HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1887-4-29, Page 7.\1'ItII. 29. i887. THE BRUSSELS POST
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'THE ACTRESS' DAUGHTER
os,
TIIE MISTRESS OF MOM IICUSE,
A TALE OV i'7{ONG AND B VatifOf•ME.
13y Mrs. MAY AGNES 1"'T/E r1ING,
dation. of" A.o41 Elver ,t Wotan i," one
ravers l4nsreft" gtr„ Eta,
lilts hot um; iu a strange fear to his
face, and secs Lim standing bosida her
smiling and happy, and looking down
on her so proudly and fondly, And
Georgia draws a long breath, and won-
ders if other brides feel aa she (1008,
and then sho tries to smile and reply to
their congratulations, and tho atraugo
feeling passos away, and sho become+a
hor own bright, eparlcliug self ones
nsoro.
And now they aro all sitting clown to
breakfast, and chore is a hum of voicoa,
and rattling of knives and forks, and a
clatter of plates, and peals of laughter,
and everybody looks happy and ani-
mated, and Miss lerasha and Emily
dry their tears and laugh too, ani the
fascinating footman perform the impos-
sibility of being in two or three places
at ouce, and apeechea are made, and
boasts aro drank, and Mr. Wildair gots
up and revues to them, and thlaniks
thorn for himself and his wife. His
wife 1 Ilow strange that sounds to
Georgia. Then x110 soos through it all,
and laughs and wondors at herself for
laughing; and Mr. Curtis, sitting be-
tween Miss Barebonos and Emily Mur-
ray, totally nogleots tbo former and
trios to bo very lrresistiblo, indcod, with
the latter, and Emily laughs at all his
pretty speeches, and does not seem tlo
least embarrassed in the world, sad
Miosi 13arebonos grows sourer and sourer
until her look would havo turned melt
to vinogar; but uobotly seems to 11001
her moth. Sho notices, too, that el ,
Bartolomeo perceptibly thaws nut nwler
the it -atomism of su/ldry glasses of ciao n-
pagno to that extent that bolero bro.alc-
faat is over ho refers to the thou wh"n
ho first meet the partner of his bnzru:n,
as he styles ,furs, .1;,, 0111 sheds le ttro
over it. And Mrs. Hamm, in her black
velvet and black Isco mita, hides a flirt r
in her eoffco cup at him, or at thein all,
and Miss .1erusiia is looking at her With
th
so much real tenderurss in her nye that
Georgia folds a pang of IVO 02023 as sho
thinks how ungrateful sho utas boon, and
how much elisseorusha leas done for Icor.
Aud then she thinks of her motlu•r, and
her brother Warren—her -dear brother
tfarron — of whose tato she knows
nothing, and of Marley Wildair and
his unknown crime, and Heaves a sih
to their memory. And then Botley
Periwinkle the second comes purring
round hor, and Georgia lifts her up and
kisses tho beauty spot on hor forehead,
and a bright tear is tlbining thorn when
sho lifts her head again, and Betsey
purrs and blinks her round staring oyes
affootionately, and then everybody is
standing up, and lir. 13arobouos, hic-
coughing very mach, is saying graoe,
and thon sho is going up to hor room
and finds herself alauo with Miss .To-
rusha and Elnily, who aro taking off
hor bridal robes and putting on liar
traveling -dress,
And there she is all dressed for her
journoy, and Miss Jorusha holds her in
her arms, and io kissing her, and sob-
bing as if her heart would break; and
little Emily is sobbing, too, and Georgia
fulls a dreary, oolong pain at her heart,
at the thought of leaving hor forever --
for thong]) she is cowling back, they can
never be the same to one another again iu
this world that they aro now—but her
eyes aro dry. And then Bliss Jeruslla
hisses Inc1for tho lout time, and blesses
her, and lots her go, and she follows 111"
down stairs, where •Richmond await.;
hor, to load her to tho carriage. And
then there is more shaking of hands,
until Georgia's arm adios, and a great
deal of good-bying ,and some motto fe-
male kissing, and thou she taken leer
husband's arm and walks down the
"raveled walk to the carriage, And on
'ho way sho wonders what sort of a por-
tion Mrs. Wildair, Richmond's mother,
may be, and whether she will like her
now daughter, and whether that daugh-
ter will liko her. And now sho is
sitting in tho earriago, wavinn a last
adieu, and tho carriage starts off, and
she springs forward and looks after the
cottage nihil it is ant of sight. And
then x110 falls bank in her seat and
covers 1100 face with her hands, with a
vague souse of some groat lose. But
that picture sho never forgets, of the
little vino-wreathod. cottage, with its
orowd of faces gazing after hor, and
Miss ;Sorusha and little Emily oryllg at
tho gate. How sho romembors it in
after clays—in those dark, dreadful
days, the shadow of whose coming
darkness oven then was upon her,
They are whirling away and away.
Sho takes hor hande from hor face and
'looks up. They are flying through
:Rurnflold nor, and sho catches a glimpse
of the statoly arches and carved gables
of Richmond house, hot future home,
and tlton that, too, disappears. They
are at tbo station, in the cars with a
crowd of others, but sho neither sees
nor 0a00s for their curious scrutiny nOW.
The locomotive shrieks, the bell rings,.
and away and away they fly. She falls
back in her seat, and Georgia has left
the home of lien childhood borevor, '
pnssl6�}oto
I balievo the established and time-
llonored precedent in writing stories is
to bring tho thief eharactors safely
CI/APTER XIII.
Amex/mNINe
'sot ohooli ton quickly flushes; o'er hor eye
The lights and shadows coins and go too last
And tears gest, forth too 50024 and labor voice
Aro sounds of tenderness cob
.hoer ])nano on earth,"
iby flood and Loki," annihilate the
thr$ugb sundry "hair -breadth escapes
vicious, make virtue triumphant, marry
the heroine, and then, with a grand final
flourish of trumpets, the talo ends.
Now, I hopo none of my readers will
be disappointed if hi this "o'er true tale"
I depart from this established rule, My
I horohso is married, but the history of
I 1101 life cannot end hero. Perhaps it
would bo as well if it could, but truth
eompols mo to go on and depict the dark
as well as the bright side of a fiery yet
gonerous nature — a nature common
enough in this world, subject to error
and woalcuess as wo all are, and not in
the least like ono of those impossible
angels oftener road of than soon.
J no EyrO says a new cllaptor in a
story is lite a now ae0110 in a play.
Whon the curtain risos this time it dis-
closes an elo0antly-furnislsod parlor, with
pictures, and lounges, and easseahairs,
and mirrors, and damask hangings, and
all the other paraphernalia of a well
furnislsod room—time, ton o'clock in the
morning. A cheerful fire burns iu the
polished grate, for it is a cold, clear
December day, and diffuses a genial
warmth through the cozy apartment.
In the middle of the floor stands a
little round table with a delicate break-
fast.service of Sevres china and ailvor,
whereon steams most fragrant Mocha,
appetizing, nice waffles, and sundry other
tempting edibles. Presiding here is a
lady, young and "beautiful exceedingly,"
robed in a rich white cashmere morning
wrappor, confined at tho slender waist
by a scarlet cord and tassels, and
at tho ivory throat by a flashing dia-
mond breastpin. Her shining job -black
hair is brusliod in smooth bands off her
broad, (meanly brow, and the damp
braid just touches the rounded, flushed
cheek. Vary handsome and stately in-
deed she looks, yet with a sort of listless
languor pervading her every movomet t,
whetbor. sho lounges back m her chair,
or slowly stirs her coffee with her
small, Clark hand, fairly blazing with
jewols.
Opposite her sits a young gentleman
of commanding presence and graceful
bearing, who alteruatoly talks to the
lady, sips his coffee, and reads bhe moru-
in g paper.
"Do put away that tiresome paper, th
Richmond," said e lady, at last, half.
impatiently. "I don't see what you can '
possibly find to interest you in those
farming details, and receipts for curing
spasms m horses, and making hens lay.
Of all the stupid things those country
papers are the stupidest."
Excopt those who read them," said
the geutloman, laughing. "Well, I bow
to your superior wisdom, mud obey, liko
a well.trained husband. And now, what
aro your ladyship's commands?"
"Tall:," said the lady, yawuiug behind
the tips of hor lingers.
"Willingly, my dear. On what sub.
jest ? I am ready to talk to motor at a
moment's notice."
"}fell, I want to plow if you have
given up that Washington project ?
Aro wo to spend tho winter iu hurt.
field ?"
"I think so—vas," said Richmond,
slowly . "It will `be botter•, a•71 things
considered, that ow should c10 so, and
early in tho spring wo will start on our
Continental tour. Are you disappointed
at this arrangement, Georgia?"
"Disappoiutod? Oh, uo, no," said
Georgia, with sparkling oyes. "1 am so
glad, Richmond. It seams so pleasant
and so much liko home to be hove, with
no Amigo faces arounclns, and all those
dreadful restraints awl formalities at an
one. I was so grid of them all iii Now
York.,,
"Anel }rot you usod to long so ardontly
for life in those largo cities sometime
ago, Georgia. Now York was a Paradise
in your oyes—do yon remember 1"
"Oh, yes," said Georgia, laughing ;
"but that was becanso I know nothing
about it. I was dreadfully that of Burn -
Bold, and longed for a change. "Tis
clistanco lauds euchantmont to the
view,' you know, and the anticipation
was somewhat different from the
reality."
"You did not liko the reality ?"
"No," said Georgia, with her usual
truthful promptness.
"And yet I did overytbiug to make
you happy --you never exprossod a wish
that I did nob gratify."
roars sprang to Georgia's oyes at theimplied roproaoh,
"Dear Richmond, I know it. It seen) i
very ungrateful in mo to tall( so; hut
,you know what I meas, I do not 111:11
straugers, and I mot so many thoro:
there warn so many restraints, and for-
inalitios, and wearying ceremonies to bo
gond through, that I used to go almost '
wild sometimes, and fool as if I wanted
to in s 1 out and fly, fly back to dear old
Burunold again, and never leave it.
And then, t1ms0 ladies were all so olo•
$ant and grand, and could koop ou say -
nig graceful nothings for hours, whilo
I sat mute, bou" ue-tiod, unable to utter
a word of small -talk, and fooling wok -
ward. and countryfied, and trembling
lost I should disgrace you by some
dreadful pes,allr) ie. Oh, Eielunoud,
prI
1008 so monad, and fearless, and incle-
pondout boforo L was married."
"Too moth so, Goorgim," ho intor-
ruptod,gravoly.
"And now,'1 she wont on, unheeding
his words, save by tho deeper flush on
hor cheek. "I alt almost timid, for
your sake. Whoa I was among all those)
pooplo in New York, I did not care for
myself, but/ was so afraid of mortifying
you. '1 know bhoy used to watch Rush-
mond.Wildair's country bride to catch
her in some outlandish act; and, oh I
Richmond, when I would think of it,
and find so many curious oyes watching
nue as if I were some strange wild ani-
mal, I used togrow positeeelyy nervous—
I, that never new what norvos were
bacon, and t used to wish—don't be
u; ,
av, Ric111uond—that 111ad never
married you at all. You usod to call
mo an eaglet, Richmond,and I felt thon
like ono ohaluod and fettorod, and I
thinlo I x110121(1 have died if you had
made Ino stay there all winter."
There was a passionate earnestness
in her voice that diel not escape him,
but ho answered Lightly:
"Died 1 Pooh I don't bo silly, Georgia.
I did see that you were painfully
anxious at times, so much so that you
OVOn 1nad0 1110 nerv0na as well as your.
self, You must overcome this; you
must learn to be ab easo. Remember,
those aro the people with whom you
are to mingle for the rust of your life—
not tho 00110000 folks of 13urnfiold,"
"They aro a stiff, artificial sot, I
don't ince them," said Georgia, impetu-
ously,
Richmond's brow darkened.
"Georgia," he said coldly.
"Perhaps itis because 1 have not be,
00100 accustomed to my now position,
Any one suddenly raised from one sphere
of life to another diametrically opposite
must fool out of place. Why, Rich-
mond," sho said, smiling, "I am not
even accustomed to that grand little
llousekoopor of yours yet. Her cold,
stately magnificence overwhelms nee.
When she comes to me for orders, I
fairly blush, and have to look at my
diamonds and silks, and recollect I am
Mrs. 1Vildair, of Richmond House, to
keep up my dignity. It is rather un-
comfortable, all this, but time, which
works wonders, will, I havo no doubt,
maim inn as stiff, and solemn, and sub-
limely grand, as even—Mrs. Hamm."
His face wore no answering smile; ho
wan wry grave.
"Yon aro not angry, Richmond?" sho
Said, deprecatingly.
"Not angry, Georgia, but annoyed. I
do not like this state of things. My
wife most be soli -possessed and lady-
like as well as handsome. You must
101;0 this country girl awkwardness, and
10ar11' to 1110v0 easily and gracefully in
your maw sp110ro. You must learn to
sit at the stead of n2y table, and do the
honors of my house as becomes one
whom I havo aeon fit to raise to the
position of my wife"
"Liaise 1" exclaimed Georgia, with one
of iter olcl flashes, and a haughty lift of
her head.
"In a worlclly point of view, I moan.
Physically, mentally, and morally you are
my equal; but, in the eyes of the world,
Ihavo made n,mesalliaie; and that world
lobos° authority I have spurned is ma-
licious enough to witness with delight
your rustic shyness, to call it by no more
mortifying name. Georgia, I knew from
the moment I first presented you to my
/Mother that this explanation nmat come;
but, knowing your high spirit, I had too
much affection for you to speak of it
sooner, and if I wound your feelings now,
believe me, it is to make you happier
afterward. Yon aro too impulsive,
and have not dissimulation enough,
Georgia; your opon and unconcealed
dislike for some of those you mot in
town made you many onemios—did you
know it?"
"Yes, I anew it; and this enmity was
111000 accoptablo to me than their friend-
sh'p 1" flashed Georgia.
'But not to 1110. It is bettor to have a
dog fawn on you than bark at you, Goor-
gia. I c1ic1 not say to you to liko them,
but you might have concealed your dis-
like. A smile and courteous word costs
Tittle, and it might have saved you many
a bitter sneer."
"I cannot dissimulate; I never dis-
simulated; I never did anythiug so
mean 1" 00111 Georgia, passionately.
"There is no meanness about it, Mrs.
Wildair, and you might have sparod tho
fnsiuuation that I cotlld urgo yon to do
anything memo. Common politeness 00 -
quires that you should be courteous to
all, and I hope you will not mortify m0
again by any pnblio display of your
likos and dislikes,"
Georgia arose impotuously from the
table, and, with a burning cheek and a
flashing oyo, walked to the window.
Mail words can tell of the storm rag-
ing within liar 1011cl, proud boort as
the 11et011011 to his authoritativo tono
and words.
"Itis necessary, too, that you should
by dogrees grow acoustomod to what
yon call your strang0 p001200n," ho calm-
ly wont on, "Wove you cantor the ras11-
u, nablo world at Washington, whoro you
will snake what you may call your debut.
1 or that reason, whilo in Now York, I
invited a party of friends hero to spond
Christmas and Now Year's, and you may
enp0ct them sacro now in less than a
w001,"
Site facod round as if her feet ware
g
inuu:hl llvit steel sI 11„x, every fool.
hig of robolliou roused into life at last.
"Von did ? Aud without consulting
iso?„
'Certainly, my, dear. Have I nob a
right to ask my £clonds to my house?"
She laid hor hand on .her breast, as if
to 1t00p 12110 storm within from brooking
forth : but he saw it in the workings of
hor fa0°.
Come, Clcorgia, bo reasonable," he
said, quietly. "I nm sorry this annoys
Wyou, hut et is absolutely necessary.
v hy, 011e would think, by 'your looks
muff motions, I was some monstrous ty-
rant, instead of a husband who lovos
you so well that ho is willing to sacrifico
his own fondness for solitude and quiet,
that'y0a may Acquits) the habits of good
society."
Sho die not speak. His words had
woundl,atertur prido too deeply to be
bottled by his gentle tone.
" 1Ve11, Goo io leo said, after a
pause,
Sho turned her faco to tho window,
aid sauced, hlxeldly:
"Who;as;a coming?"
"My mother and cousin, the Aching-
fords, Mrs..11arp�0r and her two dough.
tars, Colonel aucl Mrs. Gleason and click
two sone, Mao Reid and Mr: Lester.
"All I dislike most."
"Al1'you dislilto most, MIS, (Vildair?"
he said, coolly. "What arts T to mulct-
stand by that?"
"}Mast I say, I have not yet loomed.
to dissimulate," she said, bitterly.
"Really, Moo, Wildair, this is pleasant.
I prosumo you forget my mother,"
Georgia was silent.
"Am I to understand, Mrs. 'Midair,
that my mother is included in the cata-
logue of those you dislike ?"
Georgia did nob speak.
"Mrs. Wildair," ho said, calmly, "will
it please you to reply, I am aeeustonied
to be answered when I speak,"
"Oh, Richmond, don't ask ino. flow
can I help it ? I tried to 111(° your m0•
thor, but—"
Her voice choked, and silo stopped.
Ile went ova, and lifted the face she
had covered with her hands, and looked
into it with a smile,
"But you failocd. You did not under.
stand each other, Wall, never mind,
Georgia ; you will like ooh othorbetter
by and by. You will havo to do so, as
sho is going to live with us altogether."
"What 1"
"My dear, bo calm. How intensely
excitable you aro! Certainly, she will
live hore; sho is all alone now, you
know—she and my cousin ; and is it nob
natural that this should bo their limo ?"
"Your cousin, too 2"
" Of course. Why, Georgia, you
might have known it. They are my
only relatives, for he who was once my
brother is dead to us all. Georgia, is it
possible you hate my mother and
cousin ?"
Ho spoke in a tone so surprised and
grieved that tr0orgia loss touched.
Forcing a smile, she looked up in leis
grave face, and said:
"Oh, Richmond, I did not moan to
hurt your feelings; forgive me if 1 have
done so. I will try to like all your
friends, because they are yours. T will
try to tutor this undisciplined heart.
aucl bo all you could wish. It startled
mo at first, that is all. It was so pleas-
ant hero, with no ono but ourselves, and
I was so happy since our return, that I
forgot it could not always last. Yes, in-
deed, Richmond,' will like your mothor
and cousin, and try to be as urbane and
courteous to all our guests as even you
are. Am I forgiven now, Richmond 2"
Half an hour later Georgia was alono
in her own room, lying prostrato on a
conch, with her face buried in the
cushions, perfectly still, but for the sort
of shiver that ran at intervals through
hor slight frame. It was their first
quarrel, or anything approaching a
quarrel, and Goorgia had been crushed,
wounded one humiliated, as she had
never boon before in her life. It may
seem a slight thing, but in her pride sho
was so acutely sensitive, that now she
lay in a sort of anguish, with her hands
°lasped over her heart, as if to still its
tumultuous throbbings, looking forward
with a dread that was almost horror to
the coming of all those strangers, but,
more than all, to tufo coming of her hue.
band's mothor and cousin.
All that day she was changed, and
was as haughty and soli -possessed as
any of those fine ladies, her husband's
friends. Tho calm, dignified politeness
I of Mrs. Hamm looked like impudence
to hor ill hor pr0sent mood, and w11on
that frigid little lady came to ask about
dinner, there were two burning spots on
Georgia's cheeks, and a high, ringing
tone of command in her voice that
mado Mrs. Hamm open hor languid
oyes in faint amaze, which was as far
as sho could over go in tho way of as-
tonishment.
Later that ovoniugc as sho sat in tho
drawing -room, praotisulg her mimic
lesson, for silo was learning music now,
Emily Murray was announcoll., and the
next lnomout, bright, breezy, smilluiq
and sunshiny, sho Canso dancing in, liko
an embodied sunbeam.
"elothor's boon ovot speeding the
afternoon with Miss Jorusha," said
Emily, "and I felt so 10neaonl0 at home
that 2 overcame nay awe of Richmond
House and its grand inmates, and
thouHope liwould
Pry, 1 do1roti intrude :
0
Georgia's imply was a kiss. She had
been fooling so sad all day that her
hearb gave a glad bound at the siget of
B034
"Why, what's tho mattor, (loorgia?
You look pale and troubled. What has
happened?" said Emily, het i1IT0ationat0
oyes discovering the change iu her
l'ri°td's tolltalo face.
"Nothing; at least, not much. I ant o
little out of spirits to -day; every ono la
at tiut00," saiii Georgia, with a faint
smile. ".fly moods Were always change,
able, you know."
"Well, I hope you will not acquit,. that
anxious, worried look must 110use1oopers
wear," said Emily, gayly. 'Yon ]lave
it exactly now, and 10 quite spoils your
beauty, Come, sulilo and look pleas-
ant, and tell mo all about you): journoy
to Now York. .Dia you havo a good
Limo 1"
"Yes," said Georgia, coloring slightly;
"I onjoyod myself pretty well. 'We wont
t0
tho t wat:3 and opera almost every.
night, and I wont to a great many parties
of ono kind and another. ButBurnfield's
]some after all, and there Was no Emily
in w
"NoFiattYorkeror 1"city." said Elnily, laughing ;
"and did you sem 1Ir. Midair's relatives
there, too ?"
"Yes," said Goorgia, iu a changed tone.
"Ho has no relatives but his mothor and
a contain Miss Richmond, a cousin of his,
and an orphan;"
"Yonforgethis brother—our oitifri0211
Charley ?"
"He 1s nob at home now—I leave not
even beard bis name nsenti0ned for mann
a day."
"Indood 2" said 1! 01113, surp1is0(1.
"How is that ? I fool an intorosr in
him,,you know," sho added, .laughnlg ;
"lie was so handsome, aha dro11, and
winning—twice as Moe, with roveronee
be it soul, as your grave, stately liege
10rd."
°Well, it, appears he didsona0thing, 1
tower heard what, but Richmond. says
he disgraced the family, and they have
disowned him. What his fault is I do
not know, but one 0f the effects of it is
that he has lost the inheritance Squire
Richmond loft him. You see, the way
it was, my husband inherited all the
landed property and half the bank stook,
and Charley the xomaining half, Not a
very fair division, you will say; but as
Richmond bore the family name, and
was more after his uuole's heart than.
his wilder brother, the old gentleman
saw fit to leave him most. As the bank
stook was large, however, Cbarley's for-
tune was no trifle; but to it certain con-
ditions were annexed, namely: that ho
should marry this young lady cousin,
Miss Richmond, and take the family
nano bofuro ho went abroad. Charley
only laughed at it, and declared his per-
fect willingness to marry 'Freddy' -her
name is Frederica—who would be bandy
to have about the house, bo said, to pull
off his boots, sew on buttons, and sing
him to sloop of an afternoon. Miss
Richmond, on her part, made no objee-
tion, and the matter seemed settled; but
whatever he has done, i. has completely
broken up the whole affair, and his share
comes to Richmond along with his own.
So, my dear little snow -flake, that is all
Tknowof your handsome Charley," con.
eluded Georgia, with her own bright
smile.
"It is all very strange," said Emily,
musingly; "and I cannot realize that
the gay, careless, but ever kind youth
that we knew, and whom everybody
loved, has become fallen and degraded,
as all this would seem to imply. What
sort of a person is this Miss Richmond
he was to marry 2"
Georgia's beautiful lip curled with a
scorn too intense for words.
"She is a—. But, as I cannot tell
you my impressious of her without
speaking ill of the absent, I will be
silent. In a few days you will have a
chance to see her for yourself, as she is
coming hero to live."
"Indood 1" said Emily, slowly fixing
her eyes anxiously on Georgia's face—
"indeed 1 Would you not be happier
without her 2;!
"That is not the question," said
Georgia, in a tone of reserve, for sho
was too proud to lot even Emily know
how much sho disliked this visit; "it
will not do for Richmond and lee to
make hermits of ourselves altogether,
you know, so a large party from the city
are coming to spend Christmas. And,
Emily, I want you to come, too ; they
are all more or less strangers to me, and
it will be such a comfort to look on your
dear, familiar face when 1 grow tired of
playing the hostess to all those grand
foals. Say, little darling, will you
come ?"
The dark oyes were raised with such
a look of earnest entreaty to her face
that Emily stooped down and kissed the
pleading lips before she answered.
"Dear Georgia, I cannot; I would
not be happy among so many straugors
—I should fool like a fish out of water,
you know. We can meet often when no
strange eyes are looking on ; they would
not understaudus, nor we them, Georgia.
And now, good -by ; Unolo Edward is
coming to tea, so I must hurry home:
Sho was gone. Tho- airy little form
and bright face flashed out of the door,
and Georgia felt as if all the sunshine
in that grand, cold room had gone with
her. Impationtly she rose from the
piano, and with a rebellious rising in her
heart, walked to the window and looked,
out with a darkening brow.
"Sho shrinks from meeting this crowd
—so -do I. She need not sleet them,
but I havo to -1 must. Oh 1 hateful
word. If there was a single bond of
sympathy between 1110 and ono of tbom ,
—but there is not. They come here to
criticise and sneer at Richmond Wild -
air's country bride—to have a good
subject to 101101 00e11 when they go back
to the city. Richmond says 1 am mor-
bid on this subject, but 1 am not. And
that cousin, too—that smooth, silvery -
voiced, oily little shoat. Oh 1 why,
why did ho invite hor here ? nate
how I loathe her. I shrank from her
tho moment I first saw her, with her
snake -like movemouts incl fawning smile.
And sho is to livo horn; to spy upon me
night and day ; to drive me wild with
hor cringing sorvility, hiding her moolt-
ery and covert spoors. I think I could
got along with his mother, with all her
scorn and supercilious contempt; gall-
ing as it is, it is at least open, and not
mean, prying and treachorons ; but this
horrid, despioablo 301123111, that I loathe
oven v morethan 1 111 1 dread hor
nI hate—o
coming ; I shrink from it ; it makes my
nosh Droop to think of it: 011, Rich.
mond, if you know how I detost this
earthworm of a cousin, would you over
havo invited her hero? Yes, I know he
would. I feel bo would. Ho would bo
slloclted, horrified, indignant, if ho know
how I fool on the subject; so ho shall
novor know. He would think it my
duty to overcome this sinful fooling, and
insist on my being doubly kind to her
t0 atone 101 1t. He likes leer—so door)
his mother—so door every ono oleo;
they behove in hor silky smilo, hor soft,
troaohorous voice, and oat -like stop,and
Imam, undorhand fawning; but I—I sea
through' her, and sho knows it. She
dislikes rise. I saw that through ali bar
0riuging, officious attentions and pro-
fessions of affection, and only loathed
hor the More.
"01.1" cried Georgia, paoiug up and
down the room, "this is, indeed, awaken.
Mg from my delusive, dream. Perhaps
I am too sensibivo, Richmond says I
am ; but I e0nnot help feeling so. •I
was so perfectly happy since our return,
bub now itis at an end. Our delicious
solitude is to be invaded by those cold,
unsympathiziug worldlings, who 00100
here to gratify thoir curiosity and sec
how the awkward country girl will' do
the honors of stately Richmond weary.
•
To BE CONTINUED. -
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