Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-02-17


twisting about q little ring on her
she had been for q long time in school
her home was in England: that as
Mammals g health would not permit her
to live in either country, she had been
spending the winter on the Riviera, at
Nice and other places; and that, as a
matter of fact Mrs. Robertson had
married and become Mrs. Hall since
her daughter saw her last.
"And 1 can't get used to the new
name" she said; 81 am always forget
ting: perhaps that is why we have miss
/ directed the telegram when 1 started
to Mrs. Robertson instead of Mrs.
Hall And have never seen him at
all"
at is curious, certainly, but 1 hope
you will like him very much when you
do see him said.
she gave her head the faintest little
shake, but she said "Oh, hope so"
hurriedly, as if that was q discussion
into which she did not care to enter.
Poor little thing! her heart was sore
over this new relationship. 1t must be
hard upon the children when a woman
marries again, though, of course, to
forbid woman to marry again, or even
disapprove of her for doing so-st
least, without full knowledge of the
rcumstances-would be harder still.
We sat there for q little very comfort
able, enjoying the rest and quiet after
the jingle and shaking of the train; and
then 1 proposed that We should go
down to the tai Die d'hOte dinner. Tables
d'hotes, like other things, ar Q not what
they used to be. When l WAS girl
they were amusing, and one saw all
sorts of people. They are not in the
least amusing now, but L keep the old
habit of going down to them, partly
because it is less trouble, and also be-
cause 1 object to the smell of food in
my private room.
My little companion followed me
languidly, declaring that she did not
want anything and would rather stay
upstairs; but 1 know that at her age
appetite comes with the sight of food,
however any contrariety or misfortune
may seem to have driven it away. We
were but halfway down the stairs,
/ however, when We encountered the
| manager of the hotel coming up, accom-
panied by a stout and comely lady
with her full but charming countenance
half hidden under q gauze veil,
and followed by q man who was not Sc
prepossessing. And then L heard q
little scream behind me, and 1 was
nearly pushed over while my charge
made a spring into her mothers arms.
L ought to have been delighted,
know; but l fear the only pleasure this
gave me was tho conviction that there
and then johnson must be convinced
that she was no impostor, and that
every word of her story was true.
Of course, Mrs. Robertson, or Hall,
overwhelmed me with thanks. What
would Effie have done without mel
How could she thank me enough fol
my goodness to her child Also, o.
course, the upshot was that / wen
down to the table d'hote much dimin
ished in my prospective glory (for
had felt that the general interest anG
curiosity would be excited by the sight
of my pretty little companion) anG
much abashed in my spirits, having 6
very dull and lonely meal to looI
forward to, instead of the cheerful ani
amusing repast with l had expected
with, what almost seemed something
like daughter of my Own by my side
which prognostlc came perfectly
true 1t was most uninterestinl
assembly at the table d'hote, which was
served at small tables, very nice for &
family, but solitary for one person
who was thus made to feel beyond
doubt that she was dining absolutely
alone, though in sight of all tn,
world.
After dinner while 1 sat lonely oveI
my fire, feeling very tired, yet withou
energy enough to go to bed, the mother
and daughter came to see me. Mrs
Robertson, or rather Mrs. Hall-but
instinctively felt the same difficulty a!
her child did about the name, which Wa
wholly ridiculous on my part, as L hat
never heard of the woman before-wa
by no means of the perfect appearance,
of ladyhood and gentleness which dis
tinguished her daughter. She was
pretty woman, rather fiorid, with
laughing, simple face; the kind o
woman one could not but like, but VIII
evidently was open to be married b,
any schemer who chose, or to do any
thing which was warmly urged upo1
her, and which il could be made pleas
ant to do. She was dressed as like
bride as a certain lingering sense o
decorum and-what was perhaps NOR,
Neutrality-suspicious. that hgh
colors we're not becoming to her ampl,
figure, would permit her to be: hel
hair built up on the top of her head il
all manners of puffs and bows (she haC
pretty hair, and her gown made &C
cording to the last and most elaborat,
rules of fashion. How she had man
aged to exercise 80 much good taste il
respect to her child, and to show 81
little in herself, was what / could moi
make out, and there was a mixture IL
her of elRtion and nervousness which
was still more surprising to me. Il
was evident that she was very proud o
her new husband whom she quoted a
every moment. Colonel Hall had gon,
to smoke his cigar, ''for you know
nothing will ever make up for the wan
of their smoke" she said (as if 1 eithel
knew or cared anything about It'll
Colonel Hall WAS the brother of Sil
Hubert Hall, "who had such beauti
full place in Derbyshire; l am sure yor
must have heard of it." Colonel Hal
had a nephew with him who woul,
make it more cheerful for Effie, "fol
naturally at present, though it's g,
silly of him, he is mostly taken up will
me-" All this was said with the bridl,
and blush, the look of ostentatiou
happiness and shy delight which i
either obnoxious or Idiotic even in
young bride: but in an elderly, or a
least middle-aged one, intolerable; an'
yet the woman was so fresh, and natur
al, and kind-so nice in one word, tina
one could not help liking her after all
And in the midst of all the hutter O
pleasure and pride there was something
else, an occasional thrill of anxiety,
sudden start at any sound-"Do yol
think that was Colonel Hall, Effie-
and "Hush, 1 thought 1 heard m,
husband call"-which showed me tina
she was a little afraid of this brand ne,
possession of hers. She carried ia
girl off at last in panic, after furtiv
olanco Of tho cInot oryinr ont SCI M