CHAPTER II.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1794, 5 January 1884, Page 5

CHAPTER 11.

"Graoie, bit up and pay more attention. Eeally you are very careless to-day." " What shall I say now Miss Hurst ? I've wiitfcen — ' Gothic aichitecturc had begun to decline under the Tudors when Italian details becaiile more mixed with it, and the Elizabethan style was the result : ' I'm ar ne I don't know why I hare to learn about architecture, and Sir Christopher Wren adding towers to Westminster Abbey. I shall never sec London nor Westminster Abbey, nor anything but this horrid bush : not even Melbourne till I'm grown up like Linda " — and Gracie smeared her round brown cheeks with her inky pen and stared sulkily at her governess, who held the book high in her slender hands to hide the smile her words evoked. To Gracie anything is a relief from lessons this hot day, and she sits kicking hoc heels together and watching her governess, till Miss Hurst in turning over a leaf of her book notices her. " Gracie, what are you doing?" " Looking at you Miss Hurst. Ifc makes me feel cool. I think if I had on a thin soft dress, and my hair donoup hko you, I would be cooler. I hate stiff mu4in fioc\s and blue sashes, and only that Charlie likes my hair, I'd cut eveiy single curl oS— I would indeed." And she lifts the bright curly mass over her arm and tosses it disdainfully, Before Miss Hurst could reply Mrs. Stanbridge came into the room. " I came Miss Iluist to solicit a holiday for Gracie. The thermometer points 100 degs., and poor Charlie seems thoroughly enervated. She could not employ her holiday better nor more to her own likmg, than by devoting some of it to Charlie, and I am sure her cheery presence would rouse him," Gracie sprang up eagerly. " May I Mis? Hurst ? '' This was only a form ; for, before Miss Hurst could reply, Gracie was rushing downstairs iwo steps at a time. The mother and governess laughed, and Mrs. Stanbridge throwing herself into a large leather-covered chair said : " I think it is cooler here in the schoolroom than anywhere else in the house. I shall .stay here for. I want to have a long conversation with you Harrietto." Miss Hurst neatly arranged the books scattered and thrown about by madcap Gracie, drew the window- screen closer, then sat down on a low stool opposite Mrs. Stanbridge. " Come closer Harriette." She smoothed the girl's soft dark hair witli her white hand fox a few moments before ■ speaking, " You remember Harriette the coming here of an old man who called himself my brother, and sent you trembling and frightened to me to deliver his rude message ? " " Yea, I remember perfectly, Mrs. Stanbridge." " Did you believe that he was my brother? " " I—lI — I thought the man was insane." " Turn round, child, and let me look into your face while I give you my confidence. I feel that I must speak of it to-day, and who so fit to hear that man's history as you to whom he made himself known ? " " No, no, dear Mrs. Stanbridge, tell me nothing. Ido not wish to hear it ; indeed, I would rather not." She half lose up and tried to put back Mrs. Stanbridgc's hand with all the strength of her sleader ones. " Do not tell me, please." « The blood ebbed painfully to and fro in the girl's white temples. Here was one of those natures ever ready to adapt itself to, and take upon itseK any amount of moral sufferings in order to spare another a pang. Her sensitiveness was so akin to pain, and she so grossly magnified the faculty in others that, through those sympathetic chords which always run in unison with sensitiveness in a finely strung nature, she suffered with them. " But, Harriette, I want to tell you. Now listen to every word." Mrs. Stanbridge gently replaced her, and Hariietto was i^sive. " James Dawson Seaforth is my brother, my unfortunate and wicked brother, who, from hia childhood, was the worry and bane of his father's life. There were three of us — James, myself — housekeeper Madgie my father always called me— and poor fi agile Georgio, bo like our own Charlie downstairs ; ju3t a3 fair and delicate. My mother died at Gaorgie's bhth, so that one good and only saving influence was taken from James's life. To have him entnely under his own eyes my father kept my elder brother in hia own office at a great sacrifice to the business ; for James was overbearing, careless, and extravagant, and was often backward in his accounts ; not through carelessness, but when gambling debts pressed him he would lay his unscrupulous hands on the moneys under his charge. Even my own little housekeeping resources were not free from his ravening greediness. Many a pang my little heart suffered when I went to my father with bills, two and three quarters old ; indeed, I believe the only lies that can b<> laid to my charge were those told in my childhood to screen James and avert my father's anger. " My brother often complained that he was not promoted quickly, that every other clerk in the office was advanced over his head, and one morning he .said that a mmor was rife to the effect that old Thomas HayneB, the head clerk, was about to be received into partnership, and that this was the subject of much jibing among his associates. My father plainly told him that he would never place him in a position of trust, because his principles, as shown in his every-day conduct, proved that he was unworthy of one, and that he would not fill one with credit. " After that James seemed more antagonistic than ever. One night the strong safe was unlocked and robbed of .a large sum of money. James proved that he was in London that night, and my father, though full of suspicions, would not accuse him till, through the agency of the law, it was brought home to him, and he was arrested in his father's house in the presence of us all, on a double charge of forgery and robbery. He wa3 transported — Georgie died, and my poor dishonored father did not live many years after. " You see how unscrupulous this man my brother is, and you cannot wonder that his coming here after all those years has awakened the old fears •within me 1 Harrietto, I feel apprehensive le3t he should return and work ua some harm." Miss Hurst comforts her in her own gentle way, and quietly leads the conversation into another channel — the coming Christmas festivities and George's birthday. George will be twenty-one on Christmas Eve, arid -the mother's heart grows glad as she talks of him. " Harriette, look your best ;- for I want to make the engagement known to Mr* Stanbridge, and perhaps a few of my friends on Christmas Eve. Wear white and blue. I like you best in those colours." (To be continued.)

" Can you tell me,", asked Twisfcem, "the difference between my cook, this morning, and a passenger on>a new railroad? One was bakin' anad and the other was shaken bad." Many women are spoken of as angels, and Mrs.'Noah must have been *n ark-angel.