The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-02-17
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to waste our valuable time in talking of
Aaron"
81 wanted to hear about him for
James sake" she said meeSly. ''No,
not for James sake" she added sudden
ly, in frmer voice. 81 always liked
him, Michael; and when | remember
what he has done for you, am very
grateful"
"How you exaggerate trihes!" he
cried, irritably. Let me put the case
clearly before you, and then, perhaps,
yon will see it in the right light. Aaron
Fenlalie is ons of the foremen in Bat
tersby's works. He knows that clerk
is wanted who can write fluently 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 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 I
had not been the man that amp"
"Oh, / 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"
"Well, Olive, we can't discuss his ex-
cellence now," replied Michael, stand
ing upright. "It's nearly time for me
to start, and you are going to give me
cup of tea first"
"Well, Mrs. Hooper will give you the
cupof tea, she said, keeping back sigh.
"You will like her tea better than ours.
She is very good to me, and want you
to see my friend, Lucy Cromer."
Lucy Cromer? 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 quiet road
there were two cottages sheltered
under one broad roof of thatch.
Their walls were covered with moss
and weather-stains, and the little dia-
mond-paned easements were set in
wreaths of creepers. And, although
there was as yet no wealth of foliage
to dress up the lowly dwellings with
summer beauty, they had the pictur-
esque charm that belongs especially to
places rustic and decayed.
There was a large piece of ground,
half flower-garden and half kitchen
garden, in front of the two cottages;
and the only division between the gar
dens was row of ilints showing out
white against the dark mold. At one
Of the doors stood young woman,
with fresh, modest face, who held out
her hand timidly as Michael APP
preached. lie greeted her with an air
of friendly patronage.
"How do you do, Jane? Glad to see
you looking so well" he said, and then
stalked in through the other doorway.
The room which he entered, followed
by Olive, was very low, with heavy
beam across the ceiling. A fire was
burning brightly in the prim old-fash-
ioned little iron cage, and between the
fire and the window stood 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.
81 am glad to see you, Mr.. Chase;
have heard a great deal about you" she
said in faint, sweet voice.
Something in the lool; and air of the
speaker surprised Michael so much that
he lost his usual sclf-assurance. He
stood awlswardly before Lucy Cromer
for u moment, and there sat down
meekly in n chair near her couch. How
was IL possible that this woman could
be the niece Of plain Mrs. Hooper, who
had lived in Eastmeon all her days? In
her letters Olive had told him that her
friend was pretty, and he had expected
10 see n commonplace little person, pos
sessed Of ordinary good looks. But no
commonplace girl was here.
Lucy Cromer was n long, slender
woman, with the kind of figure that
sways and bends with a recd-lilie grace.
Her face was long, too; she had large
gray eyes that were now pretcrnatu-
rally bright, a delicate aquiline nose,
and fair hair which surrounded her head
with a golden halo. A dark-blue wrap
per, OF some soft material, set Off the
exceeding fairness of her complexion;
and, simple as the robe was, IL was
made in u style that is seldom seen in
villages or country towns. Your first
glance at Lucy sufiiced TO tell you her
lays were numbered: your second con-
vinced you that she was waiting
eagerly, perhaps impatiently, for the
End.
There are souls in whom God accom-
plishes His work quite alone. Neigh
bors came sometimes; but Lucy cared
little for visits, and the simple country
folk were afraid OF her The clergy
man called, and was bnfiled by her gen.
tic 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 10 be maid 10 an old
lady, who had taken fancy TO her and
raised her to the post Of companion.
And then came n quarrel and changes;
Lucy had left her situation and had
found work in q florists shop in Regent
street. There she had displayed great /
skill in arranging bouquets and fash
ioning wreaths and sprays; and had
kept this place until her health failed.
This was all that Mrs. Hooper had to
tell about her niece. She was lonely
woman, and Lucy was the only relative
left TO her. She had given the girl a