The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1892-04-09

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governess, \" application considered unless ac-
companied by the best Of references. Address,
Thomas Harmony, MechanicSvillc
Miriam Burns laid the paper aside
slowly and deliberated. There was no
apparent reason why the situation
would not suit her, and she it. She
was well qualified, in an educational
way, for the trust the place prom
ised. She had, also. no ties to bind her
to the country town in which she had
been born and reared. She sighed Il
little when her memory ran back on
the Observation-Disclosures, out in the
end She, like a brave little woman as
she was, put aside sentiment for bust
ness and posted an application for Mr..
Harmony's position.
Miriam had had a lover during the
first days Of school-teaching, 4 hand
ONT worthy young man named Ruth
erford-Georgc Rutherford. She had
yet the half penny and the photograph
and the treasured lock of hair he had
given her when he left for the west
four years before, and Il bundle of let
tiers in her writing desk bore suspicious
evidences of frequent handling and
some traces of tears To he sure her
better Judgment told her that he was
unworthy of remembrance, but she
kept on loving him, just the same.
Three years ago had come 4 long let
ter from George, asking her to nam a
day when he could meet her on half
way ground and be married. She had
answered it, and then. six months aft
crward. She had written again, out she
awaited n response to either.
Rutherford, She knew, was not dead.
She had heard of him, through other
channels, once since. lie was prosper
ing and supposedly happy, in his west
ern home. This was her and
although she had driven all thoughts
of the r%ccreant from her heart, as he
was at present, she treasured his
memory as in the days gone by. She
had his mementoes collected in a care
fully secured nook in her writing desk.
On the inner lid of her treasure box she
had written:
ut is not my nature to forget, there
fore i INC it is not my wish to for
SCl. i VI ilol- Iou L Al
me ever the same"
She had foundthe extract somewhere
and it had pleased her. She had put
it where it would be Il perpetual re-
minder
Mr.. Harmony's reply came in a day
or two. in a stiff. grabbed handwriting.
He wanted her references. She sent
them. They included testimonials
from all er neighbors and an enthusi-
astic recommendation from the school
board, which even if it had refused
her her old position and elected a niece
of one of the directors to Eer place.
nevertheless recognized her good quail
ties and felt happy at IN opportunity
to show their appreciation. The result
of the allied exhibit was that Miriam
became Mr.. ~lIarmony's governess.
Children the little school-tcacher had
always loved, and Mamie and Anna, |
the two placed in her charge, speedily
reciprocatcd her affection. The nur-
sery came TO be the retreat from all
unhappy reflections and, Mr.. Harmony
treating her respectfully, though never
over-oordially, she grew to be as happy
as circumstances would permit
MIR. Harmony was a man of business,
bound up in his commercial pursuits.
He had grown especially unresponsive
to social demands since his wife's
death, five years before, plunging
deeper than ever into his business per-
plexities as a cure for his sorrow.
Miriam's first six months were spent
in his service without her securing
much more than a nod from him and a
half grudged good morning" He
loved his children. however. and as he
saw their devotion to their g~overncss
he came to study her. Investigation
confirmed the Judgment of his girls
He found daily evidences of her excel
~lencies, when he came to look for them.
He began to admire her the more he
knew of her, and before the year was
out he developed a friendship for her
which might have grown to love had
not the memory of his dead wife inter
fered. He had dearly loved that sweet
faced, golden-haired angel, and time
had dimmed but little his reverence for
her memory
But Mr.. Harmony was n business
man and looked at everything in life
from its practicabilitv. He knew the
present state of affairs at the house
could not continue indefinitely. Miss
Burns might take it into her practical
head to get married. and he knew that
he could never supply her place as sat
isfactorily with his children. Mr.. Har-
mony argued the matter over carefully
in his own mind and came to a deter
mination.
"Mr. Harmony would like to see you
in the parlor. Miss Burns" said Mary,
the maid of all work, a morning or SO
after. He's waiting there for you
now"
Miss Burns was startled. She Won
dered what she could have done. She
hastily ran over her recent employ
ments but could see no foundation for
a discharge-for this she presumed was
the reason for the impending inter-
But she resolved to put a brass
face on it and went down.
Mr.. Harmony was standing with his
back to the door when she entered, but
facing about he said:
Good morning, Miss Burns" mo-
her at the same general defiec-
ton of his head included in the saluta-
ton to a seat: :
al nave sent for you," he continued I
Yes" she said, simply wondering
how she would take the parting from
The children.
You have now been with us for a
year, Miss Burns" :
'Yes," as she mentally wen over the S
or. ,yb;ob bah prown nm in her heart 4