Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-08-03
of mothers counsel or "a fathers pro

Of n mothers counsel or IA fathers pro
lection.
could not advise with Mrs Bond,
for l felt that she was cold and uusym-
pathetic, having far more interest in
gossip and scandal than in the poor
creature who might be maligncd. To
make any revelations to her would be
like scattering them TO the four winds,
and knew enough of the world to un-
dcrstand how things were magnified
and distorted by goSsips until very lit
tie was made to mean great deal. |
could not advise with Mrs. Bond with
out making my situation worse, and
there was no one else in the town to
whom l could 60, because there was no
one else with whom | was sufficiently
intimate to warrant my making a con-
fidante of her.
would have given the world could /
have only had the privilege of seeing
and talking with Mrs. Cornell. My
heart turned to her rs to mother. and
TO her should not have hesitated an
instant in pouring out all the circum.
she would have advised me well. keep
ing all my secrets safely locked in her
own bosom. But Mrs. Cornell was far
away, and could not go to her with all
my troubles and gricfs.
Mrs. Bond" | said breaking the
long silence, You don't believe Mr..
Bernard has any improper thoughts
toward me, do you?"
Law, Miss OWENS" she exclaimed.
''how do know what to believe?
can't tell what he has in his heart.
fou ought to know better than | what
he thinks, because you know what he
says and does, and don't. If knew
what he says and does could tell YOU
what he means"
This was another bid for my conf
dence, but | affected not to understand.
She continued, considerably exasper-
ated, think, and showing some dis
pleasure in her tones:
There's one thing about it. though.
and that is this: 1t don't look well for
q married man, who is no nearer re-
lated to you than he is, to be coming
here of nights, and for hours being
closeted with you in your room. ANY
body seeing him when he went out,
and seeing you now, would know well
enough that something took place be
tween You very much out of common,
and If You won't tell what it was peo-
pie will form their own opinions about
1t; and perhaps you couldn't wonder
much if those ideas were not very COM
plimentary to you"
| saw that Mrs. Bond was disposed To
put an unfavorablc construction on the
affair If left to draw her own infer
ences, but did not see wherein | would
be benefited by giving her my conf
dences, since she would augment every
possibility into an assumed fact.
pondcred the matter long, and arrived
Mt the conclusion that had better keen
my own counsel and go on about nv
duties just as though nothing had hap
Pened. relying on my own strength OF
character, love of right and conscious.
ness of innocence TO bear me safely
through.
/ left Mrs. Bond to form whatever
conclusion she chose, and making what
preparations We're necessary. went di-
rect to the store. MIR. Bernard was
sitting 1T his desk when | entered the
Office, and he looked up and spoke, sim
ply passing the compliments of the
morning. He was quiet, calm ard col
lected. apparently having forgotten
our meeting of the night before. He
made no reference to the fact that
was later than usual-made no remarks
to me at all except 70 give me few
brief Instructions regarding my work.
lie was courteous, but nothing more,
and within an hour the embarrassment
first felt wore away, leaving our rela-
tions undisturbed and easy, just rs they
had always been.