HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1887-2-18, Page 7.kn. 18, 1887,
THE ACTRESS' DAUGHTER;
on
VIE MISTRESS OP REAMED ROTNEA,
A TAH, e: (55 'WRONG AND la tan! afreett,
By 31r:c, MAY AGNES Pt E MING,
Aniku,' of" i'Y,1 Woe n {yo,aanu," ,+Maui
Pere 'x kieerel," !int•, Ego.
bed Fly, digging her knueklos into hor
eyes.
Miss ,Jornsha, with sternly shut -up
lips, glared upon the unhappy littlo no -
gross fora moment in ominous silence,
and thou, getting up, went to thn whidow
and lookod out.
But tho window was thickly coated
with frost, and nothing was to bo soon
from it.
clef you'd only comp to do door, Miss
Jerr3," wept Fly, taking her knuckles
out of ono eye, whore they had boon
firn ly imbedded,
With tho tramp of an iron -shod dragon,
Miss Terusha walked to the kitchou door,
opened it, and looked out.
A blinding drift of snow, a pioroiug
blast of wind, a cutting shower of stout,
met her in the face, and for one moment
forced her back.
Only for a moment, for Miss Jerusha
was nob one to yield to trifles, and then,
shading her oyos with her band, she
strove to piorco the darkness made white
by the falling snow. No ghost met h0r
gain, however, but something twat
startled hor quite as much—a long liue
of red light streaming along the lone-
some, desertod road. There was no one
living save herself all along tho way for
two miles, mud no house of any kind
save the ruins of an old cottago, long
sieve assorted, and popularly supp000d to
be hauntod.
Groat Jemima I" exclaimed Miss Jer-
usha, as, after hor first start of astonish-
ment, sho Immo in, closed and locked
the door, "who can bo in the old house?
Somebody's bin caugbt in the storm, and
wont in there for shelter. Web, lors 1 I
hope they won't Coma bothering mo. If
they do T'll pack them off agin with a flea
in their oar. You, Fly! ain't thom pan-
cakes fried yob? Oh, you lazy, shiftless,
idle, good-for-nothing little reptyle I Lf
you don't ketch partieler fits afore ever
you sleep this night/ And I 'clarc to
man, rho kittlo ain't even bated, much
less the tea a-drawin' I you, Fly!"
Fly ca'no rushing frautically cut, and
dodged Miss :forusha's upliftod hand,
which crone down with a stunning forte
on the tablo. With a suppressed howl
of pain the ouragod spinster shook leer
tingling fingers, and was about to pounce
bodily upon her unlucky little sorvitor,
when, in a loll of the storm, a knock
at the door arrested the descending
blow.
13otb mistress and maid paused and
held their breath to listen.
The wind and sleet came d1'iving in
fierce gusts against the house, shaking
the doors and rattling the windows ;
thou canto a lull, and tho knock was r0 -
'mated, this time more loudly.
"Oh, Miss Jei'ry, it's a ghost! Olt, Miss
Jere i }
Jerry, t mgt est ! an"'deed a' 'deed T
don'tn
wa L tor t0 go hr ek d
B 1 e the ter.
rifid Fly, elingingwildly to Miss Jornsha's
dress.
With one vigorous shake the spfnstm
shook off the olinging hands of poor littlo
Fly, and laid hor sprawling the door.
Thou approaching the d001•, sho called
out loudly and threateningly
"Who's there?"
Another knock, but no
"Who's there?"repeated
cheraly.
"It's only mo—Blease let me in," all.
sworad a faint voice.
To Miss Jorusha it sou
voice of a child; but still suspicious. of
her visitor, she only calla
"What do you want?"
"Oh, pleaso open the door—I'm 50
cold!" was the answer, in
ing voioo that was drown
shrink of the storm. -
Miss Jorusha was no co
arming herself with a pair ffongs v.•
iv some vague idea that s
them useful, she pulled open the door,
admitting a wild drift of wind, and
snow, and sleet, and
them
the small, slight figure of a
elect.
Bliss :Jerusha closed the
hot arms, and looked at her unexpected
visitor. Little Fly, too, so far recovered
from her terror as to lift her woolly head
and favor the new -co
open mouth and eyes este
it was a boy of some thirteen or four-
teen years of age, wretchodly clad, but
so whito with the drifting
was impossiblo to tell w
His faro was thin, pinched, and purple
with the cold, his fingers red and bo-
numbed, his tooth chatteri
fear or cold.
As Miss Jerusha continued to stare et
Ilan in severest silence,
pair of dark, largo, molanoholy oyes
wistfully, pleadingly, to
fano.
"Wall' " said tho s .iu31Or, at last,
drawing a loop breath, and s llvoy g
on
:
rainy.
MissJernsha,
uded lilac the
a:
a faint, shiver-
ed fn another
ward; so, first
o
tongs,
ha
ho might find
wn in with it
child—no ono
door, folded
mor with an
re.
MOW tbab it
bat loo wore.
ng either with
ho lifted a
her
hard, grout
lam from trend to foot—"wall, young
man, and what do you want, if a body
may ask ?"
"Ploaso, ma'am, I want you to come
and soo inothor:-'she's sick," said tho
child, dropping his oyos under rho stern
gazo boat upon him.
"Oh, you do ? I heiu't the least doubt
of it !" said Miss Jorusha, sarcastically.
"Should hey bin 'sprisod if you hadn't.
I was just sayiu' I 'spectod to soo some-
body comin' for mo to go and hoe their
mallet or solnobhiug. Nobodyy could dao,
of 0011260, unless I trudged throe h the
snow and storm to soo 'om off. Of
mine, it wouldn't do to lot a parbicor-
):oily stormy night sono wiblioet bring-
ing mo out through it, giv rid 5110 the
ifl.1E BRLISS LS POST 7
a�euz analtGc:ees a azs :ianriodraare:noieritune..aver, m rmeresr`otaeittoziomeexerseenzreesot+aoemo. oon:Vazxs enrim
el4iihll1 bi in itlimY boned anti's nllsten
5n tho rest o' Ily limbs, Oh, n0,
'o611rso it wouldn't, Aud who maty your
Mother happen to be, young man?" con.
eluded Miss :ernsha, ohangilig with
startling abruptness from ilio intensely
ironical to the nost eearchiog sevority.
"Why, shoe mother," said the boy,
simply, liftinghis daoll, corncob ey 0s
again to that tet, rigid face; "she is in
that olcl houseovor there, and 81t0 --she
18 going to die"
His lip quivered his oyos filled midsaddened, am he throw a long, shivering
breath, and svaliowod very last to keep
back his teen . Brave HUM heart! biding
its own grief test it, might offend that
sour -looking *organ mud loop her front
visiting "molter."
Miss Jerusia's face did not relax a
mime 08 5316,151,15 nor steely Oy0 moat
nnwinitingly oat that sad, downcast young
fare. It was;a handsome faen, too, iu
snap of 110 pinch°d, famished look; and
Bliss ,JOs'nuhs, to neo her own noprsJision.
"couldn't abdo" handsome peoplo.
"And what brings your mother to that
old hone° thst ain't lit for a well-brougbb-
up dog to die in, lob along a 'sponsiblo
member o' society ?"asked Miss Jol'usha,
sharply.
"maw, lea'am, 1,70 hadn't any place
else to go."
"Oh, you hadn't I I thought all along
that was the sort of folks you was 1"
sneered ibo'old lady; "thorn alleys is
tramps about, dropping down and dying
in the mostunheard of places. Therm,
be off withyou now! I make a pmt o'
Haver enoorxaging beggars or shif'less
clear• -alt -tate;. T. hain't got nuthin' for
your motilor, and I ain't a piddle lilies,
though peollo seems for to think I'm
paid ' y the corporation for secin' sick
folks out of tho world. There I go I"
"Oh d ploaso come and see mother 1
inleed, indeed, we ain't beggars, brit
mother woe so tired and sink the could
not go anyfarther, and uow she is dy-
ing there all alone with only sis. Oh,
please do Como," and the childish voice
grow sharp and wild in its plear7 ns
ng
They.
heart beating within Miss :far.
unba's vestal corset was toothed for a
moment, and then arose thonithts of
vrtgrants, imposters and',s}nf'loes" char -
motors aonerally, and the heart was still-
ed again; the voice that answered his
pleading cry was high and angry.
"I won't, you little limb ! Be off I It's
my oninion your mother ain't no hotter
than 511ri ought to ho, or sho wouldn't
come a ciyi'Aground promiscuously in such
a way. Thorn! Blare!)1".
With an angry jerk the door was pul-
lea open, and the long, lean finger of the
spinster pointed ont.
Without a word he turned to go, but
ns he passed from the inhospitable titres -
hold rho largo, dark, solemn ayes were
lifted to hors with a look of unnttorable
renroach : than the door was closed
after him with a sharp bang, and :section.
ly bolted.
"Shif'less vagabones," muttered Miss
Jornsha; "ought i'o bo whipped as long
as they can stand i Well, he's goer.
and 110 didn't got much out of me, any.
way."
Yes, Miss Jornsha, ho has gone., lett:
whoa will blio bombing memory of that
last look of nospealcabl0 reproach go
o +
n. nap , n c , l g n
too It roso l... � xa r 1 r 11 st be-
fore her as she stood moodily gluing on
the red spot that glowed hl a an eye of
RUM on the top of the hot littlo ltitchrnr
stovo—that famished, sorrowful, child.
ish fate—those dark, sad, pitiful eyes --
that shout reproach, far keeuor than
any words.
llfiss Jerusha strove to still the rebel-
lious voice of conscience and porsuado
herself that sho had done exactly right,
but never in all her life had she felt so
dissatisfied with her own conduct before.
As usual, when people aro irritated with
themselves, she felt doubly irritated with
evorybody elate; so, by way of relieving
bee mind, sho boxed Fly's ear's, and
kicked Betsy Periwinkle, who tomo purr-
ing affectionately around her, to the other
end of the room. And thea, with her
temper no way sweetened by those littlo
marks of endearment, she tramped back
to tho best room, and dropped sullonly
into a comfortable scat by the fire.
But owing tos omo mouse or another
the seat was comfortable no longer. Miss
y'erusha turned and twisted, and jerked
herself round into every possible posi-
tion, and "pooh'd" and "pshaw'd," and
listened to Fly, who, out in the kitchen,
had lifted up her voice and wept, and
ordered her fiercely to bring in the toe
and hold her tongue. And poor ill-used
Illy brought it in, dropping tears into
the sugar -bowl, and Dream -jug, and
"apple sass," and sniffling in groat men-
tal and bodily distross. And Ilion Miss
Jerusha sat down to supper, aid groat
and mighty was the eating thoreof ; but
still the Danker 'within grow sorer and '
sorer, and would not be forgotten. DI
what elle would, tura which way sloe '
might, that sorrowful, childish face
would rise up before hor like a waiting •
nightmare. Conseionce, that "still, '
small voioo," would persist in making
ftsoli heard, unbil ab Last Miss Jorusha
turned ferociously around and told oou-
soionoo to mind his own business, that
"sho ivasu't going to bo fooled by no
baby -faced little vagabones." And then,
resuming hor work, she sat down with
grim determination, and icnit and knit,
and still tho steam within got up to a
high pressure, titbit Miss Jorusha got
into a state of mind botwoon roulorso
said oonscionce and the hoot of tho tiro,
throateniog spoutau0oas combustion.
Woo to the man, woMan, or child 1v110
would havo presumed to cross Bliss Jor-
usha in hor prosont mood 1 Safer would f
it have boon to
"Basel bio Ilei 111 Itis lou,
Tho Douglas in lits liallr'
than tho young tornado pont up within
the hermetically sealed lips of Miss
,Jorusha Glory Ann Skamp at that nim.
dealt,
Bot all wruirl riot do, Louder and
louder that clamorous voice assountil
the aged spinster bounded tip in a toga,
flung her knitting across the town, anal
striding across the hall, returned with
an immense gray woollen tumble, a thick
blank silk quilted hood, a rod woollen
comforter, and a pair of men's strong
oalf.skin boots. Flinging herself into a
seat, Miss Jornsha, with two or three
savage pulls, jerked these on, and hay-
ing
aying by this moan's got rid of some of
the superfluous steam, burst out into
the following complimentary strain to
herself
"Jornsha Glory Ann Skamp, it's my
opinion you're a uat'ral born fool, and
nothin' shorter I Ain't you ashamed of
yoursolf in your 'spootable old ago o' lifo
to go tranlpin' and vandorblowsfn'
through the stroots at sioh onchristian
hours o' tho night to look arbor wagrauto
ouglit for Fat 'Rhhamedtoflyyou, Jerushaook arter aiSkamp,
and you ought to bo 'shamed o' yourself.
going on witk sioh rog'ior, dowuright,
ondecont conduct. Don't tell me 'bout
that there little follar's looks 1 Ilo's au
impostor like the rest, and has done you
brown beautifully, Miss Jerusha, as
you'll thou foul out. 'A fool o' forty '11
never be wise 1' '.Co think that Jorusha
Skamp should bo took in by a boy's looks
at your ago o' life. Iiia looks I fudge!
' stuff! nonsense l You're nothing but au
old simpleton—that there's .what you a 0,101131 I don't know what site looke
are, 1111,E eerusnat dere you, a+iyt you like," said Miss Jerusha.
denied little black monkey you I" Tho batter sentence was not intondal
Thus pathetically, adjured, Fly, in a ;or the child's ears, but it reached those
very limb state of maid and body, caused sharp littlo organs novorbheloss, and
probably by the showers of tears so late- still keeping hor needle-like gaze; fixed
ly ahccl, appeared in the door -way her on the wrinkled face of the spinster, sho
eyes full of tears and lior month full of +aid :
corn cake. "Wc+il, 0 you don't, I know what you
"Fiero, you Fly, I'm going out, and you look li110 anyway—I do I"
and Betsy Periwinkle has got for to sit ` "And what do I look like?" said Miss
upfor me. Give Botsyhor supper, andseo Jernslia, in rising auger, llaviog a pre.
thatyou don't fall asleep and set the t"utiment son"rnhtug impudent was coin.
house afire." lug.
"Yos'm,"said Fly, inan0arlyMandible "lt'br, just exartiy like nue of the
voice, as she returned to her suppor, lchos fn Blacbobh."
Thou Miss Jorusha, putting a small now, our worthy maiden laity non
flask of currant wine in her pocket, moor heard of the "Noble Thane," but
wrapped hor thick, warm mantle around . she lima a pretty strong idea of what
her, and her hood closely Ivor hor face, j witches riding on broomsticks wore like,
and resolutely stepped out into the wild, bud hero this little black goblin girl had
angry storm. f the audacity to compare her to one of
1 thaw. For ono awful moment Miss Jer-
CHAPTFIt TI, usha glared upon the daring littlo sinner
TII7: Ae1'R7:B6—LITTLE GEOTtGTA. in impotent rage, while her finger's fairly
"DottieTR is the ,./VrcVOu of Eliot oohed' to seize her and pound her within
au iuoli of her life. Her face must have
AB oval s a, s amid m u wilfuleight."
sprite oxprossed her Minable desiro, for the alt
sprang back, and, throwing hersolf into a
Tho road to the olcl house was as stage attitude, uttered some words iu a
• familiar to Miss Jerusha as a road could tragic voice, quite overpowering, coming
well be to any ono, yet she found it ex-
tromsly difficult to make her way to it
guru,
It was a strange unique face for a
obit, full 0f slumbering 1,0‘N 01, pride,
passion, strength, and iuvinciblo daring;
hut Miss ,Jernsba diel not no this, and
looking down, she only behold an odd-
looking, rather ugly child of twelvo
or thirteen, or so, with what alio re-
gardod as an Impudent, precocious gaze,
disagreeable and unnatural iu ono so
young.
"Little gal, don't be sassy," said Miss
Jorgsba, sharply: "you ought to licv
more respect for your elders, and not
stand there laud give them such hnpid-
once. Pretty broughlen up you mast hey
got, I know --a sassy Iittle limb."
The latter part of this address was
delivered in a muttered soliloquy, as she
pushed the hood back from her face and
shook the snow off her cloak. The
" littlo limb," totally unheeding the re.
primand, still stood peering tip in her
faco, scanning its iron lineaments, with
an amusing mixture of curiosity and inr-
pudonce.
Ars MissJerusliaNein turn odroowl and
encountered the piercing stare of those
groat, dark, bright eyes fixed so twwink.
ingly on her Paco, she felt, for the first
time in her life, perhaps, restless and
uneasy llncl0r the infliction.
"My conscience 1 little gal, clout stare
ao ?. I 'clave to gracious I never see sioh
from so small a body.
to -nigh Tho pferom sleet dashed in- The no °epee Hoar the
iso an
aha sl
to her very oyes, blinding her as she fire. She turned restlessly, opened her
es
floundered on, and the raw, cnida;,, wind o y"GOorgandia 1caled:
"
penetratocl oven tho warm folds of her '+FIerc, mamma; hero I am," said the
thick woollen mantle. Now and alien she
would have to stop and catch hold of a
' tree to brace her body against the fierce,
cutting blasts, and then, with bent head
and closed oyos, plunge on through rho
hugo snow -heaps and thick drifts.
She had not fully realized the violence
of -thio storm mita now, and she thought,
with a sharp pang of remorse, of rho
slighb, clollcato child she had turned
` from her door to brava its pitiless Any.
"Poor little feller I poor little feller!"
thought Miss Jorusha, piteously. "bar',
what a nattyold
dragon Iam to bo
sum! Should
i adair oto know where I'll
go to if I keep on like this, Yar.r i you
thought you did it, didn't you? Just sea
what it is to bo mistaken."
This last apostrophe was addressed to
a sudden blast of wind that nearly over.
set her ; but, by grasping the trunk of a
tree sho saved hersolf, and n
err with a
contemptuons snail at its foilorl power,
she plunged and sank, and roso and
floundered on through the wild Doom -
ben: storm, until she approached the old
ruined cottage,from the window of which
1 streamed the light.
Tho window was still Bound, and Miss
Jorusha, cautiously approaching it, be.
gan prudently to reoonucktre before go-
ing any farther.
Desolate indeed was the scene that
mot dor o,•e. The room was totally
without fuiviture,the plastering had in
many places fallen off and lay in drifts
all along ilio floor. A groat heap of
brush was piled up in the cltimuey-cor-
• nee, and close by it crouched a small
dark figure footling the slender flame
that burned on the hearth. Opposite
lay extended the thin, emaciated form of
a womau, wrapped in it shawl, almost
her only covering. As the firelight fell
on hor face, Miss Jornsha started to see
how frightfully glllastly it was, with such
hollow chocks, suukou eyes, and project•
ing bones. So absorbed was she in. gaz.
on that skeleton face, that sho did
not ohsorvo tho little figure crouching 1
over rho tiro start rip, gazo on hor a
moment, and then approach tiler win-
downihil, suddenly turning round, she
beho,ld a swill, dark, ellieli face, with
wild, glittering oyes gloamiug through
masses of uncombed looks, pressed closo
to the window, with its goblin gaze fixed
fall upou ]nor.
Bliss Jorusha was not nervous nae
superstitions, but at the suddon vision of
that Paco from elflaud she uttered a
shriek that might bavo awakonod the
dead and shrank back in dismay from
tho wY window.
Whilo sho still stood horror.struck, tho
door was opened, and a high, shrill voice
called:
"Now, then, whoever you aro, come fu
if you want to I"
It was tho voioo of. a mortal child, ail(
Bliss Jorasha was ro.assurod. Thorough.
ly ashamed of herself, and provoked at
having betrayed so much fear, sho aa
poached. tho open door, passed in, and
it was closod after bor.
"So I'maned yon, did I? Well, ifs saves
you right, you know, for 810110g in p00.
plc's windows," said rho Shr,11 little
mica ; and Miss Jcrcislta, looking down,
saw the sante, s1na11, thin, dark Rico,
with its groat, wild, glittering, black
eyos,long tangled masses of coal -blank
hair, high, broad brow, and asligllt, lithe
elf, springing up and bending over her.
"1)o you want anything?"
"No, dear. I thought I hoard you talk-
ing. Haslet Warren come yot?"
"No, mamma."
"Then who were you talking to a 100-
niont ago? Is there any ono Hero?"
"Yos, minute, the funniest-Ioo,iltlg old
womau—hero, you!" said 6110 elf, boek-
oning to Miss Jetusba.
Mooltanically that lady oboyod the per-
emptory summons, too complotely stnu-
nud and shocked ocicod by this unheard-of
effronterytofully realize For r
3 amow.ut
that her oars had not deceived her.
She approached and bent oval• Co s;;,C.
feror. Two hollow eyes were raised to
her face, and feeling herself in the awfal
prosouco of loath, all BIiss Jernsila'sin•
dignation faded away, and she said, in a
softened voice:
"I am sorry to see you in this -•retch.
ed place. Can I do anything for yon?"
"Wlio are you?" said the woman,
tranalixinn her with a haze quite as un-
conipromistug as her little daughter's
had been.
"My uarno is Jerusha Slump. I saw a
light in this here cottage, and mom over
to see who was here. What eau I do
for you?"
"Nothing for me—I am dying," said
the woman in i a husky, hollow voice.
"Nothing for me; nobhiug for me."
"Ohmamma! oh, mammal" screamed
the child, passionately. "Oh, not dying!
Oh, mamma i
"Oh, Georgia, hush t" said the woman,
turning restlessly. "Don't shriek so,
child ; S cannot bear it."
13ut Georgia, who seemed to bavo no
sort of self-control, or any other sort of
control, still continued to scream hor
wild, passionate sry, "Oh, not dvinl; l oh,
niamina I" until Miss Jorusha, josistg All
pationco, caught her arm in a vise-liko
grip, and, giving her a furious shape,
said, in a deep, stern whisper:
"Yon littlo limb l Do you wait to kill
your motion? IIold your tonguo, afore
f. shake Udo lifo out 'of you 1"
The words had ilio erect of sttlliug the
littlo tunnies!) before her, who crouched
into the corner and burioci hor faoo in
her hands.
Poor Georgial poor little thing! What
will bocomo of hor whon I am gang?"
saki the sufforer, while a spasm of
;atonso pain shot across hor haggard
face.
"Tho Lord will provido," said Miss 1
S +
tr 1 ,
Jerusha ronin u the h t0. .r, more
> p
g Y
eyro lerl spooking, ho allows of her
es. "Don't telco on about that, Telt
mo bow you cause to be hors ? But
first let ma givo you a dunk. You look
as if you nocdocl something to keep life
in you. Wait a minute."
Bliss J'erusha's hawk-oyo wont roving
round tho room until it alighted on a
Mao tin cup, Suiting this, she filled it
with the currant wino sho had brought,
and held it to the sic): wonsau'4 lips.
Eagerly sho drank, and theft Miss
Jornsha folded tho shawl mom closely
woad hor, and, sitting down on the
iaoz, drew her hood upon hor lap, and,
with a touch that was almost toudor,
smoothed back the heavy locks of her
dark hair.
"Now, thou," Olio said, "toll me all
abottt it:'
"You aro yore tun(d," sal,1 r1,.. -...1.
•
woman, looking tip gratefully. "1 fearer!
1 should din all • allono here. I sent nl1'
little boy to tho itearOet lithos in seam i
of help, but !lo has not yet returned."
"Ali I ya0'rc a iviildor, I snpposc ?"
said Miss Jerusha, trying t0 keep clown
a pang of remorse and dread, as she
thought of the cihiid she had so cruelly
turned out into tha bitter storm.
"Yes, I !lave boon a widow for ilio
last 807011 years, My name is Alice
Randall Darrell."
"And hain't you got no friends nor
nothin", Mrs. Darrell, when yon come to
this old'plac0, not fit for pigs, let alone
human Christians?"
"No ; no friends—not one friend in all
this wide world," said the dying woman
iu a tone so utterly despairing that Miss
Jerusba's band fell soothingly and pity.
ingly on her forehead.
"Sho, now, sho 1 I want ter know,"
said Miss Jorusha, quite nnconsionsthat
s110 wata making rhyme, a opacities of
litor:aturo she had the profoundest coi-
tempt for. "That's too bad, 'clam if it
ain't! Are they all dead ?"
"I do not know—they are all dead to
me."
"Why, what on airth bed yon dove to
them?" said Miss Jorusha, in surprise.
"I married against my father's con.
sent."
"Ah I that was bad; but then he
needn't hev made a fuss. Ho ain't ,,. ry<,
ask your consent when he got married, C"t Z`
Is'poso. Didn't like the young luau i'""d° tool 1-°"
you kept company with, eh?" 0 1'^' 1"`J
"No; be hated him. My father w -as I..il'S 5:13
rich, and I ran off with a poor actor." i......)
go
"A play.atter. Why, you must low
bin crazy !" • ."r/t,-'.a
"Oh, 1 teas—I was 1 I was a child, ,,,,
and did not know what I was doing. .1 4 d'd3
thought my lite with him would bavo LooC�
bout all light, and music, and glitter, , •1� ,
and dazzle, such as I saw on the stege; p- 1.-.1.
but I soon found out the difference."
"'Spect you did. Law, law! what CD
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fools there is in this 'ere world !" said -oal teal
col Jorusha, in a moralizing tone.R
"My father disowned me." ("Anel
sarved you right, too 1" pmt in 31355 0 0 ‘eel
.Jerusha aorto rare.) ";11y family coat . h—t
me off. I joined the company to which
my husband bolouged and did Gm bra- t
gedy businoss with slim ; and so for i) 1—ed r..s
eight years wo wandered about rico. d- Cfea..'
city to oity, from town to town, alwat-'• e ,1 tool . 1J
poor and needy, for Arthur drank oil 1 ""y dal
gambled, and as fast as we canto,' " j
money it was spent."
"And you're a play -actor, too 1" crit `,,,,,a,
b,.,1
Mise Jorusha, recoiling iu horror. -a
lftlss,Orlsna, trainee 1n the land or
"steady habits," had, from her earliost
infant;,, boon tatigllt to look upon 1-1
theatres as only 11 little less horribly .
wiekocl than tin, place unmo:ltionablo to
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oars pulite, incl u.TSion all "play -actors"
as tho inunediato children and agents of
, the father of evil Himself. Site had
1 nevor until now had the ntisfnrtuno to
come in contact with ono personally,
having Duly heard of there its we hear
of goblins, warlocks, demons, and other
"children of ni ht." What wonder, then,
that,tt thio sud en, awful revelation, sho
1 starlrcl back and almostthurled the frail
1 forte .role her in loathing and horror.
f But o, !throe ellltelr was laid on her
kill—shoulder—sho almosb fancied for an in-
stant it was Satan himself tomo for his
until 0'
h i looking, up,she saw the
fiercely blazing eyes anwitch-like face
of libido Georgia gleaming upon 5t.
"You ugly, wicked old woman!" she
passionately burst out with, "if you dare
to hurt my mamma, I'll—I'11 kill you!"
And so dark, and fierce, and elfish did
sho look at that moment that Miss
Jerosha fairly ¶lnafled before the small,
unearblrly.loolaug sprite.
"I'm not a -gain" to total' your ma.
Got out o' this and leave me go 1" said
Bliss ,Jorusha, shaking off with some
difficulty the human burr who clung to
her with the tenacity of a crab, and
glared upou her with her shining black
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eyes.
"Georgia, love, go sit down. Oh, yon
wild, stormy, savage child, what ever
will become of yeu when I am gone ?
Do, pray, mouse box.," said the woman,
faintly, lifting her oyos pleadingly to Miss
Jorusha's angry face: "sire, has had no
one to control her, or subdue her wild,
wilful temper, and has grown up a
crazy, mad -headed, half -tamed thing.
If you have children of your own you
will know how to make allowaneo for
hor."
I have no children of my own, and I
thank goodness that I haven't 1" said
Bliss Jerusha, shortly; "a set of plagues,
the wholo of 'am! 11? drat there little
gal was mine I'd spank hor while I could
stand, and see of that wouldn't take
some of the nonsonso out of her," '
Thu last words did not reach tho in-
valid's cars, and rho littlo tempest -in -a -
teapot rotroatod again to her corner,
scowling darkly On Miss Jerusha, whom
site ovfdontiy suspected of somo sinister
designs on hor mother, which it was her
duty to frustrate.
"Is she a play.aetor, too?" said Miss
Jerusha, after a stillon pause.
"Who? Georgia? Oh, y -es ; sho plays
juvonilo parts, and dances and sings, and
was a Inept favorite with the public.
She hos a splendid volt() awl daumes
beautifully, and whonevor sho appcared
sho usocl to roceivo thunders of a'pplauso,
Georgia will make a star aotnoss if the
050r goes on tho stage again," said the
woman, 'with 0201:0 animation than siva
had yet shown.
"And do you want your dartnrtogrow
up a wicked, good.for-nothing hussy of
a play -actor?" said Miss Jerusha, stern-
ly. "Mos. Darrel, you ought to bo
ashamed of yoursolf. 1:f site was mine'
I wottlil5oonor soo her starve decently
first."
Tito dying 17011140 turned away with a
groan.
"Sho won't starve hove, though," said
Miss Jorusha, fooling called upon to ad-
nifnistor a littlo consolation; "there's
t1:u?toos and solootmon, .and one thing
TO 1111 CONTINi3BD.
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