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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1889-10-5, Page 2AN AMERICAN GIRL CHAPTEB L miS OCTAY14 P,ks8E17,, Slowbridge bad been theken to its Reuel &time. It mey ea well be expleined, however, at the eittset, that it would not take mutat of a seusatiou V9 give Stowbridge A greet shOOk, In the hret plan, Slowbridge wee IQ t azed to sensetione, and was IS U) going cat the evea and reetteeteble: to of its way, regardieg the ottteide world with peivate elietraet, if not with open disfevor. The new nulls heti beeu a trtal Slow, bridge—et are 'trial. ()a, being told oe the owner'a plan ot builrang them, old Lely Theobeld, who was the eorner-stone of the SOCiat edifice ef Skowbridge, WaS said, by te epeotetor, to have turned deathly pale with rage, and on the Aret day ot thew being opene4 ir worldug order.se _a_ h d h,a_eo to her bed, and remained sine up in leer darkened room for a week, refusing to see anybody, and even going so fdr as to send a scathieg raeteagoe to the curate of St. James, who ealled In tear and trembling leeettnee, he Was afraid to ete,y away. " With mills euel ' her ledyt tutuounced to Mr. Laureece, the nulL ovvuer, wheel cheace threw them togetlaer, --0 with a/3We end =Melee& come mu der neaseattre, dud mob law." And she geed ieo loud, and wieh s stern au eLr of aPriViationa that the two elietwe Brierton, who we 0 A tiunerOUS end !metal hattlre, dome eheir buttered unate tit WAS at Qrre QE the teceeerttee which were Slew, bridgeh onty dieeteatiote, aud elmadered hyeterigalty, feeling that the fate wes eeeled, and thee they alight, way night, Aud three matNeline radelteede seceeted tender he bects, evitle blue:Igo:me Pet AS 130 remeacree too4 view, end the mill-bande were pretey ruU ij their habit; ad SNI•11 went go for as u gend their elaildrep tie Lady Tbeobeld'a free aohool, teed thacepted the treind left weelely at their doom whether they eottld read or not, Slowbrid,ge gredually recovered tom the shock et Audiug itselt forced to exist he close proty topiifls, aud was just sett- ling tteelt to steep—the sleep of etie just— agate. when, AS I have Paid. It was 41.1Akfft ite foutidettions, It Was MiSS Delimit* Bassett who received the Aro shoat. Mee Belittle Baseett waa a decorous be rodeu lady. Win) liVed decoreue little home ou street t which Wee Ceinildered s. very genteel meet Stowbridgee She bad live4 m the Selne /mese all her life, her father bailivee io it, and so alee had her graudfather. She had gm= ego, ep tetke *ea, frOm Us &tore two or three timee A weelt, ever elee.e ehe lead been weutyt ettad the Itad had be little toe partite in WI front pewter as often as any other. genteelSiowbudee euter taster. Shebad risen at seveu, breektaisted at eight, dined At tWO, taken tea at Ave, awl gone to bed at ten, with such regularity for tifty year; that to rise at eight, bree.efeat at nine, dine M three; and tette tea at Os, and go to bed at eleven, would. ehe Was drualy convinced, be but e to tly in the face ef Providence," as She put,i, aid eign her own deathever. rant. eloneequeratly, it is may to irnagtne what a tremor a exeitement steed her • when, one afternoonas she oat wattiag for her tea a coech from the he Lion dashed—or, at least, almost (lathed—up to the front door, a young lady got out, and the next minute the beettnaiden, ,hlary Anne, threw open the door of the peeler, anuotztadog, withOht the tenet preface: "Your neice, mum, from eeleriker." Mae Belinda, got up, feeling -that her knees really trembled beneath her. In SI)wbricige, America was not approited of—intact, wee almost eutirely ignored, as, a country where, to quote Lady Tbeobald, 4 -the laws were loose, and the prevailing sentiehents revolutionary." It was mot considered good taste to know Americana, —whioh was not unfortunate, as there was nonetto know,—and Mise Belie& Bassett, had always felt a difficulty in mentioning her only brother, who hale emigrated to the t.aited States in his youth, having first dis- graced himstlf by the utterance of a blasphemous remark that "the wanted xo get to a place where a fellow could. stretch himself and not be bailie i by a lot ot old tabbiea." From he day of his deperture. when he had left Miss B.Enda bathed in tears a anguish, she had heard nothing of him, and here upon the threshold t$too d Mary Anne, with delighted eagerness in her countenance, repeating: "Your melee, mum, from elleriker I" And, with the tweeds, her neice entered. Miss Belinda, pat her hand to her heart. The young lady, thus announced, was the prettiet, and at the same time the most extraordinary-Iooking, young lady she had ever seen in her life. Slowbridge contained nothing approaching this mice. Her dress WilEt so very stylish that a was quite start- ling in ice effete, her forehead was covered, down to her large, pretty eyes themselves, with curls of yellow-brown hair, and her slender throat was swathed round and round with a grand scarf of black lace. She made a step forward, and then stopped, looking at Miss Belinda. Her eyes suddenly, to Miss Belinda's amazement, filled with tears. • "Didn't you," she said,—"Oh dear, didn't you get the letter?" "The—the letter!" faltered Miss Belinda. "What letter, ray—my dear?" "Pa's," was the answer. "Oh, I see you didn't." And she sank into the nearest ohair, putting her hends up to her face, and beginning to cry outright. "X—am Octavio B-bassett," she said. "We were coming to surp prise you, and travel in Europe, but the mines went wrong, and p -pa was obliged to go back to Ne- vada. ' " The mines?" gasped Miss Belinda. " S -silver mines," wept Octavio,. "And we had scarcely landed when Piper cabled, and pa had to turn back. It was something about shatee, and he may have lost his last dollar!" Miss Belinda sank into a chair herself. "Mary Anne," she said, faintly, "bring me a glass of water." Her tone was such that Ootavia removed her handkerchief from her eyes, and sat up to examine her. "Are you frightened?" she asked, in some alarm. Miss Belinda, took a sip of the water brought by her handmaiden, replaced the glass upon the salver, and shook her head deprecatingly. " Not exaotly frightened, my dear," she said, " but so amazed that I find it difficult to—to collect rayeelf." Octavio, put up her handkerchief again to wipe away a sudden new gush of tears. "fl shares 'intended to go down," she said, " I don't see why they couln't go down before we started', instead of waiting until we got over here, and then spoiling everything." " Providence, my dear, ---" began Miss Belinda. But she was interrupted by there -entrance of Mary Anne. , "The man from the Lion, mum, wants to know whath to be dote with the trunks. , , , There'a see 04 they're all that etehy as be says he woteldtet lift one gene for ten t e Ste !" exelaimed Miss Belierae. Whose are they ?" "Mine,'replied Octeeia. "Whit a mbaute. rn go out to him," Min Ballade was 4140M:shed ' afreeh by the alacrity with Mabee her neice seemed to terget hertroubles and rise to the ocoasiou. The girl ran to the trout door as it she was quite used to directing hareem affairs, auti began to lune her orders. "You will have to get another man," ebe said. "Yon miglat have kaown that Go and get one somewhere." And when the man Went off,, grnixtbling little, end evideuely rather at a lose before suarla peremptory coolness, she turned th Bliss Belinda. "Where inut he put thetea ?" she asked. It did not seem to have °marred to her once that her indenuty might be dcwibted, and some alight obstacle arise befoze he. "1 aret afraid," faltered Miss Belied; "that dee of them will helm to be put in the attic," And, in fifteen minutes, five a them were put into the attic, and the silt --the biggest of all stood le the trim, spare thamber, and pretty Mise Octavia, had enek into A puffy Utte thintmeovered easy-ohair, while her newly lound relative stood before her, make lug the mot laudabls efforts to recover her eqnilibrittee, and no to feel as if ber bead Wes spinning round and round. CHAPTER II. l'SVEST1LTNT, AMWAY.' The 'natural eesults of these effort&wae that Xlae Bolina4 Was moved to ehed a W teem t" I hope yen will excuse my being tee seertled to Bey I was glad to see you." be odd. "1 11AVe 1304 seee my brother for thirty yeere, wad I WAS very food a tdoo," "1s said you were," answered Oetevia, '4 owl he Was very fond et you, too. Ile aide% write to you, heeagee be riaadeap hie -mind not to let pM, heer from birci until he aa a 40, Men, and the he thoegiet be woeld 'Wait AUTit be °melds COMO benne and eurpriee yee.e wag awfully dieappomted wheu he had to go huh withotte geeing you," et Poor dear Martin," wept ABSS# Belinda, gently. "Such a jouroey t" Oatavia opened her charming eyes in oat prig; "Oh, he'll cone haek again f' she Bea Aud be deesret mind the journey. The othey is nothing, eau know." "Nothing !" eeheed Mies Belindo, "A voyage. Aaron the Atiantie nothing? When one musks of the danger, my dear.--" Geteria'a eyes opened a Shade wider. "We have mete the Wee to the States, aorese the Wilma; twelve tunes, and that takes a month," ebe remarked, "So we don't think ten days muds.," " Twelve timee i" eeid Mies Belieede, quite ppelled, "Dear, dear, deo!" Acid, for some momeute.the could do moth - lug but look at her young relative in doubt. Jul wonder, shakieg her head with aotuel endue ae. But she tleelly reeovered beraelf with a litvie start. "What am 1 thinking of," she exclaimed, remorsefully, " to let you sit here thie way? Peay, exeuee me, my dear. You see I am so upset." She lei& her their in a great hurry, and proceedel to embrace her )(mug poet, tent derly, though with a little eirnoroutinesa, The youn g !may subraitted, teethe caress with, Much compoeu re. "Did I upaet you?" atm inquired, calmly. Tbe eadt was that she could not see why the simple advent of a relative from Nevede, sboald seem to have the effect of an eartht quake, and result in tremor, confusiott and team It was true she herself bad sbea tear or so, but then her troubles bed been accumulating for several days; and she had not felt confused yet. When Mita Belinda went down -stairs to superintend Mary Anne in the tele/netting, and left her guest alone, that young person glanced ebony her with a rather dubious expression. e It as s. queen nice little place," she said. " But 1 clou't wonder that pa emigrated, if they altvays get into such a flurry about little things. I might have been a ghost." Then she proceeded to unlock the big troth and attire laerself. Downesteirs Miss Belinda was wavering between the kitehen and the parlor, in kindly flutter. "Toast some muffins, Mary Anne, and bring in the cold toast fowl," she said. ",And I will put out some strawberry jam, and some of the preserved ginger. Dear roe! Just to think how fond of preserved ginger poor Martha was, and how little ot it he was allow to eat! Tbere really seems e special Providence in my having such a nice etook of it in the house when his daughte comes home." In the coarse of half an hone everything was in readiness, and then Mary Anne, who bad been e.ent upstairs to announce the faot, came down in a most remarkable state of delighted agitation, suppressed eostaoy and amazement exelaiming aloud in every fea- ture. " She's dressed, mum," she announced, "an' '11 be down immediate," and retired to a shadowy corner of the kitchen passage, that she -might lay in wait unobserved. Miss Belinda sitting behind the tea -ser- vice, heard a soft, flowing, silken rustle sweeping down the stair -case and across the hall, and then her neice entered. "Don't you think I have dressed pretty quick?" she said, and swept across the little parlor and sat down in her place, with the calmest and most unconscioas air in the world. There.waa in Slowbridge but one dress- making establishment. The head of the establishment-4Eu Letitia Chickie, de- signed the costumes of every woman in Slowbridge, from Lady Theobald down. There was legends that she received her patterns from London'and modified them to snit the Slowbridge taste. Possibly this Was true, but, in that case, her labors as modifier must have been severe indeed, since they were so far modified as to be al- together unrecognizable when they left Miss Chiakie's establishment and were borne borne in triumph to the houses of her patrons. The taste of Slowbridge was quiet—upon Kris 'Slowbridge prided itself especially—and, at the same time, tended toward economy. When gores came into fashion, Slowbridge clung firmly, and with some pride, to substantial breadths, which did not out good silk into useless strips which could not be utilized in after time, and it was only when, after a visit to Lon- don, Lady Theobald walked into Se. James' one Sunday, with two gores on each side, thee Miss, Chiokie regretfully put scissors into her first breadth. ,Eacla matronly member of good society possessed a sub. stantial silk gown of some sober ocilonr, whioh gown, having done deity at two years' tea-parties, demeeded to the grade of " second-best," and, ea desoended; year by year, untd it disappeared into the, dim' distance of the pase., The young ladies had their white nerislitteland natural flower; which letter aerations invariably collasped be the cortege of the evening, and were worn during the latter balf of any festive occasion in a flabby and hopeless condition. Miss Chiokie made the muslin s, festeoning and adorning them after designs eatteating from her fertile imagination. Itthey were a little short in the body and net very generously proportioned in the matter of train, ihme wee no rival estelffish- meet tQ sneer, eila Was Chiekie bad it all her own way; and, at least, it could never be Bald that Slowbridge was velgar or ovetdressed. • Judge, then, of Miss Belinda Baseett's cotutitioe of mind when her fate relative Look her aeat before her. What the metered of her neiee's dreee Was, 1lif3S Belinda annld not have told. It was a silken and soft fekbrio of a pals blue colour; it clung to the sleeaer, lieseme young figure like a &we; a fameihe train of great length almost covered the hearthmug; there were plaitings and frillings ell over it. and yards oe clelioete satin ribben out into loops in the most reeklessly etralTagant manner., Miss Belinda saw all this at the Arst glance, as Mary Anne hadeeen it and, like Mary Aune lost her breeth ; but on her Be. mud glance, elle saw something more. On the pretty, slight hands were three wonder- ful, sparkling rings, ()emptied of diamonds set in clusters; there were great solitaires in the neat little ears, and the thickly plaited tam at the throat was fastened by a diamond clasp. "My dear," eaid Mies Belinda, °latching htilpleesly at the teaspet, e are you—surely it, is dangerene to wear auela— watt tpricelese orretruents on velifettary (=ABMS." Ozteria stared at her for a moment, nue eorepreliendingly. "Yana jewels, I mean, my love," flattered Mies Belnede. 44 Sitrioly yen dert't wear then often, 1 deolere it quite) friglatene me to think of haviog etch things la the htinee," "Lon it?" Said OetaVia. That's Wee," And she looked puzzled, for a moment agate. Then elle glanced down at her singe. "I nearly Overt wear them" the ea, merited, "Father gave them to me, Ile geveme one eaele birthday for three year& Ho Bays diennande mean inveatment, may way, and I might as well have them. Times," touthing the earwinge and clasp, "were given teeny mother ween she was an the stage. A. lot of peopleolebbeci together and bought than tor her. She was e t favourite," Mies Belinda made another olutch at the emeelle of the in -pet, "Tour mother!" the exelaimea, fabetly. "On the—did on say on the.—" "Seaga," enewered ()mole.. "San Frenetsee. Father married herthere. Wee awfully pretey„ I don't remember ber. She died wJiet 1 waa born. She yeaa,only nineteen." The utter calmness and freedom from eraberreestnent with -which them antionece. molts were made almost theme Anse Be - Andes Welt in her own indentity. Strange to say, until tide motatiet she hadteoarcely given A 1110111On so her brovber's wills7 and to and boreal! eittiug itt her own genteel little parlor, behind her own tee.liervice, with ber hand upon her own tea-pot, heart ing that this wife had been a young person who had been st a great fevounte ' upon the stage, in a regio a peopled, as she had been led to suppose, by gold -dine= and es. meted =mots, was almost too ranch for her to support herself under. But she did support beaten bravely, whet:tube bad tune to reellyt "Help yourself le some fowl, my dear,' the aaid, hopitably, even though very faintly indeed, "and take a mettle. °omit did so, her overesplet di' bit fietibiug itt the lightta uiov "American girls alweys are s luge than Englith girls," she observed, with ad- mirable coolness. "They dress more, have been told so by gide who have been in Europe. And -I heva more thinge than most American girls. Father had more money than most people; that was one reason, and he spoiled me, I suppose. Be had no one else to give things t; and be said I should have everything I took a f an oy to, He often laughed at me for buying thing°, but he never odd I shouldn't buy them." " He was always generous," sighed Miss Belieau. "Poor, dear Martin I" Ootavia seercely entered beta the spirit of this mournful sympathy. Sias WAS fond of her father, but her reeolleotions of him were not nethetic or sentimental. "Ile took rne with him whereverhe went," she proceeded. "And we had it teacher from the States, who travelled with ua sometimes. Ile never ate:Wens away from him. I wouldn't have gone if he had wanted to send me—and he drdn't want to," she added, with a satisfied little laugh. CHAPTER M. L'ABGEXIVILLE. Miss Belinda sat looking at her neice, with it sense of being at once stunned and fascinated. To see a creature so young, so pretty, so luxuriously splendid, and at the same time so simply and completelyst ease with herself and her surroundings, was a revelation quite beyond her comprehension. The best -bred and nicest girls Slowbridge could produce were apt to look a trifle con- scious and timid when they found them. selves attired in the white maslin and floral decorations; but this slender creature at in her gorgeone attire, her train flowing over the modeet carpet, ber rings flashing, her ear -pendants twinkling, apparently entirely oblivious of, or indifferent to, the fact that all her belongings were safficdently oat of place to be startling beyond measure. Her chief oharaoterietio however, seemed to be her excessiverfrankness. She did not hesitate at all to make the most remarkafele statements concerning her own and her father's past career. She made them, too, as if there were nothing unusual about them. Twice, in her childhood a luokless speculation had left her father penniless; and once he had taken her to a California gold-diggers' camp, where she had been the only female member of the somewhat reckless community. e "But they were pretty good.natufed, and made a pet of me,' she amid. "And we did not stay very long. Father had a stroke of luck, and we went away. I was sorry when we had to go, and so were the men. They made me a present of a set of jewelry ..made oat of the gold they had got the= selves. There is a breastpin like itabreht- plate, arid a necklace like itaiog-collar ; the bracelets tire my arras, and the ear -rings pull my ears; but I wear them sonaetimes— gold girdle and all." • "Did I," inquire 4 Bliss Belinda, timidly --" Did I understend you to say, my dear, Shat year father' e basiness was in some way connected with silver -mining 2" ' It is silver.miningel was the response. "He owns some mines, you know--" "Owns!" said Miss Belinda, muoh fluttered. "Owns some either mines He • mast be a very rich man—a very doh mant I declare, it quite takes my breath away?' _ "Oh, he is rible," Raid Octants. "Aw- • fully rich—sonietithes. And then again he Shares go up, you koow, and they go aown, and you don't seem to have any- thing; but father generally comes out right, because he is luoky and knows how to manage." • "But—but how uncertain !" gasped Miss Belinda. "1 should be perfectly miserable, Poor, dear Mar.—" "Oh, no, you wouldn't," Odd Octavie. You'd get used to it, and wouldn't mind much—particularly it you were lucky as father un - There is everything in being lucky and knowing how to menu.; When wettest weet to Bloody Gulth a My dear !" oried Miss Belinda, aghast, "I—I bog of Octavo, etopped ehort. She gazed at mese Belinda, in bewilderment, as the bad done several times before. Is anything the matter ?" sheinchtired4 "Aly dear love," explained Miss Belinda, innocently, determtned at leaet to do leer duty, "is la not customary in—in, Slowt bridge—in feet, I think I may say in Eng. land,—to use such—such exceedingly—I don't waut to wound your feelings, my dear,—bus molt exceedingly strong expres, eions, I refer, my dear, to the one which begatt with a B. It is really considered profane, as well as dreadful beyorel meat sure." " The one whioh began with a B,"' re- peated Ootavia, still staring at her. That is the name of a place ; but I didn't name it, yon know. It was (tatted that, in the firat place, because a party of men were surprised and nauraered there, while they were asleep in, their camp at =glen 15 isal a very nine name, ef course, but I'm not responsible for it; and besides, now the place is growing, they are goieg to oell it Athens or lelegnolie Vale. Tbey Wei L'Art gentville for a while ; bat people would call is Lodginville, and nobody liked it," "I trust you never lived there," said, Miss Belinda. "I beg your nardon for hsiog 60 heerieed, but Y, reafly mild net refrain from Matting when you evoke; and I menet help hoping you Devoe lived there." "I live there eiow, whoa 1 ara at home," Ootavia, replied. ', The etinee are there, ad father hag built a house, awl bad the farniture brought on from New York," Wee Belinda tried no to shudder, but almost failed. Won'e you take another natifda, rziy love?" she said, With a_ Sigh, "Do tehe other muffin," "No, thank you," answered Ootavia, and it meat be contented thatithe looked a little bored as ebe leaned baok in her obeir, and glisnoed clown at the train of her dress. It merited th her that her simplest statement or remarleoreated a sensatme. Ravieg a last risen tram the lea -table, she wegulered eo the window, aud stood there, Welting out at Miss Belindeda flower, garden. It was taeite a pretty ilower. garden, awl a goodenzea one, cousideriug the dimensime et the house, There Was n oval graea-plot, divera gravel Wile, hears and and dternond abeped beds, aglow weth brifiiatet annual; a greet many rose. bustle; several labernutateand Woes, and a trim hedge of holly sarrounding it. "1 thutk I should like to go out and walk round 'there," remarked Odavie,amother, in A litttle yawn behind her heed, . "Sup. pose We go—if you dozee come." ,4 Certatnly, my dear," Retentea Miss Belinda,. "Bat perhapa," with a delitierely dubioue glance et ber attire, "you Would like to make acres little alteration in your dress—to put something te little—dark aver iv." (Mesta glanced down, %leo; "Oh, no," the replied; "it will do well enough. I will throw a scarf over my heed, though ; nothecatagee need it," uubluehinglee "but because I have a lace oue that is very becoming." -ee She went up to her room for the article, inequestion, and in three mioutes waselown again, lethen she first caught sight of her, bliss BclUida felted fierkelf obligeehtee clear, .threat quite siveldenlyeeWhet Sio wbridge would think of seeing each a loilette.in,,her. front garden, upon an ordinary (*elision, she could not Imagine.. The scare truly was becoming. It was a long,affair athlete white lam, itud was thrownover the 'girl's head, wound around het throat, mild the ends tossed aver her shoulders, with the most picturesque air of carelessness in the world. . . "You look quite like a bride, my dear Ootavia," said Miss Ballade. "We are scarcely need to suoh things in Slow. bridge. But Oetavia only laughed a little, " I am going to get some pink roses, and fasten the ends with them, tvhen we, get into the garden," ahe said. She stopped for this purpose at the first rose.bush they Teethed- She gathered half a dozen elender.stemmed, heavy -headed bads, end having fastened the lace with sorne, was carelessly placing the reit at her Waist, when Miss Belinda star= violently. CHAPTER IV. LAM! On dear!" the exeleinned nervouely, "there is Lady Theobald." Lady Theobald, having been making calls of state, wae returning home rather later than usual, when, in driving up Irish street, her eye fell upon Miss Bassett's garden. Sue pat up her eyeglaeses,a.nd gazed through them, severely; then she issued a mandate to her coachman. "Dobson," she said, "drive more slowly." She could not believe the evidence of her eyeglasses. In Miss Bassett's garden she saw a tall girl " &clued," as she put it, "like an actrees," her delicate dress trail- .. ing upon the grass, a white lace seed about her head. and shoulders, roses in that scarf, roses at her waist. .` Good heavens 1" she exolaimed ; "is Belinda Bassett giving a party, without so much as mentioning it to me?" Then she issued another mandate. " Dobson," she said, "drive faster, and drive me to Mies Itsesett's." Miss Belinda came out to the gate to meet her, quaking inwardly. Ootavia simply tamed slightly where she stood, and looked at her ladyship, without any pretence of concealing her curiosity. Lady Theobald bent forward in her lan- dau. Belinda," she said, "how do you do? I did not know you intended to introduce garden.parties into Slowbridge.". " Dear Lady Theobald "began Miss Belinda. " Whd is that young person 2" ciemanded her ladyship. "She is poor dear Martia's daughter," answered Kiss Belinda. •" She arrived to- day from Nevada, where—where it appears Martin has been very fortunate, end owns I, • a great many silver mines "A great many' silver mines 1" cried Lady Theobald. "Are you mad, Belinda Bassett? I am ashamed of you. At your time of life, too !" Miss Belinda almost shed tears. " She said 'some silver mines," 1 am sure," she faltered; "for I remember how astonished arid bewildered I was. The fact is that she is such a very singular, girl, and has told me so many wonderful things, in the strangest, cool way, that I am quite uncertain of myself.. Murderers, and gold- diggers, and silver mines, and canape fall of men without women, making preeente of gold girdles and dog -collars, and ear -rings that drag your ears down. It is enough to upset anyone." "1 should think so," responded her lady. ship. Open the carriage door, Belinda, and let me get out." She felt that thia matter must be in. quired into at once, and not allowed to go too far. She had ruled Slowbridge too long to allow such innovationto remain unin- •vestigated.., She would not be likely to be "upset," at levee. Site descended from her landae, witth her most rigorous air. atout, ;loin blaglemotre antique gown rustled severly, the yellow ostrith feather in her bonnet wevedtmajestioally. (Being a bran. ette, and Lady Theobald, she woreyellow). As she tramped ltp the gravel walk, the held up her deem with both halide, as an example to vulgar and reckless young people who wore trains and left them to take care of themselves. Ootavia was arranging afresh the bunch of long-stemmed, swaying buds at her waist, ad she WAS giving all her attention to her task when her visitor first addressed her. "How do you, do?" remarked her lady- ship, in a tine, deep voice, Miss Belinda followed her rneeklY. " Ootavia," she explained, "this is 1.04 Theobald, whom you will be very glad to know. She enew your father." • " Yes," reterned mh lady, "years ago. He has had. time to improve dace then, How do you do?" Ootavia's limpid. (wee rested serenely up- on her, "How do you do 7" she said, rather in- ffiffereetly. "You are frAnl Nevada?" asked Lady Theobald. yea.14 "1; is not long singe you left there?" Oetavia emiled faintly. elect I look like that?" she tenoned,. "Liae whet?" sad my lady. As if e had not long lived in a civilized place, I dare Bey de, because it is true I haven't," 4e5toe deal loole like ein English remarked her larlyehip. Ootavia smiled again. She looked at the yellow feather and neat ?noire antique dress, but quite as if by aeoident, and vetthout any eseetal &imam; then she glutted at the rese.buda in her hexed. "1 suppose I ought to be sorry forthat," she obeerved. "1 dare say I shell be in time—when 1 have been tenger away Imre Nevado." "I must tionfeee," admitted her ladyeleip, and evidently witheat the least xegret or embarranneent, 4' I Must eonfess that doe't know where Nevado, ia," e ienit in Europe," replied Ontavia, with A Oft, light laugh. "Xtee. knosv that, don't you?" Tbe word e themeelvee sounded to Lady Theobald like the moat ontrageone itopu deuce, but whoa ette looked, at the prgety, lovetlook.shaded face, she was staggered— the look it wore was smith a very ioutnent and undisturbed one. At the =awe% the only solution to be reached. Newell to he tho this was the atyle of young people in Nevada, and shot it Was igneranee and not iusoleme she bad to do hattletwith—whiab, indeed, WAS pertiolly true, "I have not bad any mettaion to inquire where es ia attested, au far," she reapended, firmly. It is not ao necessary for Zugliale people to know America as ie es for Atrierie cane to know England. "Isn't it 2" said Wavle, without any great show of intereet. "Why no ?" "For—for a great many retteorie it would be fatiguing to explain, she anewered, courageously, "How is your father? "He is very en-eick now," was the amiling answer,—" deadly sea.siolc, Ue bee juet been oat 24 hours. Out? ;Whet don that mean?" "Oat on the .a.tlantie— Ile was called, batik. eudeenly, and obliged to leave me, Thetis why lama -here signs"' "Praydo come into the parlor and in down,Th dear Lady eobald,„'ventured Mae Belincle. Oensvia--” " Don't you think it is nicer out here ele said Camel. "My dear," ' enswerea Miss Belinda. "Lady Theobald—" She WAB really quite sneaked, "Alt!" interposed Ootavia. "I only thought it was comer." She preceded them, without seeming at all coat:ions that she was taking the lead. "Yon had batter pick up your dress, Miss (Maybe" said -Ludy Theobald, rather acidly. The girl glanced over her shoulder at the length of tram sweeping the path, but ahe made no movement toward pioking it up. "It is too much trouble, and one has to duck down so," she said. "It is bedenough to have to keep doing le when one is on the street, , Besides, they would never wear out If one took too much care ot them." When they went into the parlor and sat down, Lady Theobald made excellent nee o/ her time, thud managed to hear eget= all that tried and bewildered. Mies Belittle. She had no hesitation in asking questions boldly ;., ehe coasidered it her privilege to do so; she had catechised Slowbridge for forty years, and meant to =Anthill her rights until time played her the knave's trick of disabling her. In hale an hour she had heard. about the silver mine; the gotchdiggers, and L'Ar- gentville • she kuew that Martin Bassett Was a millionaire, if the news he had heard had not left him penniless; that he would return to England, and visit Slowbridge, as soon as his affairs were aettled. The pre- carioue condition of his finances did not seem to cause Ootavia much ooneern. She had asked no questions when he went away, and eeemed quite at ease regarding the future. "People will always lend him money, and then he is husky with it," she said. She bore the catechising :very well. Hee replies were frequently rather trying to her interlooutor, but she never seemed troubled, or ashamed of anything she had to say; and she wore, from first to last, that inscrut- ably innocent and indifferent little air. She -had not even shown confusion when Lady Theobald, on going away, nnade her farewell comment: "You are a vary fortunate girl to own such jewels," she said, glancing critically at the diamonds in her ears; "but, if you take my advice, my dear, you will put them away, and save them until you are a married woman. It is not ouetomary on this side of the water, for young girls to wear each tbings—particularly on ordinary occasions. People will think you are odd." "Itis not exactly customary in America," replied °movie, with her undisturbed smile. "There are not many girls who have mole things. Perhaps they would wear them if they had them. I don't care a very great deal about them, but I mean to wear them." Lady Theobald went away in a dud - goon. "You will have to exercise your authority, Belinda., and make her put them away," she said to Miss Bateett. "It is absurd— besides being atrocious." "Make her I" faltered MiSS Bapsett. "Yes, make her'—though 1 see you will have your hanas full. I never heard such romancing stories in my life. It is just what one might expect from your brother Martin." . When Miss Bassett returned, Ootavia was atanding before the window, wane:Ong the carriage drive away, and playing absently with one of her ear-tings as she did so. "What an old fright She is!" vvaa her firet greileless remark. Miss Belinda quite bridled. on: iMn ysdear,owbr' idge we aoiud,with ld thin think iogfeiatpy, " p, lyinno g such a phrase to Lady Theobald." Ootavia turned around, and looked at her. . • "But you ., e is one'?'she (la th" b exclaimed:. "Perhaps I oughtn't to have .eitid. it; but yon know we haven't anything raLiblyedie,a,d, that, even Out NeVeda--- ." My deo," seid . Miss Belinda, . " different centutelea oontain different people, toed in Slowbridge we have our sbarutarde,"--her beet cep trembling a little with ber repreesed excitement, tbiyolent.hu BOe hxti eitsalveuinra40 ceelidoaft:thQttle:inie:aarar4rawav:ariwuallineq.l.aktteesa.. "Well, any way," elle Said -,"I ipk it Was pretty cool in leer to order me to take off my dianaonde, and save them until I was merried. How does she keow whether I mean to be marded or not? I don't know that 1 oath abocuat it." Apmi V. LUCIA. In this manner Slowbridge received, the shtick whioh shook it to its thee:dation; and it was a shook Irene which it did not ree oover for some time. Bete= teu o'elook She next moiling, everybody keew at the arrival vae very ryelbaortairaiu_se nBagsott4erneigebstithn Tottees saline geneinary for youtig ladies, ewe:thin- /lag the comforts of A home," an the circular Baia, with all the aelvaetages of genteel education")t was on Are with it, bighly colored verstone ef the stoles told bong circulated from the t, firet.olesse down - word, even taking the fora of an Indian princess, tattooed 'eine, and with diftimaty reetraieed from indulging in war -whoops, —which het feetere SO alartned little Miss WON, aged SOW% that ehe retired in fear and trembling, and abed teem under the bedelothe; her terror and anguiele being meck ineree.sed by the etirring reeitals of nalping eteriee by pretty ATMs Phipps, the firet olatet—e youtire pereenwhe possessed a vivid imagination, and delighted io maeosa eta eregeo turn. "1 LAW not the slightest doubt," altia Mien Phipps, " tb0 wheel, the la et hOMO Abe lives in pWaral)403/" a Wi444 isa wasnpnee?" inquired QUO Of bet, odel4itig audiouoe, ",Atene," replied Min Phippe, with genie impatience. '1 should think any gone would know that. It Isp kind of tent hung with, swains and—ancl—neoccasine, Ana— lariats—and thinga ottleat sort." "I don't believe that is the right name for it," put in INTIM Smith, who was A Mt member 0 the thirdelatie. ".Ah !" commented Mies Phipps, "That was MO Smith svhei epoke, 1 mere% We mey always expect inforneetion !roue MISS Smith, 1 tram that I may to allowed to flay that 1 thien 1 balm a brother—" "Ha dam% knew mob aboue it if he lia a wigwam a wempunn" interposed Alin Smith, with atilt greater pommy. " have a brother who knows better than that, if Item only in the third elan." For a moment Mies Pnippe appeared to ha ,meditating. Perhaps she was a Wile discomfited, but she recovered bereelf after a brief pens% and returned to the chop, "'Wen," ahe remarked, ".perbepe it Is A wigwam. 1,17ho cares 11 15 se? And at any whetuver it is heven't the eligteat tibt thee ehe lives inane." Tide oemparatively tame version Was, however, entirely discarded when the die - monde and silver mines began to Agog more largely in the reports, Oerteanly, preety, overdreseed,jewel-bedeeked Onevite eave tilowbridge abundant cenee for excite- ment. After leaving her, Lady Theobald drove hoznesoO*sio!ougls Hell,ris deer out of humor. See had beea rather out of humor for same thee, having never quite recovered Irons hor anger at the (Imitate of that theerful builder of mill; ler...John Burnaistone. Mr. Bar - =latent) had been elle innovation, and Oct. tavie Bessett was another. Shelled not been able to manage Mr Burmiatone, and she wee not at ail sure that she had retinae .ged Ootavia Bassett, • She entered the dieingroom with an =I - none 1 rown on her Iptehead. At the end of the table, °none bos own seat, WAS a 'vacant chair, and her frown deepened tvhtn ehe sew it. „" Where is Mise Geston?" ehe demanded, Of the servant. , Mere the man had, time to reply, the door opened, tend a girl mane in hurriedly, with a sanaewhat inghtened air. "1 beg pardon, grandmanuna, dear," she said, ping to fierheet quickly. "I did not know you had come home." "We have a. dinner hour," annotincea her ladyship, "and I do not dieregerd it." I am very sorry," faltered the culprit. "That is mougla, Lueet," interrupted Lady Theobeld; and Lucia dropped her eyee, and began to eat her soup with nervous hate. In heat, the Was glad to escape so e6sits itY. Swas it very pretty creature, with brown eyes, a soft, white skin, and a slight figure with it reed -like grace. A great quan- tity of brown liair was twisted into an ugly coil on the top of her delimits hula head, and she wore an ugly muslin gown of Miss Chit:tile's make. For SJ)110 iime the meal progressed in dead silence, but at length Lucia ventured to raise her eyes. "I have been making in Slowbridge, grandmamma," she said, "and I met Mr. Burmistone, who told me that Miss Bassett had it visitor—a young lady from Ameri- ca." Lady Theobald laid her knife and fork down deliberately. • " letr. Burmistonee" she said. "Did I understand you to say that you stopped on the road -side to converse with Mr. Bar- mistone 2" Leda oolored up to her delicate eyebrows nd above them. "I was trying to reach a flower growing on the bank," she said, "and lie was so kind as to stop to get it for me. I did not know he was near at first. pAnd. then he in- quired how you were—and told me he had just heard about the young lady." "Naturally !" remarked her ladyship, sardonically. "15 is as I anticipated it would be. Weshellfink Mr. Burmietone at our elbows on all occaslions. And he will not allow himself to be easily driven away. He is as determined as persons of his class usually are° "Oh, grandmamme,?" protested Lucia, with innocent fervor. "1 really do not think he is --like that at all. I maid not help thinking he was very gentlemanly and kind. He is so interested in your school, and so anxious that it should prosper." "May I ask," ipquired Lady Theobald, "bow long peerne this generous expreesion ef his sentiments occupied 2. Was this the reason of your forgetting the dinner- h°112r ' IFVe' did not—" said Imola, guiltily; "15 aia not take many minutes. I—I do not think that made me late." Lady Theobald dismissed this paltry ex. cease with one remark—a remark made in She deep tones referred to once before. ' "1 should scareely have expected," she obeerved, " that: a granddaughter of mine wield have spent half an hour conversing while public: road with the proprietor of . Slowbridge Mills,' " Oh, gtandmanama 1" exclaimed Lucia, the tears rising in her eyes; "it was not half an hour.' I should seemly have expected," replied her 'ladyship, "that a granddaughter of mine would have spent five adnutee oon-