Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-04-03

|
and Marion would have scarcely been
going out at all; for Mrs. Harkness
was judicious woman, and would
not allow them to undertake -gix or
seven engagements, as 80 many girls
do all through the winter. Then
there were distinct visiting and sew
ing classes and other things to be done
during the morning, SO that Marion
in many ways was quite as busy with
doing for others as though she wei g
still at home.
When her visit was about half over,
Mrs. Harkness's only son Jack came
back from trip abroad. Although
never much of y society man. he did
not seem averse to sharing tho girls
pleasures. The night of the first Pa
triarch's ball came, to both Of the
girls an important event, as being
their first ball. Mrs. Hardness, with
ready kindness, was anxious to pro.
vide Marion with a beautiful new
toilet as handsome as her own daugh-
ter's; but it had been Mrs. Leslie's
one stipulation that Marion should ac-
cept nothing more than the love and
kindness that made her visit 80 de-
lightful.
There was pang, such a pang in
Marion's heart when she saw Mary 8
beautiful tulle dress; her own silk
seemed old and shabby, and the little
pink shoes she had been so proud of at
home seemed shapeless and ugly be-
side the tiny white ones that her
friend wore. She stifed her covetous
longings very quickly, however, and
took herself we'll to task for finding
one thing amiss when she had 30
much; and by the time they reached
sherry's she had quite forgotten all
her bad feelings, and her face was
bright with anticipation Of the pleas
use before her.
When the Hardness party entered
the ballroom Marion was observed
from every side; there were plenty of
tulle dresses and plenty Of pretty
girls there, but Marion's beauty was
of such remarkable style and was SO
heightened by the rich simplicity Of
her gown that she soon found herself
surrounded by q court of admirers,
and, indeed, had tie greatest difficulty
in saving the two dances which she
had promised Jack Hardness.
How late it was in the morning be-
fore they returned home I will not
say-city people keep very strange
hours; and Marion YVES terribly
shocked to find how late-or shall I
say, how early-it was. It took her
some time to get over her excitement
sufficiently to go to sleep, and it
seemed as though she had scurcely
closed her eyes when she awoke to
find the sunshine streaming into her
room and Mrs. Hardness standing be-
side her bed. She folded Marion ten
derly in her motherly arms; there
was something so gentle in her voice
that the girl felt at once that some
thing was wrong.
We will draw veil over the next
few miuutes-the saddest and most
terrible of the girls life. A telegram
had come the evening before while
they were at the ball, and had lain
unnoticed on the table until the morn
ing.-Mr. Leslie had had shock of
paralysis. Everything that kindness
could do was done to hasten Marion's
departure for home, and to save her
every anxiety and strain. She scarcely
remembered her parting with her
kind friends home, home, home, was
her one thought, that she might
reach there in time to be with her
mother before the end came, if such
should be tho termination of her
fathers sickness.
Her prayers were heard; Mr.. Leslie
fingered for several days, and Marion
was the stay and prop of the afflicted
family. When the last sad rites were
over. she took entire charge of the
little brothers and sisters, that her
mother might have rest to recover
herself. What was to become OF the
family she could not see. Of course
the rectory passed into other hands,
and Mr.. Leslie's life insurance would
barely put bread into their mouths.
Marion felt that she must go out
in the world and work, and
she was too sensible not to
know that in these days of skilled
female labor it would be difficult for
her to get any employment. She wrote
to Mrs. Hardness and awaited her an
swer impatiently. The Northern mail
came in, there was no letter for her;
she wondered If even those kind
friends had forgotten her. The day
was rainy and dreary. Il her hands
had not been so full she would heve
lost courage; but all the children had
to be kept IN the house, and with Cd
aching heart she had to devise some
means to keep them quiet and content.
The children were finally happily set
in the attic ct a wonderful new game
which Marion had invented on the
spur of the moment. She was seated
in the midst of the noisy gloup, when
she heard the front doorbell ring.
She went down just as size was carry
ing her little two-year-old brother,
who had fallen asleep, in her arms.
Jack Hardness came toward her as
she entered the bare, low parlor. He
had seen her last with the radiant
beauty of belle, glowing in the ex-
citement of her first ball; now she was
wan and hollow-eyed, her shabby black
gown intensified her pallor, she stopped
under the weight of the heavy child; ;
and yet to him she was many. many
times more beautiful than she had
ever seen before.
81 have come to answer mother s
letter." he said.
Months after, when Marion was
again in New York, not this time as
guest, but as the young mistress of
the beautiful home that Jack Hark
nass had nrenared for her she was