Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-05-12


"A thousand she would have
in her throat: she hastily substituted
"a thousand regrets" and left the
room. while Mrs Mortlake, began to
bargain with her child as to the
amount of sugar she should have, If
she would only stop crying.
Though Esperance would only
laugh in after days at the recollection
Of her absurd Introduction to Bella,
at the time she was considerably
ruffed by it; it was the first time in
her life that she had suffered from in
| justice-it was hard to be falsely
blamed, and Mrs. Mortlake's sighting
mention of her French ways" had
wounded her deeply.
| It was with a very heavy heart that
at the appointed time she Joined
/ Cornelia and Bertha, and walked
with them to the cathedral But
comfort came to her as she entered
and gazed around with wonder and
awe Whether from the beauty of
| the sight, or from the vastness and
strength of all about her. or from a
certain resemblance to Notre Dame lie
Paris, she did not know, but .ome-
how she was stlled, her heart no
longer throbed Indignantly, and for
the first time she felt at home at Ril-
chester.
They walked much faster than she
would have liked down the choir
aisle, and she had only time for a
| brief glance at the nave, with its
glorious vista of arch and pillar be-
fore they passed through the screen
gate, and We're ushered by a prim-
| looking verger into the deanery pew.
Q The service seemed to her duh and
dreary in the extreme, and though
the choir was fairly good, she soon
wearied of the complicated Anglican
chants and lengthy canticles, in
which no one attempted to join.
There was something depressing,
too,in the smallness of the congrega-
ton, which certainly could not have
numbered more than a dozen, and in
the half-incomprehensible foreign
prayers. Esperance was sadly trou-
bled with wandering thoughts so that
she was relieved when the hour was
ended and she was free once more to
devote all her eyes to the beauty
around.
Cornelia, however, allowed no lin
gering, and they had scarcely left the
cathedral before she began in her
clear, authoritative way, AS soon as
we are at home will you come to me
in my room, and | will see what
studies you had better take up? We
must lose no more time"
Esperance knew she ought to have
been much more grateful, but there
was something ia Cornelias cold
kindness which grated on her, and
undoubtedly there was in her tone an
implied reference to the time which
had already been so foolishly wasted.
1t was with some difficulty that she
said, Indeed, you are very good to
thlhk OF helping me, my cousin;
know | am very ignorant"
IF YOU Will take palms. it will be a
{ u,
Cornelia, with much more warmth.
! And | am going to give you one cor
rection already. Do not always adj
dress me as my cousin, it is quite
unnecessary in English"
/ Indeed! | had no idea of that: in
France it would be thought rude al
most not to do it But a thousand
thanks for telling me-"
/ The hour spent in Cornelia's room
was not altogether a pleasant one. A
Drlef examination brought to light
what seemed to Cornelia almost I'M
1 paralleled ignorance, and she was
really in despair over such an I'M
promising pupil Esperance, unaccus-
/ toned to examination of any kind
and understanding English very i'm.
perfectly, was, of course. at a great
disadvantage, and though now and
then she would give quick, intelli-
gent answer, she was generally either
puzzled completely, or frightened by
her cousins peremptory manner into
absurd mistakes.
Cornelia, seeing that this was mere
waste of time, began a lesson on
physical geography, but this was not
much more successful Though ex-
/ eeedingly clever, she was not a good
teacher she could neither under
stand nor sympathize with the diff
culties of a less talented mind, ana
even painstaking slowness made her
impatient and sarcastic
| Esperance was really unhappy.
aware that she had answered badly,
and veXed that she had not dona
more justice TO her fathers teaching.
She was certain, too, that had she
I circumstances been different she,
could have done much better, and a,
consciousness that Cornelia did not
understand her added to her wretch
I eduess
But this last thought reminded her
of one of Gaspard's pieces OF advice,