The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-08
NOW FRsrpUBLIsHED
Blu MRS. OLIPHANT,
COPYRIGHTED, 1893, BY THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER I.

And who is Mrs Hesketh, if 1 might
make so bold as to ask" Mr.. Mannering
said, lifting his eyes from his evening pa
per.
oFather, ! told you all about her on
Sunday-that she's all alone all day, and
sometimes her husband is so late Of get
ting home. She is so lonely, poor little
thing. And she is such nice little
thing! Married, but not so big as me-
And who is -" her husband, Mr..
Mannering was about to say, but he
checked himself No doubt he had heard
all about the husband too. He heard
many things without hearing them, being
conscious rather of the pleasant voice Of
Dora running on than of everything she
said.
This had. no doubt, been the case IN re
spect to the young couple upstairs, OF
whose existence he had become dimly
sensible by reason of meeting one brother
of them on the stairs. But there was
nothing in the appearance Of either
which had much attracted him. They
appeared to him commonplace couple OF
inferior kind, and perhaps had he been a
man with all his wits keenly about him,
he would not have allowed his child TO
run WHO ABOUT INC llALlt NbliblA hBothAA -
whose prctentiOns 10 be called lady
were. as he perceived at the first glance,
very small.
But Mr.. Mannering did dot keep his
wits about him sharpened to any such
point
Dora was child, but also she was a
lady, proof against any contamination of
acquaintance which concerned only the
letters of the alphabet Her his could
take care of themselves, and so could her
RS" AS for anything else Mr.. Manner
ing's dreamy yet not unObservant eyes
had taken in the fact that the young
woman, VINO was probably not lady,
was an innocent and good little woman,
and it had never occurred to him TO be
afraid of any chance influence of such
kind for his daughter. He acq uiesced,
accordingly, with little nod of his head.
and return of his mild eyes TO his paper.
UTheSe two were the best of mpanlOnS,
but he was not Jealous of his little girl nor
did he desire that she should be forever
in his sight. He liked to read his paper;
sometimes he had book that interested
him very much. The thought that Dora
had little interest in her life also, special
10 herself, pleased him more than if she
had been always hanging upon him for her
amusement and occupation He was not
afraid of the acquaintance she might
make, which was little rash, perhaps,
especially in a man who had known the
world, and knew, or ought TO have known,
the mischief that can arise from unsuita-
bic associates.
But there are some people who never
learn indeed, few people learn by eX-
perlence, so far as have ever seen. Dora
had been an independent individuality to
her father since she was six years old.
He had felt as parents often feel with a
curious mixture Of feelings, half pleasure,
half surprise, half disappointment (as if
there could be three halves the reader
will say; but there are, any many more),
that she was not very much influenced by
himself, who was most near to her. If
such things could be weighed In any
balance, he was most, it may be said, in
fiuenced by her She retained her indie
pendence. How was it possible then
that, conscious of this, he should be
much alarmed by any problematical in
fluence that could be brought TO bear
upon her by a stranger! He was not, in
deed, the least afraid.
Dora ran up the stairs, which were
dark at the top, for Mrs. SimcoX could
not afford to let her dodgers who paid so
low rent have a light on their landing,
and the landing itself was encountered by
various articles, between which there was
need of wary steering. But this little girl
had lived in these Bloomsbury lodgings all
her life and knew her way about as well as
the children of the house. Matters were
facilitated, too, by the sudden opening Of
door, from which the light and. sad to
say, something of the smell of a paraffin
lamp shone out, illuminating the rosy
face of young woman, with a piece of
sewing in her hand who looked out in
bright expectation, but clouded over a
little when she saw who it was. "Oh,
Miss Dora" she said, and added in an
undertone, II thought it was Alfred
home a little sooner than usual" with a
little sigh.
Il made such a noise" said Dora, 80
alphabetically. Il couldn't help it. Jane
will have so many things about"
"Oh, it's me, Miss Dora. l does my
rooms myself 1t saves deal on the rent.
] shouldn't have left that crockery there
but ii saves trouble and I'm not that used
to homework 80
No" said Dora, seating herself com
pOsedly at the table and resisting, by a
strong exercise of self-cOntrol, her i'm
pulse to point out that the lamp could not
have been properly cleaned, since it smelt
so. zone can see,' she added the fact
being incOntestable, that you don't know
how to do many things. And that is a
pity, because things then are not SC
nice"
She seemed to cast a glance Of criti
cism about the room, to poor little Mrs
14NShCIL > NAN1bNu AfAAN1s W llO W DIS ItdAN
TO cry with veXation My family al
ways KEEP girl" she said in a tone Of
injury subdued. But she was proud O.
Doras friendship, and would not say any
more.
so should have thought said Dora
critical, yet accepting the apology as if, L
a certain extent, it accounted for tn,
state of affairs.
And Alfred says" cried the youne
wife THAT if we only hold on for a yea
or two he'll make a lady of me, and
shall have servants of my own. But swl
amt come to that yet-oh, not by lonl
way"
1t is not having servants that makes
lady" said Dora. I'VE are not rich
She said this with an ineffable air o
superiority to all such vulgar details. -
have never had a maid since ! was quit
little thing She had always been her
self surprised by this fact, and she ex
pected her nearer TO be surprised. "Bu
what does that matter3' sheadded. ION
IS ones self all the same.
Nobody could look at you twice.
said the admiring humble friend. with al
ellipsis which meant more than words
And how kind of YOU TO leave your pap
and all your pretty books and come to 81
with me because I'm so lonely! It /
hard upon US to have Alfred KEEP so lat
every night
Cant he help it," said Dora. If
were you, should go out TO meet him
Ihe streets are 50 haarrfff11 a ,s.rl,+