Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-07-16

CHAPTER XIV.
After the FIRST shock of our sorrow
was over, the question arose as to what
we were to do in future for our support.
Grandma was already old, while mother
was not so young as she had been once,
and neither could do much toward their
own maintenance. 1t had ever been a
pet project of mine to go South as a
teacher, and when one day in looking
over Boston paper | accidentally came
across the advertisement of Georgia
ady, Mrs. A. ID. Lansing, who wished
for Il private governess, l resolved at
once to apply for the situation, greatly
fearing lest | might be too late.
! was not, however; for after waiting
impatiently for few weeks, | received
letter from the lady herself, who, after
cnumerating the duties 1 was expected
10 perform and the branches | was to
teach, added in =. s.; Before making
my definite arrangements with Miss Lee,
Mrs. Lansing wishes to be informed If,
either by her friends or herself, she is
considered pretty, as n person of decid-
edly ordinary looks will be preferred.
answered her letter forthwith. assuring
her that neither my friends nor myself
had ever been guilty of calling me pretty
in shert, | was decidedly homely, and
trusted that on that point at least
should please her.
had nearly given up all hopes of ever
hearing from the lady again, when one
day | received a letter containing a check
on a Boston bank for money sufficient
to defray my expenses. There were also
Il few hastily written lines, saying that
Mrs. Lansing considered our engage
ment as settled, but she should not ex-
pect me until the latter part of April,
rs she could not Immediately get rid of
her present governess--a painted, insipid
creature from New York, and the veriest
humbug ia The world"
1t was Il cold, dark, snowy morning in
| the latter part of April when | started
on my journey. The surface of the
ground was frozen hard the trees were
leafless and bare. 1t is not strange, then,
that l almost fancied myself in another
world when, after n prosperous sea voy
age, | one morning went on shore at
Charleston, and first breathed tho soft,
balmy air of the South. Dense and green
was the foliage of the trees, while thou
sands of roses and Towering shrubs filled
the air with a perfume almost sickenng
to the senses. From Charleston to Au-
gusta was a wearisome ride, for the cars
were crowded, and there was to me moth
ing remarkably pleasing in the long
stretches of cypress swamps and pine
barrens through which we passed,
1t was late in the evening when we
started for the town of Chester by stage.
1t was n most beautiful night and for
hours ! watched the soft moonlight as il
glimmered among the trees which lined
either side of the narrow road, and whose
branches often swept against the win
dOws of our numbering vehicle. 1t was
long after sunrise when we arrived, but
so thickly wooded is the country around,
that | obtained not single glimpse of
the town until | suddenly found myself
thar" ms the driver sail d,Smounting
and opening the door of OF. lg.Son house.
The hotel into which | was ushered
would perhaps compare ldyo""hly with
our country taverns at the North; but at
each step | took, felt more and more
painful consciousness that home, my
home was far away
After shaking the dust from my trav-
cling dress, and shaking my thirst from
the big gourd shell which hung by the
side of bucket of cool water which
stood on little stand in the parlor, |
inquired for some one who would take
to Mrs. Lansing my card, and thus APP
prise her of my arrival. The landlord
Immediately summoned a bright hand
some mulatto boy, who, after receiving
my orders, started off barcheadcd for
Cedar Grove, which the landlord pointed
out to me in the distance. and which
with its dense surroundings of trees, look
ed to me delightfully."- cool and pleasant
After waiting rather impatently for en-
hour or more, n large, oldfashoned car
riage, drawn by two rather poor looking
horses, stopped before the door. 1t be-
longed to Mrs Lansing; and the foot
man, jumping down from the rack be.
hind, handed me a note, in which the
lady begged me to come directly to her
! hoSse, saying she was herself ndispos.
, ed, or she would have come down &c
meet me.
At the extremity of Main street, we
: turned in ut pondcrous gate, and after
, passing through two or three fields or
5 lawns, stopped at last in front of Cedar
Grove, which stood upon a slight nj
l nehce overlooking the town. In perfect
delight | ga2ed around me, for it seemed
q the embodiment of my childish Dreams
/
r. indeed the sunny. sunny South" 1t was
: very beautiful, that spacious yard and
t garden, with their winding walks, on
j which no ray Of sunlight fell, so secure
= ~ were they shaded by the cedar and the
r fir, the catalpa, the magnolia and the fig
j trre, most of them seen now by me for
, the first time In all their natural beauty
, reminded one so forclbly Of Eden. The
{ house itself was. large, square build
r ing, surrounded on three sides by piaz
f "a The floors within were bare, but
+ scrupulously clean while the rooms lack
j ed the costly furniture l had confidently
{ expected to see.
Scarcely was I seated In the parioI
e when | heard a sweet, childish voice ex
,, claim, "She's In thar-she ls," while a,
n the same time a pair OF soft blue eyes
e booked through the crevice Of the door
y and then were as quickly withdraw
e their owner laughing alOud as " she haI
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