Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-24

| poor dear father as they did. And how
! kind of Lady BIenkensop to send ego!
| And, of course, Nancy. you can easily
| spare Els year to your mother out of
| your salary of hundred; why, it will
almost double her inco ne; l am so
glad!'
Nancy's pretty color deepened, but
she did not speak.
But how can I leave poor mother
when she is so weak" she said a mo-
| ment later. "Unless you, Aunt Fan
| ME, could stay on with her for little
while?'' she added looking wistfully at
the stout, comfortable-lookin woman
before her, with her soft dark eyes.
''My dear, it is impossible, these fogs
are killing me- answered Mrs. Bar
clay. al had two coughing fits this
| morning, and felt quite depressed ali
yesterday with the darkness and heavi-
ness of the atmosphere. And do not talk
about not leaving your mother, Nancy
Why, what's she to live on if you don t
leave her? She must rouse herself, and
not give way any longer; and you, of
course, must go to Lady Gilmore's on
the very day that Lady BlenkensOp
names.
So it was all settled for poor Nancy
Aunt Fannie went up to Mrs. LOTUS 8
bedroom, and talked "sensibly,' point
ing out how extremely lucky Nancy had
been to procure such an excellent stu
alton, and what a great assistance
seventy-five pounds year would be to
herself.
"And who knows, - added Aunt Fan
ME, warming with her subject, "that
Nancy may not even marry well yet?
She's a good-looking girl, and would
7 -,
rooms with you, but in a place like
Wrothsley Castle there are sure to be
rich young men about; and then with
Lady Blenkensop so near, too, and the
general in command of the district. I
should not be very much surprised even
if some man in the service were to pick
her up. ,;
Mrs. LOTUS pallid cheeks flushed, and
her pale lips quivered as she listened to
this speech OF her sister in-law, which
was spoken in perfect good faith and be-
lief in Its sense and kindness. There
stood Mrs. Barclay, q little stout
woman, with a drabbish- tinted COM
pleXiOn, ordinary features, and some
what watery, rather blood-shot, humor-
Gus gray eyes, talking to the refined
fond mother, of her pretty daughter in
these coarse words, thinking all the
while she was helping to raise her sister
in-law 8 spirits, and really pleased with
herself for doing so!
And Mrs. LOTUS dare not retort. The
miserable, humiliating want of money
kept her silent, for Aunt Fannie had her
small, but certain income of fve-hun-
dred O year in her own power, and who
but her brothers. children were likely to
inherit it? Therefore, in the interest of
these children, their mother was tongue
tied, and Aunt Fannie got her own way
about Nancy.
''It would be selfish, my dear Lucy,
really intensely selfish, - argued the
little woman, ''to keep the girl one day
later at home than the day Lady BIenk-
ensop has fixed for her to go. 1t is her
chance in life, and if we throw away
that we never get another; and then
Lady Blenkensop's kindness in sending
the money prevents any bother about
raising it. -
And Mrs. LOTUS stified back the feel
ings of her heart-to part with Nancy,
the sweet, bright girl who had mourned
with her, comforted her, loved her
made her yet fresh bitter grief more Bit
ter still. But it had to be borne, and
Mrs. Lotus tried to bear it as bravely as
her poor, weak nature could. Aunt
Fanny at last agreed to stay a week or
so after Nancy left; at least, she
said she would do this by way
of consoling Nancy about leaving
her mother; and she took her niece out
to buy what she required, of course with
Lady Blenkensop's money, and even pre-
sented Nancy with boa, which was a
little worn, as she saw new one which
she thought would suit herself better.
And thus the days passed, until the
one csme-only too soon-when Nancy
and her mother were forced to part. 1t
is sad even to write of those last fearful
kisses; to tell how these two clasped each
others hands in silent pain. Nancy
utterly broke down, and chung to her
mother, until Aunt Fanny was forced to
interfere. and tell Nancy some hard
truths; reminding her she would lose her
train if she wasted any more time; and
SO, pale ana trembling, the poor girl
drew back from her mothers fond arms.
"Write constantly, darling-tell your
mother everything" whispered Mrs.
LOTUS.
"Coms, my dear, we shall hardly
reach Paddington as it is, - urged Aunt
Fannie, watch in hand, and for the first
time in their lives, Nancy and her
mother separated.
Nancy scarcely heard all the good ad-
vice which her aunt poured so volubly
into her ears on the way to the station.
Such sentences as, "Be sure you lose
no opportunity of expressing your graft
tude to Lady Blenkensop; be very def
erential in your manner to Lady Gill
more' we're quite wasted on her, for
Nancy was thinking of her poor mother,
of her dear fathers sad death, aud of |
the great and terrible changes which had |
happened to them all.
And after Aunt Fannie had kissed her |
and placed her safely in second class |
railway carriage. and the train began |
speeding away from the din and smoke |
Of the great city to somber, wintry |
country scenes, past quiet homes stand |
ing amid green fields, Nancy was stfA
thinking of the one she had just 1sft.sf
She was going into the world aloneZgo- 4
ing among strangers-and all her futuEzI
was doubtful and uncertain, and the gil T
felt afraid and sad.
For good or evil, how would it end? |
Well might her heart beat fast and her |
face grow pale, for the life-journey she |
was beginning was fated to be no smooth |
one, and athwart the days to come a |
lark and tragic shadow fell.
fro BE CONTINUED.