The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-12-14
v ES 7 x.
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I ESTA VILLIARS stood at the
! window and gazed down at
BY 7. u.

from face TO face, from form TO form
with a childish, questioning eagerness
seeking TO find one friend amid the
great throng Of people.
Poor child, she must yet learn thai
one can walk through the busy streets
of Boston for weeks, months-aye,
even for years, without meeting one
she had not a great many old friends
here, for Boston was the city OF her
nativity.
But the reason Is easily told. Mr..
Villiars, who was once wealthy mer-
chant, had left Boston ten years be
fore a penniless man. Little Vesta
alone was with him, his fair young
wife having died two years before his
failure.
And now Vesta has returned to Bos-
ton, and beautiful girl she !s-rather
small and slight, with rich golden
brown hair, which falls past her waist
i'm sllken curls, large, almond shaped,
thoughtful eyes-cyes that looked sad
and tender, even while the we'll
formed lips were locked in stern de-
termination and the fair checks dyed
with the flush of Indignation.
And why has the fair young Vcsta
returned alone and In this disturbance
of mind?
We shall soon learn.
Mr.. Viliars had gone TO Frederick
no hn of
years after was again business.
About this time he married Mrs.
Huntington, a widowed lady, who had
seen about thirty seven summers.
Mrs Huntington possessed fortune
of a few thousands, and this, united
to Mr.. Villlars's business talents and
present stock, set him firmly upon his
feet again.
Little Vesta was now eleven years
old, and her stepmother did not wish
to have her at home; therefore, she
was sent to boarding school.
But the first year had hardly drawn
to close when she was summoned
home. Her fathers second wife had
died suddenly.
Two weeks elapsed before the day
on which Vesta arrived at her home.
AS she drew near the house she saw
little coffin carried out and placed in
coach; then followed her father and
n tall, strange youth.
Entering the house noiselcssly and
unobserved by q side entrance she met
the old housekeepcr and asked breath
lessly:
Her baby is dead too, is it not, Ju-
lletY"
YES" replied the old woman, "an'
it's safer with its mother than ere.
God help motherlcss little girls. say"
and she laid her hand fondly on Yes
ta's head.
"It was a little girl, then, was it,
Juliet?"
"Yes, dear
"But who is that young lad with
papa"
His wifes first child"
"What?' exclaimed Vcsta
"Yes, dear" returned the old woman
composedly, "the mistress sent for her
son to come home from college n few
weeks after you were sent of to please
her ladyship."
did father know she had a son? l
never knew itv'
1T seems to me master didn't know
IL until he saw a grown boy of nine
teen walk in and call his wife mother
and he took on a bit for not being
told beforehand. But he's fairly fool.
ish about the boy now," said the house.
keeper scornfully.
Perhaps he is n good boy. Juliet"
80, l suppose he's good enough but
there's flash in his eye and a curl to
his lip that l don't like-it don't speak
much good, anyhow"
Five years rolled on and Mr.. Nilliars'
stepson had grown TO manhood.
Apparently he was frank. true
hearted person, but away beneath the
smooth, bright surface there dwclt n
heart which was full of vice and de
ceit. His lips could smile and his
eyes beam kindly on you even while
his brain was plotting some dark deed
TO ruin you.
Nesta. who was now beautiful girl
OF seventeen, admired his bright, light
hearted ways, yet she saw "A some
thing about him which prevented her
regarding him as a sincere friend.
What the something" was she could
not tell-she liked to be with him. he
was so gay, but she could never bring
herself to that sweet interchange Of
thoughts which entwines hearts SO
dearly.
Not so with her father-he was per
fectly wild about the handsome boy"
No one was half so noble. half SO
truthful as his "son Louis"
His every action. every thought was
known by the artful Louis. and his
dearest wish was that Vesta and Louis
would marry.
Louis seemed TO be delighted at the
idea. but Vesta said nothing. for she
did not at all like IL.
Another year has passed. and Yes.
ta's eighteenth birthday has come.
A grand party is to be held in her
home-the guests are already arriving
music nd laughter ill the air-bril-
liant-but hark wild cry rings
through the building. and great confu.
sion is in the lower hail.
What Is itT' all asked wildly.
'Mr. villiars has fallen to the foor
in q it," is the answer.
All hurry downstairs. and FIVE. ten
snfnvfoo noe, b.f.~o N.ftf..