The state herald., 1920-06-15

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z ss 's-S when the children
H. NJ n were young. and
lH& they were left to
AZ bring themselves
lvkfG%st up In . bleak and
ksS ~ solitary house,
l<t I close to the
- r~ss>s& vi churchyaPd, their
I14S| frxY. 3l only s0lacc nm In
r. ~ -s5zzN.I tense enjoyment
of the world of
make-believe. Deaths II the family,
sorrow and tribuIatlons of NIL kinds.
the struggle 10 mnk. q way In the
world BY teaching a.d servinx as gov
efness. the necessity Rf acti.E as
mother to the family, a were q mart
Of the Intense life Of Charlotte.
In ls+e the three siAters isssed .
small volume Of poems under the
aanes Of Currer. Ellis aaa Actea Bell.
The beek was hardly noticed At the
time. TIE three siatens each began .
noveI. Enily's ~Wutherisg Heights"
ssd Anne's sAgnes Grey" found pub
lishers. but ~The Professor Of Char
lette renai.ed ssseeepted ustn she
had made her name famous with ether
works. She threw herself late the conn
poaitioa Of ~Jane Eyre,r which was
pshlished IN 1Sl7. II tosk the Peadisg
public by stormt the literary sensation
Of the day was ~Nhe IL Currer Bellf-
The answer I'D not eeae till "shirley"
had beea published In 1S4e. when the
author became part 81 the great
world Of iettern. "viliette." her last
was married to the Rev. Mr.. Nichols, ,
she died the year after, when success
asd happiness should have crowned her
life.
Bexinning with the life by Chnr-
Iotte's friend. Mrs. Gnskeil. the three
sister. have bees the subject Of In
Vulnerable books and articles.
4 T HER very birth Jane Eyre
~ was left In the cold lap of
charity. Her nunt-in-law, Mrs
Reed Of Gateshead Hall, kept the or
phan ten years, during which she was
subjected to such hard, fxed hatred
that she was glad enough to be packed
on to I.owood school, semi-charitable
lnstitutien for girls.
Her career there was very honor.
able; from pupil she became teach
e.. She left 1t to become govefuess Of
Adeia varens. the ward Of Mr.. I'd
ward Rochester. at Thofs6eld Manor.
There she thoroughly liked her situa.
ton: The grand old house; the quiet
library; her little chamber; the garden
With its huge chestnut tree: and the
great meadow with It's array Of knotty
thorn trees, strenG as eaks.
II Mr.. Rochester had been q hand.
some, heroic.looking young gentleman.
jane could never have felt ut ease
with him. But he was a sombre.
moody man. with broad and jetty eye
brows. decisive nose, and grim. square
mouth and jaw: and In his presence
the plain little governess felt somehow
happy. Yet his character was beyond
her penetration; she felt vague sense
Of Insecurity
lie confl,led to her that Adeln Va
rens was not his child. but the daugh.
ter Of . Partisan dancer. who had de.
ceived him. md deserted the little
giri. 30 much he told her: hut Of the
strange shadows Tint passed over his
hAppiest moments, Of his apparent af.
fection for Jane Eyre along with his
Withholding from her some secret
sFief. she could make nothing.
Then there came most mysterious
happenings TO Thornheid. One night
Jane Eyre found the door Of Mr.. Roch.
ester's room open. and his bed on fire.
She managed with great dlhiculty to
Quench the flames. and rouse him from
the stupor Into which the smoke had
plunged him. He advised her 10 re-
main silent MS TO the nffnir.
Later n Mr.. Mason. from Spanish
Town. In Jamalcn, arrived at Thorn
field while Mr.. Rochester was enter.
tainlng n large party. That night
Jane was awakened by n cry for help.
When she reached the hall. the guests
were aroused.
Mr.. Rochester, candle In hnnd. was
descending the stnlrs from the third
floor. "A scrvnnt hns Ind night
mare" he said.
Thus he persuaded the guests back
Into their rooms. but NIL night Jane
was obliged to attend Mr.. Mnson. who
lBy In bed on the third floor. badly
wounded IN the arm and shoulder.
From scattered hints jane gathered
that n woman hnd inflicted the wounds.
A doctor wns summoned. and before
morning Mr.. Rochester had spirited the
wounded man away In coach. with
the doctor 10 watch over him.
Then Jane wns suddenly summoned
TO 0atheshead. to her aunt. Mrs. Reel.
who lay dying. Mrs. Reed gave her q
letter. II was frsm JeAn Eyre. In Ma.
deira, asking that his niece. Jane Eyre,
come to him. that he might adopt her.
~ be was unmarried and ehiidless. II
was dated three years back. Ars. Reed
had never attempted 70 deliver II to