The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-13

! ana delye INTO peoples actions fr ny q
thew nnearth their motives ana an inc les
! c.a,nses that influence them to the very
! bottom. 9, s|5 .sa
..Perhaps," she observed with q
smile I did not like, .'the gentleman
who came to visit you last night had
something to do with your appearance
this morning.
| offered noreply, but was conscious
that the increasing color in my lace pc
traved the fact that she had guessed
Alright, and that added still more to my
confusion, thus the more plainly con-
6rning her supposition.
~ thought when | saw hum go out
last night" she went on, ''that some
thing Of an unpleasant nature masS
have transpired between you. he was
81 excited that he hardly seemed 70
| know what he was doing or where ne
was going. couldn't imagine, though
whatever could have taken place be-
tween you"
understood perfectly that she mad
offered that observation as q bid Tor an
exclamation on nay part, but did not
choose to accept it as SUCH so l kept ST.
lent She continued. apparently ht-
tie disappointed that did not proceed
60 crafty her curiosity and enllgnten
her as to what had taken place IN my
room.
"He had the appearance OF one or the
finest of gentlemen she remarked,
land suppose he is, though know
very little about him. l never saw ME-.
Bernard but two or three times oefore
that day he came here with you, Dus
I've always heard him spoken OF very
highly. Still, he's rich, and rich men
can do pretty much as they please, and
not be faulted either. / don't doubt
but what if Mr.. Bernard was poor, peo-
pie would find plenty to say aga1ns1
him. But, law! don't suppose you
will believe that, for, he appears to take
great interest in you, and l reckon
he's doing great deal for YOU Ire
often wondered why it is he shows SO
much concern for your welfare. VI
course, in way, there's sort OF cor
nection between you, but land salxes,
men like him are not apt to care any
thing about their yyifes poor kinfolks,
,, and especially when it comes to second
cousins
She paused and looked at nae as II In.
viting a reply, but offered none, and
after the lapse Of g. snoznent she pro-
ceeded:
mind now" she said, II don't say
there is anything improper III ME-
Bernard's attentions to you, and dong
mean TO hint that he has any improper
| motives, but at the same time @>ust:
say that people have room to form sus"'
picions. I don't say that / have them,
| but know other people will, because,
they can't see what good motive would
prompt a man like Bernard to interest
himself SO much in behalf of poor girl /,
like you"
These words brought all the deluge'
of grief and fear back to my heart
again, agitating me beyond description.
Could it be possible, wondered, that .
Mr. Bernard entertained wicked de-.
signs ON me? Was it true that because
! of his attentions should be made a.:
target for scandal, and be pointed at
and remarked about as q cfaracterlcss'
woman? All! how longed then for
some one 10 advise with me and III
struct me How keenly felt the need
of a, mothers counsel or a fathers pro-
lection.
could not advise with Mrs. E3ond,
for felt that she was cold and unsyu1".
pathetic, having far more interest in
gossip and scandal than in the poor
creature who might be maligned. To
lot; RI Ea,. Ny3.nr,{2 E.a
like scattering them 10 the four winds.:
and / knew enough of the world 60 I'M.
derstand how things were magnihed
and distorted by gossips until q 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 enc else in She town to
| whom | could go, because there was NO
one else with whom ! YVES sufficiently
intimate to warrant my making q con.
fidante of hel
I would have given the world could
| have only had 1lle privilege Of seeing
and talking with Mrs. Cornell. My
heart turned to her as TO a mother, and
to her should not have hesitated Ar
instant in pouring out al the circuzn-
sLdLNScS tl LILY SltusIbIOIi, hHO"1lIt5 Liihb
She would have advised me well, keep
ing all my secrets safely locked in her
own bosom. But Mrs. Cornell was far
away, and l could not go to her with all
my troubles and griefs. ..
Mrs. Bond" l said, breaking the
! long silence, ''you don't believe Mr..
Bernard has any improper thoughts
toward INC, do you?'
flaw, Miss Owens" she exclaimed,
show do know what to believe?
can't tell what he has in his heart.
You ought to know better than l what
he thinks, because you know what he
says and does, and don't. If l 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, l think. and showing some dis
! pleasure IN her tones: