Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-13

TOlloQ DOWN n6r cl66kS at THIS alluSl0Q TO
her poor fathers fatal accident. She
turned away her head to hide her emo
ton from Mr.. Bayford, and he affected
not to observe it, and in q few kindly
and c%onsiderate words e~ndeavored to *
plain to the agitated girl what he be-
lieved IN future would be the amount oil
their income.
1t was very, very little. Mrs. LOTUS
had only brought q few hundreds to her
husband, for her father-a soldier also
could afford no larger portion TO his
pretty daughter when she welded the
husband of her choice. This modest
sum-, however, renamed intact, and
Col. LOTUS a contrived to save about
one thousand pounds. Altogether there
was nearly fifteen hundred pounds avail
able for the poor widow and her father
less children. This, with her pension,
would be all Mrs. LOTUS had to live on,
Mr.. Bayford stated, and when he named
the yearly amount that she could expect
to receive Nancy knew that it would be
absolutely necessary for her to endeavor
to assist her mother.
''lt is a very small sum-, of course, -
said Mr.. Bayford kindly, "but still, in
a cottage in the country, and with econ
omy, L daresay your mother will be able
to make it do. And perhaps by an by
you will be able to help her. Have you
any particular talent or accomplish
ment?'
Nancy s~orrowfullY shook her head.
81 Am afraid not, - she answered;
and then after a moments silence and
with a sudden blush she mentioned Lady
Blenklnsop's suggestion, that she should
try to find some situation.
ga vary snnsih1a and nraiSauorthu
idea,' promptly replied Mr.. Bayford;
''and it is very well indeed that you have
such an influential friend as Lady Blen-
kensop ready to help you. If you could
procure a situation as governess, shall
we say, in some good family, with sixty
or seventy pounds a year salary, you
could spare half of it to assist your
mother to bring up her younger chill
dren?''
'tOh, yes, yes!' said Nancy; but
there was an odd, choking sensation in
her throat which prevented her from
speaking many words. 1t was all so new
and strange to her, the thought OF going
out into the world amongst strangers,
and to listen to it's being thus discussed
so calmly and indifferently naturally
affected her. She had been her fathers
pride and darling, and had been nearly
eighteen when her mother, the younger
children and herself had left India four
teen months ago. Her father then COM
handed his regiment, and Nancy had
been an admired, flattered young girl,
holding a good position in society, for
Col. LOTUS was a very popular man, and
Nancy certainly had run a risk of being
spoilt by the amount of attention she
constantly received.
She had had her little romance, too,
we may be sure, and while Mr.. Bayford
was talking of her future salary as a gov
erness, her thoughts had wandered away
to early morning rides; to whispered
ballroom protestations; to a handsome
face that Nancy remembered so well.
But these romantic reflections were
speedily interrupted.
81 shall be pleased - continued Mr..
Bayford rising and holding out his hand,
''to hear you rave obtained a good Sit
uation, and if at any time ] can be of use
to your mother or yourself, please let me
KNOW
Nancy now saw hat she was expected
to go, and she went; went Jack sadly
and slowly to the little house that such a
brief time ago had been made lively with
glrlish voices and laughter, but which
was now as dull and gloomy as the
leaden November skies above it. Mrs.
Lotus, Ill, weak and depressed, was
confined to bed; Milly, the second girl,
who was always delicate and sensitive,
had visibly dropped and plned in the
sorrowful atmosphere by which she had
lately been surrounded, and even the
baby looked i'll.
There was no one therefore to receive
poor Nancy with a sympathetic smile of
welcome when she returned home after
her harassing visit to the city, weary and
heart-sore. She went straight up stairs
to her own little bedroom, and sat down
there and thought over all that Mr..
Bayford had told her very sadly.
Then, after awhile, she rose, bathed
her eyes, and a resoIute look came over
her pretty face.
81 must do what 1 can, - she thought;
''there is no n else to do it. I must
try to be mothers help"
CHAPTER II.-LADY BLENKENsoP,
The same day Nancy wrote to her
mother IS friend. Lady Blenkensop, and
told her truthfuIly how little there was
left for them to live on, and also how
was. And she added with flushed cheeks
and trembling hands,
"As soon as dear mother is well
enough for me to leave her, [ shall be
very grateful to You if you will help me
to OBTAIN some situation that would en-
able me to assist mother, - and so on.
The lady to whom this letter was ad-
received it on the following
morning at breakfast. and read it with
double gold glasses fixed IN her high
and well shaped nose.
She was a good looking woman this,
of some ffty-fve years, with clear,
shrewd, searching eyes, a fresh COM
p~lexion, n iron grey hair. Opposite
to her sat Gen. Blenkensop, q little |
man. white haired and shrewd looking
also. He was reading a but
laid it down when his wife addressed him.
f'This is from Nancy LOTUS, =" said
Lady B~lenkensop, in a o but not I'M
pleasant voice.
She had a very decided manner, and
spoke like a woman who quickly made
up her mind.
"Ah?' answered the general, inquir-
looking at his wife through his
s~pectacles. "And how are they getting