The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-12
P I.

cQllQ, Euulce, AZ bOScouue
Lodge, Sevenoaks. A brief description
Of my abode will suffice. Boscombe
Lodge is an estate Of about twelve
acres; the residence is o~ld-fashioned
and roomy, and the pleasure grounds
around it are charmingly laid out.
Four female servants, a gardener and
a coachman did the work of the house
and grounds. In addition to these
We're Samuel Fleetwood and Mile.
Resale Lenormand.
1t would not be correct to describe
Samuel Fleetwood as a servant. He
was altogether a superior man, and
was attached to me in a confidential
capacity. Circumstances of a peculiar
nature had made M acquainted with
him some years previous to his enter
ing my house. He was then married,
and had gone through great troubles
and misfortunes which had left him
very poor. His wife was in delicate
health, and at more than one critical
j%uncture Mrs. Pardon and I stepped in
to his aid. A ministering angel indeed
did my wife ever prove herself to be
in such cases as this; her presence in
the sick chamber was balm, her smile
sunshine, her gentle voice breathed
peace. No man could more strongly
appreciate the sympathetic aid we rem
dered in a time of need than Samuel
Fleetwood; it stirred him to innermost
depths, and he was profoundly CRATE
full for it. My wife and I stood by
Mrs. Fleetwood's deathbed, and almost
with her last breath she thanked us
for the kindness we had shown to her
and her husband, and said, that the
sacrifice of his life would be but a
slight return.
Il speak for him as we'll as for my
SELF" she said. "He feels as I do"
1 received with humbleness, as I am
sure my wife did, these e1travagant
expressions of gratitude, to which,
however, I made no demur, because I
perceived that the utterance of them
afforded the poor woman pleasure. To
ease her last moment 1 said that I
would continue to be her husbands
friend, and a light of great happiness
shone in her eyes.
"He will be your faithful and devoted
servant" she said, family, ito the hour
of his DEATH"
Faithful and devoted indeed he was,
and I trusted him as I would have
trusted a brother.
It is necessary, also, for a proper IN
Outstanding of my story, that I should
say something here of Mile. Lenor-
mand, governess, companion and lady's
maid to my dear daughter Eunice.
This unusual mingling of duties vas Of
Mile. Rosalie's own arranging. She en-
tered our service as governess to per-
feet Eunice in modern languages, draw
ing and painting. I had nothing to do
with the engaging Of the lady, and
therefore it was that I did not see her
until she was regularly installed in our
house.
! She was a fair lady, with anguish
ing blue eyes, with light hair, and eye
brows almost golden in color. My
wife, although she confessed she had
not inquired, said that she was about
twenty-five years of age. I am not a
good judge Of a woman's age, espe-
cially if that woman be fair, and I
took my wife's word for it.
isn't she sweet, papa" asked
Eunice.
"Too soon to pronounce" I replied,
passing my hand fondly over Eunice's
hair, which was dark like my wife's.
Some few weeks afterward I asked
Eunice how she was getting on with
modern languages.
Papa" said Eunice, 81 don't think
Mile. Rosalie is very proficient in Ian
guages."
Indeed, my dearr.' I said, smiling.
But she paints beautifully, papa"
said Eunice. Here are some of her
sketches"
1 examined Them and was really sur
prised at thtr excellence, and more
surprised at the subjects the artist had
chosen. Moreover, they bore unmis-
taxable evidence of having been paint
ed from the life. 1 mentioned this Incl
dentally to Eunice, and she immedi-
ately ran away and returned breath
less.
"Oh, yes, papaw she cried-"from the
life. I asked her, and she said it was
the only way to produce good work"
The information deepened my sur
prise. They were figure SUBJECTS; a
duel, a tipsy brawl, a group of merry
monks, gallants ogling a lady, q moo
light meeting of lovers, gamblers in a
lowe cafe, and such like. The e1ecu-
ton was mastery, but they were
strange themes from the life" for a
young lady.
Saying they were very clever, I hand
ed the sketches back to Eunice, and
from that day set myself to a closer
observance of Mile. Rosalie. l allowed
a month to pass, and then l asked
Eanice how she was getting along with
her studies in painting.
"Not very we'll, papa" said Eun!ce.
"We have hardly had one lesSon-now
I think of it, not even one. Mile. Rosa
lie has taken quite a dislike to paint
ing; but she dresses her hair Deauti-
fully"
1 noticed then my daughters hair,
which indeed was beautifully dressed.
A charming, sweet-tempered girl,
eighteen years OF age, Eunice from the
first had never wavered in her praises