Middletown transcript., 1903-03-14
BY MARGARET DELAND

ocoooooooooooooooooooooooo
said. And then the color cam
up into her face. That sound
selfish, Miss Alice, but I don
mean to be. After all, if Co
gives me voice
Yes, my dear, Miss Alice said
patting her arm. I know yo
don't mean to be selfish, and yo
are not. You are a dear, pree
ious child. Only, Rosamond
what would your father an,
mother do if you left them? I
isn't as if they could go will
you. You know the Judge neve
could get along in,the poor kint
of air that there is in other places
/ wouldn't think of it for /
minute, Rosamond broke in, i
they needed me. But in a bis
house like ours, with servant.
enough
Now Rosamond Gorham, sale
Miss Alice, do you mean to tel
me that any servants-I don'i
care how good they are, ever
your old Ellen, who is treas
ure; but that any servant car
take daughters place?
o dear! said poor Rosamond.
1t really was hard for Rosa.
mond. AS she said, God had
given her voice, and she want
ed to use it. And so she ought,
said Mrs. Rally. If her father
and mother were poor or sick it
would be different; but they II
just be lonely. And when it
comes to question of their lone
liness or Rosamond's voice, why,
they'd better be lonely! Mrs.
Baily was emphatic, and she had
a way of rolling her light eyes
round that was silencing.
But suppose they were to be
taken sick, and Rosamond in
somebody objected.
Taken sick? said Mary Baily.
Well, isn't Doctor Baily here? I
guess Rosamond wouldn't save
their lives if James couldn't!
But it would be a comfort to
have her, the objector dared to
say.
Well, said Mrs. Raily, there are
q good many things which it
would be O comfort to have, hut
I notice we don't have 'em. No;
it will be very selfish if her father
and mother interfere with her
future just for their comfort!
Of course, this was one way of
ooking at it, although it was not
Rosamond's way. 1t was, how
ever, her fathers and mothers
way. They talked it over be-
,ween themselves quite as earn
,stly as their neighbors did, al
;hough nobody knew it-not even
2osamond just at first.
We mustn't be selfish, dear,
Mrs. Gorham would say, again
ind again, in her gentle way.
The judge, at first, had refused
o consider it. What, his girl
'anging about Europe by herself?
lie guessed not! Besides, how
;ould he get along without her?
Who would walk with him every
,fternoon, rain or shine? Who
would play cribbage with him, |
Who would sing to him?
I wish, said her father, that |
David Ray would hold his tongue!
What does he mean by putting |
uch cock-and- bull ideas into
sosy's head? And-and what
7ould you do without her?
But we mustn't be selfish, dear,
frs. Gorham would remind him,
emily. And then he would sim
Ter down and stick out his lips
nd grunt to himself, and by and
y agree. No, of course we can
ot look atit selfishly. And then
[rs. Gorham would smile and
ut his hand softly, and begin to
.ll of something else.
Her mother always dressed in
ray, with the front of her frock
ade surplice, and filed in with
ash blonde, which was fastened
a pin that had in it two little
ixen curls of the two children
ho had died before Rosamond
as born. She wore cap; with
ce tabs that come down over ,
sr ears, and her hands were al
ays busy with some sort Of
bite knitting. /.
Meanwhile Rosamond did not !,
ge her canse, but the desire to
away and study took poses-
IN of her. She thought of it !
day and dreamed of it bynight; \
e read everything she could