Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-06-09


conJures Up for Linn, arc almost equal to
her love.
She doesN not know-poor. hapless girl.
how should Sshe?-that there is a deus ex
machinn e. tr interposing in the shape of
Hester Sta Eeton's cruel hands filching
remorselesslN the message of love that
would have 4 Hddened her Pas cold water
to a thirsty ul." Hettie Is quick and
clever and VIII 1es such charrningH graphic
letters. and ID ar Eric" being quite like
n brother" sh3 has quite taken upon her
the part of 4 lily correspondent and SO
she nils the bad sheets of foreign post
with her clear. incisve, blackly written
caligraphy; reading aloud all the merry.
witty well-turned Sentences to her aunt:
provoking smiles and tears from the
mothers heart; ani omitting q few OF
those sentences and interpretations which
are for Eric's benefit and not for his
mothers eyes and ears. She would not
have permitted that cleverly sketched tale
of her daughter-in- laws escapade-which
Muriel felt Obliged to confess to her moth
er-in-law-in which poor Muriels name
and Captain Leverson's name were un-
pleasantly entwined-to be sent to Eric.
and 10 be read by him with a darkening
into hardness ana numbness as the wound
heals. But he receives no enlightenment.
for he seeks none; and Muriel's cold, brief
letters grow rarsr as the year passes on;
and Edith never writes to him.
The year passes on, and the month of
August comes dull, arid, sultry August,
which does not ripen the grain quickly
enough. -,11ifIr,1> parches the aftergrass. and
destroys some 6f the market garden crops
altogether, and when life itself seems a
weariness and the wheels of existence
drag. Danefeld Priory is not a jOcund
abode at any time-as. indeed, is not TO be
expected in a feminine household of the
upper middle" class under the staid rule
of a prim, elderly matron-but in these
silent. sultry depressing summer days it
is almost dreary and fOrlorn.
Mrs. Llewellyn sits pale and silent and
shivering by her bedroom fire, striving
hard to meet the blow that has fallen on
her as n Christian and a gentlewoman.
She had invested six thousand pounds,
representing all her savings, in foreign
securities, which are now worth little
more than the paper that represents them.
The price is down 10 something not worth
mentioning. She will lose all but pitiful
fraction if she sells out; she may lose even
this If she holds the bonds
-isstB doa~,. .sopsng agaznsr nope; these six
months.
No wonder the poor woman shivers and
weeps a little, and reads her Bible dole
fully, and gets small comfort from it, IA
doleful and weak-faith Christians always
10. She rather shrinks from her clever
aiece in this time of trouble, and poor
Muriel she peevishly looks upon as only
an increase of responsibility. So she be-
walls herself to Edith alone, finding a
balm in even the sunny temper and bright
insouciance that she yet dolefully chides.
''She can't do anything at present"
Edith says, gravely to Hester. ''She is u
good deal crushed, and We must make
every allowance for her."
Does that mean that we are to give up
our .allowanceT Hester asks, sharply,
with an angry brow. For 1 won't, most
lssuredly! Sooner than stand any more
# aunt's stinginess. and pinching and
saving, I'll go out as governess, or an
actress, or q telegraph clerk, and earn
my bread!'
Il have got a notable plan in my head.
Hettie, with which I hope you will help
me-" Edith says. Nothing will do aunt
so much good as change of air and scene
change for a good long time and the deli
cious idea that she Is saving little money
by the change at the same time. So a
plan flashed across my mind like posi-
rlye inspiration, by which we could all
have change of air and scene, lake and
mountain scenery, too, at mere nominal
.ent-shut up Danefield for six months
dismiss all the servants but Clarkson and
ais wife, and let him have the sale of the
'ruit and vegetables and ten shillings a
week. as we did when We went to Cannes
.ou know, and let us go over to Ireland, to
Currag ghdene, Muriers old home, which
she is longing most passionately to see, as
hose funny Irish people always do long to
see the country again and again that they
lon't care to live in at any price. There!
what do you think of my plan?"
THE very idea Is wretchedness itself!'
Hester says, with much indignant dis
gust. "and / should like to know the ar
riere pensee that tempts you to exile your
self from all society in a horrible place
ike that"
But she receives no enlightenment on
his point, and Edith's persistence and
lnruffied good temper bring her off best
n the conflict, and Mrs. Llewellyn dole
fully acduiesces and Muriel is as glad as
she can be of anything just now, and Mr.
Sutton, Sylvester's guardian, is extreme
ly glad at the idea of six months care
ful tenancy of the empty house left in
Hannah O'Nei's care. And so, by the
bird week in September, Muriel tinds
herself in her old home once more, all the
ower and inanimate things unchanged:
all that made il her home gone out of it
forever.