The St. Mary banner., 1906-12-01
Lovely Betty.
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II caused nine days wonder among
IA people of Twallingham when the
sarS got about that Mr. George Bat
Msley had left his wife and daugh
ters SO poorly provided for that they
vould be obliged to leave their spac
has home, and live economically in
rme small house. For years they
~ classed among gentry of sub
aance. Mr.. Battersley was supposed
b be a very wealthy man, with al
hcome derived from apparently in.
sKhalstible mines and tlOurishing
plantations in transatlantic regions.
Scarcely anybody cared for his wife
"a dull, anxious faced woman, credit
Y with being very near" in her own
expenditure. OF the daughters, the
dain one, Maria, was engaged to a
nrate, whose income would scarcely
tstify marriage with a penniless girl
1w years to come, while Alice, SO
pretty that her many admirers had
zen all supposed to be thinking less
Z tie fathers wealth than the daugh-
)rs eyes, was still free when the
Reat change came.
The inquiry into Mr.. Battersley's
aGairs showed that he had nearly
4 speat the last of heavy legacies from
slatives, and that, while denying him.
~ nothing he could fancy, and pay
= layishly for outside popularity,
Ne had left to his family the few hun
1eds he did not live long enough to
1T rid Of in his usual style.
As speedily as it could be managed.
Z great sale took place, the stately
kne passed to a new owner and
1e widow, with her daughters, went
b live in roomy cottage at the
ufashionable end of Twallingham.
tking with them the oldest, plain
Ct part Of their furniture.
The two sisters had counted ON be-
hg able to earn sufficient money to
y able to keep their modest house
M without touching the little capi-
y which was to be reserved for
2necgencies. They were now finding
k that nobody wanted their ser
oes; that their accomplishments
~ drug in the market; that
-, stronger women, trained to
~ woald be preferred before
IN; and that exery advantage
I'D be taken of their ignorance OF
- huckstering worlds ways.
1Ae climax Of their anxieties was
lacned eighteen months after the
nAr's death, for Alice was knocked
essa and SO severely injured by a
ledaess cyclist that she became a
Ness Invalid for a while.
Aar1a'a curate was still working for
! stingy old rector, who begrudged
= MS very modest stipend, and af-
ed to forget when it became due.
aria began to look much older
q palmer as the work of their small
. devolved almost entirely on
and the pessimistic mother spent
- Of her time in her bedroom,
shared by the ailing daughter,
y 4 happened to be the largest
Hment in the house.
Dther." exclaimed Alice one day
l her little bed, leave mending
Old sheet, and talk! There are
us In this room, who must be
used by human conversation Of
actical turn. I have heard them
and slide when the place has
- very quiet. Talk about some
bat not about our poverty. We
% that when l get better and
Y some paying work. Look here!
In. were = baronet's granddaughter,
nave never made enough Of your
tfy. It ought to help us with
snobs. Bring dear old Sir James
ston's name more in your dis
lse with visitors!"
/: Never, my dear!" replied Mrs.
slsaey, firmly "His name would
remind people of that scandalous
an who was his third wife. Be
now ill4natured persons have
she was my own grandmother
me ON them.-and have made
enaid to talk of relations. She
Faced your great-grandfather's
y forever!"
low interesting" exclaimed the