The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-04-13
Miss Hardwicke looked very grave.

cabin, which was little one | had all to my
self, and found her with my bag open-th,
one l lost afterwards-turning over all m.
papers. got mad and said some rather rud'
things: and she cried and told some fearfu
lies. which of course didn't deceive me- Sc
we were rather cool after that. But it struel
me as odd that that bag should disappear, be
cause it had all my spare money in. GoI
see, | nerer used to lock up things, but vii
after this"
sOuite right said Miss Hardwicke i'm
pressively. "We must never put temptation
in a fellowcreature way. And my dear
YOU should not enter into conversation with
strangers. young girl cannot be too care
ful in travelling alone. | have no doubt she
was some low, dishonest creature, whose OBJ,
iect from the first was to steal the money,
concluded the old lady with unwouted an
charitableness.
''Do you think she took it, theu?'' asked
the girl wonderingly.
my dear, think there is but little doubt
/ of it.
Il guess you woudn'; have thought that il
you could have seen her. said Diana,
shaking her head thOugh,fully. ''She was
such a sweet, innocent looking little thing
And yet it seemed queer, too
but, Diana. said Aunt Clemeney in
anxious tones, II hope you had enough
money to bring you comfortably here 2
"Well. hadn't much, returned the girl
frankly. ''But got along. | say, auntie,
she went on after a minute or two, You
weren't vexed at my coming straigh, here ia
stead Of going, as ought to have done. to see
my mothers people, were yous You see,
with wis,ful upward look, ''faiher had talked
50 much OF you, and felt lonely, and So
and SOL came, Somehow" in very low
voice. II eel, it would be more ike coming
home.
The old lady colored with pleasure.
"vexed. my dear p she replied. Most
certainly not am only too glad to learn
you we're prepared TO love your old aun'ie.
I hope yoa won't End it very dali here
Though. to be sure, there are plen'y Of uiee
Young people within walking aud drivisg dis
lance. she added reiee;ively.
''Oh. don't carr much about young peo-
pie. observed Diana. 'POar father and /
~ere alvays together, you know, and We hadn' /
many friends
A long conversation followed, regarding The
girls bone life in America, and her passion
AZ. love for her dead father. All was 50 sim-
ply and iouehiugiy told, that the old lady 5
eyes overtIo~ed more than once. There vas
long silence, brokea abruptly b. Diana
"Whose portal, is that r she asked, point
ins 10 a photograph frame which stood on the
gnaairlpiecc.
That Is ny so1son, Chester Lsnaox, re
.ssned Miss Hardwieke, with some PRIDE
.'He IL a bafris,es, very clever, asd the dear
es, fellOw ia the uorid.
Diana took down The frame, and ssEsd a,
the protran aitsnnysly. 1t rspTessaied. >
youax mau uilh Quisi, clever looking face,
dark noasiaehe. and keen, rather deep SCI
eyes.
docs be ever come here r tbs girl asked,
a, she carefully replaced The frame again.
YES, often. expees be may be do~n
next week.
.'D'd be ksow vas eoming
why, yes. usy dear. Of course He quise
looks forward to knowing you.
Perhaps be wou'i ike me, observed
Diana gravely.
He Is surv 10 ike you, rctnraed tbs old
LADY. leaning back ia heF chair w'ih i'tle
smile.
You rvmiud me Of some old picture, Ana'
Ciemsney, said ,hs girl softly, afler pause,
tarniag her great eyes aiasoss Fevereniiy on
her eompanioa, wish yosr black velvet COVE
and soft lacy cap, aad your lovely DARK eyes
aud white hair Ah, forgive my being 80
blua,. she added quickly. we Americans
arc bian,, you knoW.
Ba, the old lady blushed sad looked pleased
al her niece's oatspoken admiration. She
though, the girl looked like picture herself,
as she sat ,hefe with her flushed cheeks and
shiuiHs eyes Soon after this both ladies' went
10 bed Bot Miss HaFdwicke vas far Too ex-
cited to sleep for some time Indeed, she lay
awake half the night thinking what an ex-
ouis,te arrangement ii would be Il by and By
her godsaa and this charming yoans girl were
10 iall in love wi,h and marry each other.
And how. ia that case, she woald persuade
them to make their home at the Manor, aud
woald insist on doubling ChesieF's income
that is to say, il that somewhat ditieiic yoaag
man would listen TO reason.
Poor Chester" she though compassion
ately, ..he works so hard, aud IS so ioolishiy
proad ard obduraie about money matters
Very likely, while ! am comfortably in bed,
be is sitting yearly studying those dreadful
law books, aud wearing himselfto DEATH poor
fellow" As 4 matter fact, Chester Lennox
was at that precise moment attending a con
yivia meeting al his club, with other choice
spirits like unto himself-which meeting did
no, break up until an advanced hour in the
t morning. But his godmOther, dear, innocent
{ soul. did aot know this; SO she continued her
+ benevolent plans for the tightening of his
arduous duties, and Tor his transformation
into Benedick, with an earnestness which
would have amused him nightly could be have
OWNED her thoughts. And as Aunt Clemency
Law drowsily iu the freight, her thoughts
I hurried further and further into the future.
4 Children's voices seemed to sound in the 81
lent corridors; children eyes smiled into hers.
And then Miss Hardwieke fell asleep.
As the days went on the affection between
aunt and niece became more firmly cemented
than ever. Diana, ifa little brusque in heI
manner at times, was a most intelligent and
fascinating companion; and such of the etit'
of Dimsford who had called at the Manor
since her arrival were pleased to observe tha
ssshe was a charming, unaffected girl" She
had accompanied her aunt to one or two 0
i2,. rather ponderous social evenings giveI
by some of their nearest neighbors, and haC
looked exceedingly handsome and distin
guished. OF course, as Diana was still IL
deep mourning for her father, she attended n,
more lively entertainments than decorous tea
parties and the like. The girls all declare,
her "a dear" but-and at this they could no
bat marvel and try to feel indignant-she ha
not been much sought after by any ofthe youn
men at those gatherings. This, however
seemed to trouble her not at all. She like
girls twice as well as men, she declared; the
were far better fun.