The Opelousas courier., 1893-04-29
A HATEFUL %SLEIGH.RlDE.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

10 take Aggys place, do yon think this
emergency would have been created9"
Laura Woodbine danced about the
room like a wild creature. Her ewes
sparkled; she wrung her slim, brown
hands; the very accents Of her voice
were full of entreaty.
She was dark and brilliant, with
%peach.red cheeks, a little scarlet velvet
mouth, and hair which was neither
brown nor black, but a sheeny admixture
OF both.
Mrs. Woodbine sat by the window
darning a well-worn tabIe-cloth which
had come to grief in the family wash and
regarding Laura with blue specialized
eyes of %perplexity.
This, to condense meters, was the
situation.
Mrs. Ralph Woodbine was a widow
in reduced circumstances, and Agneta,
her eldest daughter, had engaged herself
to Mrs. Blair Belmont, of Belmont 40.
hey. Newport, and Fifth avenue, New
York, as governess to two Lord Fauntle.
roylsh lads in long yellow curls and black
velvet suits.
Mrs. Blair Belfont required a great
many qualifications, but Agneta Wood
bine had been judiciously trained, and
passed this species of competitive ex-
animation with flying colors, and she
was to enter upon her situation on the
first of February, when Mrs. Belfont re-
turned from the Abbey at Newport to
the big brownstone house on the avenue.
In the meantime, she had accepted
the invitation of an old schoolmate to
visit her in Texas, and was there re.
operating a little in preparation for the
Blair Belmont duties.
And all of a sudden some great defect
in the Abbey drainage developed itself
an army OF plumbers had come down
upon the premises, and the Belfonts
had fed precipitately down to New
York, telegraphing to the Woodbine
domicile for the new governess to join
them at once.
"Agneta could be here in a week."
said Mrs. Woodbine, thoughtfully.
"But in the meanwhile9 And It would
spoil Aggy's visit to come Straight
home!" pleaded Laura. "I'm sure I
could teach two boys. WHAT good
would all my training at the Normal
College do me elsee oh, mamma, don't
write to Agneta-please don't! Let me
try!"
At that moment a telegraph boy
knocked at the door.
Mrs. Woodbine dropped her work.
Something has happened" she
gasped. :" know something has hap
penedl"
Agneta had sprained her ankle in the
sweet southern woods. She could not
be moved under six weeks at least, and
had telegraphed to her mother to write
Mrs. Blair Belfont to get a new govern
css in her place.
''Therel" cried Laura, her gray eyes
larger and brighter than ever, her cheeks
redder; ''didn't I tell you so? Isn't it
fairly providential2"
Mrs Woodvine gave a little gasp.
No one would ever know Of ali the
calculations she had made on Agneta's
prospective salary. Could it be that
she was destined to disappointment after
ala
Observation-Disclosures coulda" she
faltered, obviously.
tI know ] could" protested Laura.
"Dont you remember, mamma, Mrs.
Beifont never saw Aggya ALI the ar.
rangements were conducted by letter,
and ! ana Miss Woodbine, am I nots"
AND In the end she conquered.
Mrs. Blair Belfont, a commanding
person, with a bristly beard like a gren-
adler, and a fine Roman nose, surveyed
her obviously.
II expected to see an older person."
said she, furnishing a gold lorgnette.
"However, I'll give you o trial."
Thank you, ma'am!" murmured
Laura, her guilty little heart giving a
great leap Of joy.
"But," added Mrs. Blair Belfront,
s.the dear boys don't come down from
their uncle's at Palace Hall until Mon
day. They ars enjoying the duck shoot
ing SO much; but of course your engage
ment is to begin from to-day, and you
can spend your time-it will only be a
few days-in getting che books and
things ready in the school room. I am
going back to Palace Hall tomorrow,
but Mrs. Cargill, my housekeeper, is
here, and I'm sure you will be very COM
fortable.p
So Laura Woodbine was left all alone
IN the big house, Tor Mrs. Cargill didn't
see why she should spend her time in an
empty house, when there was nothing
on; and the cook, a purple faced old
woman in a crumpled black satteen
gown, opIned that Rosa, the new kitchen
maid, could cook for the governess well
enough.
"G~overnesses amt real ladies, nohow,n
said cook, IAN they amt no business to
be ~pa'tickler. And the new footman
missus' maid won't come down till
Monday, SO I may as well take a bit of a
hof day myselfl"
So, between one and another of Mrs.
Relfont's superior staff Of servants. onlv
little Rosa was let-a plumb German
maid, with cheeks like glossy red ap.
ples, and hair braided down her back ii
two taken tailg--Who sat and knitted BIZ
kitchen fire, while Laura Woodbine