Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-02
NATURES NOBLEMAN.
A VIRGINIA ROMANCE.
rwnuea for the Dispsseh.l
NJ MISS MARGARET b cooxA
(oSuuDxn.]
CHAPTER VI.


"Jamie." said Mrs. Mason one day to
her little con, who was busy conecting
bis books and fishing tackle for q long
morning with Peter Morris, -" am
really al q loss 10 know why you should
care TO spend 50 much time at the mill
Q mill OF all places-so dirty, SO damp,
so full OF spiders ] would have given
YOU credit for moro taste. ,
"It's we'll for me, said the boy. "lt's
inst splendid. You don't mind the noise
when You get used to it-such fine
place TO study. Mr.. Morris knows now
TO help me learn things he don't know
himself. He Just guesses questions IN
Latin grammar, but they help wonder.
fully. Then he tells me all sorts OF
things. Did YOU know that mills had
Kind OF history or something about
tbemp A man named Rembrandt was
miller. and he did something famous.
then the Miller Of the Dee L will
soon sing You that. | am learning fast
40 sing. wish you would 90 and hear
the iute, too. We sit in the boat to hsh
and Mr.. Morris plays. Oh, 1T Is oeauh-
full. Amt il, Emmie
eyes" said that little lady, "but the
besutifulest thing is the little birds.
They are white and soft, and just float
down like snow when it's falling. Come
and see them, mamma.
"Oh. oh I" laughed Jamie. "Ihe
httle birds are two big snowy owls
but they are as tame as chickens"
care they real snowy owls ?" cried
Mrs Mason. turning TO her husband.
eyes" said that gentleman. 81 did
not ask Peter where he got them, but
they are very handsome and useful, TOO.
They have nearly rid the mill of rats.
Come, suppose we walk down and SEQ
them.
OF course Mrs. Mason would not Join
the elimination society" OF the miller
and mil. as she said, and equally OF
course DIR. Mason took Helen with him.
He was glad to have quiet walk and
talk with his fayorite child. Things
must not go wrong and then give her any
pain in righting them. There was dan
ger he knew by the firm hold Morris bad
taken on his own big heart. but he
trusted that young girl would not care
for snch negative qualities rs honesty
and thrift and love of the beautiful IN ma
ture. but ut least he would tell her bis
hone for her future. Her mother, he
knew, could never think OF anything but
brilliant marriage, ana as they walked
by the babbling water he told her how
abe was his hope in life. elf you had
been a boy. my child, your strong
young arm would have undone the evil
work did when youth j was an or
pbsn child. rich orphan sadder than
q poor orphan even, and fell into the
sins Of the wealthy-extravagance and
folly. Then tine war came on, with Its
ruin. i had lands in every southern
State. Now this old house aud farm are
the limits of my possessions. 1t Is to
nv children that l look for help James,
of course, must go to the nlverslty.
Then, want to get Dorcss and ner chill
dren back. They do not succeed In New
York, and I do not forget that she WAS q
good and faithful creature. / promised
her mother TO keep them all with me
till died If / could" And so he ram
bled on, thinking OF the old times and the
old servants, and Helen's cheeks grew
fresh breeze and the warm SUD.
"Heilo. Peter " brought Maurice to
the door, looking very fresh and whole
some, with the meal In his curis and
long moustache, even caught on the
dark lashes, and with his blue hickory
sleeves rolled up. showing the fine mo-
delling OF the sinewy arm. The Doctor
told him their mission, and then begun
the long climbing up the steep steps.
They had gone up two pair OF winding
stairs when Maurice noted the paleness
OF tho Doctors daughter and offered to
get her chair from below.
But she shook her head silently and
motioned him not TO attract her fathers
attention.
"Father," she said moment after,
sit is warm up here, and l will go down
and wait for you"
So the sunlight went ont OF the old
mill for Maurice as she went down.
AS Helen passed through the lower
room some dusty book-shelves attracted
her notice, and impelled by strange
curiosity TO know what kind of books
Maurice read she drew aside the faded
curtain hanging over them ana read the
titles. There were not more than a
dozen books. One thing smote her
heart with q kind of vague nameless
pity. There WAS piece OF paper on
which he had been writing his name
many times like chIld's cOpy-book.
Peter Maurice, Peter Maurice-written
at first blunderingly and then gradually
I. IT, but
Btiffly in the hand she knew.
There fell tear on the paper as she
looked at il, then laid it back. almost
reverently thinking of the mans clear,
humorous mind and his humble walk in
life. Then she took down tattered old
book, "Markham's History OF Eng
land" and "Bullion's Grammar" some
erithmstics with the keys, and other
Juvenile books. She turned away lit
tie disappointed and went to the door,
looking out vaguely as boy on mulo
rode slowly up under the overhanging
boughs.
There YES box in one corner, and
she went over TO sit upon 1t till her
father came. A coat was laid across itand
she took II up, thinking she would hang
it somewhere, when, to her chagrin,
she upset the pockets and the contents
rolled out-a snowy linen handkerchief,
Q little srlhandled knife, and photo
graph. She picked them up to put
back, but mechanically turned the pic
ture TO see the face, hesitated for mo-
ment then slipped the card deity into
the pocket aud went out to where the
water was gushing through the messy
foyebay. 1t was her own picture-one
she had given jamie year ago. She
really must not let this go on. II met
her ct every turn nov and it must not
Be.
CHAPTER VII.
PACE TO FACE.