Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-06-24

mignonette, waited up by drowsy sum
mer breeze, ravished me through my
sense of smell and, borne by the same
breeze, there saluted my sense OF hearing
the sound Of voice singing in high
pitched, old-fashioned key, the words
"This world is but feeting show,
and knew that my aunt Patience, in the
sitting-room below, was viewing discon-
solately the vanities Of this world, and
the proneness of youthful minds to yield
to their allurements.
The song proceeded with solemnlty
BETTING the sentiments, while | engageu
myself in vigorous, albeit surreptltlous'
preparations for visit to Alma bentley
party that very evening. My solicited
and l may add sternly-refused, permission
to attend said party had doubtless lea 70
the train OF thought and song that reigheu
below, It had also served to render me
desperate enough to resolve upon an
attendance without permission; and III
pursuance Of this resolution | was making
pale pink satin and white lace bows LOT
the adornment Of my Swiss and lace dress
forming slippers and gloves into small
easily-transported bundle, and otherwise
making myself ready.
Perhaps, before | proceed iurther IN
this account Of my own dupliclty toward
my worthy aunt, it would be well Tor me
to introduce myself, and bring forward
whatever | can toward the palliation OF
my conduct.
+. Bernice Bramleigh, was born ID
France, and had lived i'll that sunny,
delightful country until my twelfth year,
at which time my mothers death &C.
Cured. Then my father returned to ms
own home, America, and after placing
me under the charge Of my aunt Patience,
his only sister, returned to the land
which, for love of my mother, he had
made his home for SO long.
After the newness Of my surroundings
had worn away, and with it great deal
of my timidity, the discoveries that aunt
Patience and | made were, | must con-
fess, not agreeable. My aunt was an
eminently proper, Christian woman,
whose education had been strictly Pres
byterian-a woman set in her views, and
conscientious in her every action regard
ing them. | was wild and unframed,
having inherited from my French mamma
certain airy ways and love OF pleasure
that my aunt insisted on styling frivollty !;
and SO my aunt and | were mutual trials.
With conscientious, undertaking firm
ness, she endeavored to do her duty BY
her brothers child, and train me to what
she deemed a girl should be; and by
every impulse and individuality, rather
than by any desire or intent upon my
part, | tried and disappointed her. Not
being able to understand why things 50
widely different from those | had known
in my childhood as right were enforced
by my aunt, |, even while yielding obed-
fence, chafed under each restraint and
faithful courses OF catechism, long over
seams, and ditto moral lectures, failed to
subdue what was more natural than
wicked.
My father, heart-broken and desolate,
remained on the Continent paying only
brief and occasional visits to his home !;
he believed rightly, too-that | was
in good hands. His long, loving letters
and beautiful gifts came like bright spots
ofsunshine in my childhood and girlhood.
Under my aunt's careful and judicious
management | grew up strong, healthy,
and rosy, for not a precaution to insure
my physical well-being did she neglect,
any more than she did for my spiritual.
In the first she was blessed with complete
success, but in the second | fear her
reward was diminutive.
As time went on, attended the semi
nary near our home, during my years Of
school life there .iding many congenial
friends, whose confidence and affection
fully enjoyed, and with whom | entered
into many a forbidden frolc.
And now shall return to the day wien
aunt Patience had said, no Bernice,
you cannot 60 to Alma Dentley's party
this evening. | hear they are to hs i've
dancing there. If Alma's mother can
reconcile it with her conscience to allow
anything Of the kind, cannot allow y5u
to attend it" And | he'd rushed ap-
stairs with my seventeen-year-old heart
and mind strongly set upon the forbidden
pleasure.
had thought Of it so long, the fear
aunt would refuse making the desire all
the stronger-longed and dreamed OF it
till ! could not give it up. And SO it was
that while the woman Of forty-fye sang
OF "feeting shows -to whom all youth
full desires, all youthful pleasures and
emotions had come and gone-the girl Of
seventeen, with heart throbbing with ex.
pectancy, made hasty preparations for
the most fleeting Of shows with trembling
tingers-because to her the joy and new
ness, as well as the pain and sorrow, were
yet to come.
Six times struck the clock below, pro-
claiming that the hour Of tea was near at
hand and up the stairs came summons
to me, in reply to which | descended to
the cool dining-room, and thence to the
kitchen, where Mary, the maid Of all
work, was making preparations for tea.
In those preparations joined with zest
that delighted my aunt, without awaken
ing suspicion within her heart Of the
reason, and accepting my proffer to attend
to the setting Of the table, the rare old
china Of which she seldom trusted to the
hands of servant, she did-what | had
earnestly hoped she would do-went into
the sitting-room, leaving me free to open
fire upon Mary.
Fortunately Mary lad strong admira-
ton and sympathy for me, and | found
an easy conquest. Not holding Presby-
terrain views herself, and ENJOYING the
country designations which she was wont
n