Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1909-03-18

Il
would set out for a ride on horse
back, and be gone hours and hours.
81 did not somehow like all this.
especially when | found that nv
darling was growing shy of her old,
nurse, and would look frightened
and steal away when l tried to talk
with her about being more at home.
Still / did not like to speak out.
Tor she had always seemed so much
OF child, and so ignorant of evil.
That dreaded lest / might open her
eyes to feelings that perhaps she had
never suspected. Sometimes |
wished my master could know my
mind, but never should have
thought of speaking to him unless
had been sure of what | only sus-
pected, for your grand fathers an
ger was fearful thing to see.
Eat last, one day, Miss Adelais
came to me and said she wanted to
go herself to Richmond to buy
some trinkets, and bid me ask her
father to let her go with me, and
the tutor to take care of us.
went and did my message, all but
mentioning the escort my young
mistress had chosen, for l hoped the
colonel would say he was going him
self; but instead, he said directly
Go with her, Esther, by all
means. 1t will be an era in her life
to buy a doll for herself, instead
of having it sent to order. And
Mr.. Gray shall go too. He will not
only protect you on the journey,
but is very competent to hely AIDE
lais in her errand'
My poor master! he knew not
/ what he was saying.
The next day we set out. 1t is
about hundred miles, and we were
in no hurry, so 1t was nearly q
week before we reached the city'
| We were only to stay one night.
and all the first day Miss Adelais
was around in the shops with me,
while Mr.. Gray went up in his own
business.
II was very tired at night, and
suppose slept unusually sound, for
when l awoke in the morning Il had
a bed in Miss Adelais's chamber)
she was gone.
Il got up, feeling terribly fright
ened and bewildered, dressed my
| self, and would have gone to look
for chr could i have guessed which
way to go. But while ! was still
running up and down the house, and
peeping from every window that |
came to, 1 heard the hall door
open, and presently my young mist
ress came very softly up the stairs
and went into her own room. l
| followed her in, and looked the
question ! did not like to ask She
blushed rosy red, and burned away
to the window.
Good morning, Miss Adelais,
said L, then.
Good morning, nurse, answered
she, without looking around L
have been out for little walk
Ibid you go alone, Miss AIDE
lais?' asked l quietly.
No, that would not be proper
in a strange place like this. My tu-
tor went with me-
Her voice, soft as it was, had
a touch of her fathers tone in 1t,
and l said no more; but, although
never heard the story of my dar-
lings' walk that morning, | believe,
and hope, as hope for aslvation,
that she went to be married to Mr..
Gray. Not that l thought so then.
If ] had suspected such a thing,
should have been out of my wits
with grief and dismay. ! thought
then that it was only like the rides
and walks at home that they had
been always going after.
I'VE started for home that day
and thankful was | to have Miss
Adelaise again under her fathers
roof, although it was really not sc
different to her from what strang-
er's might have been.
After this, things went on pref
ty much in the same way, excep
, that my nursing grew more ant
, more away from me, and when she
was not out with her tutor, sh,
liked best to stay alone in thi
chamber, that had been her owl
! ever since she was ten years old
! Before that it had always beef
! called the Chamber to the East; ant
/, now it sometimes went by tina
= name, sometimes as Miss Adelais
= room.
= Il had always gone in and GU
y here as | did while my pet was
!. little child till after that journe
: to Richmond; but after that / oftel
:. found the door locked, and m
:, mistress would not answer if
: spoke. When this had happene,
two or three times, l avoided goin
except to dress and undress hel
4 and then | always knocked, like an
!, of the other servants. But after
. time she would not let me help he
% at all about her toilet, or let m
y In night and morning; and m
Q heart was very sore, for l saw tina
. the child had nursed at my breas
e and loved like my own dead bah,
/" had lost her love and trust in m,
She hid away from me all sh
could, and blushed If even l locke
:, steadfast at her,
, so closed the first year of M
- Gray's life with us, and l hope h
- was to go away, but nothing we
. said about it, and we began tn
7 second year with November. Blu
!, oh dear child. oh NV nnnr mel