Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-04
The mgst8Iy at DeeDdalR.
BY CHARLOTTE BREME.


when | was born, and my father did
not long survive her.
My father was the curate of Long
ton. 1t was a poor place, but he had
small fortune besides his curacy; on
this he had lived comfortably with my
mother, and at his death it was
equally divided between Guy and my
self We were left under the guardian
ship of Doctor Medium, my father
Oldest friend, who had been for many
years a resident at Longton.
By my fathers will, his little income
of one hundred and fifty pounds per
annum was equally divided between
US. Guy was to go to college for so
many years, and for me an excellent
Partisan school was selected, where l
was to remain until l reached my
eighteenth year.
We did not, therefore, see much of
our worthy guardian. He was kind,
generous man, who tried in every way
to do his duty to us. He was, too, a
confirmed bachelor-but one of The
genial kind His sister, who managed
his house, was an old maid; not, | re
greet to say, Of the genial kind. But
good Doctor Medium bore patiently
with her temper In her early youth
she had been crossed in love; and this
fact, while it caused the doctor to look
up to her with reverence, made him
at the same time pardon all her airs
and graces, which he attributed to the
same cause.
Poor thing, poor thing" he NUT
tered to himself at times; chow much
she must have suffered to sour her
temper so! ,Ahr' he would continue,
gravely shaking his head, II am glad
| never knew this love but by name"
| opine that Miss Medburn's temper
would have been but little improved
even by the powerful specific of ma
trimony.
1t may be readily imagined that l
did not care to prOlOng my visit to
Longton. When my education was
completed, the doctor wrote to me,
kindly Offering me a home under his
roof for as long as | should need one.
/ told him how grateful | felt for his
generosity, but that | had formed
other plans. j had resolved to save
my little income, that | might have a
comfortable old age, and in the interim
to make the best use of my education
by obtaining Il situation as gOverneSS.
/ soon succeeded. Lady Oryille, a
young and beautiful widow, required
fD ri. ho
gagged me at our first interview, and j
never left her until | married.
| had one of the happiest homes
imaginary. My pupil was docile and
clever. Lady Orville treated me more
as a. sister than a paid dependent"
My brother Guy had made the same
resolution as myself, to work hard,
I'hile he saved what he coHld. Guy
Lad been brought up to the law, and
was most ardently attached to his
profession. He had chambers in the
Temple. ANA had already won for him.
self some reputation as man of thor
ough. shrewd ability. He was ant
bilious, too, and studied hard. Some
times he found time to ru.l down to
Oryille Court to pay IL visit to me.
Guy was n flvorite with its beautiful
mistress. She had eXerted her indu-
ence in his favor, and had procured
him many excellent clients amongst
her friends.
| received letter one day from Guy,
to say that he was obliged to 60 to
Yorkshire. He had lawsuit on hand
about some disputed property, and
was compelled to so there to collect
evidence. When he had been absent
one week | heard from him again. He
was charmed with Yorkshire, and de
termined, when his business was over
to spend few days upon the hills.
My poor brother, it was a sad day for
him when lie first set his foot in that
grand old county. To my great sur
prise. ten days elapsed before / heard
more of Guy; then came a letter, in a
strange handwriting, to tell me that
nv brother had met With an accident
on the hills, and had been carried to
Deepdale Hall, the residence of Sir
John Leigh.
1t was Miss Leigh who wrote, in her
fathers name. Guy had slipped down
while mounting some wonderful hill
and had severely injured his ankle, be-
sides breaking his arm. He had been
at Deepdale week, and was so seri-
ously i'll as to cause some alarm. He
had repeatedly asked for his sister
and as my address was found among
his papers. Miss Leigh wrote to beg Of
me to come.
Papa is much interested" said the
fair writer, "in your brother, and de
sireS me to say that you will be mos
heartily welcome at Deepdale. Th
house stands in most out-of-the-wa,
place, hidden among the hills; but i
YOU will tell us at what time to eXpec
you, the carriage will await you a
Stonely, the nearest station"
] was much alarmed about Guy.
What had | better do?" l asked c
Lady OrvilIe, to whom 1 gave the lei
ter for perusal.
Go at once, my dear Miss Eardley,
she replied.
But does it not look strange to go
house and amongst people I hay
never seen or heard of until today?'
argued.
Not at ALL she replied; under til
circumstances, you need have n