The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-05-21
RlGllTED


took me home. We had a funeral
from tho large house, and then
folded my hands and prayed 10 die.
There was nothing for mo now, said,
ia my wicked ropining; other hands
could distribute my money among the
| poor. and ] could die and meet al /
loved in heaven. No words can des.
cribo the bitterness OF those days.
| The old sorrow had been comiortcd
and soothod by the tender love that /
had lost now. My mother, my lifelong
companion, was gone, and was alone
| In the world.
Uncle StaDhopo was very kind,
Lizzie and May atfectionate, Harry
sYmpathizinR; but they all had their
own interests aud duties. while stood
alone.
Lizzie was going to be married, and
had her trousseau to arrange, her
lovers visits 10 receive. Harry was
preparing for q tour; May was deeply
interested in the study of German
uncle had his business to attend to,
and the interests of three children at
heart. /, only, was alone.
Judge, then, Of my deep gratitude
when Mrs. Hall wrote to invite mo to
make my home with her. She was
very feeble, and needed a daughters
love; would take her in my dead
mothers place, aud let her love and
comfort me? Uncle grumbled q little,
but let me 60.
Remember, he said, "Agnes, this
is only for long visit. Milford can
not spare you always, and this must
be your home. Promise me 10 think
of my house as your home. And,
Aggie, when you are able to bear
gayety, you will come to the New
Years party? Lizzie will come home,
then; May, too, if she marries Let
it be a family reunion for the future.
You will Gomez
/ promised all his kind love de.
manded, and then went to New York.
My welcome there was loving,
cordial one, but found a new mem
Der in the quiet family.
"My niece, Martha Hail." said the
old lady, after greeting me; and a tall
figure rose up from a corner and
said:
"Good evening"" and then sat down
again.
I did not get a good look at her un-
TIL the next morning, when she burst
into my room. Then ] saw a blonde,
tall, fair and gloriously beautiful,
dressed in an eccentric way that my
experience did not recognize as
"fast."
Good morning." she said, alb.
ruptly. "How do you like it?"
Like what?" was my astonished
inquiry.
"Why, this slow, stupid place. Oh,
| forgot, you are III mourning, so you
can bear it. l suppose am in mourn
ing, too, or ought to be, but l won't
wear black. What's the use? I never
saw papa for eleven years. Went off,
you know, to Russia, and left me at
boarding-school, and there died and
bequeathed me to aunt and Gerald.
I've plenty of money somewhere, they
say, and next year, being of age,
mean to use it, and be gay. Till then
J I've got to vegetate here. Oh, mercy,
/ did hope when heard there was a
young lady coming there would be
some life, but you look as slow as the
e rest.
81 have just lost my mother" I
said.
Dear me have you? That is bad
Mine died when l was ushereC
into this world, so I can't be expected
to feel much about it, being probably
) moro concerned about here we &C
up, up little Jack Horner,' ant
literature of that description for SOM
, time afterward BY the way, what d,
you think OF Gerald? He's to be m,
husband, you know"
"No, | had not heard. "
'Bless you, yes; and if he don't di
on account of it, it's mercy. Th
old folks arranged it all. Papa wrot
to auntie, and I'm to stay here till
| am of age, and then marry Sir Prim
| If he were not so awlully solemn
; might endure it, but the one ruin
desire of my life is to see him turn
sonersault, vault over chair, or d
q something else equally absurd. "
| 81 am afraid you will never be graf
i. fed"
9 "No, suppose not, especially sine
you are here to keep him in counter
ance. Perhaps I'll marry him, pc
: haps 1 sha'n't. Is the blue thing b.
q coming?" she said, abruptly, walkin
= to the glass to see the jaunty lit
jacket indicated. 81 like red, but
a can't wear even pink without lookin
S like q Dutch milkmaid. You coulC
n now, with all that splendid black hal
y Where on earth did you get your cor
plexion, with black hair and eye
d You're as fair as I am, though yC
o have no color. But what a little thir