Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-10-04


ed attention was a frequent caller at
the house. The butler received visitors
at the door and delivered the cards so
that did not learn his name; but one
day he called when the butler was
busy and / answered the dOOrbeIl. He
dropped his card on the salver pre-.
scented to him and took it upstairs to
my mistress. On the way l glanced at
it, and as soon as my eyes rested upon
it the salVer dropped from my hand
and rolled down the stairs. ran after
1t, picked it up, found the card and
proceeded on my way. The name on
1t was Albert Pendleton Gushing. The
visitor was my brother.
My mistress, who had heard the sal.
yer rattle on the stairs, looked at me
as / entered her room in surprise; fol-
she had often commended me for my
carefulness, giving me certain Dresden
cups she valued very highly to wash
after having been used, and refusing to
permit any other servant to clean them
She saw as l handed her the card on
the salver that something had occurred
to move me, but she had the tact tc
refrain from asking personal questions
about what they might reveal of their
own accord, and made no comment on
my agitation. / was much relieved at
this, for / required time to consider
whether or no would inform her that
she was being cOurted by the brother
Of her maid.
After much thought upon the sub
ject, also whether l should make my.
self known to Bert, could not deter.
mine to do anything in the premises
I If took any action it would be to
make conf1dante Of my mistress and
not on any account reveal to Bert that
I was his sister
From this time had a secret on my
mind that troubled me, or, rather,
was distressed by the position occu.
pied. l .longed to throw my arms
around Berts neck and rejoice that
we had come together But from this
shrankg Yet how was l returning
my mistress kindness to me in keep
ing my discovery from her? The mat
ter weighed upon me dreadfully-in
deed, so much so that grew thin and
pale, while | frequently noticed in
! looking at my reflection in a mirror
that my mental strain was stamping
itself on my features.
Occasionally / was obliged to meet
| Bert rmetimes to serve him. / had
no reason to suspect him of knowing
that l was his sister. If he ever even
looked at me cUriously he did not do
so while / was looking at him. l was
glad to be near him, but panied that
might not make myself known to
him. The young man who had ia
vored me with an admiring glance
| came to the house occasionally and
never failed to repeat his manifesto.
tons Of admiration. Bert called him
Howard, and 1 learned that his name
was Howard Underwood.
One Gay Miss Gwendolin said to me.
| "Lucia, / have been thinking much
about you lately and have come to a
decision concerning you. Your birth,
supplemented by what l have been
able, to do for you in education, will
not admit of your remaining longer a
servant. l have some work laid out
for bookkeeping the accounts of a
charitable association of which l am
treasurer, the salary of which is $500
! q year. ! wish you to continue to live
here, and that you may feel independ.
ent | will give you the care of my
wardrobe"
1t would be useless for me to at.
/ tempt to, describe in words my joy at
this announcement. Sooner or later
would claim Bert for my brother, and
that without placing him in an embar
RAISING position. Gwendolin would not
listen to thanks, saying that my posi-
ton as maid had been as embarrass
ing to her as it must have been tC
me. She also told me that her admirel
and my admirer were coming that
same evening to play cards and she
wished me to make a fourth hand.
tried to, beg off from such a sudden
jump from serving persons to being
their companion, but she would MOI
listen to me.
i Gwendolin some time before had in
sisted, on my providing myself will
. respectable wardrobe of my own
and now saw why she had done so
That same evening Bert came earlie
than Der friend, and Gwendolin in
sisted ION my going down to receiv'
him. With a fiuttering heart did so
Entering the room, saw no one, bu
suddenly Bert stepped from behind ;
curtain and caught me in his arms.
While / had been carrying secre
the others had been doing the SANE
thing. Gwen had told Bert all abou
her maid, her origin and her name
Bert had from the story recognized hi
sister. and, though he did not a
once make the relationship known t,
Gwen, he did SO very soon. Indeed, h
prGfaced a proposition of marriage b.
! telling her that he was brother to he
maid She accepted, and together the.
laid the plan to spring surprise OF