Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-05-09

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exercise of her brightness, for she'S'
was an orphan, with no greater pro-
lection than might be found in cou-
pie of fine-hearted brothers, one OF
whom was on a Texan ranch, and the
other in one of her Majesty's ships as
lieutenant in the Australian seas.
Either of these men would have pro
tected her with his hearts blood; but
with all these miles between her and
them, they were not efficient Great
hearts; and poor little Miss Sparkles
had practically no one but herself as
her guardian and caretaker. For
years she had fulfilled certain duties
in the house of an old friend. She had
been as the adopted daughter Of the
widow, who loved her, trusted to her,
and found her own happiness in the
association which gave herself a low
ing companion and Miss Sparkles an
affectionate home. But trouble had
come between the two, an enemy
had sowed tares, as enemies have the
trick of doing. Anne, the old servant
who had lived with her mistress these
twenty years gone, had never quite
liked the close association of Miss
Sporkles with her mistress. She
grudged the cares that were given on
the one side, and the protection that
was granted on the other. She thought
that Miss Sparkles would be a vast
deal better employed getting her liv-
ing in some quasi-menial way that
would teach her her place, rather
than living here as the daughter of
the house, where never a daughter
was wanted. What did Missus want
with young person hanging around
when she, her own old Anne, was
there to look after her comforts and
see to her fads and fancies? And if
she did want any one, why should she
not have her own niece, Oracle, sister
James eldest, and as fine girl as ever
stepped? She was bigger and taller
than Miss Sparl1les, and quite as good
companion; and she was the eldest
of seven, and it would be ''the worlds'
for sister Jane to find her such a sit
uatiOn as this of Missus' would be.
So she set herself to work to try and
GUST Miss Sparkles from the place and
wriggle her niece into it,
Heaven knows what she said, but
she said something that proved quite
efficient for it's purpose; and for the
first time in their joint lives together
the kind old friend and quasi mother
began to doubt, to suspect, and find
fault with her adopted daughter The
home which had once been like soft,
warm nest lined with down, become
now cold, hard, prickly perch, where
footing was not too secure. Miss
Sparkles, who in times gone by had
never been known to displease, could
now scarcely please the lady. Mrs.
Grahame, who in times gone by had
never spoken harsh word to her
bright-eyed companion, now scarce
ever spoke a kind one. Poor Miss
Sparkles opened those bright eyes of
hers to the widest, but she could not
understand what was passing about
her, and Mrs. Grahame did not ex-
plain-nor did her old maid. Mrs.
Anne. Mrs. Anne would have been a
little embarrassed had she essayed to
tell how she was like a murderous
shadow ever on the track of the girl
she was seeking to dispossess for the
safe appointment of one of her own.
1t would have been sorry and sor-
did revelation had she shown how at
every instant she stole into Mrs. Ora
hame's room when Miss Sparkles was
away saying in whisper: ssShe did
this" "She said that" "Watch her
when she comes, and just see how she
looks;" "She had some underhand
work going on, and can't abide them
underhand ways myself. All! you
should see my niece, Graciel There's
a girl, if you like, as true, and as up
right as they make theml" ssCan that
good needlework, mann? Why, my