Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-03-30

There was great regret as well IA
firm conviction in my voice. My dis
appointment was AS intense as my as
surance of disqualification. ! lonCad
to be Of service to this woman; all my
romantic impulses were stirred by
sight of her beauty and tragic isO-
lation; and yet | was convinced Of my
own inadequacy as regarded her needs.
| sighed involuntarly and was about
to turn away, but she stretched out
OBTAINING hand, while n little smile Of
amusement fitted across the gravity OF
her expression.
NAY, my child, be not so hasty in
your DECISIONS" she returned After
all, II is / who should be the judge of
your pabilities-unless, indeed, you
are already discouraged by the loneli-
ness of this place, and use your modes
ty to conceal the real reason of your
flight?"
The words were In the form of an in
terrogatory, and | FASTENED to deny
their false accusation. | spoke with
considerable warmth, and the smile
deepened on Madam's face.
"You are quite young" she remarked.
"Not more than eighteen or twenty, l
should say. That is in itself strong
w nv Nlibulh llhf
something youthful about me in my
old age. But my longing il selfish
one. Youth needs youth. and gaiety
and bright surroundings. My home is
no place for it to shelter in"
She gave little sigh, as if her
thoughts were introspective. and took
advantage of the pause to tell her how
little priced the pleasures which were
so dear to most girls or my age. and
how devoid of terrors | held splitude.
/ think the eagerness in my voice
touched and won her. for slight flush
crept into her face as she listened
you have probably never drcamt OF
household so quiet and monOtonous
as this" she said. I'VE are all old
people who inhabit it-Franlllin. poor
Mayberry, and |. And Il am, i'm ad.
dition blind"
| cried aloud at this, so shocked and
startled was /. Blind. those beautiful
eyes with their profound depthsl
you are surprised she exclaimed,
while I could have bitten out my
tongue in annoyance at my own in
advertence "Ah, my old eyes are sad
hypocrites, my dear, and assume n
virtue when they have it not Now
shall | begin my catechism?
There is no need TO 20 into the de-
tail of question and answer by means
of which Madam became convinced
that my endowmentS were sufficient
for the position | coveted. / bad re
ceivcd at the cXpe c of well-to- do
uncle, an excellent education am. be
ing naturally of IA studious habit OF
mind had ranged even beyond the
lead of my preceptors into the fields
of general knowledge. ! could speak
with confidence of my lingual familiar
ity with French, German and Italian,
besides being able to claim tolerably
intimate acquaintance with the most
celebrated literary productions of each
of these nations. Nor had my En-
glish requirements suffered neglect
through abscnteeism. Well stocked
had j been by native harvesting be-
fore being allowed to stray afeld in
search Of foreign cleaning
i had an excellent ear for music, and
| fair contralto voice, which had been
| carefully cultivated, so that my singing
| really afforded pleasure to even criti-
cal listeners; / had a knowledge Of
bookkeeping sufficient TO make an ex-
\ ceedingly accurate domestic account
i ant; ! could read aloud for hours with
| out fatigue of my wcll-trained vocal
| muscles, and thoughts and ideas were
| bred rapidly enough in my brain, even
II these were at times too odd aud
l original for easy assimilation by those
/ TO whom | might chance 10 utter them,
TO ensure my being n fairly entertain
1 ing and easy conversationalist
| did not offer Madam this frank In
| ventory of my accomplishments as