Year: 1870

DuTSG OF aHeCLlOn winch came from Meg,
She threw her arms around her cousins
neck and wept hystericalIy-crying, 'Oh
don't deserve 'em. Pm too wicked
Pve cursed God because he put a hump
on my back and made me so ugly. But
my hearts changed now. 7 don't care
now for lovers or beauty, with all these
lpretty flowers, and it amt that either,
it's your love to me that's changed me
May God bless you!


"Why Meg you amt ugly cried Flora.
That smile on your face has made ii
beautiful to me. Don't think about
the hump on your back Meg. This
world is not much after all, when we re-
member that if we lead good useful lives,
we shall all be lovely in heaven.


ooh can bear it now! don't mean
to be wicked and lazy any more said
the poor girl.


Flora turned away to hide a tear. a
sweet peace filled her heart, a peace that
always comes to those who make others
happy. All around her were singing
the sweet birds of spring. Human crea-
lures looked up to her and blessed her, il
God had denied her, the love she had
lprayed for. All the pain was still there,
but it was wearing away.


As the spring advanced, the demands
on FlOra's small fortune began to di-
minish the weight of her purse. She
penned a missive to her Cousin Fanny,
informing her of the change she had
made in the family, and asked her as
sistance in getting situation as teach
er of music in Gin. The letter was an
swered by the arrival of Mrs. Thornton
and her children. Flora thought she had
never seen so much grace and sweetness
combined in a matrOnly figure. Fannie's
eyes filled with tears when she saw heI
mother and Meg well dressed and happy
He! he Fannie cried mother Petit
bone. 1t aint so much the money as the
management Don't you think honey,
he! he! Old Katrine's got me so, can
make up my own bed, and who would
believe it! Pm piecing quilt! Go Out
and see NIeg's garden he ! he! Meg
amt half as yalIer, wOrIin' while the
hoe makes her blood circulate better
Nobody can call us poor white trash now.
You may tell Thornton when ye go back
that rock in my fine chair all day, and
dress in bombazine in the bargain he
heu


Fannie and Flora had long consulta-
tiOns, when it was finally decided that
she would return to Gin, with Mrs Thorn
ton and make an effort at least to get a
situation; Kate promised to remain
with her mother until FIora's return
which would be in the hot months.


Katrine declaimed loudly against it,
saying. 'Ah bairn it is nae fit for ye, the
child Of noble people to gang sic a gait
Sic piles O. gould and siller as they had
and ye gauging out to work for ithers,
I Gamma part wild ye in sic a way ~


Reel with manliness declared that he
would work his fingers off before she
should go, but Flora was firm and said:
Neither you or Katrine could make
more than a pittance. God has given
me superior talents and now is the time
to use them. Nanny don't fret I'll
come back with gould and silver may be
and into your lap it shall fall, to use as
you please for us all. Itmay be only for
a little while. feel assured that when
Uncle Charlie returns, he viii make us
all comfortable. Who knows what he
may bring from England ~


When Flora and her cousin arrived at
the latter's handsome home in Cincin-
natl, Mr.. Thornton welcomed the young
Southerner with cordiality. He listen
ed incredulously when his wife related
the great changes in her mothers home.
''WeH Fannie, he exclaimed, if your
nanny and Meg have really gone to
work, I will believe anything after this. -
Flora did not like his jesting manner in
regard to them but she said nothing
But Fannie laughed aloud and cried, oh,
I don't mind anything you say Albert,
Pm so glad they're happy and well cloth
ed. She then in a laughing tone deliv-
cred her mothers message.


"I declare I like the old Iady's spirit, 2"
answered he, and here drawing a fifty
dollar bill from his pocket you may
send her this tomorrow, to show my
good will Fannie gladly pocketed the
money for her mothers use. In spite of
Mr.. ThOrntOn's previous behavior to her
poor Aunt, Flora could not help liking
him. He was a man of rare cultivation
and offered his most cordial assistance
in getting a pleasant situation, at the
same time begging her to make his
house her home, until her Uncle's re-
turn. They had great difficulty in get
ting employment for her, teachers were
so abundant in the city, and Flora had
almost despaired of succeeding, when
a salary of $1,000 a year was offered her by
a lady with whom she became acciden-
tally acquainted. She was the principal
of a fOurishing Female Seminary in
Richmond, Va, and was most certainly
a dignified refined woman. She was al
so visiting relations well known to the
ThorntOn's and there could be no doubt
of her veracity. The great distance was
a serious objection, but Flora finally ac-
cepted the offer, being unable, even with
her great talent to procure another, at
this particular time of year. Ere long
new scenes and new faces seemed to
separate her forever from those so de-
pendant on her, but in this large and
well appointed school, beloved by her
pupils, the scions of the best families in
Virginia she soon recovered the eIastici-
ty of youth.


One day, about a month after her ar
rival, being fatigued with the Iabors of
the day, she lay apparently sleeping,
but in fact, amused with the gay pratt
tie of two young girls who occupied the
same room.


ooh don't you like Miss Flora! said
one.


"Indeed do, but she's too beautiful
to remain here long. Some DEsPIsABLE
man will carry her off triumphant, and
We'll have in her place some cross old
German to deal with. Oh say did you
hear Of the grand arrival?


"WhO! Mrs. Marsden's son?


ayes, met him in the first hall to-day |
and j felt like choking him. Poor CIaireI |