The Irish standard., 1892-02-06

Aaron"
81 wanted to hear about him TO,
James sake she said meekly. ono,
not for James sake" she added sudden.
ly, in a d11ner voice. Il always hkec
him, Michael; and when I remember
what he has done for you, l am very
grateful"
GLOW you exaggerate trifes!' he
cried, irritably. s'Let me put the case
clearly before you, and then, perhaps
yon will see it il, the right light. Aaron
Fen]al1e is one Of the fore1nen in Bat.
tersby:s works. He knows that a clerk
is wanted who can write fuently in
several languages, and he tells me Of
the vacancy. | apply, and soon con
vince the firm that / am fit for the
post. Surely, may be pardoned if
don't go staggering under a heavy load
Of gratitude to the end OF my days. Do
you suppose that Aaron's good word
would have got me into the Office, if
had not been the man that I amp"
ooh, I know that you can do any
thing, Michael" said her earnest lips
and eyes. :'But poor Aaron is devoted
to you, and he is such a good fellow"
''Wen, Olive, we can't discuss his ex-
cellence now," replied Michael, stand
ing upright. TITS nearly time for me
to start, and you are going to give me q
cup Of tea first
"Wel, Mrs Hooper will give you the
cup of tea, she said keeping back a sigh.
'sYou will like her tea better than ours
She is very good to me. and | want you
to see my friend, Lucy Crolner.'
''Lacy Crome1'? Oh, ah, yes, that's
the niece who has come to live with
her" he answered as they moved away
from the gate.
On the other side of the qriet road
there were two cottages sheltered
under one broad roof Of thatch-
Their walls were covered with moss
and weatIler-stains, and the little dia-
mond- PANIED easements were set in
wreachs Of creepers And, although
there was as yet no wealth Of foliage
TO dress up the lowly dwellings with
summer beauty, they had the pictrr~
esque charm that belongs especially to
! places rustic and decayed
There was . large piece Of ground,
|
! garden. il, front Of the two cottages,
aud the only division between the gar
! t.ers was & row of njnts showing ont
white against the dark mold. AT one
| Of the doors stood a young woman,
with IL fresh, modest face, who held out
her hand tinlidly as Michael ap-
preached. lie greeted her with an air
! Of friendly patronage.
GLOW do you do, Jane? Glad to see
you looking SO WE'LL" he said, ana then
sttalked in through the other doorway.
i The room which he entered, followed
+, by Olive, was very low, with q heavy
beam across the ceiling. 4 fire WAS
! burning brightly ia the prirn old-fash-
ioued little iron cage, and between the
fire and the window stood q small sofa
covered with faded chintz. propped up
with cushions, another young woman
was sitting in the corner Of the sofa;
and she, too, extended her hand to
Michael. but her manner was not timid
as James had been.
II am glad to see YOU, Mr.. Chase; !
have heard q great deal alout you," she
said in a faint, sweet voice.
Something in the look and air of the
speaker surprised Michael so much that
he lost his usual self-assr1rai,ce. He
stood awl1waraly before Lucy Crorner
for Il moment, and then sat down
meci$ly III a chair near her couch, How
was it possible that this woman could
be the niece OF plain Mrs. Hooper, who
had lived III Eastmeon all her days? In
Hn, io14 hoe 4t>1tj Ia
friend was pretty, and he had expected
10 see a commonplace little person, pos
sessed Of ordinary good looks. But no
commonplace girl was here.
Lucy Crcmer was long, slender
woman, with the kind of figure that
swaps and bends with a reed-lilxe grace.
Her face YVES long, TOO; she had large
gray eyes that were now preternatu-
rally bright, a delicate aquiline nose,
with a golden halo. A dark blue wrap
per- of some soft material, set off the
exceeding fairness Of her compilations;
and, simple as the robe was, it was
made in style that is seldom seen in
villages Or country towns. Your first
glance at Lucy suficed to tell you her
days were numbered: your second con-
WINGED you that she was waiting
eagerly, perhaps impatiently, for the
end.
There are souls in whom God accom-
plishes His work quite alone. Neigh
boris came sometimes: but Lucy cared
little for visits, and the simple country
folk were afraid of her. The clergy
man called, and was bafaed by her gen
tie Indifference and her curious unfit
ness for her humble position. What
was her history? Even her aunt seemed
to know very little about Lucy's life.
The girl had gone to be maid to an old
lady, who had taken a fancy to her and
raised her to the post of companion.
And then came a quarrel and changes;
Lucy had left her situation and had
found work in a florists shop in Regent
street. There she had displayed great
skill in arranging bouquets and fash
Joining wreaths and sprays; and had
kept this place until her health failed.
II This was all that Mrs. Hooper had to