The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-01-24

with with ..,:ss :%'; @,ds s;1s a. @;sa'; :ssa;
ders. delicate hands and feet, ana 4
smuc that softened a rather firm little
month and revealed rows Of pearls.
she had been 'Babs" as long ns she
could remember. and remembered
DcitEer father nor mother. The for
mer, a man of great wealth, lived in
one OF the most insalubricus OF the
west Indian islands; her mother was a
Spaniard Of extraordinary beauty, TO
judge by the only portrait sne pos
scssed CT her. and all her life nearly
mad Teen spent at school. She had. in
4 way, been brought up in the lap OF
luxury; Miss Milton had been a second
IIother to her. and now the school was
to be broken up for good, and news
had come that her father had been
ruined, and his monthly check must
ce3Se.
What am I to do, Miss Milton? l
have not learned enough to SO out rs
a governess - not that that is your
fault she added. with feeling. "A
crow would blush dead white with
envy IL he heard me try to sing. and l
haven't an accomplishment in the
world, and all my money is spent, Of
course and her eyes shone the more
brightly for the gathering tears.
TIE oidish lady looked ut the sweet.
plaintive face and then kissed it.
THAT is just what puzzles Caroline
and myself. dear" she said, gently.
Your father wishes you to go to his
brothers. Major Gilden. whom he has
not seen for twenty years but I know
the Major is not weil off. and his sec
ond Wife" and she paused. "Caro-
line and 1 would gladly take you with
us were it possible. but for years past
the school has only paid IT'S way: your
fathers checks alone kept us afioat,
and now"
''Oh, you poor dear. Now. just let
me have good cry, and-ard Just give
me three minutes by your watch. Miss
A1ilscn." and shortly afterward she
dried her eyes. picked W her hat that
she had thrown down, and declared she
felt better. even laughing softly.
In few days Babs' pony had been
sold and the little pony chaise, pres
ent from her father. and she stood OH
the platform, alternately hugging Miss
Milton and Miss Caroline, her eyes
suffused with hot tears. her lips trcn-
bling SO that she could not speak.
AS she stepped into the carriage Miss
Milton handed her letter with ''God
bless you, child: read this in the train"
and she was of. -.
The envelope contained portrait OF
the twin sisters and bank note for
twenty pounds. How they must have
scraped and boarded to save that, she
thought with swelling in her throat.
and reckoned ND her available capital.
The ponies aud trap had sold well. She
was starting the world on a capital of
nearly seventy pounds The future did
not look SO very gloomy after all. If
all trades failed she would buy and
stock sweetshop. Some one had told
her that was paying business, and
before she reached Victoria she was
softly laughing.
Two months before the events re-
corded above Talbot Gil'len read and
re-read a letter from Miss Milton with
knit brows and anxious face. "Babs
simply has no idea of the value Of
it said, "and se0lly wish you
would decrease or stop her far too am
pie allowance. A more sweet and low
able girl does not live: she has excep.
tional ability. but no notion Of apply
ng her talents. She is, of course. limo.
cent Of the world and its ways. and
short spell OF comparative poverty may
10 her good, rs you suggest"
'It's confoundedly dangerous ex-
pertinent" he muttered. ''but. by
1eorge! I'll risk it; the old girl may be
light. after ALL" and sitting down he
wrote long letter to Miss Milton. an
,the- to his brother and then called his
Joy.
Get these of in time for to-night's
nail," and said. "and book my passage
~ the following steamer. Tell Mr.
Carey to parade all the hands to-inor-
'ow at sharp" But the overseer en-
ered the veranda as he spoke. cigar
,tte in mouth. ard hugging a leather
.ase.
"Gad! I'm glad you've brought your
,anjo." he said. "Sit down and play
The Heart Bowed Down. that always
'heers me up. I'm going home no-t
week"
CHAPTER II.
Mrs. Gilden welcomed her niece in
he drawing room with certain. or
9ther an uncertain. amount Of cordial.