Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-02-16
Wen. it happened that Laura and /

wanted new blouseS for the autumn,
and we thought we might as well have
them by the time the count came. So
mamma answered a dressmaker's adj
vertisement in the Herald, and we
were SO charmed wi her when she
called that we engaged her on the spot.
She was quite unlike the usual dress
maker who goes out by the day. Miss
Croft looked quite a lady. She was
tall and pale, and she must have been
very beautiful once. What struck us
particularly, however, was her sad and
spiritless air. Laura was much inter-
eSted in her and, of course, invented
romantic story about her. We gave
up our little sitting room at the end
Of the hall to her when she came to
work, for, although the count appar-
emily regarded papa as merchant
prince" l shouldn't call our house
palatial Laura and | took it in turns
to help Miss Croft with the work. but
l did not find her very companionable.
With Laura, it appeared, she was diff
ferent; but, then, Laura has a way of
drawing people out. In fact, one day
Miss Croft told her history, which
greatly rejoiced my sisters romantic
soul. l confess it interested me not
little when Laura told it to me. 1t
seemed that Miss Croft was married
but she had resumed her maiden
name, as her marriage had been such
an unhappy one and she wished her
husband to lose all trace of her. Her
parents had kept a hotel, and once
when she came home for the holidays
from boarding school a gentleman
guest much above her in social posi-
ton had paid her great attention and
had eventually proposed to her.
Her parents were ambitious and
were most DESTROYS of the match,
while she herself was much attracted
| by him, though the difference in rank
| troubled her. He overcame all her
misgivings, however, by protests that
| undying affection like his rendered diff
| ference in birth an empty phrase. So
| she consented. and her parents gave
her a handsome dowry, for her hus-
band was poor in worldly goods. He
| gave Oul, AO"cNcI, Iudl lOft III a COL-
| tage' was his ideal She had a rude
| awakening. Her husband ran through
| all her money in year, then i'll treat
| ed her and finally deserted her when
she refused to ask her parents fol
more. Just as she had reached this
point Of the story l broke in upon it
l had been watering the plants in the
| drawing room when, to my surprise
| and alarm, saw the count walking uI
the path which leads to our front door
| You could have knocked me dOwT
| with feather, as the saying goes.
/ flew down the passage to Laura, for
knew she would wish to change he
froc4A. At first she looked little cross
ut the interruption, but when l whis
pered who was there she colOred VI
with pleasure and managed to rusl
upstairs before the front door wa
| opened.
We felt so vexed that we had beer
taken by surprise in that way, but w
had not expected to see him so soon
He must have followed US on the mex
boat. The best tea service wasn't out
the flowers in the drawing room wer
faded, and we hadn't our new blouse
after all. Still, things always do haI
pen 'contrariwise," and it didn't reall
matter. for the count was just a
charming and amiable.
He professed himself charmed wit
our house, and his compliments wer
just as fOWery. While we were a
tea young Peters, great admirer 0
Laura's, came in, and the count locke
quite jealous when he called Laur
by her name. l must say that Peter
didn't seem quite at his ease in tn