble letter, full of
independence, and refusing TO accept any
pecuniary assistance. But, Fred, how
could she write it TO me. who owed her
father everything?"
You? Pardon me, but you know,
dear friends as we have bean since your
Uncle Mark came home, have known
exceedingly little of your previous
life
You do not know, then, that Mr..
Blake took Inc. after my parents died,
into bis own home. Ny father was Mrs.
Blake's second cousin, SO yon see how
very faint was my claim upon him. But
he never made any difference between
Ella and myself Every advantage she
enjoyed shared. We had the same al
lowance, the same parents Miss Blake,
who kept house for her brother. was like
a mother TO me until she died. When
Uncle Mark came home from California
a rich man, and sought me out, there
was as much grief in the parting of Ella
and myself as if we had been true sis
ters. But when understood that had
been supported by charity for years, !
was glad to accept Uncle Marks offer Of
home. He was my fathers brother, a
bacnelor, and in bad health. 1t seemed
a duty to share his home, nurse and pet
him. and relieve Mr.. Burke OF the bur
den he had never let me see was heavy
one. Uncle Mark bought this place be-
cause he disliked city life, and Ella came
for summer visits until her father died.
But, Fred, SIZE should have let me pay
something Of my debt TO her father, who
was like father to me for seventeen
years"
She is proud and sensitive but. Al
ice, you can pay your debt now. Two
weeks ago was called in by the landla-
dy of xretched tenement house to see
a sick girl. To my pain and surprise, !
recognized lady who had been a teach
er in a school where was the medical
attendant. had noticed her then her
rare beanty, her gentle manner, and her
care of the sick children. When miss
ed her I vas told that trouble in her
throat prevented her teaching, and that
she was working in a paper-box factory.
knew nothing more until q fortnight
ago, when found her fever-stricken, al
most dying"
'swhy did you not tell me before ?"
Il only knew her as Miss Blake, and
7 5sd r,of oSur<-iafe her with vozr nnfiI