The Saint Paul globe., 1897-06-06


In my power SO to trouble him. Ana
the more desperately / sought for re-
Venge upon the man / loved, the sorer
grew my foolish heart.
Jean scarcely recognized me in those
days. She would sit regarding me as
presided over my luxurious table, en-
PERTAINING such guests as I had no love
for, with bolder laugh than that she
was familiar with upon my lips, and
more fiippant speech than that 1t was
accustomed to dropping from my
tongue, and her smooth brow would
Knit itself into a frown of disapproba-
! ton, and her blue eyes would grow
large and wistful, and, after the feast
was done, she would come to me
faithful little creature who loved me
beyond my deserts!-and eXpostulate.
Madame, you are wearing yourself
| out for nothing. You do not care for
those people. Why exert yourself for
| them? You are growing thin; truly,
| there are lines coming"
But l would shake her off with a
laugh. What did she know of my need
OF diversion! How could she imagine
that l craved any sort of excitement
that would keep my mind from dwell
ing upon one subject.
On my next visit to the convent
encountered Nita Conquest. She was
entering as 1 left, and she accosted
me as if l had been an old friend, in
| stead of the briefest acquaintance. At
another time l should have resented
the memory Of that hiss and met her
advances coldly; but 1 was in a soft
ened mood, due to Lisa's influence, and
| besides, the woman looked SO pa
thetically old and fallen that I had not
the heart to repudiate her claims upon
my notice.
I'VE both have daughters here" she
said, with smile that failed to beauti-
fly her coarse and bloated features;
/ ''odd. isn't it? And they are good
my grit isn't like her mother. She
takes after the other side of the house"
Her laugh correspondent with her whole
personality. 1t was loud, bold, and un-
! refined. 1t was mocl1ing, too, for she
had seen me recoil at the idea of an
intimacy forming itself between my
! child and hers, and derided my fas-
tidiousness. She moved a little closer
| to me, that the sister in waiting upon
| the door should not catch her words,
and murmured:
81 have received your hush money
| You need not be afraid. Your girl
! shall never find out your profession
! from me-
THAT is WE'LL" I replied 'It is but a
! little while now before 1 shall tell her
myself. I hope to retire after this sea-
! SON.
She looked at me with bitter envy
! in her faded eyes.
"a rich woman, 1 suppose?" she
said. "Such as l might have been IL
you had not spoilt my chances"
| There was such malevolence in her
glance that 1 did not care longer to
encounter it.
Goodbye" I broke in quickly. "It
| is scarcely worth while to discuss that
ridiculous charge. Talent, like water,
| finds its own level"
And so passed on, forgetting almost
Immediately the scowl which was her
only farewell to me. [ had had a
charming, a lovely day with my dar-
! ling. Every visit that L made her un-
| folded to- my adoring eyes new beauties
| in her nature. On each occasion
would tell myself that I had discov-
cred all there was to learn about her,
and yet, before left, some new charm
would reveal itself to me.
On this day, although I had thought
myself familiar with her personal love-
Illness, sat actually speIl-bound as she
came to me down the long narrow
unadorned room which was the convent
parlor, she being the only thing OF
beauty upon which my gaze could
rest. But she was sufficient to brighten
even greater dullness than this. A
slim, tall slip Of a girl with blue eyes
and golden hair. A face that seemed
to have gathered into itself the sweet
ness and innocence of a score Of cheru-
bim. A smile OF confiding trust, at
! Whomsoever it might chance to be di
rected. An expression that made you
remember that there were many chill
dren in the world, and that it's high
ways should be made meet for their
tender feet. I cannot describe her Only
| a great master of words could make
you comprehend that divine fairness
| hi !, 1OT10 oh
| but which also seemed a. sort Of at
moSphere about her. InstinctiVely, see
| ing her one felt the impulse to cham
| pfon her against even the shadow OF
evil.
The pure mind of her father had de
scended to her by right Of inheritance.
! and this had been good ground for the
| development of the seeds of righteous
ness scattered by the profuse hands of
the holy Sisters. Yet there was nothing
of the sad recluse or grim saint about
the child, else |, Worldling and sinner.
should have felt barrier rising up be
! tween US, shutting me out from pleas
ure in her companionShip. Her nature
was all sunshine. She was gay, joyous,
amusement-loving, as animated and
eager for happiness as 1; but she had
no idea what opportunities for diver
sion the world afforded, and 1 feared
| she would not make acquaintance with
| them without many a shock of misgi3-
/ ing.
But she was growing impatient Of
| longer seclusion within the convent,
and of continued separation from me.
/ presume that my tell-tale face, which
ever betrays the condition of my spirit
Showed forth something of the trouble
that was harassing me, for she pre-
tended to discover a change in me
since my last visit, and insisted that
1 needed her constant presence to
watch over me and guard me from two
great exertion. And then, for the first
time, she alluded to the means by
which 1 gained my living and hers.
You have never told me much
about our circumstances, mother dar-
ling she said; but I know, of course,
that a country minister could not have
left much money. / cannot bear to
think of your working to support
daughter who is quite old enough to do
something for herself. The strain is
beginning to tell upon you. dear, and
long to relieve you. May I not come
and do my share towards earning
our living?'
1 drew her sweet, sollcitous face
down and kissed it many times. 1 gazed
into 1t with questioning and foreboding
In my eyes. What if this loving trust
and gratitude that I read in all its
lines were to turn to shrinking and
reproach when she learnt the nature
of the employment by which l secured
our livelihood? Could I bear to lose
this wealth Of confidence, this bound
less faith and alteration? Without it,
would not my life be too poor and
mean for living? I shuddered. I could
not contemplate SO barren a prospect.
Lisa's quick eyes noticed the sud
den movement.