Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-04-09
THE GoVERNEss.

10y " - ave. Auf W any iutdAe3 Dufs LDtu
Lettice Main waring was one of the sort
that makes the best of everything.
Its. long journey o. er the hills,
Miss, said the wife Of the landlord of
little one story tavern that was perched on
the highway, "and the SHOWS powerful
deep"
g think a winter landscape is the rret-
test thing in the world, said Lettuce.
cheerily, as she wound her fur boa round
and round her neck
And old Stokes stage is awful I'M
comfortable, added the laudlady.
" like stage riding asserted Lefty.
You'll not get there till dark
'Oh; that is sooner than | expected
And Lefty climbed up into the stage
coach, which stood creaking and proan-
Ing at the door, having just rumbed up
from the next village, mile or so down
the hill
One solitary passenger occupied the
opposite corner-a tall, dark man, with a
Spanish sort of complexion, and clear,
dark eyes, who wore an odd sort of olive
green cloak or mantle, heavily trimmed
with sable fur. He nodded briefly in re.
turn to Latty's smiling recognition. Oar
little heroine would nave talked with a
polar bear, had polar bear CHANGED to
be her travelling companion.
Lefty arranged her furs andEher basket
and her bonnet strings, and wondered
secretly how far the tall man was going.
Can ! be of any assistance to your"
courteously queried the gentleman. as
Lefty searched in the straw at her feet for
a dropped glove
"Thanks-no, said Lefty, coming up
again with very red cheeks and curls a
little disheveIed, Are you going all the
way through
''As far as the stage goes-yes.
con, said Miss Mainwaring, $50
am !"
The gentleman nodded interrogativey
and went back to his paper
Gross thingl' thought Lefty, invol.
UNFAIRLY pouting her cherry lips. "Why
cant he talk and make himself agreeable?
And he knows very well that we are to be
shut up here together for eight long
hours.
But the Wild mountainous landtclpe
as it fitted by, white cleaning with
SHOWS and darky fringed with the waving
Of hemlock boughs and solemn crested
pines, was, after all, nearly as good a
study as the "human face diyine;' and
Lefty soon forgot her temporary annoyance
and chargiu N the white, skeleton-like
walls Of a deserted old paper Ill long
since disused and fallen to ruin.
81 wonder if 1t is haunted?' said She
aloud.
The stranger smiled and laid down his
paper
''Do you believe in such thingsP' he
asked
Lettuce Mainwaring laughed and col
lected.
"Of course not; and yet Are you
much acquainted in this region Of the
country2
Il have lived hereabouts a good
deal.
oh! Then perhaps, you know Easter.
ham had -
His face frightened,
ooh, yes. You are going tbere2"
Yes. | am the goyerness to the little
said Lefty, making haste to
enighten him as to her true position, in
order that be should fully comprehend
that she was no elegant young lady com.
ing to the hall to make a visit, but hum
bic little working bee. who was obliged to
toll steadfastly for the daily bread she ate.
Indeed he said.
And Lefty was vexed at herself for
noticing the polite indifference into which
his tone subsidized.
81 suppose it is a very line old place,
she went on.
"Very-for those who fancy fine old
places To my taste they are apt to be
overrGn with rats, full Of draugdts and
inconyenient.
"And haunted, psrhlps,' mischevously
put in Lettuce, the roguish sparkles com
ing back to her eyes.
so far as / know, Eastman hall
is free from any supernatural occupants.
81 am sorry Tor that, said Lefty.
He arched his eyebrows.
you would ike TO share yourroom with
a ghost or two?'
No; but do like little tinge Of TO-
nance about the pace -sometbing to set
it a little above and beyond the level Of
the commonplace.
He did not answer, and talkatiye Lefty
once more set the conversational ball
rolling
The Basterhams are very rich, sup
pose?"
Yes"
81 never heard of them until last
week, said she, musingy; and now
how strangely things are ordered in this
am going to cast in my lot
among them.
''How does that happen2' said the gen
tleman de could not very well say less
in ordinary politenes7, and yet Lefty felt
.riumphantly that she had drawn him
out.
'They wrote to Nine. Moligny, my old
teacher, to select a goyerness qualified to
each two little boys; and madame knew
that | wished for a situation, and so
here ! am. ] wonder how they will like
me?"
u hope you will like them, said the
gentleman.
That isn't the question, = Lefty correct
ed, imperatively, Mr. Easterham is a
dreadful bear"
You are acquainted with him2"
"0h, Nc; only what ! hare heard,
answered Lefty.
And what may that be
You are a neigbhor, said Lefty,
loubtfuliy. Perhaps I've said too much
,Iraalv