THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 MABEL R. GILLIS 
 
 I
 
 LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS AND 
 OTHER POPULAR BOOKS 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY 
 
 BLSIB D1NSMORE. 
 
 ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDA, 
 ELSIE'S GIRLHOOD. 
 
 ELSIE'S WOMANHOOD. 
 ELSIE'S MOTHERHOOD. 
 
 ELSIE'S CHILDREN. 
 ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD. 
 GRANDMOTHER ELSIE. 
 
 ELSIE'S NEW RELATIONS. 
 ELSIE AT NANTUCKET. 
 THE TWO ELSIES. 
 
 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 
 ELSIE'S FRIENDS AT WOODBURN. 
 
 CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA ELSIB. 
 ELSIE AND THE RAYMONDS. 
 
 ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RA YMOND& 
 ELSIE'S VACATION. 
 
 ELSIE AT VIAMEDE. 
 ELSIE AT ION. 
 
 ELSIE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 
 
 ELSIE'S JOURNEY ON INLAND WATERS. 
 ELSIE AT HOME. 
 
 ELSIE ON THE HUDSON. 
 ELSIE IN THE SOUTH. 
 ELSIE'S YOUNG FOLKS. 
 
 S1ILDRED KEITH. 
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 MILDRED'S MARRIED LIFE. 
 MILDRED AND ELSIE. 
 MILDRED AT HOME. 
 
 MILDRED'S BOYS AND GIRLS. 
 MILDRED'S NEW DAUGHTER. 
 
 C4SBLLA. 
 
 SIGNING THE CONTRACT AND WHAT IT COST. 
 THE TRAGEDY OF WILD RIVER VALLEY. 
 OUR FRED. 
 
 AN OLD-FASHIONED BOY. 
 WANTED, A PEDIGREE. 
 
 THE THORN IN THE NEST.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAflDS. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO MILDRED KEI1H. 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTHA FINLEY (MARTHA FARQUHAR8ON) 
 
 AUTHOR OF "MELDBED KEITH," "ELSIK DINBKORH," 
 CHILDREN," "WANTED A PEDIGBEE," 
 THE CONTRACT." ETC., *TO. 
 
 ' A tweet attractive kind e of grace, 
 
 A fall assaraace given by lookes, 
 Continuall comfort in a face 
 The lineaments of Qospell bookee. " 
 MATHETT 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 DODD, MEAD & COMPANY, 
 
 PUBLIBHRRS.
 
 Copyright, 1880, by DODD, MEAD & COMPANY.
 
 PS 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 MY story may seem to end somewhat abruptly ; 
 but is to be continued in a future volume. The date 
 of this tale is about four years earlier than that of 
 Elsie Dinsmore the first of the Elsie Series and 
 any one who cares to know more of the little heiress 
 of Viamede, will find the narrative of her life carried 
 on in those books. 
 
 M. F. 
 
 577-43.1
 
 MEDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 Chapter Jfirat. 
 
 u Prayer ardent opens hearen." 
 
 TOUHO. 
 
 IT was near noon of a bright warm day early 
 In October. Mrs. Keith was alone in her pretty 
 sitting-room, busily plying her needle at the 
 open window looking out upon the river. 
 
 Occasionally she lifted her head and sent a 
 quick, admiring glance at its bright, swiftly- 
 flowing waters and the woods beyond, beauti 
 ful and gorgeous in their rich autumnal robes. 
 
 There was a drowsy hum of insects in the 
 ail ; and mingling with it the cackle of a rejoic 
 ing hen, the crowing of a cock and other rural 
 sounds ; the prattle of childish voices too came 
 pleasantly to her ear, from the garden behind 
 the house where the little ones were at play,
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 calling, once and again, a tender, motherly 
 smile to her lips. 
 
 Yet a slight cloud of care rested on her 
 usually calm and placid features and thought 
 eeemed very busy in her brain. 
 
 It was of Mildred she was thinking. Father 
 and mother both had noticed with a good deal 
 of anxiety, that the young girl did not recover 
 fully from the severe strain of the long weeks 
 of nursing that had fallen to her lot during the 
 past summer. 
 
 She was much paler and thinner than her 
 wont, had frequent headaches and seetaed weak 
 and languid, a very little exertion causing exces 
 sive fatigue. 
 
 Only last night they had lain awake an 
 hour or more talking about it, and consulting 
 together as to what could be done for the " dear 
 child." 
 
 They feared the severity of the coming 
 winter would increase her malady, and wished 
 very much that they could send her away for 
 gome months, or a year, to a milder climate ; 
 but the difficulty apparently an insuperable 
 one was to find means. 
 
 It took no small amount to feed> clothe and 
 educate such a family as theirs, and sickness had 
 made this year one of unusual expense.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 7 
 
 As the loving mother sat there alone she 
 had turned over in her mind plan after plan 
 for accomplishing this, which for her child's 
 good, she so ardently desired to do ; but only 
 to reject each in turn as utterly impracticable. 
 
 Aunt Wealthy, she knew, would gladly re 
 ceive Mildred into her pleasant home for as 
 long a time as her parents might be willing to 
 spare her; but still there was the money to be 
 provided for the journey, and besides a yet mild 
 er climate than that of Lansdale was desirable. 
 
 But the slight cloud lifted from Mrs. Keith's 
 brow, and a sweet expression of perfect peace 
 and content took its place as she bethought of 
 her best Friend and His infinite love and power. 
 He could clear away all these difficulties and 
 would do so in answer to prayer, if in His 
 unerring wisdom He saw that it would be for 
 their real good their truest happiness. 
 
 Her heart went up to him in a silent peti- 
 iion ; and then a sweet, glad song of praise burst 
 half unconsciously from her lips. 
 
 As she ceased a rap at the door into the hall 
 which as well as the outer one, stood wide 
 open caught her ear. 
 
 She turned her head to see a tall gentleman, 
 A fine looking, middle-aged man standing there 
 and regarding her with a pleased smile.
 
 8 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " Uncle Dinemore ! is it possible ! Oh how 
 glad I am to see you 1 " she cried, dropping her 
 work and springing toward him with both hands 
 extended. 
 
 He took them, drew her to him and kissing 
 her affectionately, first on one cheek, then on 
 the other, said gayly, " I flattered myself you 
 would be, else I should not have traveled some 
 hundreds of miles for the express purpose of 
 paying you a visit. Fair and sweet as ever, 
 Marcia ! Time deals more gently with jon 
 than is his wont with the most of the world." 
 
 " Ah, I remember you as always given to 
 pretty compliments," she returned, with a 
 pleased, but half incredulous smile, as she drew 
 forward the most comfortable chair in the room 
 and made him seat himself therein, while she 
 relieved him of his hat and cane. 
 
 " So I have taken you by surprise ? " he 
 said inquiringly and with a satisfied look. 
 
 "I did not even know you were at the 
 North. When did you leave Roselands? Were 
 they all well ? Are any of them with you ?" 
 
 " One question at a time, Marcia," he said 
 with a good-humored laugh. " I left home in 
 June, bringing all the family with me as far as 
 Philadelphia. They are visiting now in east. 
 era Pennsylvania. I went GO to New Tork a
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 9 
 
 month ago to see Horace off for Europe, then 
 concluded to corne on into Ohio and Indiana, to 
 have a look at this great western country, your 
 Aunt Wealthy and yourself. I purpose spend- 
 ing a week or two with you, if quite convenient 
 and agreeable, then to return, taking Lansdale 
 in my way, and paying a short visit there." 
 
 "Convenient and agreeable !" she cried, 
 with a joyous laugh, and glad tears shining in 
 her eyes, " sunlight was never more welcome, 
 and the longer you stay, the better. You 
 came by the stage ? Where is your luggage ?" 
 
 " Yes, by the stage. My valise is Ah 1" 
 half rising from his chair, with extended hand, 
 as a handsome, intelligent looking lad of fif 
 teen or sixteen, in working dress, but neat and 
 clean, came in from the hall, carrying a valise. 
 
 " I found this on the porch," he began, but 
 broke off abruptly at sight of the stranger. 
 
 " Rupert, our eldest son," said Mrs. Keith, 
 with a glance full of motherly pride directed 
 toward the lad. "Kupert, this is Uncle Dins- 
 more, your Cousin Horace's father." 
 
 The two shook hands warmly, Rupert say 
 ing, " I am very glad to see you, sir, I have 
 heard mother speak of you so often." 
 
 The gentleman answering, " Thank you, 
 my boy. Yes, your mother and I are very old
 
 10 MILDRED AT ROUELAND8. 
 
 friends, though I am older than she, by a score 
 of years or more." 
 
 " That must be your uncle's, Kupert, take 
 it to the spare room,' 1 said Mrs. Keith, glanc 
 ing at the valise." 
 
 " A fine looking fellow, but all Keith, isn't 
 he, Marcia ?" remarked her uncle, as the lad 
 left the room. Then as Cyril bounded in at 
 another door, " Ah ! this one's a Stanhope ! 
 Come and shake hands with your uncle, my 
 man." 
 
 Don and the two little girls were close be 
 hind Cyril, and these had scarcely been intro 
 duced, when Mr. Keith came in from his office, 
 bringing with him Mildred, Zillah and Ada, 
 whom he had met on the way. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore was a stranger to them all, 
 but every one seemed glad that he had come 
 to visit them, and he was quite charmed with 
 the cordiality of his reception, and the bright, 
 intelligent faces, and refined manners of both 
 parents and children. 
 
 They made him very welcome, very com 
 fortable, and spared no exertion for his enter 
 tainment. 
 
 Being an observant man, he soon discovered 
 that Mildred, toward whom he felt specially 
 drawn from the first, was ailing, and immedi
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 11 
 
 oieiy proposed taking her home with him to 
 apend the winter in the sunny South. 
 
 This was on the afternoon of the day suc 
 ceeding that of his arrival, as he and Mr. and 
 Mi 8. Keith sat conversing together in the par 
 lor, the young people having scattered to their 
 work or play. 
 
 The father and mother exchanged glances, 
 each reading in the other's face a longing de 
 sire to accept the invitation for their child, 
 mingled with the sad conviction that it was im 
 possible to do so. 
 
 This Mr. Keith presently put into words, 
 accompanied with warm thanks for the in 
 tended kindness to Mildred. 
 
 "Tut, tut," said Mr. Dinsinore, "don't 
 talk of kindness, the obligation will be on my 
 part ; arid as to the impossibility, it is all in 
 your imaginations. I, of course, shall bear all 
 the expense of the journey, and No, Marcia, 
 don't interrupt me. I owe it to you, for I can 
 never repay the kindness you showed your 
 aunt in her last sickness, and to poor Horace 
 aud myself after she was gone. And you owe 
 it to your child not to refuse for her what is 
 really necessary to her restoration to health." 
 
 " Dear uncle, you are most kind, you must 
 lei me say it," said Mrs. Keith, with tears in
 
 12 MILDRED AT ROBELAND8. 
 
 her eyes. " I will not deny that the expense is 
 the greatest obstacle, for the family purse is 
 low at present, and I will not let my pride 
 stand in the way of the acceptance of your gen- 
 erous offer, but there are other difficulties. I 
 do not see how I could get her ready in the 
 few days to which you have limited your visit 
 here." 
 
 " I'll stretch it to a fortnight, then, if that'll 
 answer," he returned, in a short, quick, deter 
 mined way, that bespoke him little used to op 
 position to his will. " Besides," he went on, 
 " what need of so much preparation ? purchases 
 can be made to much better advantage in Phil 
 adelphia, and sewing done at Roselands, where 
 we have two accomplished seamstresses among 
 the servants. I've heard Mrs. Dinsmore boast 
 that one of them can cut and fit, make and 
 trim a dress as well as any mantuamaker she 
 ever saw." 
 
 Mrs. Keith expressed a lively sense of hia 
 kindness, but suggested that in all probability 
 Mrs. Dinsmore found plenty of employment 
 for the two women in sewing for herself and 
 family. 
 
 Her uncle scouted the idea, asserting that 
 they had not enough to do to keep them out of 
 mischief.
 
 MILDRED ATROSELANDB. 13 
 
 Mrs. Keith was driven from her last refuge 
 of excuse, and truth to tell was not sorry to 
 iiave it so. Mr. Keith gave consent, Mildred 
 was summoned and the plan laid before her to 
 her great astonishment and delight. 
 
 " Oh, Uncle Diusmore, how kind ! " she ex 
 claimed, her cheeks flushing, her eyes sparkling. 
 " It seems too good to be true, that I shall see 
 Koselands, the beautiful place mother has so 
 often described to us 1 But no, no, it will never 
 do for me to go and leave mother to bear the 
 cares and burdens of housekeeping and the 
 children all alone ! " she cried with sudden 
 change of tone. " How could I be so selfish as 
 to think of it for a single moment. Mother 
 dear, I don't want to go, indeed I do not." 
 
 "Bat my dear child, I want you to go," 
 Mrs. Keith said, smiling through unshed tears. 
 *' You need rest and change of scene ; and 
 though I shall miss you sadly, I shall enjoy the 
 thought that you are gaining in many ways, 
 and in the prospect of soon having you at home 
 again." 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Dinsmore, " travel is im 
 proving, and you can go on with your studies 
 at Roselands if you fancy doing so : we have an 
 excellent, thoroughly educated lady as gover 
 ness, and masters coming from the city twice
 
 14: MILDRED AT EOSELANDS. 
 
 week to give instruction in music and drawing 
 You shall share their attentions if you will. 
 
 " Come, it is not worth while to raise ob 
 jections ; for I can overrule them all, and am 
 quite determined to carry my point. 
 
 r - Mr. Keith," he added, rising and looking 
 about for his hat, " suppose we take a walk 
 round the town, leaving the ladies to talk over 
 the necessary arrangements." 
 
 The gentlemen went out together, but the 
 next moment Mr. Dinsmore stepped back again 
 to hand Mrs. Keith a letter, saying, as he did so, 
 
 " I owe you an apology, Marcia, for my for- 
 getfulness. Horace entrusted this to my care 
 and it should have been given you immediately 
 on my arrival. Au revoir, ladies ! '' and with a 
 courtly bow he was gone. 
 
 Mrs. Keith broke the seal and unfolded the 
 sheet. There was an enclosure, but she did 
 not look at it until she had read the note, which 
 she did almost at a glance, for it was plainly 
 written and very brief. 
 
 Dear Marcia. Excuse a hasty line, as I am 
 going aboard the steamer which is to carry me 
 to Europe. 
 
 " I know my father wants to take Mildred 
 with him on his return to Roselands. I hope
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 15 
 
 you will let her go, and that you will do me 
 the great kindness of accepting the enclosed 
 trifle, to be used in providing her with an out 
 fit such as you may deem suitable. It is a very 
 email part of the debt I have owed you ever 
 since the death of my loved mother. 
 Your affectionate cousin, 
 
 HORACE DINSMOBE." 
 
 " The dear generous fellow ! " she exclaimed, 
 tears starting to her eyes : then as she unfolded 
 the bank note, " A trifle, indeed ! Mildred, 
 child, it is a hundred dollars ! " and the tears 
 rolled down her cheeks. 
 
 " But you will not take it, mother, surely ? " 
 said Mildred, her cheeks flushing hotly; her 
 pride up in arms at once at the thought of 
 coming under such an obligation, even to a 
 relative. 
 
 " My child," said Mrs. Keith, " I could not 
 bear to hurt him as I well know he would be 
 hurt by a rejection of his kindness. We will 
 accept it : if not as a gift, as a loan to be repaid 
 some day when we are able. Another reason 
 why I feel that we ought not to let pride lead 
 us to refuse this, is that it seems to have come 
 it and your uncle's invitation also so directly 
 in answer to prayer.''
 
 16 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 She went on to tell Mildred of their anxi 
 ety in regard to her, and in particular of tht- 
 petitions she had been putting up on her b<* 
 naif, just before Mr. Dinsmore's arrival. 
 
 "Ah!" she said in conclusion, "how goo^ 
 is our God ! He has fulfilled to me his gra- 
 cious promise, ' And it shall come to pass, that 
 before they call, I will answer, and while they 
 are yet speaking, I will hear.' " 
 
 A moment's silence, then Mildred said in 
 half tremulous tones, " Oh, it is a blessed thing 
 to trust in God ! I hope my faith will grow to 
 be as strong as yours, mother, and I hope I am 
 thankful for this money, but mother, am I 
 very wicked to feel it something of a trial to 
 have to take it ?" 
 
 "I hope not," Mrs. Keith answered, with 
 a smile and a sigh, "I do not want to see my 
 children too ready to take help from others. 
 I trust they will always prefer any honest 
 work by which they may earn their bread, to 
 a life of luxury and ease and dependence. 
 That they will always remember the command, 
 ' Every man shall bear his own burden,' but, 
 since we are also told to bear one another's 
 burdens, and that it is more blessed to give 
 than to receive, I must believe there are casea 
 where it is right, yes, even a duty, to accept
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 17 
 
 some assistance from those who give freely and 
 gladly, and from their abundance, as I know 
 Cousin Horace does." 
 
 " Well, I must try not to be so selfish as to 
 grudge him his blessedness," remarked Mil 
 dred, playfully, though tears still shone in her 
 eyes. " But, mother, how are you to do with 
 out me ?" 
 
 " Oh, very nicely ! Zillah and Ada are 
 growing very helpful, Annie is no longer a 
 mere baby, and why, there is Celestia 
 Ann 1" she exclaimed joyously, suddenly 
 breaking off her sentence, as a casual glance 
 through a window showed her the tall, muscu 
 lar figure of their former and most efiicient 
 maid-of -all- work coming in at the gate. 
 
 " Oh ! if she has only come to stay, I shall 
 feel as if I can be spared," cried Mildred, 
 " Mother, how strangely difficulties are being 
 taken out of the way."
 
 " 'Tie you alone can save, or give my doom." 
 
 OTID. 
 
 CEL^STIA ANN had come to stay if wanted, 
 of which in her secret soul she had no doubt ; 
 want of self-appreciation not being one of her 
 failings she knew her own value quite aa 
 well as did any one else. 
 
 " If you've got a girl, and don't want me," 
 she remarked, upon announcing her errand, 
 " it don't make no difference ; I'm not pertic- 
 ler about workin' out this fall ; if I was there's 
 places enough ; though I am free to own I feel 
 a leetle more at home here than anywheres 
 else, and set great store by you all." 
 
 " We have a girl," said Mrs. Keith, " bnt 
 she leaves us in another week, and iii thts 
 meanwhile, I shall be glad to have two, as Mil 
 dred and I will be very busy with the prepara 
 tions for her journey." 
 
 " Journey ! is she goin' off? 'taint on her 
 weddin' trip, is it ? I heerd there was talk of
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 19 
 
 her gottin' married, and I said then I was 
 bound to have a finger in that pie makin' the 
 ureddin' cake." 
 
 " Oh, no, she's quite too young for that 
 yet, Mrs. Keith said, with a slight smile, 
 " she's only going South on a visit to some 
 relations." 
 
 " And I want you to promise to stay and 
 take care of mother till I come back, Celestia 
 Ann,'' added Mildred. 
 
 " Well, you've got to promise first that 
 you'll not stay forever," prudently stipulated 
 Miss Hunsinger. " When do you 'low to 
 come back ?" 
 
 " Next spring." 
 
 " H'm ! well, I don't mind engagin' for 
 that length of time, provided my folkb at 
 home keeps well, so's I'm not needed there." 
 
 " Then it's a bargain ?'' queried Mildred 
 joyously. 
 
 " Yes, I reckon." 
 
 And Celestia Ann hung up her sun-bonnet 
 "behind the kitchen door, and eet to work at 
 once with her wonted energy, while Mrs. 
 Keith and Mildred withdrew to 4he bedroom 
 of the latter to examine into the condition of 
 her wardrobe, and consult as to needed lopairs 
 and additions.
 
 20 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 They quickly decided that no new drebsei 
 should be purchased, and very little shopping 
 of any kind done until her arrival in Philadel 
 phia, as she could of course buy to much better 
 advantage there, and learn what were the pre 
 vailing fashions, before having the goods made 
 up. 
 
 Mrs. Keith had never made dress a matter 
 of primary importance with herself or with 
 her children, yet thought it well enough to 
 conform to the fashions sufficiently to avoid 
 being conspicuous for singularity of attire. 
 
 " We must give thought enough to the mat 
 ter to decide how our clothes are to be made," 
 she said, " and it is easier to follow the prevail 
 ing style than to contrive something different 
 for ourselves ; provided it be pretty and becom 
 ing ; for I think it a duty we owe our friends 
 to look as well as we can." 
 
 And on this principle she was desirous that 
 Mildred's dress suould be entirely suitable to 
 her age and station, handsome and fashionable 
 enough to ensure her against being an eyesore 
 and annoyance to Mrs. Dinsmore, whose guest 
 she was to be. 
 
 " The fashions are so slow in reaching these 
 western towns that I know we must be at least 
 a year or two behind," she remarked in a lively
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 21 
 
 tone, as she turned over and examined Mildred's 
 best dress a pretty blue black silk, almost as 
 good as new. " That doesn't trouble me so 
 long as we are at home ; but I don't want you 
 to look outre to our relations and their friends, 
 because that would be a mortification to them 
 as well as to yourself. So though this is per 
 fectly good, I think it will be best to try to 
 match it and have it remodeled." 
 
 " Mother," said Mildred, " when it comes to 
 buying dresses for myself how I shall miss you ! 
 I'm afraid I shall make some sad mistakes." 
 
 The young girl looked really troubled and 
 anxious as she spoke and her mother answered 
 in a kindly reassuring tone, 
 
 " I am not afraid to trust to your taste or 
 judgment, so you need not be." 
 
 " But I shall not know where to go to find 
 what I want, or whether the price asked is a 
 fair one." 
 
 " Well, my dear child, even these trifling 
 cares and anxieties we may carry to our kind 
 heavenly Father, feeling sure that so a way 
 will be provided out of the difficulty. Proba 
 bly your aunt or uncle, or some other friend, 
 will go with you." 
 
 The mother's tone was so cheerful and 
 confident that Mildred caught her spirit and
 
 22 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 grew gay and light-hearted over her prepa 
 rations. 
 
 Although the dressmaking was deferred, 
 there was still enough to be done in the few 
 days of the allotted time, to keep both mother 
 and daughter very busy; which was just as 
 well, as it left them no leisure to grieve over 
 the approaching separation. 
 
 The news that she was going so far away 
 and to be absent so long, created some conster 
 nation in the little coterie to which Mildred 
 belonged 
 
 Claudina Chetwood and Lu Grange declared 
 themselves almost inconsolable, while "Wallace 
 Ormsby was privately of the opinion that their 
 loss was as nothing compared to his. 
 
 Months ago he had decided that life would 
 be a desert without Mildred to share it with 
 him ; but he had never found courage to tell 
 her so, for he feared the feeling was not recip 
 rocated that she had only a friendly liking 
 for him. 
 
 He had hoped to win her heart in time, 
 but now the opportunity was to be taken from 
 him and given to others. It was not a cheerful 
 prospect ; and Mildred was so busy there seemed 
 no chance of getting a word alone with her. 
 
 " My mother tells me you are going away,
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 23 
 
 Mildred, on a long journey and for a lengthened 
 stay ? " Mr. Lord remarked inquiringly, and 
 with a regretful tone in his voice, as he shook 
 hands with her after the weekly evening service. 
 
 He had been absent from town for a week 
 or two. 
 
 " Yes," she returned gayly, putting aside 
 with determination the thought of the partings 
 that must wrench her heart at the last. " I 
 am all ready, trunk packed and everything, 
 and expect to start to-morrow morning." 
 
 " Ah, it's unfortunate. We shall miss you 
 sadly. May I" 
 
 But some one called to him from the other 
 side of the room ; he was obliged to turn away 
 without finishing his sentence, and "Wallace 
 Onnsby seized the opportunity to step up and 
 offer his arm to Mildred. 
 
 She accepted it and they walked on in si 
 lence till they were quite out of earshot of the 
 rest of the congregation. 
 
 Then Wallace opened his lips to speak, but 
 the words he wanted would not come ; he could 
 only stammer out a trite remark abowt the 
 weather 
 
 "Yes; it's beautiful," said Mildred. "I 
 do hope it will last so, at least till we reach 
 the Wabash However, we go in a covered
 
 24 MILDRED AT E08ELAND8. 
 
 vehicle, and I suppose will not get wet even if 
 it should rain." 
 
 " I wish you weren't going ! " cried Wallace 
 impetuously. " No, not that either ; for I think, 
 [ hope, the journey will do you good : but O 
 Mildred, I cannot bear the thought that you 
 may that somebody else will win you away 
 from me. 1 I don't presume to say that I 
 have any right, but I love you dearly, and 
 always shall, and I do think I could make you 
 happy if you only could return it," he went on 
 speaking fast, now that he had found his tongue : 
 " O Mildred, do you think you could ? " 
 
 " I don't know, Wallace," she said, her voice 
 trembling a little ; " I have a very great respect 
 and esteem for you, affection too," she added 
 with some hesitation, and feeling the hot blood 
 surge over her face at the words, " but I don't 
 think it's quite the sort you want.'' 
 
 " You love somebody else ? " he whispered 
 hoarsely. 
 
 " No, no : there is no one I like better than 
 I do you. But we are both very young and- " 
 
 " Perhaps you might, learn to like me in 
 time? '' he queried eagerly, tremulously, as one 
 hoping even against hope. 
 
 " Yes : though I do like you now : but it 
 ought to be something stronger, you know, and
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 25 
 
 I couldn't make any promises now, and neither 
 must you;" 
 
 " I should be glad to," he said, " for 1 an? 
 perfectly certain I should never repent." 
 
 He bade her good night at the gate, saying 
 he would not make it good-bye if he might 
 come to see her off in the morning. 
 
 "Certainly, Wallace,'' she said: "you are 
 like one of the family ; you have seemed that 
 to all of us ever since your great kindness to us 
 last summer.' 5 
 
 " Don't speak of it,'' he answered hastily, 
 " you conferred a great obligation in allowing 
 me, for it was the greatest pleasure in life to 
 be permitted to share your burdens.'*
 
 "How poor a thing la pride I " DAHHL. 
 
 TBB parting was no slight trial to her who 
 went or those who stayed behind, particularly 
 the loving, tender mother. But both she and 
 Mildred bore it bravely, though the heart of 
 the latter almost failed her as she felt the cling 
 ing arms of the little ones about her neck, heard 
 their sobs and saw their tears ; and again as she 
 found herself clasped to her father's and then to 
 her mother's breast with many a fond caress 
 and lowbreathed word of farewell and affection. 
 
 "Wallace wrung her hand with a whispered 
 word of passionate entreaty, " O Mildred, dar 
 ling, don't forget me 1 I'll remember you to the 
 da} of my death." 
 
 The weather was fine, the air crisp, cool and 
 bracing, and when the town and a few miles of 
 prairie had been left behind, their way ied 
 through woods beautiful with all the rich tinti 
 of October's most lavish mood.
 
 MILDRED Al HOMELANDS. 27 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore exerted himself to be enter- 
 taining and ere long he and Mildred were chat- 
 ting and laughing right merrily. 
 
 They took dinner at a farm house newly 
 built on a little clearing in the forest, finding 
 themselves not daintily served, but supplied with 
 an abundance of good, substantial, well cooked 
 food bread, butter, coffee, ham and eggs, and 
 two or three kinds of vegetables, with stewed 
 dried apple pie for dessert. 
 
 After an hour's rest for themselves and 
 horses, they traveled on again, reaching a little 
 town in time to get their supper and night's 
 lodging at its tavern, where the fare and ac 
 commodations were on a par with those of tho 
 farm-house. 
 
 They had found the roads rough : those 
 they passed over the next day were worse still, 
 mostly corduroy, over the rounded logs of which 
 the wheels passed with constant jolting, and 
 where one had been displaced or rotted away, 
 aa was occasionally the case, there would be a 
 eudden descent of, first the fore then the hind 
 wheels, with a violent jerk that i early, or quite 
 threw them from their seats. 
 
 They reached Delphi on the Wabash, inhere 
 they were to take a steamboat, sore, weary and 
 very glad to make the change.
 
 28 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 A night at the Delphi hotel, and the next 
 morning they went aboard the boat which car 
 ried them down the Wabash and up the Ohio 
 to Madison ; where they landed again and passed 
 part of a day and night. Embarking once more 
 in a larger craft, they continued on their way 
 up the Ohio as far as Portsmouth, whence a 
 Btage carried them across the country to Lans- 
 dale. 
 
 Miss Stanhope had not received the letter 
 which should have informed her of their com 
 ing. She was sitting alone by the fire, quietly 
 knitting and thinking, perchance of the dear 
 ones far away in Pleasant Plains, when the 
 loud and prolonged " Toot ! toot ! " of a horn, 
 followed by the roll and rumble of wheels, 
 aroused her from her reverie. 
 
 "The evening stage," she said half-aloud, 
 then rose hastily, dropped her knitting, and 
 hurried to the door ; for surely it had stopped 
 at her gate. 
 
 Yes, there it was ; a gentleman had alighted 
 and was handing out a lady, while the guard 
 was at the boot getting out their trunks. She 
 could see it all plainly by the moonlight, as she 
 threw the door wide open. 
 
 " Who can they be ? " she asked herself, as 
 *iii; stepped quickly across the porch and down
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 29 
 
 the garden path, to meet and welcome her un 
 expected guests. 
 
 The next moment Mildred's arms were 
 about her neck and both were weeping for joy. 
 
 " Dear child, this is a glad surprise ! " cried 
 Miss Stanhope, straining the young girl to her 
 breast. " But where are the rest ? " 
 
 <k Here ; I'm the only one, Sister Wealthy," 
 said Mr. Dinsmore, lifting his hat with one 
 hand, while the other one was held out to her. 
 " Haven't you a word of welcome for me ? " 
 
 "Arthur Dinsmore, my brother-in-law!'* 
 she cried, taking the hand and offering him her 
 lips. "I was never more surprised or de 
 lighted ! 
 
 "Come in, come in, both of you. You 
 must be cold, tired and hungry. I hope 
 you've come to make a long stay. Simon 
 will carry in the trunks," she went on rapidly 
 as she seized Mildred's hand and led the way 
 to the house, half beside herself with the sud 
 den delight of seeing them. 
 
 She had many questions to ask, but the 
 comfort of the weary travelers was the first 
 thing to be attended to. She removed Mil 
 dred's wraps with her own hands, rejoicing 
 over her the while as a mother might over a 
 lost child restored, and would have done the
 
 80 MILDRED AT ROSELAND& 
 
 game by Mr. Dinsmore if he had waited for 
 her. 
 
 She soon had each cosily seated in a com- 
 fortable armchair beside the blazing fire, Simon 
 kindling fires in the spare rooms, and Phillis in 
 the kitchen, preparing a tempting meal. 
 
 " You couldn't be more welcome than you 
 are, brother, or you Mildred, my dear child," 
 she said, coming back from overseeing all these 
 matters, " but you might have fared rather bet 
 ter, perhaps, if you had sent me word that you 
 were coming." 
 
 " I wrote from Pleasant Plains," he answer 
 ed. " The letter has been either lost or delayed 
 in the mails." 
 
 "Ah well, we won't fret about it," she re 
 sponded cheerily. " I at least am far too happy 
 to fret about anything," she added, feasting her 
 eyes upon Mildred's face. 
 
 " Dear child, you are worn and thin ! " she 
 exclaimed presently, her eyes filling, " that 
 nursing was far too hard for you. How I 
 wish I could have saved you from some of it 1 
 Bat you have come to stay all winter with me 
 and have a good rest, haven't you ? " 
 
 " .No, no, she belongs to me for the winter," 
 interposed Mr. Dinsmore, before Mildred could 
 open her lips to reply. " If you want her com-
 
 MILDRED AT EOSELANDB. 81 
 
 pany, Sister Wealthy, you must even make up 
 your mind to be our guest also. What is to 
 hinder you from shutting up your house and 
 going with as to Roselands? I am sure I 
 need not say that we would be delighted to 
 have you do so." 
 
 " You are very kind, brother," she said, 
 giving him an affectionate look, "but there 
 are reasons why it would not do for me to leave 
 home for so long a visit. Where is Horace I 
 My dear sister Eva's son. I wish he had come 
 with you. Poor boy I " and she sighed deeply. 
 
 A slight frown gathered on Mr. Dinsmore's 
 brow at that. " He is hardly a subject for pity," 
 he remarked, "he has just sailed for Europe 
 with pleasant prospects before him and in appa 
 rently excellent spirits." 
 
 He looked fixedly at her, then glanced at 
 Mildred, and taking the hint, she dropped the 
 subject for that time. 
 
 She was at no loss for topics of conversa 
 tion, so eager was she to learn all that could bo 
 told her in regard to the dear ones Mildred had 
 left behind. Also she felt a lively interest in 
 the family at Roselands, though they were not 
 actually related to her, being the children of the 
 present Mrs. Dinsmore, who was the second 
 wife and successor to Horace's mother.
 
 82 MILDRED AT ROSBLAND8. 
 
 But finding herself alone with Mr. Dins- 
 more the next day, Miss Stanhope said, t: Yov 
 tell me Horace has gone to Europe ? Will ho 
 be long absent ? " 
 
 "It is quite uncertain," he answered care 
 lessly, " he may prolong his stay to a year or 
 more." 
 
 " He has his child with him, I hope." 
 
 "His child!" 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore seemed much annoyed. 
 
 "Certainly not," he said after a moment's 
 disturbed pause ; " what could he do with her I 
 But I really hoped you knew nothing about 
 that ridiculous affair. Pray how did you learn 
 it*" 
 
 " Horace told Marcia and requested her to 
 write the particulars to me," Aunt Wealthy 
 answered meekly. " And she is still with her 
 guardian poor little dear ? " 
 
 " Yes, and will be I trust for years to come. 
 That mad escapade of Horace's for I can call 
 his hasty, ill-timed, imprudent marriage by no 
 other name has been to me a source of untold 
 mortification and annoyance." 
 
 " It was not a bad match except on account 
 of their extreme youth ? " Miss Stanhope said 
 in a tone between assertion and inquiry. 
 
 "I consider it so most decidedly," he re-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 83 
 
 turned, his eves kindling with anger. " Elsie 
 Graygon, the daughter of a man who, though 
 wealthy, has made all his money by trade, waa 
 no fit match for my son, and I consider it a 
 fort unate thing that she did not live : it would 
 have been, in my estimation, still more fortu 
 nate if her child had died with her." 
 
 Miss Stanhope was shocked. 
 
 " O Arthur, how can you ! '' she exclaimed, 
 tears starting to her eyes, " how can you feel so 
 toward your own little granddaughter ; a poor 
 motherless baby too ! Truly pride must be a 
 great hardener of the heart." 
 
 " Old Grayson's grandchild," he muttered, 
 rising to pace the floor in a hasty excited man 
 ner." Please oblige me by not mentioning thil 
 subject again," he said : " it is exceedingly un 
 pleasant to me." 
 
 Miss Stanhope sighed inwardly. 
 
 " Arthur," she said, " Pride goeth before de 
 struction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." 
 
 She did not broach the subject again during 
 the remainder of his brief stay with her. 
 
 " I am going out for a look at your town," 
 he said, taking up his hat. "I hope," turning 
 back at the door, with his hand on the knob, 
 " that Mildred has heard nothing of this atiair I " 
 he remarked inquiringly.
 
 84 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 " She knows all that I do, I believe," Miaa 
 Stanhope answered quietly. " It seemed to be 
 Horace's wish that she should be told." 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore went out with a groan, and 
 Mildred coming in at that instant bj another 
 door, heard, and inquired somewhat anxiously, 
 of her aunt, what was the matter. 
 
 Miss Stanhope thought it best to tell her and 
 advise avoidance of any allusion to Horace's 
 wife or child, when in her uncle's presence ; 
 unless he should himself take the initiative. 
 
 Mildred promised to be careful, "Though 
 why he should feel so I cannot understand,' 
 she added, " I, for my part, feel the greatest in 
 terest in that little child, and regret exceedingly 
 that I shall not see her. But Cousin Horace's 
 feelings toward her are more inexplicable still, 
 How can he help loving his own little baby 
 girl, who seems to have no one else to love and 
 cherish her except the servants ! " 
 
 It was now an hour since they had ^eft the 
 breakfast table : Miss Stanhope's morning 
 duties connected with the care of the house 
 hold, had been attended to, Phillis and Simon 
 had received their orders for the day, and the 
 good tedy might conscientiously indulge herself 
 and Mildred in the lengthened chat both had 
 beer longing for ever since the arrival of the 
 latter the previous night.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 35 
 
 Of course the first and most absorbingly 
 interesting topic was the home circle at Pleas 
 ant Plains. That thoroughly discussed, they 
 passed on to friends and neighbors both there 
 and here, each finding numerous questions to 
 ask the other, and many a bit of news to give. 
 
 " What has become of poor Mrs. Osborne 
 and Frank ?" Mildred inquired. 
 
 " Ah, she has gone home at last, and is for 
 ever done with pain and sickness," Miss Stan 
 hope answered. " It was hard for Frank, but 
 a blessed release to her poor dear woman ! It 
 was three weeks ago she went, and a week after 
 Frank came to bid me good-bye. He's going 
 to work his way through college, he told me, 
 and make his mark in the world. And, Milly, 
 my dear," she added with a slightly mischiev 
 ous smile, "he hinted pretty broadly that when 
 his laurels were won they would be laid at the 
 feet of a certain young girl of my acquaintance ; 
 if I thought there might be some faint hope 
 that she would not deem it presumption." 
 
 " And what did you answer to that, Aunt 
 Wealthy ; " queried Mildred, with heightened 
 color and a look of mingled vexation and unuse- 
 ment. " He is such a mere boy ! " she added, 
 " I never thought of him as anything else.'* 
 
 " Of course not ; nor did I. But he is a
 
 36 MILDRED AT ROSELAND&. 
 
 good, true, noble fellow, bright and intelligent 
 above the ordinary, and very modest and unas 
 suming with it all. He will make a fine 
 man." 
 
 " Yee ; I think so too, and if he happens to 
 fancy one of my younger sisters, I'll consent 
 with all my heart, and do what I can to further 
 his suit." 
 
 Aunt Wealthy shook her head and smiled. 
 " It's not what he wants now ; but who 
 knows? Time does work wonderful changes 
 now and then." 
 
 Mildred's thoughts seemed to have wan 
 dered away from the subject ; she was silent 
 for a moment ; then suddenly asked, " Aunt 
 "Wealthy, do you know what sort of person 
 Dear me, what am I to call her? Mrs. or 
 Aunt Dinsmore? What would you do about 
 it?" 
 
 "I should ask her what title she preferred, 
 and act accordingly. No; I have never met 
 hei, and know very little ab^ut her, except 
 that she is not a pious woman." 
 ' And uncle ?" 
 
 " Is not a Christian either," Miss Stanhope 
 said sorrowfully, as Mildred paused, leaving 
 her sentence unfinished ; " believes nothing 
 more necessary to secure salvation than an
 
 MLLDEEV AT R08ELAND8. 37 
 
 honest, upright, moral life. My dear child, 
 you are going into an atmosphere of worldli- 
 iiess, and will need to watch and pray, keeping 
 close to the Master. Ah ! what joy that we 
 need never be any farther away from him in 
 one place than another !" 
 
 " Yes, that was what mother said," mur 
 mured Mildred, tears filling her eyes at the 
 thought of the many miles now lying between 
 her and that loved parent and friend; "she 
 promised to pray daily for me that I might be 
 kept from the evil, and you will do so, too, 
 Auut Wealthy, will you not ?" 
 
 " Indeed I will, dear child," was the ear- 
 nest response.
 
 Chapter Jfwrifj. 
 
 u Wtt this for me." SHAKESPBA.R*. 
 
 ' YOUR traveling suit is very neat and be 
 coming very ladylike/' Miss Stanhope re 
 marked, with an approving glance at Mildred's 
 trim figure, " I don't think your Uncle Dins- 
 more can have felt that he had any reason to be 
 ashamed of you." 
 
 " I hope not," was the smiling rejoinder, 
 " and I did not see any indications of it." 
 
 " But how about the rest of your wardrobe, 
 child ? I fear you had small choice of mate 
 rial in Pleasant Plains, and very 'little time for 
 making up your purchases. We might do 
 rather better here, if we could persuade your 
 uncle to lengthen his intended stay." 
 
 " Thank you, auntie dear, you are always so 
 kind and thoughtful," Mildred said, " but I 
 don't think he could be persuaded, and indeed 
 I should not like to have him delay for my
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 39 
 
 aake, because I know he and his wife are anx 
 ious to get home before the cold weather sets 
 in.' 
 
 She went on to explain her plans, and to 
 tell of her Cousin Horace's generous gift. 
 
 " That was just like him, he's an open- 
 handed, noble fellow," was Aunt "Weal thy 'a 
 comment, " you need never hesitate to take a 
 kindness from him, because he enjoys it, and 
 is abundantly able. But I must not be out 
 done by him," she continued with a smile, 
 rising and going to her bureau for they were 
 in her bedroom now " or rather, I wish to 
 do my share in proportion to my ability." 
 
 Mildred protested that her wants were 
 already well supplied ; but playfully bidding 
 her be quiet and let older and wiser heads 
 judge of that, Miss Stanhope proceeded to take 
 a key from her pocket, unlock the drawers of 
 her bureau, and bring forth her treasures : 
 a quantity of rich old lace, that the finest lady 
 in the land might have been proud to wear, 
 Bevera.1 handsome rings, a diamond pin, and a 
 beautiful gold chain for the neck. 
 
 " They are old fashioned, dearie," she said, 
 " but n_ one will mistake them for pinchbeck 
 and colored glass," she added, with her low, 
 musical laugh, as she threw the chain about
 
 40 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Mildred's neck, and slipped the rings upon her 
 fingers. 
 
 The girl's cheeks flushed, and her eyes 
 sparkled. 
 
 " O, Aunt Wealthy," she cried, " how can 
 you trust such treasures to my keeping ? Old 
 fashioned indeed ! They are all the more de 
 lightful for that, as showing that one does not 
 belong to the mushroom gentry, but to a good, 
 substantial old family. But you must not let 
 ine use them, lest they should be lost or 
 stolen. I should be frightened out of my wils 
 in either case." 
 
 " Nonsense, child ! You would have no 
 need ; for the loss would be more yours than 
 mine ; I shall never wear them again, and they 
 will all belong, some day, to you or your sif 
 ters," Miss Stanhope said, turning to her bureau 
 once more. 
 
 Lifting out something carefully wrapped in 
 a towel, she laid it in Mildred's lap, saying, 
 " This, too, you must take with you. You 
 will want a handsome wrap in Philadelphia, 
 before you can go out to buy, and this will 
 answer the purpose even better than anything 
 you would feel able to purchase. Won't it ? " 
 she queried with another of her sweet, silvery 
 laughs.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 41 
 
 Mildred fairly caught her breath in delighted 
 inrprise. 
 
 " O, Aunt Wealthy ! your beautiful India 
 uhawl ! you can't mean to lend that to me ! " 
 
 " That is just what I mean, Milly ; stand 
 np a minute, dear/' she answered gayly, taking 
 it from ila wrappings and draping it about the 
 slender girlish figure. " There ! nothing could 
 be more becoming. I can only lend, not give it, 
 because it is already willed to your mother. But 
 it is to descend always to the eldest daughter." 
 
 " Aunt "Wealthy, I'm afraid to borrow it ; 
 afraid something might happen to it. So pleaso 
 put it away again." 
 
 " Tut, child ! something might happen to it 
 at home. Suppose the house should burn down 
 with everything in it ; wouldn't I be glad the 
 ehawl was saved by being far away in your 
 keeping ? " 
 
 It was very rich and costly, and highly 
 prized by Miss Stanhope as the gift of a favorite 
 brother, long since dead. He had been a wan 
 derer, lived many years in China and India, 
 whence he had sent her, from time to time, 
 rare and beautiful things, of which this was 
 one , then at length he came home to die in 
 her arms, leaving her the bulk of his fortune 
 enough to make her very comfortable.
 
 48 MILDRED AT EOSELAND8. 
 
 Her means were ample for her own needs, 
 but not for her abundant charities ; for she 
 Spent little on herself, but gave with a liberal 
 hand. 
 
 " Yes, I know you would, auntie," Mildred 
 said, passing her hand caressingly over the soft, 
 rich folds ; " but in my wildest dreams I never 
 supposed you would lend this to me. And if 
 I were in your place I don't think I'd do it," 
 she concluded with an arch look and smile. 
 
 " You are a careful little body and I'm not 
 afraid to trust you. You must carry it with 
 you, my child, and wear it too ; as a favor to 
 me , for you can't suppose I feel willing to 
 have Mrs. Dinsmore's aristocratic nose turn up 
 at niece of mine for lack of a little finery that 
 lies idle in my bureau drawer ? " 
 
 " Ah, if you put it on that score I can't 
 refuse," laughed Mildred, her face sparkling 
 with pleasure, " and oh, but you're good to let 
 me have it ! It is so handsome, auntie ! it 
 seems like a whole outfit in itself," she went on, 
 dancing about the room in almost wild delight. 
 
 Then sobering down a little and standing 
 before the glass to note the effect, " I don't 
 think," she said, " that I had seen it over half 
 a dozen times before when worn on some 
 grand occasion by you or mother and it has
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAXD8. 43 
 
 always inspired me with a kind of awe, as 
 eomethiug to be looked at from a respectful 
 distance and by no means handled. So it seems 
 almost beyond belief that I am actually to wear 
 it." 
 
 The few days Mr. Dinsmore had appor 
 tioned to their visit to Lansdale flew rapidly 
 by ; all too rapidly for Miss Stanhope, who was 
 loath to part with them, Mildred especial ly ; 
 but the young girl, full of youthful eagerness 
 to see the world, was hardly sorry to go, spite 
 of her sincere affection for her aunt. 
 
 They returned to the Ohio Kiver as they 
 had come, striking it at the nearest point, where 
 they once more embarked in a steamboat ; tak 
 ing passage for Pittsburgh. 
 
 They were again favored with pleasant 
 weather, for the most of the time, and Mildred 
 enjoyed the trip. Mr. Dinsmore was very kind 
 and attentive to her comfort, and she made 
 some agreeable acquaintances among her fellow 
 passengers. 
 
 They dined and spent some hcnrs at a hotel 
 in Pittsburgh, then took the cars for Philadel 
 phia. 
 
 It was a new mode of travel to Mildred, 
 and not what she would have chosen ; she had 
 read newspaper accounts of railroad accident*,
 
 44 MILDRED AT R08ELANDK. 
 
 and felt ID going upon the train, that she was 
 risking life and limb 
 
 But she kept her fears to herself, determined 
 fjot to be an annoyance to her uncle, und he 
 never suspected how her heart was quakirg as 
 she took auiet possession of the seat he selected 
 for her. 
 
 " We are early," he remarked with a glance 
 about the almost empty car, as he sat down 
 besida her ; then looking at his watch, " Yes, 
 fully fifteen minutes to wait before the train 
 starts. WeU, that's a good deal better than 
 being too late. 
 
 " Mildred, there's something I want to sav 
 to you before we join your aunt, and perhaps 
 this is as good a time for it as any. There 1 
 don't f-e alarmed," as she gave him a startled 
 look, -' it's nothing unpleasant ; only that I 
 would rather you would not say anything to 
 Mrs. Dinsmore about your father's circumstan 
 ces. My dear, I am not meaning to wound 
 your feelings," he added hastily, for she was 
 blushing painfully and her eyes had filled. 
 
 " 1 think quite as much of him, and of you 
 all as if you were rolling in wealth. But my 
 wife is well, does not always see things pre 
 cisely as I do, and it will make us more com- 
 fortable all round if she is left to suppose
 
 MILDRED AT B08SLAND8. 45 
 
 that your mother is still in possession of the 
 fortune she once had." 
 
 He paused and Mildred, understanding that 
 some answer was expected from her, said, a 
 little tremulously, for she was hurt, " I cannot 
 act a lie, Uncle Dinpmore, and poverty ought 
 not to be considered a disgrace." 
 
 " Of course it shouldn't and I am not asking 
 you to practice deceit any more than just to 
 keep things to yourself which others have no 
 right to pry into. It need not be difficult ; for 
 Mrs. Dinsmore is not one of the prying kind ; 
 and Horace and I will regard it as a favor to us, 
 if you will simply leave it to me to take care 
 of your expenses without question or remark." 
 
 This last was spoken with such winning 
 kindness of tone and manner that even Mildred's 
 pride was disarmed : grateful tears shone in her 
 eyes as she turned them upon him. 
 
 " My dear good uncle," she whispered, lay 
 ing her hand upon his with a gesture of confid 
 ing affection, " I don't know how to thank you 
 and Cousin Horace, and I cannot refuse to do 
 as you wish , but indeed you must not let me 
 !>e any more expense to you than if I were but 
 an ordinary guest ; instead of the extraordinary 
 one I am," she added, laughing to hide hei 
 emotion.
 
 At MILDRED AT E08ELANDB. 
 
 " I shall have my own way about it, you 
 may depend, whatever that may chance to be," 
 he answered with mock severity of tone. 
 
 Mildred laughed again, this time a really 
 mirthful, happy laugh ; feeling her heart grow 
 strangely light. 
 
 After all she could not help being glad that 
 Mrs. Dinsmore was not to know their compara 
 tive poverty ; that she herself was not to be 
 looked upon as a poor relation who might be 
 snubbed at pleasure and perhaps twitted with 
 her lack of means : or worse still, treated with 
 lofty, or with pitying condescension. 
 
 " Yes," Mr. Dinsmore went on, half to him 
 self, half to her, " wealth is but a secondary 
 matter after all ; family is the main thing. J 
 believe in blood, and want nothing to do with 
 your parvenu aristocracy, be they never so rich. 
 Well what say you, my dear?" for Mildred's 
 face had grown very thoughtful. 
 
 " I'm afraid I am naturally inclined to think 
 just so, but " 
 
 "Well, are not my views correct and 
 proper ? " he asked good humoredly, as she 
 paused with a look of some confusion. 
 
 " Is not character what we should look at, 
 rather than anything else ? " she modestly in- 
 quired, " is not true nobility that of the heart
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 47 
 
 and life? It is what father and mother have 
 taught me, and I think, too, is most consistent 
 with the teachings of God's word." 
 
 At that moment there was a sudden and 
 .arge influx of passengers, some of them talking 
 noisily and her query remained unanswered.
 
 "Walk 
 
 Boldly and wisely in that light thon hast. 
 There Is a hand above will help thee on." 
 
 BIRLET'S PMTUS. 
 
 " WELL, ray dear, what ^o you think of 
 her ? " asked Mr. Dinsmore, addressing hig 
 wife. 
 
 Mildred had just left the room to don bon 
 net and shawl preparatory to a shopping expe 
 dition. She and her uncle had arrived in 
 Philadelphia late the previous night, and Mrs. 
 Dinsmore and the children having already 
 retired, Mildred's first sight of them had been 
 at the breakfast table this morning ; the meal 
 being partaken of in the private parlor belong 
 ing to the suite of apartments the Dinsmorea 
 were occupying in one of the best hotels of the 
 city. 
 
 " I am agreeably disappointed, I must con 
 fess," Mrs. Dinsmore replied to her husband's 
 query. " She is decidedly pretty and extremely
 
 MILDRED AT nOSELANDa. 49 
 
 ladylike in manner and appearance. Even hei 
 dre&s, though not quite in the fashion be 
 speaks her a person of taste and refinement, 
 fn fact I think I shall enjoy playing chaperone 
 to her and introducing her to our friends at the 
 South." 
 
 " Ah, I thought you could not fail to be 
 pleased with her," Mr. Dinnmore said, looking 
 much gratified, " and I knew you were when 
 you bade her call you aunt. I imagine she 
 had been a little troubled to decide just how 
 ehe was to address you." 
 
 " Well, since I find she is not the sort one 
 need feel ashamed of, I've no objection to her 
 claiming relationship, though there is none at 
 all in point of fact ; but if she had proved the 
 awkward, ungainly, uncouth girl I expected, I 
 ehould have requested her to call me Mrs. Dins- 
 more," remarked that lady languidly. " I won 
 der if she has much shopping to do ? I hope 
 not, for I really do not feel equal to the exer 
 tion of assisting her." 
 
 " Driving pbout in a carriage and sitting 
 in the stores; I should not think it need be 
 eo very fatiguing," remarked her husband. 
 
 " Of course not, Mr, Dinsmore ; men never 
 do see why anything should fatigue their 
 wives," she retorted with some petulance.
 
 60 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 " Tben Miss Worth and I will have to 
 manage it between us. You expect her to-day, 
 do you not \ ' 
 
 " She was to come to-day ; but of course she 
 won't. People never do as they promise. The 
 fact is she oughtn't to have gone at all, leaving 
 me here alone with servants aad children ; so 
 eelfish and inconsiderate ! " 
 
 "But, my dear, it would have been very 
 hard for her to go back without having spent 
 a short time with her family." 
 
 " And her pleasure is to be considered be 
 fore my comfort, of course." 
 
 " Really,! had hoped your comfort had not 
 been neglected," Mr. Dinsmore said, in a tone 
 of some irritation, as he glanced from the 
 richly attired figure in the easy chair, opposite 
 his own, to the luxurious appointments of the 
 room ; " what more can you wish ? " 
 
 The entrance of Mrs. Dinsmore's maid, 
 bringing her bonnet and shawl, saved the lady 
 the necessity of replying to the somewhat in 
 convenient query, and her husband turned to 
 the morning paper. 
 
 Then Mildred came in. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore, standing before the pier 
 glass, saw the girl's figure reflected there, and
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 51 
 
 the latter could not help enjoying her start of 
 surprise. 
 
 " What an elegant Bhawl 1" she exclaimed, 
 turning hastily about to take a better view, 
 " real India 1 You needn't be ashamed to show 
 yourself anywhere in that! Though your bon 
 net is quite out of date, as you warned me," 
 she added by way of preventing too great ela 
 tion from her praise of the shawl. 
 
 " No matter," interposed Mr. Dinsmore, 
 throwing down his paper, " we'll soon set that 
 right. The carriage is waiting. Are any of 
 the children going ?" 
 
 " Yes, Adelaide, Louise and Lora. Mammy 
 and Fanny have taken the younger ones out." 
 
 The three little girls came in at the mo 
 ment. They were gayly and expensively 
 dressed, in the height of the fashion. They 
 looked curiously at Mildred, then Louise, the 
 second in age, a child of ten, whispered to her 
 mother, 
 
 " What a fright of a bonnet, it's not in the 
 style at all, and I don't want her along if she's 
 going to wear that." 
 
 " Hush ! it's no matter," returned the 
 mother in the same low key, " she won't be 
 seen in the carriage, and we'll drive directly to 
 Mrs. Brown's, and get her a handsome one."
 
 M MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " Oh ! what a pretty shawl, cousin," ex- 
 claimed Adelaide, " real India, isn't it ? Come 
 on, mamma, and all of you," she added, hur 
 rying into the hall, " it's time we were off." 
 
 " Adelaide always wants to direct the rest 
 of us," complained Louise, "I wish, mamma,, 
 you'd make her know her place." 
 
 " Tut, tut ! remember she's three years 
 older than you. But if you children are going 
 to quarrel, you must stay behind," said Mr. 
 Dinsmore, standing back to let his wife and 
 Mildred pass out first. 
 
 "No, no, papa, that won't do, because we're 
 to be fitted with hats and shoes," laughed the 
 youngest of the three, putting her hand into 
 his, " besides, I didn't quarrel." 
 
 " That's true enough, Lora," he answered, 
 leading her down the stairs, " and in fact, I 
 believe no one did but Louise, who is apt to be 
 the complainer." 
 
 The drive to the milliner's was so short that 
 Mildred thought they might as well have 
 walked. She would have preferred it as giv 
 ing her a better opportunity to see the city ; 
 but no ; in that case she would have had to 
 mortify her friends by an exhibition of her un 
 fashionable head-gear. 
 
 The next ha. 1 !* hour was spent in turning
 
 M1LDUED AT R08ELAND3. 53 
 
 over ribbons, flowers and feathers, discussing 
 styles, and trying on bonnets. 
 
 At length one was found which pleased 
 both Mrs. Dinsmore and Mildred, bnt the price 
 asked seemed to the latter extravagant. 
 
 " Do you think I ought to go so high, 
 Aunt?" she asked in an undertone. "Is it 
 worth it I" 
 
 " I think the price reasonable, and the hat 
 no finer than you ought to wear," returned 
 Mrs. Dinsmore coldly. 
 
 Mildred, blushing, turned to the saleswo 
 man, saying, " I will take it," and began count 
 ing out the money. 
 
 " Stay," said her aunt, " you will want a 
 hat for travelling in." 
 
 A plainer and less expensive one was se 
 lected for that purpose, the handsome bonnet 
 put on, the bill paid, and they returned to their 
 carriage, Mildred feeling pleasantly conscious 
 of her improved appearance, yet a trifle uneasy 
 at the thought of how fast her money was melt 
 ing away. 
 
 Their next visit was to a fashionable shoe 
 store. Mrs. Dinsmore had the children and 
 herself fitted with several pairs each, and by 
 her advice, Mildred, too, bought slippers for 
 the house, and heavy walking shoes.
 
 64: MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 " You must have, besides, a pair of gaiten 
 to match each handsome dress you buy," Mrs. 
 Dinsmore said to her as they re-entered the 
 carriage. 
 
 That announcement filled Mildred with 
 dismay. At this rate her purse would be 
 emptied before the demands upon it were 
 nearly satisfied. What was she to do ? She 
 had been eager to select her dresses, but now 
 was thankful for the respite afforded her by 
 Mrs. Dinsmore's declaration that she was too 
 much fatigued for any more shopping, and 
 that therefore they would return to their hotel. 
 
 " I'm going to lie down till it is time to 
 dress for dinner, and would advise you to do the 
 same,' 1 she said to Mildred as they re-entered 
 their parlor, and our heroine retreated at once 
 to her own room, glad of the opportunity to 
 think over her perplexity in solitude, and ask 
 guidance and help of her best Friend, who, 
 as she rejoiced in knowing, was abundantly 
 able and willing to help her in every time of 
 need. 
 
 She cast her burden on Him, then threw 
 herself on the bed, and being very weary with 
 her long journey, soon fell asleep. 
 
 Two hours later she was roused by a knock 
 at her door. She sprang up and opened it to
 
 MILD RED A T R03ELAND8. 55 
 
 find a porter there with an armful of brown 
 paper parcels and a note for her. 
 
 " Is there not some mistake ? " she asked in 
 surprise. 
 
 "No, Miss: No. 95, and here's the name 
 on the note and the bundles." 
 
 " Why yes, it is my name, sure enough ! " 
 she exclaimed. " Well, you may bring them 
 in." 
 
 The man laid the packages down and de 
 parted, while Mildred, only waiting to close 
 the door after him, tore open the note. 
 
 "My dear niece,'' so it ran, "you must 
 please excuse the liberty I have taken in select 
 ing your dresses for you. Tour Aunt Wealthy 
 put some money into my hands to be laid out 
 for you. The letter containing her remittance 
 and also one from Roselands which hurries us 
 home, came to hand a few minutes after you 
 and Mrs. Dinsmore had left the hotel. Miss 
 Worth arrived while I was in the act of read 
 ing them, and with her assistance I ventured to 
 do your shopping for you. The contents of the 
 parcels sent with this are the result. 
 
 "Hoping they may suit your taste, I am your 
 affectionate uncle, A. D." 
 
 For some minutes after the note had been 
 hastily read and laid aside, Mildred's fingera
 
 66 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 were very busy with twine and wrapping 
 paper, bringing to light beautiful and costly 
 things, while her cheeks burned with excite- 
 ment and her eyes danced with delight, or 
 iilled with tears of mingled pleasure and pain. 
 
 Sho could not fail to rejoice in such wealth 
 of lovely things, yet it hurt her pride of inde 
 pendence that she must take them as gifts ; and 
 that from one who was scarcely related to her, 
 for well she knew that Mr. Dinsmore must have 
 paid a large proportion of the price from his 
 own purse. There were materials for three 
 beautiful evening dresses, a sage colored merino, 
 tine and soft, an all wool delaine royal purple 
 with an embroidered sprig ; also three silks a 
 black, a dark brown, and a silver grcy; each 
 rich and heavy enough to almost sfr.nd alone, 
 and there was a box of kid gloves ; <>ne or two 
 pairs to match each dress, the r<^t white for 
 evening wear. Nor had suitable trimmings for 
 the dresses been forgotten : they were there in 
 beautiful variety ribbons, buttons, heavy silk 
 fringes ; nothing had been overlooked. 
 
 Mildred seemed to herself to be in a dream 
 she could hardly believe that such riches werf 
 really here, 
 
 But there came a rap at the door anu open 
 ing she found Mr. Dinsmore standing
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 57 
 
 "May I come in?" he asked with grave 
 cheerfulness. 
 
 She stepped back silently, her heart too full 
 foi speech, and passing in he closed the door. 
 
 " My dear child, you will excuse me ? " he 
 began, but throwing her arms round his neck 
 Bhe burst into tears. 
 
 " O, uncle, you are so kind ! but it is too 
 much," she sobbed, hiding her face on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Nonsense ! the merest trifle ! " he said, 
 stroking her hair. " But if you don't like 
 them " 
 
 " Like them 1 " she cried. " They're just 
 lovely 1 every one of them, but " 
 
 " No, no ! no buts," he said gayly ; " if they 
 suit your taste it's all right. The gaiters that 
 Mrs. Dirismore says are necessary to match 
 the dresses, can be made nearer home and we'll 
 have two days, Friday and Saturday for sight 
 seeing. This is Thursday, and early Monday 
 morning we leave for Roselands." 
 
 " But O, uncle, you shouldn't have spent so 
 much money on me, ' began Mildred. 
 
 "I, child? your Aunt Wealthy you mean, 
 Didn't you read my note ? " 
 
 " Yes sir ; and I know I must thank her for 
 ft part, but only a part of these beautiml things.
 
 68 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 " Dear me, how very wise we are," he said 
 jocosely and chucking her playfully under the 
 oh in; "yet perhaps not quite so wise as we 
 think. Now if you want to do me a favor, just 
 call to mind our talk in the cars the other day, 
 and say no more about this. 
 
 " Mrs. Dinsmore and Miss Worth know 
 nothing but that I had money of yours in my 
 hands and have used it in doing your shopping 
 for you ; and it is decidedly my wish that they 
 neither know nor suspect anything further. 
 Will you oblige me by being quiet about it ? " 
 
 " I would do anything I possibly could to 
 oblige you, Uncle Dinsmore," she answered, 
 looking into his eyes with hers full of grateful 
 tears. 
 
 " Ah, that's my good girl," he said, " Now 
 dry your eyes and we'll go down to dinner. It 
 is to be served for the family in our own par 
 lor, and is probably on the table now." 
 
 Dinner was on the table, and as they entered 
 the family were in the act of taking their placed 
 about it. 
 
 Miss Worth the governess was with them. 
 She was an intelligent looking, but rather plain 
 featured woman of perhaps thirty-five. Her 
 manners were unobtrusive, she was very quiet 
 and reserved, seemingly self-absorbed.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 59 
 
 Mildred's first impressions were not too 
 favorable. The thought in the girl's mind was, 
 " she's a disagreeable old maid, and I'm sure I 
 ehall never like her." 
 
 Yet the face, though slightly sad and care 
 worn when at rest, would by many have been 
 preferred to Mrs. Dinsmore's in its faded beauty, 
 and listless or fretful and annoyed expression. 
 
 The bright, fresh young faces of the chil 
 dren pleased Mildred better than either. There 
 were six of them in all ; Arthur, Walter, and 
 Enna were all younger than the three little 
 girls whose acquaintance she had made in the 
 morning the last named a mere baby. They 
 were pretty children and not ill-behaved con 
 sidering that they had been used to an almost 
 unlimited amount of petting and indulgence. 
 
 "Miss Worth has been telling me about 
 your dresses, Mildred," remarked Mrs. Dins- 
 more, " I hope you will like them ; I should 
 think from her description, they must be very 
 handsome." 
 
 " They are, very" Mildred answered, with 
 i vivia blush. " I don't think I could possi 
 bly have been better suited." And turning to 
 Miss Worth, she thanked her warmly for the 
 trouble she had taken in her behalf. 
 
 " It was no trouble, and you are heartily
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 welcome, Miss Keith," returned the governess, 
 a smile lighting up her features into positive 
 comeliness. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore changed the subject, by ft 
 proposal to take his wife and Mildred to some 
 place of amusement for the evening. 
 
 " How thoughtless you are, ray dear," said 
 Mrs. Dinsmore, "I am sure Mildred must be 
 too much fatigued by her journey to think of 
 going out." 
 
 " I doubt it," he returned, laughing. 
 " What do you say, Milly?" 
 
 " That I don't think I am," she answered 
 brightly, "a two hours' nap this afternoon hav 
 ing refreshed me wonderfully." 
 
 " Then we'll go," he said, " there's an oppor 
 tunity to hear some fine music, and I don't 
 want to miss it. You will go with us, Mrs, 
 Dinsmore ?" 
 
 " No," she said coldly, " I do not feel equal 
 to the exeition." 
 
 She was not an invalid, but had barely es 
 caped becoming such through extreme aversion 
 to exercise of body or mind. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore then extended his invitation 
 to Miss "Worth, overruled her objection, that 
 she feared the children would require her at- 
 tention, by saying that the servants would give
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 61 
 
 them all the care they needed, and insisted 
 upon her acceptance, unless she, too, must plead 
 fatigue as an excuse for declining. 
 
 Before the governess had time to open her 
 lips in reply, Mrs. Dinsmore suddenly an 
 nounced that she had changed her mind ; she 
 would go, and really she could not feel easy 
 about the children, unless Miss "Worth were 
 there to see that they were properly attended to. 
 
 It was a disappointment to the latter, who 
 seldom enjoyed such a treat, but she quietly 
 acquiesced, sighing inwardly, but giving na 
 outward sign. 
 
 "Shall we walk or ride?" queried Mr- 
 Dinsmore, looking at Mildred. " The distance 
 is about four squares." 
 
 " Oh, let us walk," she was about to ex 
 claim, feeling an eager desire for the exercise,, 
 and to look at the buildings and brightly 
 lighted windows ; but Mrs. Dinsmore decided 
 this question also with an emphatic, 
 
 " We will take a carriage of course. What 
 <?an you be thinking of, Mr. Dinsmore ?" 
 
 They had left the table and Mildred wb 
 
 considering how she should excuse herself, that 
 
 be might retire to her own room and finish & 
 
 ".etter tt her mother, when Mrs. Dinsmore 
 
 aaid, " You must show me your pxetty thingi
 
 82 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 now, Mildred. There il be plenty of tiim 
 before we have to dress for the concert." 
 
 " Dress !" echoed Mildred in dismay. 
 " really Aunt, I have nothing more suitable fc; 
 wear than this I have on," glancing down at 
 the blue black silk she had been wearing all 
 that day. 
 
 "What matter? that's neat fitting and 
 handsome enough for any occasion," inter 
 rupted Mr. Dinsmore. 
 
 " It will do very well, if you don't throw 
 back your shawl," remarked his wife, glancing 
 askance at the really neat, ladylike and pretty 
 dress. 
 
 " The place will be crowded and warm," 
 said Mr. Dinsmore, " and if you find your 
 shawl burdensome, Mildred, you are to throw 
 it back and be comfortable." His wife gave 
 him an indignant glance. 
 
 " She can take a fan," she said shortly, " I'll 
 lend her one that I'll not be ashamed to see 
 her carry." 
 
 Mildred was glad she could say she had a 
 pretty fan of her own, and would not need tc 
 borrow, and with it said she would doubtless bi 
 able to refrain from throwing baek her sLiwl 
 in a way to exhibit the unfashionable mak of 
 her dress.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 63 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore graciously condescended to 
 approve of the purchases made by her has- 
 band and the governess, saying she realty 
 thought she hardly could have done better her- 
 self, and it was an immense relief to know that 
 the thing was done without any worry or re 
 sponsibility coming upon her, she was so ill able 
 to bear such things. 
 
 On hearing which, our heroine felt un 
 speakably thankful that her assistance had not 
 been asked. 
 
 Mildred enjoyed the concert extremely; 
 also the sight-seeing, which with a little more 
 shopping fully occupied the next two days, 
 and the church-going of the day following. 
 She found time before breakfast Saturday 
 morning, for doing her packing and finishing 
 the letter to her mother. On Monday morn 
 ing there was little time for anything but 
 breakfast before they must go on board the 
 steamer which was to carry them to a seaport 
 town within a few miles of Roselan is.
 
 n: 
 
 "O'er the glad waters of the dark, blue sea." 
 
 Bno*, 
 
 IT was Mildred's first sight of the ocean. 
 TL e November air was chill but the sun shone 
 brightly, and well wrapped up, she found the 
 deck not an uncomfortable place ; so kept her 
 station there all through the passage down the 
 river and bay; though Mrs. Dinsmore very 
 soon retreated, shivering, to the cabin, and 
 called in nurses and children ; with exception 
 of Adelaide, who insisted upon remaining with 
 her father and cousin, and was, as usual, al 
 lowed to have her own way. 
 
 " There, we have a full view of old ocean," 
 Mr. Dinsmore said, as they steamed out of the 
 bay. " You never saw anything like that Be 
 fore, Mildred ? " 
 
 " Yes ; the great lakes look very similar," 
 she answered, gazing away over the restless 
 waters, her eyes kindling with enthusiasm.
 
 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 65 
 
 "How grandly beautiful it is! I think I 
 ehould never weary of the sight and should 
 tike to live where I could watch it day by day 
 in all its moods." 
 
 " Roselands is not so very far off from the 
 coast," said Adelaide. " A ride cf a few miles 
 in one direction gives us a distant view." 
 
 " Oh, I am glad of that ! " Mildred ex 
 claimed. 
 
 "And we will place a pony and servant 
 at your command, so that you can ride in that 
 direction whenever you will," added Mr. Dins- 
 more. 
 
 Mildred took her eyes from the sea long 
 enough to give him a look of delight that fully 
 repaid him ; nor did she spare words, but told 
 him he was wonderfully kind to her. 
 
 " Tell about being on the lakes, cousin," 
 pleaded Adelaide. " When was it and who 
 was with you? " 
 
 There had been a little homesickness tug 
 ging at Mildred's heartstrings, and that last 
 question brought the tears to her eyes and a 
 tremble to her lips. She had a short struggle 
 With herself before she could so command her 
 voice as to speak quite steadily. 
 
 But when she had once begun it was not 
 difficult to go on and give a circumstantial
 
 66 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 account of their journey to Indiana: especially 
 as Adelaide proved a delighted and deeply 
 interested listener. 
 
 " Thank you," she said, when the story had 
 come to an end. " But do tell me more about 
 your brothers and sisters everything you can 
 think of. What a lot of them there is ! 1 
 think Cyril and Don must be comical little 
 fellows." 
 
 " Yes ; and very provokingly mischievous 
 at times," Mildred said, laughing at the recol 
 lection of some of their pranks, which she went 
 on to describe for Adelaide's entertainment. 
 
 But the sun had set arid the air was so cold 
 that they were compelled to seek the shelter of 
 the cabin. 
 
 They found warmth and brightness there. 
 Mrs. Dinsmore was half reclining on a sofa, 
 her husband reading the evening paper by her 
 Bide. 
 
 " Well, I'm glad you've come in at last," 
 she sail, with a reproachful look directed at 
 Mildred. " It was really very thoughtless tc 
 keep Adelaide out so late." 
 
 "She didn't keep me, mamma," answeied 
 the child with spirit. " I could have come in 
 any minute if I had chosen. I was not even 
 asked to stay."
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 67 
 
 " Don't be pert, Adelaide," said her mother. 
 " Dear me, how the vessel begins to rock I I 
 hall be deathly sick before morning." 
 
 " That would have been less likely to hap- 
 j>et: if you had followed Mildred's example in 
 etaying on deck as long as possible/' remarked 
 her husband, turning his paper and beginning 
 another article. 
 
 u I should have caught my death of cold," 
 she retorted snappishly, " but perhaps you 
 wouldn't have cared if I had. And I think it's 
 quite insulting to have a chit of a girl like that 
 held up to me as an example." 
 
 Mildred had walked away and did not hear 
 this last remark. Adelaide had slipped her hand 
 into Mildred's, and was saying, " I like you, 
 cousin. We'll be good friends, shan't we?" 
 
 " It shall not be my fault if we're not," 
 Mildred said, forcing a smile ; for Mrs. Dins- 
 more's fault-finding had hurt her feelings and 
 caused a decided increase of the homesickness. 
 But determined to overcome it she gathered 
 the children about her at a safe distance from 
 their mother, and told them stories till inter 
 rupted by the summons to the tea table. 
 
 They had a rather rough sea that night 
 jmd the next day, causing a good deal of sick- 
 nes among the passengers. Mildred, taught
 
 68 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB, 
 
 by past experience, fought bravely against it 
 Becking the deck soon after sunrise and spend 
 ing almost the whole day there in company 
 wih her uncle. 
 
 The second day she experienced no diffi 
 culty and was joined by her cousins ; but Mrs, 
 Dinsmore kept her berth to the end of the 
 voyage, and when the vessel arrived in port, 
 came from her stateroom pale, weak and dis 
 consolate. 
 
 The last stage of the journey was made in 
 carriages. 
 
 They reached Roselands just as the sun was 
 setting amid a mass of crimson, gold and amber- 
 colored clouds forming a gorgeous background 
 to a landscape of more than ordinary beauty. 
 
 " Oh, how lovely !" exclaimed Mildred, aa 
 her uncle handed her from the carriage. " I 
 was prepared to be charmed with the place, but 
 it exceeds my expectations." 
 
 " Let me bid you welcome and hope that 
 first impressions may prove lasting, your stay 
 here most enjoyable," he said, with a gratified 
 smile. 
 
 But now Mildred's attention was taker up 
 by the reception that had been prepared for 
 them : just such an one as she had often heard 
 described by her mother.
 
 MILDRED A1 &OSELANDS. 69 
 
 The plantation was large; the dwelling 
 also; and a dozen or more of house servants 
 headed by the housekeeper, who was a very 
 respectable white woman, had ranged them 
 selves in a double row across the veranda) and 
 down the wide entrance hall. 
 
 Their faces were full of delight, their hands 
 held out in joyous greeting, glad words of wel 
 come on every tongue, as master, mistress, 
 guest, and children, with their attendants, 
 passed slowly between the ranks, shaking hands 
 and making kind inquiries right and left. 
 
 Some of the older ones remembered Mil 
 dred's mother, and our heroine's heart warmed 
 toward them as they sounded " Miss Marcia's" 
 praises, and averred that her daughter bore a 
 striking resemblance to her in looks. 
 
 " Mrs. Brown, this young lady is my niece,'' 
 said Mr. Dinsmore, laying a hand on Mildred's 
 shoulder, and addressing himself to the house 
 keeper, " and I commend her to your special 
 care. Please see that she is well waited upon, 
 and wants for nothing that house or plantation 
 can supply. Here, Rachel," to a young mu 
 latto girl, " I appoint you Miss Mildred's wait 
 ing maid ; you are to be always at her call, an \ 
 do whatever she directs." 
 
 " Yes, massa," the girl answered, dropping
 
 70 MILD*. ED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 a deep courtesy first to him, then to Mildred 
 whom she regarded with a look of smiling ap 
 proval, " dis chile berry glad ob de chance. 
 Shall I show de way to yo' room, now, miss ?" 
 Mildred gave a smiling assent, and was imme 
 diately conducted to a spacious, elegantly fur 
 nished apartment, where an open wood fire 
 blazed and crackled, sending around a ruddy 
 light that rendered that of the wax candles in 
 the heavy, highly polished silver candlesticks 
 on the mantel, almost a superfluity. 
 
 Mildred sent a very satisfied, appreciative 
 glance about her, then turning to her young 
 handmaiden, who stood quietly awaiting her 
 orders, asked if there were time to change her 
 dress before tea. 
 
 " Yes, Miss, plenty time. Whar yo' 
 trunks, Miss ? Oh ! heyah dey come," slip 
 ping out of the way of two of the men ser 
 vants as they entered with Mildred's luggage. 
 
 Mrs. Brown followed close in their rear, 
 bade them unstrap the trunks before leaving, 
 inquired of Mildred if there were anything 
 more she could do for her, and said she hoped 
 *he would be very comfortable. 
 
 " Rachel is young and has not had much 
 experience in the duties of ladies' maid," she 
 added, "but 1 think you will find her trusty
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 71 
 
 and willing. Would you not like to have her 
 unpack your things and arrange them in the 
 bureau and wardrobe ? Then the trunks can 
 be put away out of eight till they are wanted 
 again." 
 
 " Yes, that will be very nice," said Mildred, 
 producing the keys. " But will there be time 
 before tea ?" 
 
 " Hardly, I'm afraid, Miss Keith, if you 
 have any change to make in your dress ; but 
 later in the evening, if that will answer ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes, quite as well." 
 
 Mrs. Brown took her departure, Mr. Dins- 
 more looked in for a moment to see that his 
 young guest had not been neglected, and how she 
 was pleased with her new quarters ; then Mil 
 dred, left alone with her maid, opened a trunk, 
 laid out the dress and ornaments she wished 
 to wear, and proceeded with Rachel's assist 
 ance, to make a somewhat hurried toilet. 
 
 The tea-bell rang, and Adelaide's bright 
 face peeped in at the door. 
 
 " Ready, cousin ? I'll show you the way." 
 
 They entered the supper-room looking 
 fresh and blooming as two roses. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore assigned Mildred the seat of 
 honor at his right hand, and complimented her 
 on the becomingness of her attire.
 
 78 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 She was the only guest, the children were 
 ail allowed to come to the table, and they were 
 a merry family party, everybody rejoicing ID 
 being at home again after an absence of sev 
 eral months. 
 
 The table was loaded with delicacies, skill, 
 fully prepared ; for old Phebe, the cook, was a 
 real genius in the culinary art the cloth was 
 of finest damask, the service of rare china and 
 costly silverware, and the attendance" all that 
 could be desired. 
 
 Pleading excessive fatigue, Mrs. Dinsmore 
 retired to her own apartments immediately 
 upon the conclusion of the meal. 
 
 " You look quite too fresh and bright to be 
 thinking of bed yet," Mr. Dinsmore remarked, 
 laying his hand affectionately on Mildred's 
 shoulder ; " will you come to the library with 
 me?" 
 
 She gave a pleased assent and they were 
 soon cosily seated on either side of the fire there, 
 a table covered with books, papers and periodi 
 cals drawn up between them. 
 
 "How do you like this room?" Mr. Piria- 
 more asked. 
 
 " Oh, very much ! " Mildred answered, 
 sending a sweeping glance from side to side, 
 noting all the attractions of the place, from the
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 73 
 
 rich Turkey carpet, handsome rugs, comfort- 
 ble chairs, couches and tables, to the Jong linea 
 of well filled book shelves, statues, statuettes and 
 busts, and two or three fine paintings on the 
 
 " That is right," he 'said with a pleased 
 smile. " I want you to feel perfectly at home 
 here ; coming in whenever you please and stay- 
 ing just as long as you like, reading, writing, 
 studying or lounging; helping yourself with 
 perfect freedom to books and writing materials ; 
 for whatever is in the room is entirely at your 
 service." 
 
 Mildred was beginning to thank him, but 
 he cut her short with, " Never mind that. 
 Here's better occupation for you," handing her 
 a package of letters as he spoke. 
 
 She took it with a joyful exclamation. 
 " Letters from home ! oh, I have been so hun 
 gry for them." 
 
 " Yes," he said, enjoying her delight, " but 
 don't run away," for she had risen to her feet, 
 evidently with that intention ; " perhaps there 
 may be a bit here and there that you'd like to 
 read to me. And if they bring tears to your 
 eyes, I'll not think the worse of you. Besides 
 1 shall be too busy with my own correspondence 
 to take notice."
 
 74 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 So she sat down again and presently forgot 
 his presence in the interest of those written 
 pages which seemed almost to transport her into 
 the very midst of the dear home circle. 
 
 It was a family letter, every one, from hei 
 fatber down to Annis, contributing something; 
 the little Dnes having each dictated a message 
 to " Sister Milly ; " but the greater part was from 
 her mother, giving in pleasing detail the doings, 
 sayings and plannings in their little world, 
 the small successes and failures, the apparently 
 trivial occurrences, the little joys and sorrows, 
 little trials and vexations and little pleasures 
 that make or mar the happiness of daily home 
 life. 
 
 The mother's sweet, loving, trustful spirit 
 breathed through it all. There were little jests 
 that brought the smile to Mildred's lips or made 
 her laugh outright and these she read aloud 
 to her uncle : there were words of faith and 
 patience that filled her eyes with tears ; then 
 at the last wise, tender, motherly counsels that 
 etirred her heart to its inmost depths. 
 
 She would have given a great deal at that 
 moment tc be at home again, within sound of 
 that beloved voice, looking into the dear eyes, 
 feeling the gentle touch of the soft caressing 
 hand. Oh, tould she stay away for months I
 
 ilfL D RED A T RO&ELAND8. 75 
 
 The tears would come. She rose, crossed 
 the room and stood before a painting, with her 
 back to her uncle, who at that instant seemed 
 wholly absorbed in a business letter which he 
 held in his hand. 
 
 Recovering herself, she came back to the 
 table. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore looked up. 
 
 " I think we must have a ride to-morrow 
 morning, Milly, you and Adelaide and I, shall 
 it be at nine o'clock ? " 
 
 Her eyes grew bright and her cheeks flushed 
 with pleasure. She was very fond of riding 
 on horseback. 
 
 " I shall be delighted to go, uncle," she said, 
 " and can be ready at any hour that may suit 
 you best." 
 
 He considered a moment. 
 
 " I should not be surprised if you and Adie 
 find yourselves inclined to take a long morning 
 nap after your journey," he said, ""We will say 
 directly after breakfast, which will not be earlier 
 than nine. Now I see you are wanting to re 
 tire ; so bid me good night and away with you 
 to slumbers sweet," and with a fatherly kiss he 
 diemissed her. 
 
 Mildred's room was bright, warm and cheery 
 as she had left it. Rachel was not there; and
 
 76 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 the trunks had vanished also, but the opening 
 of wardrobe doors and bureau drawers showed 
 their contents neatly bestowed therein. 
 
 An easy chair stood invitingly before the 
 fire and dropping into it Mildred gave her let- 
 ter a second perusal, mingling laughter and 
 tears over it as before. 
 
 She sighed softly to herself as she folded it 
 up, then glancing about the spacious, hand 
 somely appointed room, smiled at thought of 
 the contrast between her present circumstances 
 and surroundings and those of a few weeks ago, 
 when she was occupying a small, very plainly 
 furnished room, and instead of having a maid 
 at her beck and call, was constantly waiting 
 upon and working for others. 
 
 The rest and ease of the present were cer 
 tainly very enjoyable, yet she had no desire 
 that the change should become a permanent 
 one ; home with all its toils and cares was still 
 the sweetest, dearest place on earth. 
 
 Rachel came in to replenish the fire and 
 ask if there was anything more she could do 
 for the young lady's comfort. 
 
 " No, thank you, my wants are fully sup. 
 plied," Mildred said with a smile. " I think I 
 shall get ready for bed now." 
 
 "Den missy want her slippen and night
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 11 
 
 clo's," remarked the girl hastening to bring 
 them. " Shall dis chile' take down yo' hair 
 and brush um out ? " 
 
 " Yes," Mildred said ; " when I have put 
 OB my dressing gown ; and I'll read to you 
 while you do it." 
 
 " Tank you, missy, dis child be berry glad 
 to hear readin'," the girl answered with a look 
 of pleasure, " can't read none herself and neber 
 expects to know how. Dat's for white folks." 
 
 " Then I'll read the Bible to you every 
 night and morning while you do up my hair," 
 Mildred said. " It is God's word, Kachel ; his 
 letter to tell us the way to heaven and we need 
 to know what it says." 
 
 " Spect we does, miss," responded the girl, 
 with wide open, wondering eyes fixed on Mil 
 dred's face. " But nobody neber tole me dat 
 befo'." 
 
 " Then here is work for me to do for the 
 Master," thought Mildred, and sent up a silent 
 petition, " Lord, teach me how to lead her to 
 thee,"
 
 Chapter 
 
 O thon child of many prayers 1 
 Life hath quicksands, life hath snares I " 
 
 LOHGTIWJ ow. 
 
 A BRIGHT ray of sunshine stealing in between 
 the silken curtains fell athwart Mildred's eves 
 and awoke her. 
 
 The fire was blazing cheerily on the hearth, 
 Rachel was at hand to wait upon her, and she 
 found it by no means unpleasant to sit still and 
 have her hair skilfully arranged for her instead 
 of doing the work with her own hands, as she 
 had been accustomed to do since she was quite 
 ;i little girl. 
 
 She occupied herself the while in reading 
 aloud from the Bible, according to promise, and 
 Rachel seemed well pleased to listen. 
 
 Her toilet completed, Mildred went to the 
 .ibrary to answer her letter, while waiting for 
 the breakfast bell, and there Mr. Dinsmore 
 found her. 
 
 " That is quite right," he said. " Send my
 
 MILDRED AT R08BLAND8. 79 
 
 love to them all. But don't close your letter 
 yet, you'll want to tell your mother about your 
 "ide. We'll take one that used to be a favorite 
 *rith her." 
 
 Mildred looked up brightly. " I shall enjoy 
 it all the more for knowing that." 
 
 " You are accustomed to riding on horse 
 back ? " he said inquiringly. 
 
 " Enough to be able to keep my seat on a 
 well behaved steed," she answered laughingly. 
 " I hope to improve very much under your 
 tuition, Uncle Dinsmore." 
 
 " Gyp, the pony I have assigned to you 
 while you stay, is quite safe, I think ; suffi 
 ciently spirited but well trained," he said, giv 
 ing her his arm to conduct her into the break 
 fast room, for the bell had rung. 
 
 " I hear you are going to ride, Mildred," 
 Mrs. Dinsmore remarked as they rose from the 
 table. " Have you a riding habit ? " 
 
 Mildred was very glad to be able to reply 
 in the affirmative. 
 
 The horses were already at the door. 
 
 She hurried to her room and was down 
 again in a few minutes arrayed in a manner 
 that entirely satisfied Mrs. Dinsmore. 
 
 It was a delicious morning, riders and steeds 
 seemed alike in fine spirits, and Mildred had
 
 80 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 seldom found anything more enjoyable than 
 the brisk canter of the next hour over a good 
 road and through new and pleasing scenes. 
 
 On their return Mrs. Dinsmore followed acr 
 to her room. 
 
 " You must have some of your dresses made 
 at once, Mildred," she said. " Can you get out 
 the materials and come now to the sewing-room 
 to be fitted ? The black silk should be first, I 
 think, and finished this week, that you may 
 have it to wear to church next Sunday." 
 
 " You are very kind, aunt," Mildred said, 
 looking much pleased; "but are not the ser 
 vices of your seamstresses needed just now for 
 yourself and the children ? " 
 
 " No ; there is nothing hurrying," was the 
 reply ; " we all had fall dresses made up in 
 Philadelphia, and you must be prepared to 
 show yourself to visitors ; for our friends and 
 neighbors will soon be calling on you, as well 
 as on us ; of course I shall take pride in having 
 them find my husband's niece suitably attired." 
 
 Mildred was nothing loath to accept the 
 offer ; in fact was filled with an eager desire, 
 natural to her age, to see how all these beauti 
 ful things would look when made up, and how 
 well they would become her. 
 
 But her love of independence and the mdus-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 81 
 
 trious habits in which she had been trained, 
 alike forbade her to leave all the work to Mrs. 
 Dinsmore's maids ; her own deft and busy 
 fingers accomplished no small share of it ; the 
 greater part of every day for the next two or 
 three weeks being occupied in that way. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore disliked exertion of any kind 
 and seldom took a needle in her hand, but she 
 had no distaste toward seeing others employed, 
 and generally spent her mornings lounging in 
 the sewing-room, ready to give her opinion in 
 regard to styles of trimming, and so forth, and 
 enjoying a comfortable sense of conferring a 
 great favor thereby. 
 
 The black silk was completed in time to be 
 worn on Mildred's first Sunday at Roselands, 
 and Mrs. Dinsmore, subjecting her to a careful 
 scrutiny when she came down ready dressed for 
 church, assured her that she was quite a stylish 
 looking young lady, whom she herself was not 
 ashamed to exhibit to her acquaintance as be 
 longing to the Dinsmore family. 
 
 A glance into a pier glass in the drawing- 
 room told Mildred the compliment was not un 
 deserved, and I fear there was no little gratified 
 vanity in the smile with which she turned away 
 and followed her aunt to the carriage waiting 
 for them at the door, and that the consciousneat
 
 82 MILDRED AT K08ELAND8. 
 
 of her finery and its becomingness seriously TO. 
 terfered with the heartiness of her devotions in 
 the house of God, and the attention she should 
 have given to the preaching of the Word, and 
 ervices of prayer and praise. 
 
 She was in some measure aware of this her 
 self, and felt condemned on account of it ; bu^ 
 was not helped to recover lost ground by the 
 worldly conversation carried on about her dur 
 ing the greater part of the day. 
 
 There was a good deal of friendly chat in the 
 vestibule of the church, after the close of the ser 
 vices, neighbors and acquaintances gathering 
 about the Dinsmores to welcome and congratu 
 late them on their return from their late trip, 
 and inquire concerning their health and enjoy 
 ment of their lengthened sojourn in the North 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore was extremely hospitable and 
 fond of entertaining his friends, nor had he any 
 scruples about doing so on the Sabbath ; and 
 at his urgent invitation two gentlemen and a 
 very gayly dressed and lively young lady ac 
 companied his family and himself to Roselandg 
 to dine and spend the remainder of the day. 
 
 The talk was just what it might have been 
 on any other occasion ; of politics, amusements, 
 dress, anything and everything but the topic! 
 iuited to the sacredness of the day ; and Mi]
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 83 
 
 dred, while yielding to the temptation to joiu 
 iu it, felt painfully conscious that i_ so doing 
 die was not obeying the command, " Remem 
 be? the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 
 
 It was late in the evening when the visitoi a 
 loft, and she retired to her room weary and 
 sleepy, hurried through the form of devotion, 
 giving but little heart to it, and was soon in 
 bed and asleep. 
 
 She tried to do better the next morning, 
 but her thoughts ran very much on dress and 
 the vanities of earth. 
 
 " How could she help that ?" she asked her 
 self, half despairingly, half in excuse, "she 
 must assist in making her clothes, and decide, 
 too, how it should be done." 
 
 Another dress was begun that day, and 
 head and hands were fully occupied over it. 
 
 Her uncle insisted on a ride or walk every 
 day, callers began to come, hours had to be 
 spent in the drawing-room, and work on the 
 new dresses to be pushed all the harder the 
 rest of the day to recover lost time. 
 
 Then she must attire herself in her most 
 becoming finery, and drive out with Mrs. 
 Dinsmore to return her calls, during which the 
 talk generally ran upon the merest triflee, for- 
 nishing no food for mind or heart.
 
 84 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 Flatteries and compliments were showered 
 npon our heroine, for she was pretty, graceful 
 and refined, quick at repartee, self-possessed, 
 without being conceited, well informed for her 
 years, and a good conversationalist. 
 
 Her aunt and uncle were altoge.her satis 
 fied with the impression she made ; but her 
 parents would have been sorely troubled could 
 they have known how the world and its vani 
 ties were engrossing the thoughts of their be 
 loved child, to the exclusion of better things. 
 
 There were brilliant entertainments given in 
 her honor; first, by Mrs. Dinsmore, afterward 
 by others who had been her invited guests. 
 
 The weather continuing remarkably mild 
 and pleasant for some weeks, there were ex 
 cursions gotten up to various points of interest 
 in the vicinity ; there were dinner parties and 
 tea drinkings ; days when the house was filled 
 with gay company from morning to night, 
 or when Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore visited in 
 like manner at the houses of neighboring 
 planters, taking Mildred with them. 
 
 Then there were drives to the city : in the 
 daytime to shop for more finery, in the evening 
 for the purpose of attending some place of 
 amusement, now a concert, now a lecture, and 
 at length the opera and the theatre.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 85 
 
 Into these latter and questionable, not to 
 s&j forbidden, places of resort, to one reared 
 as Mildred had been, she was at first decoyed ; 
 but becoming intoxicated with their sensual 
 sweets, she went again and again of her own 
 free will. 
 
 Thus for a month or more she ran a giddy 
 round of worldly pleasures, scarcely taking time 
 to think, and refusing to listen to the warn 
 ings and upbraidings of conscience. 
 
 But her gayeties began to tell unfavorably 
 upon her health, the recovery of which had 
 been her principal object in leaving home, and 
 she was obliged to relinquish them in part. 
 
 Then a long storm set in, confining her to 
 the house for a week, and keeping away visit 
 ors. She was forced to stop and consider, and 
 a long, loving letter from her mother coming 
 just then, freighted with words of Christian 
 counsel, had a blessed effect in helping to open 
 her eyes to her guilt and danger. 
 
 In the silence and solitude of her room, the 
 sighing of the wind without, and the rain and 
 gleet beating against the windows, the only 
 Bounds that reached her ear, Mildred read and 
 wept over this letter, and over the mental 
 review of the life she had been leading since 
 coming to Roselands.
 
 86 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 To a mere worldling it might have seemed 
 innocent enough, but not so to Mildred's en 
 lightened conscience ; a butterfly existence 
 was not the end for which she had been 
 created ; yet she could not shut her eyes to the 
 fact that that was the best that could be said of 
 her life of late ; she had been neither doing nor 
 getting any good, but rather the contrary in 
 juring her health by her dissipations, setting an 
 example of worldliness, and falling behind in 
 the Christian race. 
 
 She had not neglected the forms of reli 
 gious service, had attended church every Sun 
 day, read her Bible, and repeated a prayer 
 night and morning; but all, as she now saw 
 with grief and shame, with a sadly wandering 
 heart, thoughts full of dress and earthly vani 
 ties. 
 
 Alas ! how far she had wandered out of the 
 way in which she had covenanted to walk ! 
 and that though she had proved in days past, 
 that " Wisdom's ways were ways of pJeasant- 
 ness, and all her paths were peace." 
 
 And as she questioned with herself whether 
 she had found real enjoyment in these by-patha 
 of worldliness and sin, she was forced to ac 
 knowledge that in spite of much thoughtless 
 gayety and mirth, there had been no genuine,
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 87 
 
 olid happiness, but instead a secret uneasiness 
 which she vainly strove to banish, and coulci 
 only forget for a time in the giddy round of 
 amusement. 
 
 Should she go on as she had begun ? No : 
 by the help of God she would turn and find 
 again the path she had left ; even as her mother 
 in this timely letter advised and entreated. 
 
 Mrs. Keith knew to some extent, the worldly 
 atmosphere of the house into which her young 
 daughter had gone, and she had written with 
 the fear in her heart that Mildred might suc 
 cumb to its temptations even as she had done. 
 
 She entreated her to be on her guard, watch 
 ing unto prayer and thus keeping close to tha 
 Master. 
 
 " And, dear daughter," she added, " should 
 you ever find that you have wandered, lose not 
 a moment in returning to him and pleading for 
 cleansing, for pardon, and restoration to his 
 favor through his own precious blood. Let not 
 Satan tempt you to stay away one moment with 
 the lie that the Lord is not ever waiting to be 
 gracious and ever ready and willing to forgive ; 
 or that he would have you delay till your re 
 pentance is deeper or you have done something 
 to atone in some measure for your sin. 
 
 " God's time is always now; to the back.
 
 8S 
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 glider in heart :r life, as well as to the im 
 penitent sinner; and to both he says: 'Him 
 that oometb unto me, I will in no wise cast 
 out!'"
 
 " I have deeply fel* 
 
 The mockery of the hollow shrine at which my spirit knelt." 
 
 WHITTHB. 
 
 MILDKED had been alone for several hours ; 
 very profitable ones to her when opening 
 the door in answer to a gentle rap, she found 
 Mr. Dinsmore standing there. 
 
 " If you will invite me in," he said with a 
 smile, " 1 may perhaps accept." 
 
 " Do come in, uncle," she replied, returning 
 the smile ; " it is very pleasant here, and I can 
 give you a warm welcome. See, my fire is 
 blazing cheerily ; and does not that easy chair 
 look inviting ? " 
 
 " Yes," he answered, taking her hand and 
 gazing searchingly into her face, seeing some 
 thing there that puzzled him greatly ; for though 
 the traces of tears were very evident, it wore 
 a look of peace that had been foreign to it of 
 late, " brt what is the matter ? not bad news 
 from home, T hope."
 
 90 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " !No, oh no \ " she said, " they were aL wel 
 and nothing amiss when mother wrote," but 
 her eyes filled and her lips quivered as eho 
 spoke. 
 
 " Homesick, I'm afraid," he said kindly, 
 patting and stroking the hand he held ; " the 
 natural effect of news from there, I suppose ; 
 especially in this wretched weather ; but don't 
 give up to it, my dear. We'll find ways to 
 make the time pass pleasantly spite of the 
 storm ; home sports, amusing books." 
 
 " You are very kind always, dear uncle," 
 she said with a grateful look, " but it is not 
 that ; I have been living too much for mere 
 amusement of late.'' 
 
 And with burning cheeks and tear-dimmed 
 eyes, she went on to explain, in a few rapid 
 sentences, how condemned she felt on account 
 Df the waste of time and opportunities for im 
 provement, and the worldly conformity of which 
 she had been guilty ; and how she had deter- 
 mined, by God's help, to do so no more. 
 
 He listened in much surprise, but did no* 
 interrupt her. 
 
 When she had finished, there was a mo 
 ment's sileu3e, she sitting with downcast eyes, 
 her breast still heaving with emotion ; he gaz 
 ing musingly into the fire.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 91 
 
 Presently he turned to her again with a 
 kindly smile. 
 
 "Thank you, my dear, for your confi 
 dence," he said pleasantly, " but really, I do 
 not see that you have done anything to be dis 
 tressed about. It strikes me you were fairly 
 entitled to a few weeks of play-time, after the 
 fatigues of that long nursing and the journey 
 here." 
 
 " Perhaps so," she said, " but I haven't 
 taken just the right sort ; so much excitement, 
 and such late hours have wearied instead of 
 resting me physically, and on my spiritual na 
 ture the effect has been stil\ worse. I blame 
 no one but myself," she added humbly, and 
 with a deprecating look into his grave, some 
 what troubled face. 
 
 " I'm afraid I have been your tempter," 
 he said, " though I meant well. But I ought 
 to have remembered the strict ideas entertained 
 by your parents, and in which they had brought 
 you up. Well, what can I do to retrieve my 
 error, and to help you in living as you think 
 you should ?" 
 
 " It mostly depends upon myself, I think," 
 she answered thoughtfully, " but if yon will 
 not oppose me in declining invitations to what 
 I deem to be wrong or questionable amuse-
 
 02 MILDRED AT B08BLANDS. 
 
 ments, and will excuse me from attendance in 
 the drawing-room on Sundays, when there id 
 company it will help me very much." 
 
 " My dear girl/' he returned, " you are *A 
 course perfectly free to do exactly as you 
 please in both respects. "We appreciate your 
 society, but if you think best to withdraw it 
 from us, we can only submit. I will arrange 
 with Mrs. Dinsmore that young people shall be 
 invited on week days and only older people, 
 whom you will not feel called upon to enter 
 tain, on Sundays." 
 
 She thanked him warmly. 
 
 " And you will give up the opera and thea 
 tre?" he said inquiringly, " I thought you en 
 joyed them very much." 
 
 " I did," she answered, blushing. 
 
 " Then why resign so innocent a pleasure?" 
 
 " It is not innocent for me, uncle," she said, 
 lifting her glistening eyes to his, " it utterly 
 destroys the spirit of devotion. I come from 
 them with my mind full of the play, arid 
 thoughts about dress and the gay people 1 
 have seen, and with no heart for prayer or tb 
 study of God's word. And the short -livec 
 pleasure I derive from them is nothing to be 
 compared with the sweet peace and joy they 
 rob me of."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND&. 98 
 
 rt But if you persist in such a course cf con- 
 duct, you will be sneered at as self-righteous, 
 puritanical, and what not; politely to jour 
 face, more disagreeably behind your back.' 5 
 
 " I am willing to be singular for Christ," 
 she answered, her eyes kindling, " Oh, how 
 little that would be to bear for him compared 
 with what he endured for me! how much less 
 I resign than multitudes of others have given 
 up for him! Moses chose 'rather to suffer 
 affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy 
 the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the 
 reproach of Christ greater riches than the 
 treasures in Egypt.' " 
 
 " And you purpose to begin doing some 
 thing in the way of study and the cultivation 
 of your accomplishments?" he said inquiringly, 
 not unwilling to change the subject of con 
 versation. 
 
 " Yes, uncle, I should like to accept your 
 generous offer to let me share the instructions 
 of Adelaide's masters in music and painting, 
 French and German ; and Miss Worth's in the 
 higher mathematics." 
 
 " All that will keep you pretty busy even 
 without the reading you are sure to do," he 
 commented with a smile. 
 
 " Usefully employed, " she answered bright
 
 94 iKLDRM) AT EOSELAND8. 
 
 ly " and that, I have learned from experience 
 is the way to be happy." 
 
 The first sneer Mildred had to bear cama 
 from Mrs. Dinsmore, who heard with great 
 vexation her husband's report of the young 
 girl's resolve. 
 
 " Ridiculous !" she exclaimed. " If there's 
 anything I do detest and despise, it is your 
 rigid, puritanical sectary, who stands ready to 
 cry out ' sinful ! wicked !' at every sort of enjoy 
 ment ! I am too much provoked. She is 
 really a pretty and lady-like girl, and has 
 attracted a good deal of attention ; so that I was 
 actually growing quite proud of her, and took 
 pleasure in showing her off. 
 
 " But that is all over now, of course, and 
 there'll be no end to the annoyance I shall have 
 to endure in hearing her criticized for her odd ! Be 
 havior, and in parrying questions and remarks 
 asto how she came by such strange notions." 
 
 " Well, my dear, it can't be helped," Mr. 
 Dinsmore responded, between a smile and a 
 sigh, " but if I were you I should very decid 
 edly snub any one who should offer a disparag 
 ing remark about her to me. Being myself, 
 I certainly intend to do so." 
 
 " Can't be helped ! I believe yon could 
 reason her out of it if you would ! "
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 95 
 
 " I am flattered by your belief, but do not 
 share it," he said with a bow of acknowledg 
 ment ; " nor if I did, would I attempt to 
 change her views. 'T would be too great a 
 responsibility and a breach of the trust her 
 parents have reposed in me." 
 
 The conversation was here brought to a 
 conclusion by the summons to the dinner table. 
 
 Mildred made her appearance with the rest 
 and was greeted by Mrs. Dinsmore with a cold 
 inquiry after her health, followed by a covert 
 taunt in regard to her resolve to forsake the 
 worldly amusements in which she had of late 
 indulged. 
 
 Mildred bore it with patience and humility, 
 " not answering again," though the flushing of 
 her cheek showed that she felt the unkindness 
 keenly enough. 
 
 " Do you intend to make a complete hermit 
 of yourself and go nowhere at all ? " queried 
 the irate lady. 
 
 " Oh, no, aunt," returned Mildred pleas 
 antly, " I hope still to take walks, rides and 
 drives; and do not object to calls and social 
 visits, or to concerts or lectures ; unless attend- 
 ing necessitates the keeping of later hours than 
 are good for my health." 
 
 " Humph 1 'twould have been wiser to my
 
 96 MILDRED AT BOSELANDS. 
 
 thinking, if you had begun as you meant to 
 continue." 
 
 " Yes, aunt, it would," Mildred said, again 
 coloring deeply, " and I wish I had ; but it i 
 better to do right at last than not at all. Do 
 you not think so ? " 
 
 " Don't ask me," sharply. " Adelaide, 
 Louise and Lora, you may consider yourselves 
 fortunate in having a cousin who is more capa 
 ble of deciding questions of duty than your 
 parents, I trust you will not fail to profit by 
 her excellent example ; not that which she has 
 set, you will observe, but that which she is 
 going to set you in the future." 
 
 The children giggled, while Mildred colored 
 more deeply than before. 
 
 A frown had gathered on Mr. Dinsmore's 
 brow. 
 
 " Children, if you cannot behave properly 
 you must leave the table," he said sternly ; 
 then with a displeased look at his wife, " I for 
 one highly approve of Mildred's resolve to do 
 what she considers her duty ; and it is my 
 desire that she be allowed to follow the dictates 
 of her conscience in peace." 
 
 Mr Dinsmore was an indulgent husband 
 and seldom found fault with anything his wife 
 chose to do or say but experience had taught
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 97 
 
 her that when he did interfere, she might aa 
 well submit at once. The subject was dropped 
 and never revived again in his presence. 
 
 With her accustomed promptness and energy 
 Mildred sought out Miss Worth that very after 
 noon, made arrangements for recitations, and 
 began her studies. 
 
 She determined to devote four hours a day 
 to them and her accomplishments. As she 
 was accustomed to early rising and the break 
 fast hour at Roselands was late, it would not 
 be difficult, she thought, to secure two hours 
 before that meal ; the other two she would take 
 during Mrs. Dinsmore's afternoon siesta and 
 the elaborate toilet which usually followed; 
 and thus be as much as ever at that lady's 
 command as a companion either at home or 
 abroad. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore had few resources within 
 herself, was a martyr to ennui and could not 
 bear to be alone ; and Mildred esteemed it both 
 a duty and a pleasure to do all in her power 
 to add to the comfort and enjoyment of her 
 kind entertainers ; she had succeeded thus far 
 in doing so, in some measure, to all, from her 
 uncle down to Baby Enna. 
 
 The children had found out weeks ago 
 that Cousin Milly possessed an apparently
 
 98 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 inexhaustible fund of nursery tales and 
 songs, and could teach them many amusing 
 games. 
 
 They would have been glad to monopolize 
 her, and entered many a complaint of the short 
 ness and infrequency of her visits to the nursery. 
 
 Thinking of that now, she resolved to try 
 to give them more of her time and attention ; 
 perhaps she could mingle some instruction with 
 the amusement she furnished them ; and she 
 would be very glad to do so ; for her heart was 
 filled with pity for the young things as she 
 thought of the great difference between their 
 mother and hers ; the one absorbed in her own 
 selfish pleasures, and paying no attention to 
 the cultivation of the minds and hearts - of her 
 children ; the other giving herself with ear 
 nest, whole-souled devotion to seeking the best 
 interests of her darlings, teaching and training 
 them for happiness and usefulness here and 
 hereafter. 
 
 " Precious mother ! what a blessing to have 
 been born your child," Mildred mentally ex 
 claimed as she thus dwelt upon the contrast 
 between the two, recalling with tear-dimmed 
 eyes the loving care that had surrounded her 
 from her very birth and in which each brother 
 and sister had an equal share.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 99 
 
 "While Mildred thus laid her plans, Mrs. 
 Dinsmore was somewhat similarly employed. 
 Reclining upon a softly cushioned couch in her 
 boudoir, idly listening to the pattering of the 
 rain against the window, she mused in discon 
 tented mood of Mildred, and her unexpected 
 resolve. It interfered with her schemes, for 
 she had purposed filling the house with gay 
 young company during the approaching Christ 
 mas holidays and making the two weeks one 
 continued round of festivity. 
 
 To be sure she could do so still, but Mil 
 dred's refusal to take part in much of the sport 
 would throw a damper upon the enjoyment of 
 the others ; besides giving occasion for unpleas 
 ant criticisms. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore's vexations increased as she 
 turned the matter over in her mind. 
 
 But a bright thought struck her, and start 
 ing up with something like energy, she ex 
 claimed, half aloud ; " Why that's the very 
 thing 1 and I'll do it at once. Hagar," address 
 ing her maid, " bring me my writing desk."
 
 " There's not a Joy the world can give like that It takes away." 
 
 BTBOK. 
 
 ' DEAR me ! another dull, rainy, tedious 
 day ! " sighed Mrs. Dinsmore the next morning, 
 as she turned from the breakfast-table, walked 
 to the window and looked out upon the gardeca 
 and fields where everything was dripping with 
 wet, " will the storm never end ? No hope of 
 visitors to-day, or of setting out to see anybody. 
 I shall be literally eaten up with ennui." 
 
 " Here's Mildred," remarked Mr. Dinsmore, 
 " I have always found her good company." 
 
 " Humph ! she has no time to waste upon 
 me." 
 
 " I am quite at your service, Aunt," said our 
 heroine pleasantly. 
 
 " Indeed ! what's to become of your all-im 
 portant studies ? " 
 
 " They have already had two hours devoted 
 to them this morning, besides two last night; 
 BO I think I have fairly earned the pleasure of
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 101 
 
 jour society for so much of the day as you care 
 to have mine,'' returned the girl, in a sprightly 
 tone. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore looked languidly surprised 
 and pleased. 
 
 " You are an odd girl to rise so early when 
 you might just as well indulge in a morning 
 nap," she said. 
 
 " I don't find it difficult if I have gotten to 
 bed in good season the night before," said Mil 
 dred gayly, " I have been trained to it from 
 childhood ; my father being a firm believer in 
 the old adage, 
 
 " Early to bed and early to rise, 
 Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wiae," 
 
 and it is really very pleasant after one is fairly 
 up and dressed." 
 
 " Yes ; and I dare say we would all be the 
 oetter for it if we would follow your example," 
 said Mr. Dinsm^re. 
 
 " You are altogether mistaken as far as 1 
 am concerned," remarked his wife pettishly. 
 " my best sleep is in the morning." 
 
 " I suppose people differ about that as -weii 
 as in the amount of sleep they require," ol> 
 served Mildred, u some needing eight hours, 
 while others can do quite as well with only 
 four.
 
 102 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 "Yes/ admitted her uncle, "constitutions 
 differ, and I have no idea of asking my wife to 
 give up her morning nap. There is a possi 
 bility of carrying the thing to an extreme. 
 Remember that, Miss Milly," he added, play 
 fully, " and don't let that sensitive conscience 
 of yonrs force you up at unchristian hours." 
 
 " And how am I to decide what are such, 
 sir ?" she asked, laughing. 
 
 Mildred laid herself out that day for her 
 aunt's entertainment, and with a success that 
 restored her almost entirely to favor ; at least, 
 for the time being. 
 
 The following day there was a slight abate 
 ment in the storm, and some gentlemen called. 
 
 One, a young man who had been her es 
 cort on several occasions, and whom Mildred 
 liked very much as a friend, inquired particu 
 larly for her. 
 
 He had come with an invitation to a public 
 ball to be given a week later by a military club 
 of which he was a member, and to ask that he 
 might be her escort thither. 
 
 Mildred declined with thanks. 
 
 He seemed much disappointed, and pressed 
 for her reasons. 
 
 " I have several, Mr. Landreth," she said, 
 coloring slightly, but meeting his eye nnflinch-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 108 
 
 ingly; I find that late hours injure my 
 health ; that is one ; another is that I have 
 been brought up to consider it wrong 1 to at 
 tend balls." 
 
 " "Why more so than going to the theatre?" 
 he asked. 
 
 " I do not know that it is." 
 " Excuse me, but you go there." 
 " It is true ; I have been several times., but 
 that was very wrong in me, and I do not intend 
 to go again," Mildred said, humbly, yet firmly, 
 though the color deepened on her cheek and 
 her voice trembled slightly. 
 
 The words had cost her no small effort, but 
 she was glad when they were spoken ; it seemed 
 to lift a load from her heart and conscience. 
 
 Mr. Landreth looked full of regret and sur 
 prise. 
 
 " I am sorry," he said, " will it be taking 
 too great a liberty to ask why you think it 
 wrong ?" 
 
 It seemed a difficult and trying thing to 
 andertake. Mildred hesitated a moment, hei 
 eyes cast down, her cheeks burning; but re- 
 raembering the words of the Master, " Whoso- 
 ever, therefore, shall confess me before men, 
 him will I confess also before my father which ia 
 in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before
 
 104: MILRDED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 men, him will I also deny before my fathei 
 which is in heaven," she answered. 
 
 " Because I profess to be a follower of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and as such, to take his 
 word as rny rule of faith and practice. That 
 word bids ns * whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, 
 or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God/ 
 and I find it impossible to obey that command 
 in attending such places of worldly amuse 
 ment/ 
 
 " You are very young to give up all pleas 
 ure," he said, with an involuntary sigh, " one 
 ought to have some happiness, some enjoyment 
 in youth. I should say it would be quite time 
 enough to resign all these things when we ar 
 rive at middle age." 
 
 "Ah, you quite mistake me, Mr. Lan- 
 dreth," she answered, looking up brightly, "I 
 only resign a few miserable unsatisfying pleas 
 ures for those that are infinitely higher and 
 more enduring." 
 
 He gazed at her incredulously. 
 
 " Religion has always seemed to me a very 
 
 gloomy thing," he said, " very good and vain- 
 
 *ble on a deathbed, no doubt, but I should 
 
 ather do without it till then, I must con- 
 
 feea." 
 
 " I would not," she answered earnestly, ' J
 
 MILDRED AT AOSELAND8. 105 
 
 want it to sweeten my life all the way through. 
 Mr. Landreth, believe me, it does do that as 
 nothing else can. I have found it so in my own 
 limited experience, and I know that my pa 
 rents have in theirs, which has extended over 
 so many more years." 
 
 " I have seen them wonderfully sustained by 
 it under sore trials, and have noticed that in 
 times of happiness and prosperity it more than 
 doubled their joy and gladness. ' Godliness 
 with contentment is great gain ! ' 
 
 " Well, Miss Keith," he said, after a mo- 
 ment's pause, " I think you deserve that it. 
 should be gain to you in some way, since you 
 sacrifice so much for its sake." 
 
 " Ah, you are determined to consider it a 
 sacrifice, I see," she returned smiling. " And 
 I deserve that you should," she added sorrow 
 fully. 
 
 "Excuse me," he said, "I do not doubt 
 your sincerity, but the Christians with whom I 
 am most intimately acquainted, seem to me 
 anything but happy ; if I may judge from their 
 countenances and the gloomy austerity of their 
 ,fves." 
 
 "Ah, if I could only show you my mother t ' 
 exclaimed Mildred, " if you could know her as 
 I do, you would tell a different story.''
 
 106 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 " Mildred afterward repeated this last re. 
 mark of Mr. Landreth's to her aunt. 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Dinsmore with an expres 
 sive shrug of the shoulders, " I know all about 
 that, and you will understand it too, when you 
 have seen his aunt or rather his uncle's wife 
 Mrs. James Landreth, and her house. By the 
 way, we must call there ; she called on me one 
 day not long since, when we were out." 
 
 " What is she like ? " asked Mildred. 
 
 " Don't ask ; wait till you see her ; no de 
 scription could do her justice. At least none 
 that I could give," Mrs. Dinsmore answered, a 
 little impatiently. 
 
 Mildred's curiosity was excited and she was 
 eager to make the proposed call. 
 
 After a few days' delay for good roads and 
 good weather, she and her aunt set out, taking 
 an early start, as they had a drive of some miles 
 before them, and designed paying several other 
 visits. 
 
 " The Landreths live in the suburbs of the 
 yity," Mrs. Dinsmore remarked, " and I have 
 ordered Ajax to drive there first. I always like 
 to get disagreeable things over." 
 
 " I wish," said Mildred, " that one might 
 confine one's calls to those whom it is a real 
 pleasure to visit '
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 107 
 
 " Of course it would be very delightful if 
 one could," said her aunt, "but there is no 
 use in talking about it ; you can't tell people, 
 I don't wish to keep up acquaintance with 
 you because your society is not agreeable to 
 me." 
 
 " No, of course not," returned Mildred 
 laughing. " Do you suppose Mrs. Landreth 
 calls on us, too, because the customs of society 
 require it ? " 
 
 " Really I can't tell. I know she doesn't 
 enjoy it ; because I am not one of her sort. 
 I'm certain she looks upon me as a very worldly 
 minded, wicked woman, a kind of heathen in 
 fact, and perhaps she considers herself doing 
 missionary work in coming to see me." 
 
 " The house and grounds are handsome," 
 Mildred remarked with some surprise, as they 
 alighted at Mr. Landreth's door. 
 
 " Outside," Mrs. Dinsmore returned signifi 
 cantly. 
 
 Mrs. Landreth was at home and they were 
 shown into the drawing-room. 
 
 It was a spacious, rather dreary looking 
 apartment, very plainly furnished and almost 
 wholly destitute of ornament, with the excep 
 tion of a few old family portraits. The only 
 really attractive objects in the room were a
 
 108 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 brightly blazing fire and a very fine painting 
 over the mantel. 
 
 This last riveted Mildred's attention in a 
 moment, and she exclaimed at its beauty. 
 
 " Yes," whispered Mrs. Dinsmore, " it's the 
 one handsome thing in the house, and she 
 always at her husband to sell it." 
 
 w 
 
 " Why ? " and Mildred's look expressed un 
 feigned astonishment. 
 
 " Praise it to her and you will hear all about 
 it." 
 
 Their hostess entered. She was tall, angu 
 lar, of sallow complexion, and strong featured. 
 Her black hair, streaked here and there with 
 grey, was drawn straight back from a forehead 
 crossed by many lines. 
 
 Caps were much worn even by youthful 
 matrons at that day, but Mrs. Landreth had 
 resorted to no such artifice to conceal from view 
 the partially bald spot on the top of her head ; 
 neither did the close fitting, black stuff gown 
 h ide one angle of her stiff, ungainly figure. 
 
 Her movements were ungraceful, her coun 
 tenance was solemn as might have befitted a 
 funeral occasion 
 
 " She is certainly far from pleasing in ap 
 pearance," thought Mildred, furtively scanning 
 the unattractive face, and mentally contrasting
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 109 
 
 it with the dear, bright, cheerful one that had 
 made the sunshine of her childhood's home. 
 
 Mrs. Landreth's face served as a good foil 
 even to Mrs. Dinsmore's faded beauty ; a fact 
 oi which that lady was by no means unaware 
 or intolerant. 
 
 The two conversed together for some min 
 utes ; Mildred sitting silently by. They were 
 speaking of the weather, then of some common 
 acquaintance of whom she knew nothing, and 
 not feeling interested she half unconsciously 
 suffered her eyes to wander about the room. 
 
 " You do not find much to admire here ? " 
 Mrs. Landreth said, interrogatively, turning 
 abruptly to her. " There are no pretty trifles 
 scattered here and there as at Roselands." 
 
 " I admire that painting over the mantel 
 exceedingly," Mildred answered with a blush, 
 and turning her gaze upon it again ; " such a 
 lovely, sunny landscape ! it gives one a restful 
 feeling just to look at it." 
 
 " Yes, it is a fine painting, but I have of ten 
 told my husband that I think he committed a 
 sir. in putting so much money into an unneces 
 sary luxury : something we could do perfectly 
 Tell without. The Bible bids us be content 
 with food and raiment ; and we ought not to 
 indulge ourselves in anything more ; or to
 
 110 MILDRED AT RU8ELANDB. 
 
 spend much on them while there are so many 
 deserving objects of charity in the world. That 
 ie why you find me so plain in my attire and in 
 the furnishing of my house. 
 
 " Mr. Landreth holds different views and 
 would like house and wife to look as well aa 
 those of his neighbors, as he often says ; but I 
 must act according to the dictates of my con 
 science." 
 
 " But don't you think it a duty to try to 
 please your husband and make his home at 
 tractive ? " Mildred asked modestly. " I know 
 my mother considers it hers and her great 
 pleasure also." 
 
 " Quite natural then that you should ; but 
 doubtless I am an older woman than she ; and 
 years should teach wisdom," rejoined Mrs. 
 Landreth, somewhat loftily. 
 
 " Yes, madam, I suppose they should ; but 
 do you think people are always wise just in pro 
 portion to their age ? " 
 
 " Of course not always. Mr. Landreth is 
 older than I. 
 
 "But now to return to the original tojic 
 We are taught that we ought to practice self 
 denial and to give liberally to the poor. Tho 
 interest of the money paid for t\a,t picture 
 (five thousand dollars) would enable me to
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. Ill 
 
 largely increase my benefactions, if I had it. 
 And besides how much useful work the artist 
 might have done in the time he spent wasted 
 one may well say in painting it." 
 
 " I cannot think the time was wasted, or that 
 God would have given him the talent if he were 
 not to use it, or that it is wrong to surround our 
 selves with beautiful things if we have the 
 means," ventured Mildred, still thinking of her 
 mother's practice and the opinions she had 
 heard her express. 
 
 Mrs. Landreth gave her a look that said 
 is plainly as words, " 1 consider you a very 
 opinionated and silly young person," and Mrs. 
 Dinsmore arose to take leave. 
 
 " That woman," she remarked as she threw 
 herself back in her carriage, " has done more 
 to disgust me with religion than anybody or 
 anything else 1 She is always parading her self- 
 denial and benevolence, always looks as solemn 
 as if it was a sin to laugh, seems unhappy her 
 self and anxious to make everybody else so. 
 If that is Christianity I want none of it ! and I 
 know that is just how Charlie Landreth feels !" 
 
 '' But it isn't Christianity, aunt," Mildred 
 said earnestly. " And do you not know some 
 Christians who are very different ? " 
 
 " Yee there's Mrs. Travilla, at Ion, where
 
 112 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 we are going now. She is always cheerful, 
 quite merry at times, and a great deal bettei 
 woman, to my thinking, than Mrs. Landreth, 
 though she doesn't appear to think so herself. 
 Tn fact she's too good for me ; gives me an un 
 comfortable sense of my own inferiority in that 
 respect." 
 
 " Are the Landreths poor ? " asked Mildred. 
 
 "Poor; child," exclaimed Mrs. Dinsmore, 
 laughing. " Wouldn't Charlie and his uncle be 
 mortified if they could hear that question ! 
 Poor ! no, indeed ! Mr. Landreth could afford 
 twenty paintings as costly as that ; but he isn't 
 allowed to enjoy one, and the house looks for 
 lorn and comfortless from garret to cellar." 
 
 " And is she really so benevolent ? " 
 
 " She gives a great deal to missions, and to 
 the poor, and the church, buc I think it would 
 be well for her to remember that charity begins 
 at home, and to bestow a little kindness upon 
 her husband and his nephew. If they were 
 beggars she would perhaps think it worth while 
 to pay some attention to their comfort ; as it is 
 they get nothing from her but sermons and lee- 
 hires on their worldliness and wickedness." 
 
 "But Mr. Charlie Landreth doesn't seem 
 to me like a bad young man," said Mildred, ill 
 surprise.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 118 
 
 " He isn't," said Mrs. Dinsmore, " he's a 
 thorough gentleman and has no vices; there 
 isn't a finer young man the country round. But 
 he isn't pious ; so of course she considers him a 
 ceprobate." 
 
 " I have heard my mother speak of Mrs. 
 Travilla as a lovely Christian lady and an inti 
 mate friend of Aunt Eva," said Mildred, will 
 ing to introduce a new topic. 
 
 " Yes ; and I always feel that she is making 
 comparisons, unfavorable to me of course, be 
 tween Mr. Dinsmore's first wife and myself. So 
 I can hardly be expected to be very fond of 
 her." 
 
 " But isn't it possible that you may be mis 
 taken, Aunt Isabel ? " 
 
 " I'm not given to fancies," was the ungra 
 cious rejoinder. 
 
 Then there was a short silence broken pres 
 ently by a query from Mildred. 
 
 " Has Mrs. Travilla any daughters ? " 
 
 " No ; only a son ; and he's away in Europe. 
 The families ours and theirs have always 
 been intimate, Edward Travilla and Horace in 
 separable companions, and they went to Europe 
 together." 
 
 " It seems odd I should have been here so 
 long without meeting Mrs. Travilla."
 
 114 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " She has been away ; went North with hei 
 son, and did not return till quite recently. She 
 called at Roselands the same day Mrs. Lan- 
 dreth did and inquired for you." 
 
 Mildred was greatly pleased with both Ion 
 and its mistress. 
 
 The grounds were extensive, beautiful and 
 well cared for, the house, a fine old mansion 
 handsomely furnished, abounded in tasteful 
 ornamentation ; there were articles of vertu 
 scattered through its rooms rare and costly 
 bits of painting and sculpture. Also less ex 
 pensive adornments, singing birds and blooming 
 plants and flowers ; all showing a refined and 
 cultivated taste, and forming together a most 
 harmonious and charming whole. 
 
 Mrs. Tra villa was perhaps some years older 
 than Mrs. Dinsmore, and with her, too, youth 
 ful bloom had fled ; but it had given place to 
 beauty of another and higher order the illumi 
 nation of a richly cultivated mind and heart. 
 
 She was attired with simple elegance and a 
 due regard to her age, circumstances and what 
 best became her style of beauty. Her man 
 ner was simple and cordial, her conversation 
 sprightly, her voice low and sweet toned. 
 
 " You resemble your mother," she said with 
 a kind^ smile, taking Mildred's hand in part-
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. H& 
 
 Ing, and gazing earnestly into her face. " I re 
 member her well for I saw a good deal of he* 
 in her visits to Roselands : and truly to know 
 her was to love her. Some day soon, if your 
 aunt can spare you, you must spend a day with 
 me, and we will have a long talk about her. I 
 want to hear all you have to tell." 
 
 " Oh, I should be delighted !" Mildred ex 
 claimed, her cheeks glowing, her eyes sparkling. 
 Mrs. Tra villa had found the way to her heart, 
 and from that moment they were fast friends.
 
 Chapter 
 
 44 There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.* 1 
 
 PKOVBKBS 18 : 24. 
 
 TOTI found Mrs. Travilla a decided con 
 trast to the other lady," remarked Mrs. Dins- 
 more, as they drove down the avenue at Ion ; 
 " pray, which do you think is right in her re 
 ligious views?" 
 
 " There is no question in my mind as to 
 which is the more attractive," said Mildred, 
 " or which seems to recommend her religion 
 the most by her looks and ways; yet Mrs. 
 Landreth's self-denial certainly appears com 
 mendable, but oh, I confess that I am really 
 puzzled and must take time to consider." 
 
 " "Well, I hope you won't pattern after Mrs. 
 Landreth." 
 
 " No, never !" Mildred exclaimed, with 
 energy. " 1 know it cannot be right to make 
 home uninviting and cheerless; my mother has 
 taught me better than that, both by precept 
 and example."
 
 MILDRED AT ROBELAND8. 117 
 
 " There is a letter for you, my dear," Mr. 
 Dinsmore said, handing his wife and niece 
 from the carriage. 
 
 " From whom ?" she asked, with interest 
 
 " I have not opened it, but the address ' 
 in your sister Delia's hand." 
 
 " Ah ! then it is just the one I want." 
 
 At the tea table Mrs. Dinsmore made an 
 announcement. 
 
 " My nieces, Juliet and Reba Marsden, are 
 coming on a visit here. We may expect theiu 
 to-night or to-morrow." 
 
 " To-night ?" said Mr. Dinsmore inquiringly. 
 " They come by the stage, eh ?" 
 
 " Yes ; it passes at what hour '" 
 
 " Eight ; Pomp," to the servant in waiting. 
 " tell Aunt Phoebe to have a hot supper ready 
 at quarter past eight." 
 
 " Young ladies, Aunt ?" asked Mildred, 
 Booking up with a bright, pleased face. 
 
 " Yes, eighteen and twenty. Company for 
 you, I hope." 
 
 Mildred slipped away to her own rtom 
 shortly before the time for the arrival of the 
 stage. She had a lesson to prepare, a letter to 
 write, and thought her aunt would want to have 
 her nieces to herself for the first hour or two. 
 Besides Mrs. Dinsmore had expressed an inteu-
 
 118 M1LDR ED AT B08ELAND8. 
 
 tion to send them to bed betimes, that they 
 might be fresh for the ball which was to come 
 off the next evening. 
 
 On the stairway Mildred met her three 
 cousins, Adelaide, Louise, and Lora. 
 
 " Study hour's just over, and we're going to 
 the drawing-room," they announced. " We've 
 got leave to stay up and see our cousins when 
 they come.'' 
 
 " That's nice," she answered, " I hope to see 
 them in the morning." 
 
 In the hall above, she passed Miss Worth on 
 her way from the schoolroom to her own apart 
 ment. She was struck with the weary and sad 
 expression of her face, and paused for an instant, 
 naif inclined to offer her sympathy, and ask if 
 in anything she could be of service. 
 
 But with a slight nod of recognition, the 
 governess glided by, and the next moment Mil 
 dred heard her door close, and the key turn in 
 the lock. 
 
 " Poor thing ! I dare say she is homesick ! " 
 thought Mildred, passing on into her own 
 room, which she found, as usual, very bright 
 and cheery ; a good fire, a table with an astral 
 lamp, books and writing materials, drawn up 
 near it, an easy chair on the farther side; the 
 one inviting to work, the other to repose.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 119 
 
 She had completely won Rachel's heart, and 
 the young handmaiden took especial pride and 
 pleasure in arranging everything to " Miss 
 Milly's" liking, and being always ready to wait 
 upon her. 
 
 Mildred sat down at the table and opened 
 her books. 
 
 " Two hours for these and my letter to 
 mother ; then to bed and to sleep, that I may 
 be able to rise early and secure the two morn 
 ing hours for study before seeing those girls at 
 breakfast," was the thought in her mind. 
 
 She set herself to her work with deter 
 mined energy, but in vain ; she could not fix 
 her attention. She conned the words again 
 and again but without taking in their meaning. 
 Miss Worth's sad face kept coming between 
 her and the printed page. 
 
 " She is very lonely, she needs a friend, 
 a comforter," whispered the inward voice. 
 
 " But she might consider me an intruder, 
 trying to pry into her private affairs, forcing 
 a friendship upon her which she has never 
 sought and she so much older than I," waa 
 the answering thought. " And she is only a 
 governess. Aunt Belle evidently considers her 
 quite beneath her friendship, and might be dia 
 pleased if I put her on an equality with myself."
 
 120 MILDRED AT R08ELANUS. 
 
 But Mildred blushed to find herself iufliu 
 enced by such a motive. She too might be 
 a governess some day and she would be nono 
 the less a lady; it was an honorable and use-, 
 ful calling ; and it ought to be considered 
 far more creditable to earn one's bread thus 
 than to be willing to live upon the labor of 
 others. 
 
 " No," she exclaimed half aloud, closing 
 her book and pushing it from her, " that shall 
 not hinder me ! but ought I to go ? " 
 
 Dropping her face into her hands, she sent 
 up a silent petition. " Lord, show me I I de 
 sire to acknowledge thee in all my ways, and 
 I know thou wilt fulfill thy gracious promise 
 to direct my paths." 
 
 Then she tried to put herself in Miss Worth's 
 place. How utterly lonely the poor governess 
 was among them all ! among, and yet not of 
 them. Mrs. Dinsmore would as soon have 
 thought of sympathizing with an automaton as 
 with any of the human creatures employed io 
 her service. Her domestics were comfortably 
 fed and clothed ; Miss Worth's liberal salary 
 was always punctually paid ; and what more 
 could any of them ask ? 
 
 As Mildred mentally reviewed the events 
 of the past weeks she realized as never before
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 121 
 
 how entirely apart from them all this one mem 
 ber of the family circle had been her presence 
 ignored in their familiar chat except when it 
 related in some way to her duties her wishes, 
 taste, convenience never consulted, no interest 
 taken in her welfare, no inquiries regarding her 
 health or happiness or as to whether her letters 
 usually handed to her at the breakfast-table 
 when the .others received theirs brought good 
 news or ill. 
 
 Ah, now it came to Mildred's recollection 
 that that morning's mail brought a letter for 
 Miss Worth ; and had she not looked a little 
 paler than her wont at dinner 2 and were there 
 not traces of tears about her eyes ? 
 
 Her hesitation was at an end. She was 
 quite sure that if bad news had come to her 
 she would be glad to have the sympathy of even 
 a child, or a dumb animal ; and only waiting to 
 ask for wisdom to do and say the right thing, 
 she rose and went out into the hall. 
 
 The stage had just driven up to the door, 
 and the sounds coming from below told of the 
 arrival of the expected guests, gay, girlish voices 
 mingling with those of her aunt, uncle and 
 cousins. 
 
 She lingered a moment thinking how pleaa- 
 ant it would be should those girls prove con-
 
 MILDRED AT R03ELAND8. 
 
 genial companions to her, then going to Miss 
 Worth's door she tapped lightly on it. 
 
 A step came slowly across the room and the 
 doer opened. 
 
 " Excuse me," Mildred said, blushing and 
 hesitating, " 1 do not wish to intrude, but I 
 nought you looked sad and had perhaps heard 
 ill news ; might be homesick, in need of a friend 
 even if it were one who had only sympathy to 
 offer." 
 
 " Come in, won't you ? " 
 
 " It is very, very kind, Miss Keith ; I did 
 not expect it ; and and I do want a friend," 
 was answered in hurried, tremulous tones, as 
 Miss Worth stepped back to allow her visitor 
 to pass in, then closed the door and set a chair 
 for her near the fire. 
 
 A writing desk stood open on the table, an 
 unfinished letter lying upon it. 
 
 " I'm afraid I have disturbed you," Mildred 
 said, glancing at them. " You are busy ? " 
 
 " No, I found I could not eay what 1 wished, 
 or perhaps did not know what I wanted to say," 
 the governess answered w ith a dreary sigh. 
 
 Silence fell between them for some moments, 
 Miss Worth, who had resumed her seat, gazing 
 abstractedly into the fire, while Mildred was 
 trying to think what to say, and silently asking
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 123 
 
 to be directed. But she was not the first to speak 
 ** Does life ever seem to you a weary road 
 to travel, Miss Keith ? A burden that you would 
 be glad to lay down forever ? " asked the gov 
 ^rness. " But I forget. You are so young, so 
 happy, that you can know nothing of such an 
 experience. At your age I was gay and light- 
 hearted too ; as well I might be at home in 
 my father's house and abundantly supplied with 
 comforts and luxuries without thought or care 
 of mine. Ah, times are sadly changed with me 
 and all who are nearest and dearest to me. But 
 excuse me ! I have no right to obtrude my pri 
 vate griefs upon you." 
 
 " Please don't feel so," Mildred said, sym 
 pathetic tears springing to her eyes. " I can 
 not tell you how sorry I am for you ! how I 
 would like to comfort you ! and I know it is 
 sometimes a relief and comfort just to pour out 
 our sorrows to a fellow creature. And O, Miss 
 Worth, I wish you knew what a comfort it 
 1 to teli them all to Jesus ! " she added low 
 and feelingly. 
 
 " Is it ? Do you think he can hear ? that 
 he listens ? that ho cares ? " 
 
 The look that accompanied the questioni 
 was half eager, half skeptical, and full of unex 
 pressed longing.
 
 124 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8 
 
 " I have not the least doubt of it," Mildred 
 answered with earnest conviction in her tones. 
 " ' God over all blessed forever,* he is every 
 where present. He has, as he himself declared, 
 all power given unto him in heaven and ia 
 earth ; and he is so full of love and compassion 
 that he deems nothing that concerns his chil 
 dren, one way or another, too small for his 
 attention. He would not have even the little 
 children turned away when the parents brought 
 them to him, and he cares for the sparrows. 
 
 " ' Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? 
 and one of them shall not fall to the ground 
 without your Father. But the very hairs of 
 your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, 
 therefore, ye are of more value than many spar 
 rows. ' " 
 
 " But I am not one of his children ; " sighed 
 the governess. " I have paid no attention to 
 these things, Miss Mildred ; I did not seek 
 him in my days of prosperity, and I cannot ex 
 pect him to care for me now in my adversity." 
 
 " But he is so loving and compassionate, so 
 ready to forgive. He proclaims himself ; the 
 .Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, 
 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and 
 truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving 
 iniquity and transgression and sin.'
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 125 
 
 " * Come DOW and let us reason together, 
 eaith the Jx>rd : though your sins be as scarlet, 
 they shall be as white as snow ; though they be 
 red like crimson they shall be as wool.' Jesus 
 aid, ' Him that cometh to me I will in nowise 
 cast out.' You say you want a friend, Miss 
 "Worth, and there is none other that can com 
 pare with Jesus in love and tenderness, in 
 power and willingness to do all you need." 
 
 " A friend," repeated Miss Worth absently, 
 more as if thinking aloud than talking to her 
 visitor, " yes, that is what 1 need ; what I have 
 been longing for for days and weeks ; more 
 especially to-night ; but," and she turned her 
 face abruptly toward Mildred, while her voice 
 took a touchingly pathetic tone, " I know not 
 how or where to find the One you speak of ; 
 nor can I believe that he would receive me if I 
 did ; that he would care to help and comfort me. 
 Why should he ? " 
 
 " I don't know, except that he is so good, so 
 kind, so loving ! " Mildred said, her eyes shin 
 ing. " But dare you doubt his word ? the word 
 of him who tells us that he himself is the truth ? " 
 
 "Does he say that?" 
 
 " Yes, ' I am the way and the truth and the 
 life.' Oh, believe his love the love of Christ 
 which passetL knowledge ! ' Herein is love,
 
 126 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 not that we loved God, but that he loved ui 
 and sent his son to be the propitiation for our 
 Bins.' " 
 
 "Ah, but am I included in that word 
 'our'?" 
 
 " * Come unto ine all ye that labor and are 
 heavy laden and I will give you rest.' ' Whoso 
 ever will, let him take the water of life freely.' 
 Could invitations be more comprehensive ? " 
 
 "No; I think not. But how, Miss Mil 
 dred, how shall I come ? I was not religiously 
 brought up and am very ignorant on these sub 
 jects." 
 
 " ' With the heart man believeth unto right 
 eousness.' * Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
 .and thou shalt be saved.' " 
 
 " But what am I to do ? " 
 
 " ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
 unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him re 
 turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy 
 upon him ; ' quoted Mildred, ' and to our God 
 for he will abundantly pardon,' ' only believe ; ' 
 for by grace are ye saved, through faith ; And 
 that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God. 
 Not of works, lest any man should boast.' 
 
 " Do you not see that Christ has done it all 
 kept the law for us, borne its penalty in our 
 stead, and now offers us the justification of our
 
 MILDLED AT ROSELANDS. 127 
 
 persons, the sanctification of our natures, and 
 adoption into God's family all as a free gift, the 
 purchase of his blood. We cannot merit it, 
 we cannot buy it ; it is ' without money aud 
 without price.' All we can do is to accept the 
 offered salvation and forsaking every other hope 
 and trust, lean wholly upon Jesus." 
 
 Miss Worth seemed lost in sad perplexing 
 thought, while Mildred's heart went up in silent 
 petition on her behalf. 
 
 " Tell it me again," she said at length with 
 emotion ; and Mildred tried to make a clearer 
 statement than before. 
 
 " It is so simple and beautiful God's plan 
 of salvation " Mildred said in conclusion, " only 
 to give ourselves unreservedly to the Lord and 
 trust wholly in him. Jesus said, ' This is the 
 work of God, that ye believe on him whom he 
 hath sent.' And of his sheep, he says, ' I give 
 unto them eternal life ; and they shall never 
 perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
 hand.' " 
 
 " Yes; but I want a friend now : for thia 
 Life : it cares, troubles, trials, perplexities. 
 J )oes he promise that ? " asked the governess, 
 with wistful, longing look. 
 
 " Oh, yes, yes indeed ! in very many places,'' 
 Mildred said. 'This poor man cried and the
 
 128 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 Lord heard him and saved him out of all nil 
 troubles.' " 
 
 " ' He shall deliver tliee in six troubles ; yea 
 in seven there shal no evil touch thee.' 
 
 " * Call upon me in the day of trouble : I 
 will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' 
 
 " ' Cast thy burden upon the Lord and ho 
 shall sustain thee.' 
 
 " ' Be careful for nothing ; but in every 
 thing by prayer and supplication with thanks 
 giving, let your requests be made known unto 
 God. And the peace of God which passeth all 
 understanding, shall keep your hearts and minda 
 through Christ Jesus.' " 
 
 Again a few moments of profound silence, 
 while Miss Worth seemed to be thinking deeply, 
 then turning to Mildred, " I cannot express my 
 sense of your kindness," she said, " and " she 
 paused, hesitated, but went on hurriedly, and 
 with emotion, " I will seek this Friend if whom 
 you have been speaking, for I screly need such 
 an one. But you," she continued with increas 
 ing emotion, " you have so generously offered 
 vour sympathy, yet refrained, with true deli- 
 eaoy, from showing the least curiosity in regard 
 to my troubles. But it would be a relief to 
 confide in you to some extent, if if you would 
 care to listen."
 
 MILDRED Al R08ELAND3. 129 
 
 ** I should be much interested and very glad 
 to be of service," Mildred answered gently. 
 " And I think I need not assure you that your 
 confidence will be sacred." 
 
 " No ; I am quite certain of that," returned 
 Miss Worth ; then went on to give a slight 
 sketch of her past life ; or rather of some parts 
 of it ; for she did not deem it necessary, or wise, 
 to tell of all the trials which had fallen to her 
 lot. 
 
 Her father, she said, had been in the early 
 part of his career a very successful business man, 
 and in her childhood and youth she was sur 
 rounded with luxury ; but reverses came, losa 
 followed loss, till they were reduced to absolute 
 poverty. Then her father died and the burden 
 of her mother's support, as well as her own and 
 that of a younger sister, fell upon her. 
 
 There was an older sister who had been 
 married for some years ; but her husband was 
 dissipated and worthless, and she had several 
 little children to provide for as best she could. 
 The mother and Delia, the young sister, lived 
 with her, but Miss Worth paid their board, and 
 clothed them. 
 
 The letter received to-day was from Mrs. 
 Marks, the married one, and drew a sad picture 
 of toil, privation, and bitter disappointment
 
 13C MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 Her children were sick, her husband came home 
 drunk every night, to threaten and abuse her, 
 and then the mother fretted continually over 
 their reverses and her own ailments, fancied of 
 real; and Delia was dissatisfied because she 
 sould not dress like other girls in the school she 
 attended. The letter wound up with a request 
 for a loan, and a hint that the sum paid for 
 board of the mother and sister was too small. 
 Also a little note was inclosed from Delia, ask 
 ing, indeed almost demanding, money for the 
 purchase of a new dress. 
 
 But of these Miss Worth said nothing. 
 
 Mildred was full of genuine sympathy, and 
 showed it in a way that was very soothing and 
 comforting. 
 
 Yet, after she was gone, the burden rolled 
 back upon the heart of the poor, lonely gov 
 erness. She sat long over the fire, hand a 
 clasped in her lap, head bowed upon her breast, 
 vainly striving to solve the perplexing problem 
 how she was to meet all the demands upon her 
 slender purse. 
 
 Her disposition was noble and self sa.ri- 
 ficing ; she would have willingly denied herself 
 all superfluities in dress that her mother might 
 not miss her accustomed luxuries, Delia go 
 without finery, or Mrs. Marks and her children
 
 MILDRED AT HOMELANDS. 
 
 131 
 
 be overworked or underfed ; but it would not 
 do ; Mrs. Dinsmore's governess must be many 
 removee from shabby in her attire.
 
 Cjjapier 
 
 * Self IB the medium least refined of all, 
 Through which Opinion's searching beam can fall ; 
 And passing there, the clearest, steadiest ray, 
 Will tinge its light, and turn its line astray." 
 
 MOOM. 
 
 IT was at the breakfast table the next morn, 
 ing that Mildred had her first sight of the new 
 comers. 
 
 They were late in making their appearance, 
 excusing themselves on the ground of fatigue 
 from the journey of the previous day. 
 
 Juliet, the elder of the two, was an ex 
 tremely sentimental young lady ; tall and thin, 
 with fair complexion, pale auburn hair, and 
 faded blue eyes. 
 
 The other, Reba, a noisy, rattling, romping, 
 pert young Miss, with staring black eyes, black 
 hair, straight and coarse, and a muddy skin, 
 which she strove with very limited success to 
 conceal with toilet powder and rouge. 
 
 She prided herself on being a fast girl, a
 
 MILDRED AT ROWLANDS 133 
 
 good shot with a pistol, and not afraid to mount 
 the wildest horse that could be found. 
 
 Her talk was of horses and dogs, i-ace 
 courses and shooting matches ; her sister's of 
 beaux, parties and dress. 
 
 Juliet had a great deal to say about hei 
 Bummer at Saratoga, and the gentlemen she had 
 met there, especially a certain titled foreigner, 
 whom she spoke of as " that charming, fascina 
 ting Count De Lisle." 
 
 It came out in the course of the morning, 
 that she had heard from him since her return 
 home in the fall, and would not be surprised if 
 he should follow her to Roselands. 
 
 " Pa won't like it if he does," remarked 
 Reba. " He thinks he's a fortune-hunter, with 
 nothing to recommend him but his title, and 
 that very likely it is all a pretence. And I am 
 inclined to think pa is right, and that the fel 
 low is not even a foreigner." 
 
 " As if your opinion was of the least conse 
 quence 1" sneered her sister. " I consider both 
 you and pa extremely uncharitable to indulge 
 in such suspicions. I have seen a good deal 
 more of the Count than either of you, and he 
 is a delightful man." 
 
 " Well, don't waste your time disput 
 ing, girls," interrupted Mrs. Dinsmore, "yon
 
 134 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 have yet to decide what you will wear to. 
 night." 
 
 They were in the dressing-room appropria 
 ted to the sisters during their stay ; Mildred was 
 with them, Mrs. Dinsmore having invited her 
 in, that they might have the benefit of ner 
 taste. 
 
 A quantit} 7 of finery was spread out upon 
 the bed, table, and chairs, and presently the 
 four were deep in consultation on the all im 
 portant subject. 
 
 Mildred was gifted with artistic taste in 
 dress, and great facility in giving form and 
 shape to her conceptions, by the use of scissors 
 and needle. She was also very obliging, and 
 having fallen to-day into the hands of those who 
 were selfishly unscrupulous about imposing 
 upon good nature, she was given little rest 
 until the two girls were fully attired for the 
 ball. 
 
 They surveyed themselves with delight: 
 and indeed both looked remarkably well for 
 them ; Juliet in white gauze over pale blue 
 silk, and a few white blossoms from the green 
 house in her hair; Reba in black silk with 
 black lace overskirt looped Math scarlet ribbons, 
 and hair trimmed with flowers of the same 
 brilliant hue.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 135 
 
 She was in her wildest spirits, dancing, and 
 pirouetting round the room, declaring that Mil 
 dred had laid her under lasting obligations, 
 she had had no idea how handsome she was, 
 and it would be strange if she didn't make a 
 conquest before the evening was over ; Juliet 
 hearing it all with a half contemptuous smile, 
 while contemplating the reflection of her own 
 charms in the glass, with the self-satisfied 
 thought that they far exceeded those of her 
 sister. 
 
 " You are entirely welcome," said. Mildred, 
 "and I am very glad you are satisfied with the 
 result of my labors. Now I must go to Aunt 
 Belle, for I promised to put the finishing 
 touches to her toilet." 
 
 " We'll go too, and show ourselves," said 
 JReba, and all three tripped gayly down the 
 stairs, into Mrs. Dinsmore's dressing-room. 
 
 They found her resplendent in silk, lace 
 and diamonds. The costly gems depended 
 from her ears, sparkled on her wrists, at her 
 throat, on every link of her watch chain ; 
 and Mildred's task was to place a spray of them 
 in her hair, already elaborately dressed by her 
 waiting maid. 
 
 " Oh, you are splendid, Aunt Belle 1" cried 
 Reba, clapping her hands " I declare I belie v
 
 136 MILDRED AT ROSELANuo. 
 
 you look younger and prettier than either of 
 us." 
 
 "Don't turn flatterer, child," said Mrs 
 Dinsmore, coloring with pleasure at the com 
 pliment, and giving her mirror a glance of un 
 mistakable satisfaction. 
 
 " Oh, you needn't pretend you don't know 
 it," laughed Reba. " But now look at us and 
 eay if you're not proud of your nieces." 
 
 "Yes indeed," Mrs. Dinsmore said after a 
 moment's critical survey, "you are charming 
 girls, both of you. Mildred, I think you deserve 
 any amount of credit." 
 
 " Eh ! what has she been about ? " Mr. 
 Dinsmore asked, coming in from an adjoining 
 room ; " superintending the toilet of these girls ? 
 "Why she is certainly a young lady of taste, and 
 a useful member of society." 
 
 " Decidedly prettier in her neat homo dress 
 than they in all their finery," he added mentally. 
 Then aloud, " Come, Milly, don't you bngin to 
 want to go along ? It isn't too late yet to change 
 your mind. We'll wait for you to dress " 
 
 " Thank you," she answered brightly, "but 
 J have not changed my mind, and really feel 
 quite sure that I shall enjoy myself be M r at 
 home." 
 
 " Such odd taste," laughed Reba.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 137 
 
 " But perhaps she does not expect to pasa 
 the time alone," drawled Juliet with a signifi 
 cant look. 
 
 Mildred repelled the insinuation with 
 dignity. " I expect no company but my books," 
 she said, " and certainly desire no other." 
 
 She was entirely sincere, yet it did seem a 
 little lonely as she sat by the fire in her own 
 room after they had gone. 
 
 But she turned resolutely to her books, soon 
 grew interested, and after a couple of hours 
 spent in close study, retired to bed. 
 
 Only her uncle, Miss Worth, and the chil 
 dren met her at the breakfast-table the next 
 morning. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore explained that his wife and 
 her nieces were sleeping off their fatigue, add 
 ing, " The girls danced all night, and really it 
 was near sunrise when we reached home." 
 
 " They must be very tired," Mildred said, 
 " Aunt Belle and you too, uncle." 
 
 " Yes ; I think your plan was the wisest, 
 after all. But what shall you do with yourself 
 to-day ? I fear you will be left quite to youi 
 own resources." 
 
 " I assure you I will be at no loss," she re 
 turned with a cheery smile. 
 
 The first thing in order after breakfast wai
 
 138 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 a ride, in which Adelaide, Louise and Lora wer 
 her companions. A very enjoyable one, the 
 morning being bright, clear and not very cold. 
 
 On their return, as they cantered up the 
 avenue, Adelaide exclaimed, " There's the Ion 
 carriage at the door. What an early call Mrs, 
 Tra villa is making ! " 
 
 But it was only a servant with a note for 
 Mildred ; an urgent invitation to her to drive 
 over to Ion and spend the day. 
 
 " I send my carriage for you," wrote Mrs. 
 Tra villa, " hoping it may not return empty.. 
 U :-acle Eben is a careful driver, will bring you 
 safely, I think, and carry you back when you 
 feel that your visit must come to an end. I 
 should drive over for you myself, but am con 
 fined to the house by a severe cold." 
 
 No more welcome invitation could have 
 come to Mildred. Full of delight she hastened 
 to her room to change her riding habit for some 
 thing more suitable for the occasion. That was 
 the work of but a few moments, and leaving a 
 message for Mrs. Dinsmore, who had not risen, 
 she was presently bowling briskly along the 
 road leading to Ion. 
 
 She anticipated a delightful day and was 
 not disappointed. It was passed principally m 
 Mrs. Travilla's boudoir and without other com-
 
 MIL DRED A T R08ELANDS 1 3 U 
 
 panionship, and seemed to Mildred very much 
 like a day at home with her mother ; for this 
 new friend was a woman of the same spirit, and 
 very similar gifts and graces. And she received 
 her young guest with truly motheny warmth 
 and tenderness of greeting. 
 
 The talk was first of Mildred's far off home 
 and the dear ones there, then of the better land 
 and the dearest Friend of all that either pos 
 sessed; and while conversing of Him and His 
 wondrous love their hearts were drawn very 
 close together. 
 
 "Mrs. Tra villa," Mildred said, breaking a 
 pause in the conversation, "there is some one I 
 want you to help me pray for ; one who wants 
 just such a kind, loving, powerful, everpresent 
 Friend as Jesus." 
 
 " Yes, my child, I will," Mrs. Travilla re 
 sponded with feeling, "we will unite our 
 prayers, and he will know whom wo mean, 
 though I am ignorant of it ; He whose precious 
 promise is, ' If two of you shall agree on earth 
 as touching anything that they shall ask it shall 
 be done of them of my Father which IB iu 
 heaven. " 
 
 " It is a precious promise," Mildred said, 
 tears springing to her eyes. " And there are 
 others O, Mrs. Travilla, can yon not guesi
 
 140 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 whom ? that I want to plead it for. Sorru 
 that I love, who are very kind to me, but eem 
 to care nothing at all about this Friend, and to 
 have no thought or concern for anything be 
 yond this life." 
 
 " Yes, I know," Mrs. Travilla said, pressing, 
 the girl's hand tenderly in hers, " and you may 
 well believe that I have not known them all 
 these years without often asking my dear Lord 
 to reveal himself to them in all his loveliness ; 
 and now I am very, very glad to have a helper 
 in this." 
 
 They sat silent then for some minutes, 
 when the adornments of the room attracting 
 Mildred's eye, reminded her of a question she 
 had been longing to ask. 
 
 Beginning with an account of her visit to 
 Mrs. Landreth and the talk between them, 
 in which Mrs. Travilla seemed interested, she 
 went on to say, with a smiling glance around 
 the tasteful apartment, " I feel sure that you 
 do not think as she does, and that she is not 
 right in her views or practice either ; and yet 
 I confess I am at a loss to know how to refute 
 her arguments. So I have wanted to ask an 
 explanation of your views. Do you think Mrs 
 Landreth a really good Christian woman ? " 
 
 " Yes, my dear, I do," Mrs. Travilla said
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 141 
 
 ** She is beyond question very self-denying and 
 benevolent ; but I think she forgets that we are 
 to * adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in 
 al things ; ' and so fails to recommend it as she 
 might to others ; particularly her husband and 
 his nephew. 
 
 " I quite agree with your mother that it is 
 a wife's duty to study the comfort and happi 
 ness of her husband in everything that she can 
 without violating the plain commands of God. 
 
 " Mrs. Landreth and I take different views 
 on the question of the best way to help the 
 poor. She gives money, I let them earn it, 
 paying them liberally for their work ; this 
 plan encourages industry and honest pride of 
 independence ; while the other teaches them to 
 be willing to be idle pensioners on the bounty 
 of their richer neighbors. 
 
 " Mine certainly seems the more self-indul 
 gent way," she added with a smile, " for my 
 house is thus filled with pretty things whilt 
 Mrs. Landreth's is left very bare of ornament 
 and yet I think it is the better plan." 
 
 " I am sure it is," Mildred responded with 
 An energy and positiveness that brought a mu 
 sical laugh from the lips of her friend. 
 
 " And," resumed Mrs. Travilla, " we diffei 
 quite as decidedly on the question of dress she
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND& 
 
 considering it a duty to spend as little as possi 
 ble upon herself, that she may have the maro 
 to give ; I thinking that those who have the 
 means to do so without stinting their charities., 
 or driving hard bargains with their tradesmen, 
 should buy beautiful and expensive things in 
 order to help and encourage manufacturers, and 
 render themselves and their houses attractive. 
 
 " Surely God would not have implanted in 
 us so strong a love of the beautiful, and given 
 so much to gratify it, if he meant us to ignore 
 and repress it." 
 
 "No, surely not," Mildred said, thought, 
 fully. " Oh, how good he is 1 how much he 
 has given us to enjoy ! there are so many beau- 
 tiful sights and sounds in nature, so much to 
 gratify the taste and smell the perfume from 
 your plants comes most pleasantly to my nos 
 trils at this moment, and the sweet song of that 
 mocking bird to my ear. And I do so love old 
 ocean's roar and the rippling of running water. 
 Does it not seem like a slander upon the God of 
 love, to teach that he would have us spend all 
 our time, effort and means on those things that 
 are utilitarian only ?" 
 
 " It certainly does ; and yet are not some of 
 these things which some condemn as mere in 
 dulgences, really useful, after all? the surround
 
 NILE RED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 ings affect the spirits, and they in turn the 
 health, and therefore the ability to work 
 Grand or beautiful scenery has often an inspir. 
 mg or soothing effect, and their pictured repre 
 sentations the same to some extent." 
 
 " And just so with a sweet and noble face," 
 Mildred said, " and what a lovely one that is," 
 turning her eyes toward a painting on the op 
 posite wall. 
 
 " Yes," returned her friend, " T love to lie 
 on my couch and gaze upon it, when not able 
 to sit up, and it has been a comfort and help to 
 me in many an hour of pain or sadness. Ah 
 who shall say that an artist's work is a waste of 
 time when his pancil is devoted to the repro 
 duction of the good and beautiful or that 
 his God-given talent is not to be improved ?" 
 
 Then she drew Mildred's attention to other 
 paintings, and pieces of fancy work, to each of 
 which she had a story attached : generally of a 
 straggle with poverty and want on the part of 
 the one of whose talent and skill it was a 
 specimen. 
 
 These tales were told in no boastful spirit 
 yet Mildred learned from them a valuable les- 
 gon on the best use of wealth, and how much 
 good might be done with it, in the way of lend 
 ing a helping hand to those who needed assist
 
 144 
 
 MILDRED AT RO8ELANDS. 
 
 ance or lift them out of otherwise hopeless 
 poverty, and how it could be accomplished 
 without sacrificing- a praiseworthy pride of 
 independence.
 
 <%to Cbtlfljf. 
 
 " O credulity, 
 Security's blind nurse, the dream of fools." 
 
 MRS. DINSMOKE carried out her plan of fill 
 ing her house with company during the holidays. 
 They were mostly young people, and the time 
 was spent in a constant round of festivities. 
 
 In these Mildred bore some share ; for she 
 thought it right that she should do her part in 
 entertaining her aunt's guests. Nor did her 
 conscience forbid innocent recreation at proper 
 times and seasons, though she could not con< 
 eent to make mere amusement the business oi 
 her life. 
 
 Some half dozen or more of the neighboring 
 gentry were invited for the whole fortnight, 
 while others came for an evening, a day, or two 
 or three days, and on Christmas Eve and New 
 Year's night, large parties were given. 
 
 It was on the latter occasion the^ Mildred
 
 146 MILDRED AT ROSKLANDS. 
 
 noticed among the guests, for the first time, a 
 handsome man, apparently about thirty years 
 of age, who was an entire stranger to her. 
 
 His broadcloth and linen were of the finest, 
 a magnificent solitaire diamond adorned the little 
 finger of his right hand ; he wore an imperial 
 and heavy moustache, and something foreign in 
 his look and manner, as well as the fact that he 
 seemed to be paying assiduous court to Juliet, 
 suggested to Mildred the probability that he 
 was die Count De Lisle, of whom she had heard 
 her make such frequent mention. 
 
 She was not long left in doubt as to that, 
 for the next moment Heba whispered his name 
 in her ear, adding " Juliet is in the seventh 
 heaven, of course." 
 
 " There is something sinister in the expres 
 sion of his face," thought Mildred, turning away. 
 "I do not like it. Yet it is strangely familiar 
 too. Where can I possibly have seen it be 
 fore?" 
 
 His attention had been attracted to her and 
 he inquired of Juliet, " Who is that pretty girl 
 in pink and white ! " 
 
 " Pretty ! " returned Miss Marsden with a 
 scornful toss of the head. " I cannot say that 
 I admire her style. She's a Miss Keith, a sort 
 of far away niece of Uncle Dinsmore : a Korth-
 
 MILDRED AT RVSdLAND8. 147 
 
 tni girl and poor, I imagine ; for her father's a 
 country lawyer with a large family." 
 
 Juliet was absolutely ignorant of Mr. Keith's 
 circumstances, but it suited her plans to make it 
 appear that she was no heiress ; quite her own 
 inferior in the matter of wealth, whatever she 
 might be in looks. 
 
 " Do not be offended, my angel," he whis 
 pered bending over her and speaking with a 
 slightly foreign accent which she had again and 
 again extolled to Keba as " perfectly delicious," 
 " I meant not that she was half so beautiful 
 nr charmant as yourself." 
 
 " Ah, Count, you are a sad flatterer," she re 
 turned with a simper. 
 
 " No, no 1 pardon the contradiction, Miss 
 Juliet, but de truth is nefer flattery." 
 
 " A penny for your thoughts, Miss Keith,'' 
 said a voice at Mildred's side. 
 
 "Ah, good evening, Mr. Landreth," she 
 answered turning toward the speaker. " Tor 
 are welcome to them gratis. I am wondering 
 where I have seen Miss Marsden's admirei 
 before to-night, or if it is only a resemblance, 
 real or fancied, to some one else that I see 
 in hin:." 
 
 " 1 cannot tell, indeed," he said, furtively 
 watching the man for a moment, " but there ii
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 something in his face that would make me 
 sorry to see him ingratiating himself with a lady 
 friend of mine.' 1 
 
 " Excuse me, but I must ask you to move, 
 as we are going to dance and want this sofa 
 behind you, put out of the way," said Reba, 
 coming up to them with two servants. 
 
 " Certainly," Mildred said, taking Mr. Lan- 
 dreth's offered arm. 
 
 They passed down the room and out into 
 the conservatory beyond. 
 
 " Are you engaged for the first set ? " he 
 asked. 
 
 " No ; nor for any other," she answered 
 with a smile. " I do not dance, Mr. Landreth." 
 
 " It is not too late to begin," he remarked 
 persuasively. 
 
 " No, it is too soon." 
 
 " You don't think it wrong ? " he queried us 
 in surprise, " here in your home as it were ? It 
 is different, is it not, from attending a ball ? " 
 
 " Yes ; but I might grow so fond of it as to 
 want to go to balls. I think it safest for me 
 to avoid the temptation." 
 
 Sets were forming as they returned to the 
 drawing-room, and Miss Worth, who had been 
 sent for, to play the piano, was just entering by 
 another <!<>or.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 149 
 
 She had kept apart from the guests, spend 
 ing almost all her time in her own room ; so 
 that Mildred had seen very little of her for some 
 days past. 
 
 She noticed on the instant of her enhance, 
 that she was looking pal and worn ; then that 
 her pallor suddenly increased to ghastliness, aa 
 on stepping in, she came face to face with Juliet 
 and the Count in the nearest set, standing side 
 by side. 
 
 He, too, started slightly and turned pale for 
 a moment as his eyes met those of the govern 
 ess ; but neither spoke and pushing hastily past 
 him she sat down at the instrument. 
 
 She felt herself reeling in her seat and 
 thought she should fall to the floor ; every 
 thing seemed to be turning round : but con 
 quering her emotion by a great effort, she ran 
 her fingers over the keys and dashed off into a 
 lively dancing tune. 
 
 Her head was in a whirl, a mist swam be 
 fore her eyes so that she could not see the notes, 
 but her fingers flew so fast that the dancera 
 were soon panting for breath in their efforts to 
 keep pace with the music. 
 
 " Not so fast ! not so fast ! " called several 
 voices, but though for an instant she slackened 
 her speed, the next she was ratUing on as before
 
 150 MILDRED AT ROSJCLAAJJ8. 
 
 Set after set had been danced, Juliet and 
 the count taking part in them all, and now he 
 led her panting to a seat. 
 
 " I like not zose tunes so well as some 
 other," he remarked, " May I claim ze -privi 
 lege to speak to ze player zat she choose some 
 thing else, and not play quite so rapid ? " 
 
 " Oh yes, certainly," smiled Juliet sweetly. 
 
 Miss Worth was turning over her music in 
 search of a waltz some one had called for, when 
 a voice spoke at her side ; a voice that made 
 her start and shiver, though she did not look 
 round. 
 
 " Your execution was von leetle bit too 
 rapid for us," it said in an ordinary tone, then in 
 a whisper, the lips close to her ear, " Meet me 
 half an hour after the company disperses ; be 
 hind the clump of evergreens at the foot of the 
 avenue." 
 
 "Yes," she answered, almost under her 
 breath, and without so much as turning her 
 head. 
 
 She saw as in a nightmare, a white hand, 
 too large to be a woman's, with a solitaire 
 diamond sparkling on the fourth finger, busied 
 among the sheets of music before her, then it 
 vanished, her strained ear catching the faint 
 echo of the retreating step.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 151 
 
 She kept her eyes on her notes, her fin 
 gers wandering mechanically over the keys, 
 calling forth low, soft strains of music, while 
 the dancers passed out into the refreshment 
 room. She kept it up unceasingly until they 
 returned ; then changed to a waltz in obedience 
 to directions, as couples began taking their 
 places on the floor. How long it lasted she 
 did not know, it seemed an age of suffering to 
 her before she found herself again alone in the 
 solitude of her own room. 
 
 As she entered the clock on the mantel 
 struck two. She glanced at it and sank into a 
 chair by the fire. 
 
 "Half an hour," she sighed, shivering and 
 crouching over the blaze. " What an age to 
 wait ; and yet I'm afraid not long enough to 
 let them all get to bed and asleep. "What if I 
 should be seen ! " 
 
 She dropped her face into her hands with a 
 low groan. It was some minutes before she 
 lifted it again for another glance at the clock ; 
 a wan, weary, haggard face, full of dread and 
 distress, but with no tears in the burning eyes. 
 
 Slowly the moments dragged themselves 
 along till at last the minute hand pointed to 
 the half hour, when she rose, wrapped herself 
 in a large dark shawl, putting it over her head,
 
 152 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 listened at her door for a moment, to make 
 sure that all was quiet, then glided softly 
 down the stairs, let herself out at a back door, 
 and creeping along close to the wall of the 
 house, then in the shadow of the trees that 
 lined the avenue, gained at length the clump 
 of evergreens at its farther end. 
 
 A biting north wind swept the hard, frozen 
 gi'ound, and rustled the dry leaves at her feet, 
 as she stood leaning against a tree in an in 
 tensely listening attitude. It seemed to pierce 
 to her very vitals, and shuddering and trem 
 bling with the cold, and nervous dread, she 
 drew the shawl more closely about her, while 
 straining her eyes through the gloom to catch 
 a glimpse of him whom she had come to meet ; 
 for there was no light save that shining in the 
 winter sky. 
 
 She had waited but a moment, when a 
 stealthy step drew near, and a tall form 
 wrapped in a cloak, stood before her. 
 
 " Here first ?" he said in a cautious whisper. 
 
 " Yes," she answered, in the Bame low key, 
 and with a sudden catching of her breath, 
 " Oh, why are you here?" 
 
 " For my own advantage," he answered 
 half defiantly, " and," in a threatening tone, 
 " j?ou'd better have a care how you betray me."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 153 
 
 "I h&ve no desire to do so," she returned, 
 with a weary sigh, " but you must go, and at 
 once ; you will ruin me if you stay ; you must 
 see that." 
 
 " Pooh . I see no such thing. And must is 
 ft word you have no right to use to me. Keep 
 /our mouth shut, and all will go well.'' 
 
 " What is your object in coming here ?" 
 
 " Plain enough, I should think," he an 
 swered with a sneer. 
 
 "You are deceiving that silly girl, and 
 intend to marry her, simply for her money ?" 
 
 " Exactly. Who needs money more than I? " 
 
 " And how long will it take you to squan 
 der it?" 
 
 " Depends upon how much there is," he re 
 turned with a sardonic laugh. 
 
 " And your luck at the gaming table, I pre 
 sume," she said bitterly. " You are acting most 
 dishonorably toward the girl. She would not 
 lock at you if she knew " 
 
 " That I am an American born citizen, eh ? 
 Well, am I any the worse for that ? " 
 
 " Not for that not in my esteem ; but you 
 know, you know that is not all, nor the worst 
 by a great deal ! " she cried in a tone of sup 
 pressed agony. " And you ask me to stand by 
 and see yon deceive this girl to her ruin, never
 
 154: MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 etretcning out a finger for her help ! I cannot 
 doit. I will not! Go! go! you must! you 
 must never show your face here again ! " 
 
 " Be quiet ! " he said angrily ; for in hei 
 excitement she had raised her voice to a dan 
 gerously high pitch. " And look at home," he 
 went on : " remember that you are partly re 
 sponsible for my ruiL, and that you, too, are 
 sailing under false colors." 
 
 " But not to the injury of any one ; not with 
 any evil intent," she answered, clasping her 
 hands beseechingly. "And if you drive me 
 from here, Harry, you will be taking the bread 
 out of our mother's mouth. It is surely enough 
 that you do nothing for her support yourself." 
 
 " I'll help with that when I have secured 
 this girl and her money," he said with an evil 
 laugh. " Just you keep quiet and all will 
 go well. Keep my secret, and I'll keep 
 yours." 
 
 She leaned back wearily against the tree, 
 clasping her hands more tightly over her throb 
 bing heart ; tears sprang to hor eyes, her lipa 
 trembled, but no sound came from them. 
 
 " Well ? " he cried impatiently. 
 
 "Harry," she said, very low and tremu 
 lously, " I have been reading a good deal lately 
 in an old book one whose teachings we used
 
 MILDRED Al R08ELAND8. 155 
 
 to respect in our innocent childhood and it tella 
 me that ' the way of transgressors is hard ; * that 
 though * hand join in hand, the wicked shall not 
 he unpunished' ; that there is such a thing as 
 sinning away your day of grace ; and it says, 
 ' Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, 
 call ye upon him while he is near.' O, Harry, 
 turn from your wicked ways before it \& forever 
 too late. There is mercy even for you, if you 
 will turn now." 
 
 Spell-bound with astonishment, he had 
 heard her thus far in absolute silence ; but now 
 he interrupted her with a savage oath. 
 
 " I didn't know you'd turned pious," he 
 sneered. "And I didn't come here to be 
 preached to. If you know what's for your good 
 you'll keep quiet ; that's all I have to say. And 
 now I'm off. I can't stand here catching my 
 death of cold.'' 
 
 He was turning away, but she grasped a fold 
 of his cloak. * 
 
 " Harry," she said in a choking voice, " we 
 used to be fond of each other: I was very 
 proud of my handsome brother ; and and we've 
 been parted for five years ! " 
 
 " That's true, Gerty," he said in a softened 
 tone, turning back and throwing an arm about 
 her waist ; let's kiss and be friends."
 
 156 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " Harry," she whispered, clinging to him, 
 ** do you know anything of of him f " 
 
 " No ; and don't want to ! " he answered 
 savagely. " You're not fool enough to care for 
 him n ow ? " 
 
 " Women are fools," was all she said in 
 reply. 
 
 And they parted; he disappearing in the 
 direction of the road, she creeping back to the 
 house, and regaining the shelter of her room ; 
 fortunately without meeting any one on the 
 way. 
 
 She was tired, oh, so tired ! her strength 
 scarcely sufficient to bring her to the desired 
 haven ; but even there she could not rest. She 
 did not undress or lie down, but crouched be 
 side the fire, her hands clasped about her knees, 
 her head bowed upon her breast, while the 
 monotonous ticking of the clock told off the 
 weary seconds, and the smouldering embers 
 burned out leaving nothing but the cold ashes 
 on the hearth.
 
 " In desert wilds, in midnight gloom, 
 
 In grateful joy, in trying pain, 
 In laughing youth, or nigh the tomb, 
 Ah ! when ia prayer unheard or yain f" 
 
 ELIZA. COOK. 
 
 THE cold, grey dawn of the winter morning 
 was stealing in at the windows as at last, sigh 
 ing heavily, the governess lifted her head with 
 a returning consciousness of her surroundings. 
 
 How dreary it all looked, in the dim, un 
 certain light ! the disordered room, the tireless 
 hearth tit emblem, as it seemed, of the cold, 
 almost dead heart within her. 
 
 Life was like a desert at that moment, a 
 rough, weary road where thorns and briars con- 
 stantly pierced her tired feet. Why should 
 she stay ? "Why not lie down and rest in a 
 quiet grave ? 
 
 She rose slowly, stiff from the constrained 
 posture, and dragged herself across the room. 
 Opening her wardrobe door, she took from the
 
 158 MILDRED AT ROSELAXD8. 
 
 shelf a vial labelled " laudanum." She lield it 
 A moment in her hand. 
 
 " It is only to go to sleep," she said, hall 
 aloud, " to go to sleep, and never wake again. 
 Never ? ah ! if I could be sure, sure of that !" 
 
 " * And the smoke of their torment ascend- 
 eth up forever and ever.' * Where their worm 
 dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.' " 
 
 With a shudder, she put it hastily back, 
 locked the door, and threw herself upon the bed. 
 
 " Oh, God, forgive me !" she cried, " keep 
 me, keep me, or I shall do it yet ! And then 
 forever and ever 1 No space for repentance, no 
 coming back !" 
 
 At length tired nature found temporary re 
 lief in the heavy, dreamless slumber of utter 
 exhaustion. 
 
 Hours passed, and still she slept on, hearing 
 not, nor heeding the sounds of returning life in 
 the household. 
 
 They were very late after their long night of 
 revelry ; breakfast was not on the table till ten 
 o'clock, and even then no one answered the sum 
 mons but the master of the house and Mildred. 
 
 The children had taken their morning mea* 
 two hours before. 
 
 " An unexpected pleasure, this, Milly, my 
 dear,'' was Mr. Dinsmore's greeting.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 159 
 
 " What, uncle, you did not surely expect 
 me to be still in bed !" 
 
 " Well no ; but I thought you would be 
 looking fagged and worn ; instead of which, 
 your face is fresh and fair as a rose just washed 
 with dew, and bright as the morning." 
 
 " And why not, if sufficient rest will do 
 it ?" she returned, laughingly. " I retired at 
 twelve, and had my eight hours of sound, re 
 freshing sleep." 
 
 " Ah, you are a wise little woman ! too sen 
 sible to let late hours rob you of health and 
 good looks, and make you old before your 
 time. What is it Solomon says ? ' Early to bed 
 and early to rise ? ' ' 
 
 " O, uncle, what a joke ! there no use in 
 your pretending that you don't know any bet 
 ter than that," she answered merrily. 
 
 " Well, perhaps I do ; but he certainly sayt 
 something about lying late in bed." 
 
 "Several things; one occurs to me now. 
 
 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty ; 
 
 open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with 
 
 bread.' But it cannot mean that we should not 
 
 take needful rest ?" 
 
 " Oh no, of course not ! there's nothing 
 gained by that. But where's Miss Worth I " 
 
 " She has not joined us since the house hag
 
 160 MILDRED AT ROSELA&D& 
 
 been so full of guests. I think she takes her 
 meals with the children in the nursery." 
 
 " Ah, yes ; I presume so ; but I had forgot 
 ten it, and it struck me that she might be ill . 
 I thought she was looking badly last night. 
 Did you notice it ? " 
 
 " Yes ; I did. I will inquire about her," 
 Mildred said, remembering with a pang of self- 
 reproach how ghastly a face the governess had 
 iForn on taking her seat at the piano. 
 
 She might be very ill, unable to call for help, 
 neglected by the sleepy maids, and she herself 
 had been up for two hours and ought to have 
 gone to her door to inquire. 
 
 She went immediately on leaving the table, 
 her alarm and anxiety increased on the way 
 thither by the information, gleaned from one 
 of the servants, that Miss Worth had not been 
 present at the nursery breakfast. 
 
 Mildred rapped lightly, then louder, and re 
 ceiving no answer, tried the door. It opened 
 and she stole softly in. 
 
 Miss Worth lay on the outside of the bed, 
 elill dressed as she had last seen her in the 
 drawing room at the piano and sleeping 
 heavily. Her face was very pale and distressed 
 and she moaned now and then as if in pain. 
 
 She had nothing over her ; but a heavy
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 161 
 
 dark shawl lay on the floor beside the chimney 
 Mildred picked it up and spread it over her, 
 drew down the blinds to shut out the glare of 
 the sun, rang for the maid, and while waiting 
 for her, moved quietly about the room putting 
 things in their places. 
 
 " It is very cold here, for the fire is quite 
 out and must be made up at once," she whis 
 pered, meeting the girl at the door and motion 
 ing her to make no noise. " Go bring up wood 
 and kindling." 
 
 " De governess sick, Miss Milly ? " queried 
 the servant, sending a curious glance in the 
 direction of the bed. 
 
 " I don't know, Dinah, perhaps only tired, 
 for she was up very late last night ; but she is 
 asleep and must not be disturbed." And Mil 
 dred motioned her imperatively away. 
 
 It was not till an hour later that Miss "Worth 
 stirred and woke to find a cheerful fire blazing 
 on the hearth and Mildred beside it quietly 
 knitting. 
 
 She put down her work hastily, rose and 
 came forward as she perceived the governess's 
 eyes fixed upon her in a sort of perplexed sur 
 prise. 
 
 " Excuse the intrusion," Mildred said ; " but 
 1 thought you seemed ill, and WAS afraid you
 
 162 MILDRED AT R03ELAND8. 
 
 might need help. I hope your sleep has re 
 freshed you, and that you will let me order the 
 breakfast they are keeping hot for you in the 
 kitchen." 
 
 " Thank you, I cannot understand such kind 
 ness to me," Miss Worth said huskily. " I was 
 very tired not sick, I think and I suppose 
 tbp. sleep has done me good." 
 
 " And you will eat something ? " 
 
 " I will try, since you are so good." 
 
 The effort was but indifferently successful, 
 yet Miss Worth steadily refused to acknowledge 
 herself on the sick list, and insisted that she 
 was able to work and must do so ; and Mildred 
 went away, feeling troubled and anxious. 
 
 Left alone, Miss Worth took out her writ 
 ing materials, then resting her elbows on the 
 table, her face in her hands, sat thus for a long 
 time without moving, a heavy sigh now and 
 then escaping her. 
 
 At last she took up her pen and wrote 
 rapidly for several minutes, then snatching up 
 the paper, she tore it into fragments and threw 
 them into the fire. 
 
 Another sheet shared the same tate, and 
 seemingly giving it up in despair, she rose and 
 walked the floor. 
 
 " Oh. if I only knew what to do, what to
 
 MILDRED ATROSELANDS. 163 
 
 Bay ! " she moaned. " If he would but heai 
 reason; if he would but forsake his evil 
 courses ! And yet ! Oh, if I had a friend ! 
 j:ist one wise, true friend to advise and help 
 me! But I dare not breathe my terrible feara 
 to any mortal ; and who is there that would 
 care to listen ? " 
 
 Her eye fell on the Bible lying there on 
 the table, and with the sight came the recollec 
 tion of the texts Mildred had quoted to her. 
 
 She almost heard a gentle, tender voice say- 
 ing " Come unto me and I will give you rest," 
 and falling on her knees she cried to him, 
 
 " Lord Jesus I do come ! I give myself to 
 thee ; and oh, I beseech thee in thy great mercy 
 and loving kindness to help me in this my hour 
 of perplexity and distress ! " 
 
 Strange what a blessed calm succeeded the 
 storm. She rose from her knees wondrously 
 soothed and quieted. She had found a Friend 
 who had pledged His word to help her and who 
 had all power in heaven and in earth. What 
 need she fear ? " If God be for us, who can 
 be against us ? " 
 
 There might be trouble in store for her 
 great and sore trouble but He would help her 
 through. 
 
 There was a sound of gay young voices in
 
 164 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 the halls without and on the stairway ; a car 
 riage had driven to the door, an open barouche, 
 and presently she saw it going down the avenue 
 and that Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and the three 
 young ladies were in it. 
 
 The older children were away from home, 
 as she knew, spending a few days at a neighbor 
 ing plantation ; the younger ones were proba 
 bly in the nursery. 
 
 She watched the carriage till it was lost to 
 eight far down the road, then was turning from 
 the window, with the thought in her mind that 
 it would be a blessing to Juliet Marsden, as 
 well as herself, if it were taking her home to 
 her father's care, when she caught sight of a 
 horseman coming from the opposite direction. 
 
 She stood still, scanning him narrowly as 
 he turned in at the gate and came cantering 
 up the avenue ; as he drew near she recog 
 nized him with a start of surprise terror 
 mingling with it at first, but changing instantly 
 to joy that he had assuredly missed the object 
 of his visit. 
 
 It was her scoundrel brother ; yet spite of 
 a!J the distress and anguish of mind he was 
 causing her, she was conscious of a thrill of 
 Bisteriy pride in his handsome face and form, 
 and the grace and ease of his horsemanship.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 165 
 
 But she must seize this unhoped-for oppor 
 tunity ; there were motives she could urge 
 which escaped her thoughts the previous night, 
 and that might, perhaps, have weight with 
 him ; ana much now depended upon prompt 
 action on her part. 
 
 She flew down the stairs and admitted him 
 herself, before he had had time to ring ; and 
 fortunately no servant had perceived his ap 
 proach. 
 
 He looked at her in extreme surprise. 
 
 " How is this ?" he inquired, with an ill- 
 natured sneer, " have you been promoted to the 
 office of porter ?" 
 
 " Hush !" she answered, in an imperative 
 whisper. " Come in here ;" and she led the 
 way into a little parlor close at hand. 
 
 " Excuse the impertinence, Madame, but I 
 did not come to see you," he said angrily, as he 
 followed her in. 
 
 " I am well aware of that fact," she said in 
 a calm tone of quiet firmness, as she turned and 
 faced him. " Nevertheless, I believe I am the 
 one, and the only one you will see; and it is 
 well, for I have something of importance to 
 eay." 
 
 " Where is Miss Marsden ?" he demanded. 
 
 " Gone for a drive, and all the other ladies
 
 3 66 MILDRED A T R08ELAND8. 
 
 with her ; Mr. Dinsmore also. The last of the 
 guests left an hour since, and we may chat for 
 a good while without much fear of interrup 
 tion." 
 
 "Suppose T don't choose," he returned, 
 straightening himself with a defiant air. 
 
 " Harry, you must hear me 1" she said, lay 
 ing a detaining hand upon his arm, for he was 
 moving toward the door. 
 
 " That's a strong word, and one you've no 
 right to use to me," he answered moodily, yet 
 yielding to her determined will. 
 
 She pointed to a chair, and he sat down. 
 
 " Speak and be done with it," he said. 
 
 Tears sprang to her eyes, but she forced 
 them back. 
 
 " Are you mad, Harry, that you venture a 
 return to this country ?" she asked in an under 
 tone, her voice trembling with excitement, 
 " can you have forgotten the danger that hangs 
 over you ?" 
 
 " It's trifling, considering the changes five 
 years have made," he said, with affected non 
 chalance ; but his cheek paled. 
 
 " Don't deceive yourself, don't trust to that ; 
 I recognized you at the first glance," she said, 
 with the earnestness oi one determined to con 
 vince.
 
 MJLDRED AT R08ELANDS. 167 
 
 " Well, one of my own family would, of 
 course, be more apt to do so than any one else. 
 And I was never known in this part of the 
 aountry." 
 
 " No ; but people travel about a great deal 
 Northerners oome South frequently ; especially 
 in winter ; and you may, any day, come face to 
 face with some old acquaintance who will rec 
 ognize you, and have you arrested ; and then " 
 she hid her face and shuddered. " O Harry," 
 she cried, " I shall live in terror till I know you 
 are safe on the other side of the ocean." 
 
 " I'll go in all haste when I have secured my 
 prize," he said coldly. 
 
 " Give it up," she entreated, " you have no 
 right to drag an innocent girl down to infamy 
 with you. Better go and make an honest liv 
 ing by the labor of your hands." 
 
 " I wasn't brought up to that, and infinitely 
 prefer to live by my wits," he answered, with 
 an evil smile, " and they'll have to help me to 
 the means to pay my passage to those foreign 
 shores you so highly recommend." 
 
 " Sell this : it would surely bring more than 
 enough for that," she said, pointing to the glit 
 tering gem on his finger. 
 
 "Paste, my dear, nothing but paste," he 
 laughed. ' Clever imitation, isn't it ?"
 
 168 MILDRED A T ROSELANDS 
 
 "Ah, Harry, a i'air type of its owner, 1 
 fear," she said sorrowfully. 
 
 " Thanks for the compliment," he answered 
 with a bitter laugh. " Well, after all, it * a 
 compliment, taken in the sense that I'm as 
 clever an imitation of what Miss Marsden takes 
 me for, as this is of a real diamond ; and per 
 haps she's as good a judge of the first article, aa 
 you are of the other ; ha 1 ha !" 
 
 " Harry," cried his sister, " are you utterly 
 heartless ? have you no pity at all for that poor 
 silly girl 2" 
 
 " Pooh ! Gertrude, I have to look out for 
 myself ; and other people must do the same ; I 
 tell you it is a case of necessity," he answered 
 doggedly. 
 
 " No," she said, " there cannot be a neces 
 sity for wrong doing, and if persisted in it must 
 end at last in terrible retribution ; both in this 
 world and the next," she added in low, tremu 
 lous tones. 
 
 " I'll risk it," he said with an oath. " And 
 as to the girl, why she'd break her silly heart 
 if I should forsake her," he added, with an un 
 pleasant laugh, " You've no idea how deeply in 
 love she is." 
 
 "You are mistaken: she has no heart to 
 break, and loves nobody, half so well as herself.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 169 
 
 She will never be the woman to stand by and 
 comfort you in adversity : therefore you will 
 be doing a foolish thing to make her your wife, 
 even though you consult your own interest 
 alone." 
 
 At that he only laughed, saying that as the 
 girl's money was all he wanted, he didn't care 
 whether she stood by him or not after he once 
 got it into his possession. 
 
 She renewed her warnings and entreaties, 
 urging every motive she could think of to in 
 duce him to give up his wicked designs upon 
 Juliet Marsden, and forsake all his evil courses ; 
 but in vain ; his heart was fully set in him to 
 do evil, and neither love of his mother and sis 
 ters, nor pity for the deluded girl, could move 
 him. 
 
 Nor did fear of punishment deter him. He 
 was no coward, he said, glorying in his shame, 
 and showing himself utterly devoid of wisdom 
 4 for the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; and 
 to depart from evil, is understanding ; ' and the 
 Bible calls those fools who make a mock at sin, 
 despise instruction and hate to depart from evil. 
 
 At length there was a sound of approaching 
 wheels ; upon which he exclaimed in a relieved 
 tone, " There, you'd better go ; it won't help 
 either you or me f or us to be caught together."
 
 170 MILDRED AT R08RLAND8. 
 
 " No," she assented, rising hastily, " 1 must 
 go. O, Harry, think of what I've been saying 
 and don't rush headlong to destruction ! " 
 
 "There! I've had enough of it!'' he re 
 torted angrily. " I'll do as I please. And dc 
 jou. keep yourself quiet."
 
 " How poor a thing Is pride I " 
 
 " The beauty yon o'erprise BO, time or slckneM 
 Can change to loath'd deformity; your wealth 
 The prey of thieves.' 
 
 MABBHTOD. 
 
 THE most open-handed hospitality having 
 ever been the rule at Koselands, it was no diffi 
 cult matter for Count De Lisle to get himself 
 invited to stay to tea and spend the evening ; 
 in fact it was long past midnight when he at 
 last took leave of Juliet and went away. 
 
 The thud of his horse's hoofs as he galloped 
 down the avenue, brought a pale, haggard face 
 to an upper window ; but the dim light of the 
 stars revealed nothing save the merest outline 
 of the steed and his rider, and that for but an 
 instant. 
 
 The watcher turned away, sighing to herself, 
 " I cannot see him, but it must be he," hastily 
 crossed the room and stole noiselessly into the 
 hall beyond. 
 
 The hours spent by him in dalliance with
 
 172 MILDRED AT 
 
 Juliet (they had had the drawing-room to them 
 selves since ten o'clock) had been to her hia 
 much tried sister a time of bitter anguish and 
 fierce mental conflict. 
 
 How could she permit this wickedness f 
 yet how prevent it, when the only way to do 
 so was by exposing him her brother ? 
 
 It seemed a terribly hard thing to do, for 
 she loved him, and his disgrace was hers, and 
 that of the whole family. 
 
 She was sorely tempted to leave Juliet to 
 the fate she seemed to be drawing upon herself 
 by her egregious folly, that of becoming the 
 wife of a spendthrift, and one whose vices had 
 led him to commit a crime against the laws of 
 the land, the penalty of which was a term of 
 years in the penitentiary. 
 
 It would be a sad fate, but perhaps not un 
 deserved by a girl who would rush into it in 
 opposition to the known wishes and commands 
 of her parents. 
 
 Harry had unguardedly admitted to his sis 
 ter that he had no hope of winning the consent 
 of either Mr. or Mrs. Marsden ; that they were, 
 in fiet. so violently opposed to his suit, that he 
 dared not visit their daughter in her own home ; 
 but he had exultingly added that he was per 
 fectly certain of his ability to persuade Juliet
 
 MILDRED AT E08ELAND8. 173 
 
 to elope with him, and meant to do so sooner 
 or later. 
 
 Well, should he accomplish that, and escape 
 to Europe with his prize, his family probably 
 would not suffer any ill consequence. No one 
 here knew his real name, or had the slightest 
 suspicion that Miss "Worth was in any way con 
 nected with him ; but she felt morally certain 
 that in case Mrs. Dinsmore discovered the truth, 
 her situation at Roselands was lost ; she would 
 be sent away without a recommendation ; then 
 it might be months before she could get em 
 ployment elsewhere, and that meant beggary to 
 herself, and those nearest and dearest to her. 
 
 Surely no motive of self-interest urged her 
 to stretch out a hand to save Juliet Marsden 
 from falling into the snare spread for her un 
 wary feet. Yet pity for the girl, a strong sense 
 of justice, and more than all, a desire to do the 
 will of her new found Friend, prevailed over 
 all selfish considerations, and she fully deter 
 mined to give the warning, though in a way to 
 risk as little as possible, and for the last half 
 hour she had watched and waited for the op 
 portunity. 
 
 Juliet came up the stairs with a light, quick 
 step, and as she passed underneath the lamp 
 swung from the ceiling, its rays, falling full
 
 174 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 upon her, gave to Miss Worth a moment's dis 
 tinct view of her face. 
 
 It wore an expression of exultant joy ; the 
 cheeks were flushed, the eyes glittering, the lips 
 smiling. 
 
 " He has offered himself and been ac 
 cepted," was Miss "Worth's conclusion ; " there 
 is no time to be lost ;" and stepping forward, 
 sho stood directly in Juliet's path, confronting 
 her with calm, pale face, and determined air. 
 
 "What is the meaning of this?" asked Ju 
 liet,' recoiling, and regarding the governess with 
 mingled anger and hauteur, " Will you be good 
 enough to step aside, and allow me to pass on 
 to my own apartments ?" 
 
 " Excuse me, Miss Maiaden, but I must have 
 a word with you," returned the person ad 
 dressed, in low, distinct tones, and not moving 
 a hair's breadth from the position she had 
 taken. 
 
 " Indeed !" was the scornful rejoinder, 
 " and pray, who may you be that take such aira 
 upon yourself ? My aunt's governess, if I am 
 not mistaken, a person with whom I can have 
 nothing in common. Keep your communica 
 tions for those in your own station in life. 
 Witt you step out of my way ?" 
 
 "Not yet; not till I have discharged my
 
 MILDRED Al KOSfiLANDS. 175 
 
 duty to yon, Miss Marsden, I must speak a word 
 of warning ; I cannot see you rushing headlong 
 tc destruction without crying out to you to be- 
 rare; and I have no motive for doing so but 
 pity for you." 
 
 Juliet's astonishment was unbounded. "What 
 could the creature mean ? What indeed, but to 
 insult her. 
 
 " Pity for me ! " she cried with withering 
 scorn, " yon, a poor dependent governess, pity 
 me ! me the daughter of a wealthy Kentucky 
 planter and an heiress in my own right. Keep 
 your compassion for such as want it, I will none 
 of it ! " and she would have pushed past Miss 
 Worth, but the latter laid a hand on her arm, 
 not roughly but with determination. 
 
 " It is of Count De Lisle I would speak to 
 you," she said almost under her breath. " No, 
 I call that back ; for he has no right to either 
 the name or the title." 
 
 " How dare you ! " cried Juliet with flashing 
 eyes, shaking off the detaining hand and draw 
 ing herself up to her full height. " What do 
 vjn know of him ? " 
 
 " Far more than you do," returned the othei 
 calmly. " I have known him all his life and ] 
 tell you he is not what you suppose not what 
 he gives himself out to be ; but a man with
 
 176 MILDRED AT ROSEL AND 8. 
 
 out fortune or title an American by birth and 
 education, and seeking you merely for you 
 wealth." 
 
 " I don't believe a word of it ! It's all a 
 pack of lies that you have invented because you 
 are envious of me. Stand out of my way and 
 don't presume to speak to me again on this sub 
 ject, nor any other." 
 
 So saying the angry girl swept proudly past 
 the humble governess, whom she regarded as a 
 menial and an impertinent meddler in her 
 affairs, and gaining her apartments, shut and 
 locked herself in with a noise that roused her 
 sleeping sister. 
 
 " The impudent creature ! " she muttered. 
 
 " Who ? " queried Reba, starting up in bed. 
 " Have you actually discovered that pa is right 
 and your count a mercenary adventurer ? " 
 
 " .Nonsense ! no ; I've learned no such 
 thing!" 
 
 " What then ? who is the impudent crea 
 ture you are anathematizing ? '' 
 
 " Aunt Belle's governess. She actually 
 waylaid me in the hall and forced me to stand 
 still and listen while she uttered a warning 
 against him, pretending that he was an old ac 
 quaintance of hers. I shall complain to aunt and 
 have her turned adrift foi her impertinence."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 177 
 
 " Better not," laughed Keba ; " 'twould only 
 tend to rouse suspicion against him. It must 
 be very late ; I advise you to wake up you* 
 naid an d get ready for bed/' 
 
 The encounter had left Miss Worth in quite, 
 as unamiable a frame of mind as that of her an 
 tagonist ; for the insulting arrogance of Juliet's! 
 manner had sorely wounded her pride ; it was 
 hard to take such treatment from one who was 
 her superior in nothing but the accident of 
 wealth, and in fact decidedly inferior in the 
 L'gher gifts of intellect and education. 
 
 " I wash my hands of the whole affair ; I will 
 It ave her to her fate," Miss Worth said to her- 
 sc If as she turned in at her own door again and 
 fe inured it after her. 
 
 With that she endeavored to dismiss the 
 \hole matter from her mind ; she was exceed 
 ingly weary and must have rest, and presently 
 everything was forgotten in a heavy, dreamless 
 sloop. 
 
 But with the first moment of wakefulnesa 
 the burden again pressed heavily. She could 
 not be indifferent to her brother's wrong-doing 
 nor to the danger of his discovery, arrest and 
 punishment for his former crime. 
 
 But the holidays were over and she must 
 rtcnrn to her duties in the schoolroom ; perhapi
 
 178 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 it was well for her that it was so, since it com 
 pelled her to give her thoughts to other subjects 
 
 Still taking her meals in the nursery, she 
 aaw nothing of the lady guests till Mildred came 
 in the afternoon with a recitation. 
 
 Mildred was quietly and steadily pursuing 
 the course of study which she had laid out for 
 herself; mingling to some extent in the employ 
 ments and pastimes of those about her, but con 
 triving to retire betimes almost every night, 
 and by early rising to secure the morning hours 
 for the improvement of her mind ; a season saf H 
 from interruption by her aunt and her nieces, 
 as it was always spent by them in bed. 
 
 In fact there was so utter an absence of 
 congeniality between Mildred and the other 
 two girls that they were generally better con 
 tent to remain apart. And as Mrs. Dinsinore 
 preferred the companionship of her own nieces, 
 because of both the ties of kindred and harmony 
 of taste and feeling, Mildred was left to follow 
 her own inclinations with little hmdrince 
 from them. 
 
 But though continuing her studies, Mildred, 
 because she felt that the governess was entitled 
 to the full benefit of the holiday rest, had not, 
 during the past two weeks, gone tc her for as 
 sistance or vith recitations.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 179 
 
 She was glad that she might now do so with 
 propriety ; for since the episode of the previous 
 morning she had not been able to forget Miss 
 Worth g pale, distressed countenance ; and was 
 leally very anxious about her. 
 
 She felt quite sure there was some deeper 
 trouble than mere physical pain, and had a 
 longing desire to give sympathy and relief ; a 
 desire untainted by a touch of prying curiosity, 
 and that strengthened so greatly during this 
 afternoon's interview that she was fain to give 
 expression to it ; doing so with extreme delicacy 
 and tact. 
 
 It was when the business part of their inter 
 view was over, and Mildred had closed her 
 books and risen to leave the room. 
 
 For a moment Miss Worth was silent, her 
 features working with emotion. 
 
 " You are very kind,'' she said at last. " I 
 wish I might confide fully in you, but you are 
 so young : too young and free from care to un 
 derstand my " 
 
 She broke off abruptly and with a groan, 
 dropped her face upon her folded arms, on the 
 table at which they had been sitting. 
 
 " Perhaps so," Mildred said in gently com- 
 passionate tones ; " I could almost wish foi 
 your sake that I were older."
 
 180 MILDRED AT R08ELANLS. 
 
 Miss "Worth lifted her head, and with almost 
 startling suddenness, and a feverish eagerness 
 in her tones, asked, " Miss Mildred, where is 
 Mies Juliet Marsden to-day ? " 
 
 " She has passed the greater part of it in bed, 
 I believe," Mildred answered in utter surprise 
 
 " Has has her lover been here since since 
 he left her last night ? " 
 
 " The Count ? No." 
 
 " Can you tell me if she is to go out to 
 night ? and where ? and who is to be her escort ? 
 Ah, I see you are wondering at my curiosity 
 and it is only natural that you should ; but be 
 lieve me, it is not the idle inquisitiveness it 
 must seem to you," she went on rapidly and in 
 anguished accents ; " for I have a reason ; there 
 is miiJi at stake I I have tried to be indif 
 ferent to say to myself that it is nothing to me 
 if- if that vain, silly girl should meet with the 
 fate her folly deserves ; but I cannot ; I must 
 try to save her and him. Oh, if I could but 
 save him." 
 
 And again she hid her face, while sobs 
 ahook her from head to foot. 
 
 " Him !" Mildred cried in increased amaze 
 ment, " what is he to you ? No, no, I do not 
 ask that. I have no wish to pry into your se- 
 emte "
 
 MILDRED A T B08ELAND8. 181 
 
 Miss Worth lifted her head, and wiped away 
 her tears. 
 
 " Thank you, for withdrawing that ques 
 tion," she said in a broken voice, " I cannot 
 answer it ; but but this much I will tell you 
 in the strictest confidence. I have known him 
 in other days, and he is not what he pro 
 fesses to be ; and it would be ruin, ruin to 
 her!" 
 
 " Is that so ?" Mildred said, with a startled 
 look. " Then surely you will warn her ?" 
 
 " I have done so, Miss Keith, though it was 
 like drawing my eye teeth to do it; but my 
 sacrifice was unappreciated, my motives were 
 misconstrued; I was treated with scorn and 
 contempt, and have said to myself, ' I have a 
 just right to be angry and indignant, and shall 
 leave her to her fate.' " 
 
 " But you will tell my uncle? He might 
 be able to prevent the mischief by setting a 
 watch upon them, and forbidding the man the 
 house." 
 
 " No, no, I cannot betray him !" cried Misa 
 Worth in a startled, terrified tone, u and you 
 you will respect my confidence, Miss Keith ?" 
 
 " Certainly ; but surely you will not suffei 
 Juliet to be sacrificed ?" 
 
 " I have warned her,'' returned the gover
 
 182 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 
 
 ness, co dly, " and since she refuses to heed, on 
 her o.wn head be the consequences." 
 
 It was Mildred's turn to be troubled and 
 perplexed She stood for a moment in anxious 
 thought. 
 
 " Will you not make one more effort?" she 
 said at length. " Would you not save him 
 from this wrong doing ? May not the conse 
 quences be dreadful to him, too ? may not her 
 father take a terrible revenge, as men sometimes 
 do on the deceivers and betrayers of their 
 daughters ?" 
 
 Miss Worth started, and her wan cheek 
 turned a shade paler. 
 
 " I had not thought of that !" she said, 
 drawing a long breath. " Oh, what shall I 
 do r 
 
 They consulted together, but with no more 
 definite result than a mutual agreement to keep 
 a strict watch upon the movements of Juliet 
 and her pseudo nobleman. 
 
 Mildred was again about to withdraw, when 
 Miss Worth stopped her. 
 
 " Pardon me, Miss Keith," she said, " but 
 yen have not answered my questions." 
 
 " They all go to the theatre to-night, and, 
 as I happen to know, Mr. Landreth is to escort 
 Miss Juliet."
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND3. 183 
 
 " Not the count ? but she will meet him 
 there ; I am sure of it. You do not go, Miss 
 Mildred \ 
 
 " To the theatre ! oh, no !" 
 
 '' Then I must go myself, and watch 
 them." 
 
 " Surely that is not necessary," reasoned 
 Mildred, " Uncle, Aunt, Reba all close at 
 hand." 
 
 "Ah! perhaps not," assented the gover 
 ness, " Possibly it were wiser to leave the task 
 to them." 
 
 Mildred went to her room to ponder and 
 pray over the matter, for she was sorely per 
 plexed, and not a little anxious for Juliet. 
 
 She asked help and direction for herself and 
 Miss "Worth ; and that the latter might be led 
 to do lier duty, however difficult and painful. 
 
 Greatiy she wondered what was the tie be 
 tween her and this spurious count, till it flashed 
 upon her that his familiar look was a strcng 
 likeness to the governess. Then she knew it 
 was that of relationship. 
 
 Her own duty in the affair formed a seri- 
 ons question in her mind. 
 
 Much she wished Miss Worth's communi 
 cation had not been made in confidence, and 
 that she were free to cany it to her uncle, who
 
 184: MILDRED AT ROSELANDti. 
 
 would, in that case, be sure to interfere effect, 
 ually to save JuJet from falling a prey to the 
 schemes of this false, designing man. 
 
 She could not break her word to the gov 
 erness, but at length, recalling the fact that she 
 had heard Reba say her father was suspicious 
 of Count De Lisle, she determined to repeat that 
 to her uncle, and thus put him on his guard 
 against the villain, and his probable plot to in 
 veigle Juliet into a clandestine marriage. 
 
 It was not a pleasant thing for Mildred to 
 do ; she would much rather not interfere, but 
 Juliet must be saved at all risks, and neither 
 she nor Reba had seemed to make a secret of 
 their father's sentiments. 
 
 She went at once in search of Mr. Dins- 
 more, but learned that he was closeted with a 
 gentleman on business. Then a summons 
 came for her to drive out with her aunt ; te?, 
 was ready when they returned ; after that she 
 was occupied with company in the drawing- 
 room, then in assisting Juliet and Reba to make 
 their toilet for the evening. 
 
 Thus the time slipped by, and when the 
 carriage had driven away with its load of thear 
 tre goers, she retired to her own room, without 
 having had the least opportunity for a word in 
 private with Mr. Dinsmore.
 
 ifteen% 
 
 " It is vain 
 (I see) to argue 'gainst the grain." 
 
 BTTTLIB. 
 
 JULIET had scarcely taken her seat in Mr. 
 Dinsmore's box when a sweeping glance around' 
 the theatre showed her Count De Lisle occupy 
 ing another at no great distance. 
 
 She telegraphed him behind her fan, and 
 during the interval between the first and second 
 acts he joined them. 
 
 When Juliet re-entered the carriage which 
 Avas to convey her home, she carried within her 
 glove, a tiny note written on fine, tinted, highly 
 scented French paper, which he had adroitly 
 Clipped into her hand, unobserved by any of 
 lier companions. 
 
 Under cover of the darkness she trans 
 ferred it to her bosom, and the first monienl 
 that she found herself alone in her dressing- 
 room, it was hastily drawn forth and read at a 
 glance.
 
 186 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 fler cheeks flushed, her eyes shone, as with 
 a triumphant smile she refolded and laid it 
 safely by. 
 
 Or. leaving the room to go down to ner late 
 Ijroakfact the next morning, she carried it with 
 her; for not for any consideration would she 
 risk having it seen by other eyes than her own. 
 
 She was very late and a good deal flurried 
 in consequence ; her thoughts were busy, too, 
 with the important step she had determined to 
 take that night. In her absence of mind she must 
 have been guilty of some carelessness, for on re 
 turning to her room, after dawdling for an hour 
 over her meal in company with her aunt and 
 sister, she was horrified to find that the note 
 was missing. 
 
 In vain she searched her pockets, shook out 
 the folds of her dress, hunted everywhere, even 
 retracing her steps all the way to the breakfast 
 parlor and looking under and around the table. 
 It was hopelessly lost and she dare not make 
 any ado or inquiry about it. 
 
 She was exceedingly fretted and troubled 
 but must conceal her anxiety, only hoping that 
 it had fallen into some place where it would be 
 undiscovered until she and the count had made 
 good their escape from Roselands, and placed 
 themselves beyond successful pursuit.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 187 
 
 Fortunately, as she esteemed it, no one had 
 been witness to her perturbation, or her quest, 
 Reba and their aunt having, upon leaving the 
 table, retired together to the boudoir of the 
 latter. 
 
 Dire would have been Juliet's anger and 
 alarm could she have known what had actually 
 become of her missing treasure. 
 
 Miss Worth, in passing between the school 
 room and her own apartment, caught sight of a 
 bit of paper lying on the floor at the head of 
 the stairway, and stooping, picked it up. 
 
 There was neither seal nor superscription 
 upon the outside ; therefore there seemed noth 
 ing wrong or dishonorable in opening it, for in 
 deed how otherwise was she to learn to whom 
 it belonged in order to restore it? 
 
 One glance told who was the writer (for she 
 was no stranger to his peculiar chirography), to 
 whom it was addressed, and what it signified. 
 
 " My Angel, one o'clock A. M. to-morrow. 
 Signal, cry of an owl beneath your window. 
 Carriage in waiting beyond the hedge. 
 
 " Your adorer." 
 
 That was all, but it needed not another word 
 to let her, whose eyes now scanned it in indig 
 nant sorrow, fully into their plang.
 
 188 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 She sent a quick glance around to satisfy 
 herself that she was unseen, then crushing the 
 missive in her hand, went on her way deeply 
 thankful that Juliet had lost and that she had 
 found it. 
 
 Yet she was sorely perplexed and anxious ; 
 so disturbed that it was no easy matter to give 
 the necessary attention to her pupils. What 
 should she do ? Appeal again to Juliet ? It 
 seemed utterly useless. But this thing must 
 be prevented ; yes, even though it cost her the 
 ,os8 of her situation. 
 
 But, Harry 1 she shuddered and turned sick 
 and faint at the thought that he might be 
 taken, identified, and put on trial for the crime 
 committed years ago. He must be saved at aU 
 risks. She would go out, meet and warn him 
 ere he had quite reached Roselands. 
 
 He would be furious ; perhaps in his rage 
 do her some bodily harm; but he must be 
 saved. 
 
 She would give this note to Mr. Dinsmore, 
 she decided, telling him where she had found 
 it, that she had been well acquainted with the 
 writer in former years, and recognized the 
 hand. 
 
 That would be sufficient to lead him to 
 prevent Juliet's leaving the house, and if she
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 189 
 
 could succeed in warning Harry away, going 
 and returning unobserved, all would be well. 
 
 But her plans miscarried. Mr. Dinsraore, 
 as she learned on seeking an interview, had 
 left home after an early breakfast, taken has- 
 tily in his private room, and would not prob 
 ably return until the next day. 
 
 Here was an unexpected difficulty; what 
 now was she to do ? 
 
 She was slowly mounting the stairs in half 
 despairing mood, when a pleasant, girlish voice 
 addressed her from the hall below. 
 
 "Miss "Worth, Pomp has just got back from 
 the city with the mail, and here is a letter for 
 you." 
 
 Mildred bounded up the stairs with the last 
 words, put the letter into the eagerly out 
 stretched hand of the governess, and hurried on 
 to her own room to revel in the delights of a 
 long epistle from her mother and sisters. 
 
 She was not half through it when there 
 came a rap upon her door, and with brows knit 
 ting with vexation at the unwelcome interrup 
 tion, she rose to open it. 
 
 She started back with an exclamation of 
 surprise and terror as Miss "Worth tottered 
 in witK a face white even to the lips, and sank 
 epeechless into the nearest chair.
 
 190 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 " What is it ? what is it ?" cried Mildred 
 hastening to bring a glass of water, and hold it 
 to her lips. 
 
 The governess shallowed a mouthful, seem 
 ingly with some difficulty, then putting it aside- 
 with her hand, " Don't be alarmed," she whia 
 pered, " I shall be over it in a moment. But it 
 was such a shock ; oh, how could he how 
 could he be so wicked !'' 
 
 She ended with a burst of weeping. 
 
 Mildred's sympathies were fully aroused ; lay 
 ing her precious letter carefully away for future 
 perusal, she gave herself to the task of soothing 
 and comforting the poor distracted woman. 
 
 Miss Worth told her story brokenly, still 
 concealing the nature of the tie that connected 
 her with the pseudo count. 
 
 Her letter, from her sister, Mrs. Marks, 
 told of the return to America of their scape 
 grace brother, that he had paid them a flying 
 visit weeks ago, and gone again, they knew 
 not whither, and that shortly after his departure 
 there had come to them a young, pretty Italian 
 peasant woman, who claimed to be his wife ; 
 showing in proof thereof, some trinkets which 
 they recognized as having belonged to him, 8 
 marriage certificate, and a baby boy, who 
 kis image.
 
 M1LDRKD AT RORELANDB. 191 
 
 Miss Worth simply stated to Mildred the 
 facts in regard to the note she had picked up 
 and that her letter had brought certain intelli 
 gence that Juliet's admirer had already a living 
 wife. 
 
 " Oh, dreadful !" cried Mildred, " now 
 surely you will warn her once more ?" 
 
 " Yes, I will ; though doubtless she will re 
 fuse to believe it of him." 
 
 " But she will not, she cannot be so infat 
 uated as to go on and elope with him without 
 full proof that the story of his marriage ia 
 false." 
 
 " I do not know that : she is so supremely 
 Billy. But Miss Mildred, I must see her alone, 
 and how am I to manage it ? I have only to 
 day." 
 
 Mildred looked thoughtful. " I don't, see 
 how yet, but 1 must contrive to make an op 
 portunity for you," she said ; and after a little 
 more talk about ways and moans, mingled with 
 some words of sympathy and hope from the 
 yornger to the older girl, they parted; Mildred 
 going down to luncheon. Miss Worth tc her 
 own room. 
 
 Half an hour later Mildred joined her there 
 with & face that told of good news before a< 
 opened her lips.
 
 192 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " Aunt Dinsmore thinks uncle may be home 
 to-night," she said, " and I noticed Juliet did 
 not seem pleased to hear it. She asked how 
 scon, and aunt said probably not before half 
 past one or two o'clock; as the train gets into 
 the city about midnight and he must drive over 
 from there. 
 
 " Then aunt proposed that we four ladies 
 should take a drive this afternoon, and Reba 
 and I accepted her invitation at once, but Juliet 
 declined, saying she was tired and would find 
 more enjoyment in a novel and the sofa." 
 
 " She staj 7 s at home to make her prepara 
 tions," said Miss "Worth. 
 
 " Just what I think : and this will be your 
 opportunity," returned Mildred. " Is it not 
 fortunate ? Now I must go and leave you to 
 improve it. The carriage will be at the door 
 in a few moments." 
 
 Miss Worth sat down by her window to 
 watch for it, and as soon as it had driven quite 
 out of sight went quietly to Juliet's door and 
 knocked. 
 
 There was no answer though she could hear 
 some one moving softly about the room. 
 
 She waited a moment, then rapped again a 
 little louder than before. 
 
 Still no notice was taken, the quiet footfalls
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAMDS. 193 
 
 and slight rustle of silken garments continuing 
 as before. 
 
 But she persisted, repeating her knocks at 
 short intervals and with increasing force till at 
 length the key was turned hastily in the lock 
 and the door thrown open, showing Juliet's fair 
 face crimson with passion. 
 
 " Will you cease that racket ? " she began, 
 then starting back at sight of the pale deter 
 mined face, " You ! " she cried, " is it you f 
 How dare you ? " and she would have slammed 
 the door in the face of her unwelcome visitor, 
 but Miss Worth was too quick for her, and hold 
 ing it forcibly open, slipped in, pushed it to, 
 turned the key, and facing the girl who stood 
 spell-bound with astonishment and fury, said. 
 
 " I will not apologize for my seemingly rude 
 behavior, since you have compelled me to it, and 
 it is only for your own sake that I intrude upon 
 you." 
 
 " Leave this room instantly ! " was the pas 
 sionate rejoinder, " instantly, do you hear ? " 
 stamping her foot with rage. 
 
 " Not till I have done my errand and cleared 
 my skirts of your ruin, if you are still so infatu 
 ated as to rush upon it," returned the governess 
 quietly, folding her arms and placing her back 
 against the door.
 
 194: MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 tt I have already told you the man who seeks 
 your hand is a deceiver, a spurious nobleman, a 
 mere fortune hunter " 
 
 " Stop ! " cried Juliet, interrupting her with 
 fury in her tones and again stamping her foot, 
 " stop ! and leave this room or I will summon 
 the servants to put you out." 
 
 " No, you will not do that," Miss Worth re 
 turned with a contemptuous smile, "you will 
 not want them to hear what I have to tell of 
 your adorer, or rather the adorer of your wealth 
 and I will not go till I have finished what I 
 came to say." 
 
 " You think to rob me of him," sneered 
 Juliet, " but you are mistaken. You are too 
 old and ugly. If he ever fancied you it is all 
 past ; he can never do so again. But I can't 
 believe you were ever really pretty, for you are 
 aa ugly as sin now." 
 
 " Thank you," the governess answered with 
 irony. " I rejoice to learn that you think sin 
 ugly, for it is a sin for you to allow this man 
 to play the lover to you, and it would be a 
 dreadful sin for you to marry him ; not only 
 because of the entire disapproval of your parents 
 but," she added with strong emphasis, " be 
 cause he already has a wife" 
 
 For a moment Juliet was struck dumb with
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 195 
 
 astonishment, but recovering herself, " I don't 
 believe it ! " she cried, her cheek crimsoniag, 
 her eyes flashing. " I don't believe a word of 
 it ; and if I did I'd marry him all the same," 
 she added, grinding her teeth. " I would, for 
 I love him, I love him 1 and you needn't teL 
 ire he's a villain I " 
 
 " Marry him ! the ceremony would be a 
 mere farce, and you a not a wife ; for you 
 could not be that while she lives who is his 
 lawful, wedded wife." 
 
 Miss Worth spoke with slow distinct 
 ness, her eyes fixed severely upon Juliet's 
 face. 
 
 The latter started back as if stung, then 
 resuming her haughty, defiant air, " How dare 
 you ! " she repeated, " What is he to you ? and 
 what proof can you bring of all that you assert 
 against him ? " 
 
 " What he is to me does not concern you," 
 said Miss Worth, " My knowledge of his mar 
 riage was gained to-day by a letter from his 
 sister ; but if I should show it to you, you would 
 of course ask how you were to know that he was 
 the man referred to, or that she was a reliable 
 witness. No, I can prove nothing ; but if you 
 are wise you will require proof that he is a 
 man who has a right to offer you his hand ;
 
 196 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 who can make you his lawful wife ; and whom 
 to marry will not be ruin." 
 
 " Then I am not wise. Now go 1" 
 
 " I obey you since my errand is now done," 
 returned the governess with a stately bow, as 
 she unlocked the door and threw it wide open. 
 
 Stepping into the hall sbe faced her antag 
 onist again for an instant. " If you will persist 
 in this madness, on your own head be your 
 ruin ; my skirts are clear," she said, and swept 
 proudly away. 
 
 It cost Mildred quite an effort to give due 
 attention to Reba's chatter and the small talk 
 of her aunt, during the hour or more of their 
 drive, her thoughts being very full of the inter 
 view then in progress between Miss Worth and 
 Juliet. 
 
 On reaching home she repaired directly to 
 the room of the former to hear an account of it. 
 
 This the governess gave in detail, conclud 
 ing with, " You see, Miss Keith, it is just as I 
 expected ; she will not hear reason, she will 
 take no warning, she is fully bent upon carry 
 ing out this mad freak, and if we save her, 
 it will be in spite of herself." 
 
 " Yes ; and we have but little time to con 
 sider how we shall do it," said Mildred. " What 
 is your plan ? "
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND3. 197 
 
 " To go myself, a little before his appointed 
 hour, to meet an 1 warn him away, while yon 
 remain in the house and on the watch to ire- 
 vent her from leaving it to join him. Aro 
 you willing to undertake that, Miss Mil 
 dred?" 
 
 "Yes; to the best of my ability. I will 
 rouse the whole house if necessary to prevent 
 her from getting away with him." 
 
 " Thank you," Miss Worth said earnestly 
 " Miss Keith, I am very sorry to have to call 
 upon you for this assistance, for it will involve 
 the loss of your night's rest. But Mr. Dins- 
 more being unfortunately away " 
 
 " Don't speak of it," interrupted Mildred 
 impulsively ; " it is a very small sacrifice oa 
 my part, for I am well and pretty strong again ; 
 but you look wretchedly ill." 
 
 " Never mind me, I shall be better when 
 this is over," Miss Worth answered with a faint 
 smile. 
 
 " I will leave you to lie down and rest," 
 Mildred said, rising to go ; " and can't you sleep 
 through the early part of the night, if I am on 
 guard and ready to wake you at midnight ? " 
 
 The governess shook her head. " I cannot 
 eleep till this is over. But it will tend to lull 
 Juliet's suspicions if you will retire at your
 
 198 
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 asual early hour, and let me call you when the 
 appointed hour draws near." 
 
 tl It is a wise thought, and we will do so," 
 Mildred said. " And now I must go and dress 
 for dinner. Try not to be so very anxious. I 
 do believe it will all turn out well," ahe added 
 hopefully, as she left the room.
 
 Chapter 
 
 ' Mnse not that I thus suddenly proceed ; 
 For what I will, I will, and there's an end. ' 
 
 SHAKIBPXAKB. 
 
 THEEE were guests from the neighborhood 
 at both dinner and tea, some of whom remained 
 during the evening. 
 
 Juliet was unusually gay and sprightly, but 
 to Mildred, who watched her furtively, her un 
 wonted mirthfulness seemed to cover other 
 and deeper feelings. There were signs of agita 
 tion, perhaps unnoticed by a casual observer, a 
 nervous tremor, a hectic flush on her cheek, a 
 slight start at some sudden noise, or an unex 
 pected address. 
 
 She was thrumming on the piano and shriek 
 ing out an air from a popular opera, at the top of 
 her voice, when at ten o'clock, Mildred slipped 
 quietly away to her own room. 
 
 Merely exchanging her evening dress for a 
 neat dressing gown, Mildred threw herself upon 
 a couch to await Miss Worth's summons, and
 
 800 MILDRED AT ROSELANVti, 
 
 contrary to her expectations, presently fell into 
 a sound sleep. 
 
 She was awakened by a touch on the shoulder 
 and started up to find the governess standing 
 by her side. 
 
 " Will you come now ? " she asked in low, 
 agitated tones. " It is half past twelve, and I 
 must start out at once." 
 
 " Yes, I am quite ready," Mildred answered, 
 and wrapping a shawl about her shoulders, fol 
 lowed the lead of the governess. 
 
 A window on the landing of the principal 
 staircase, down which Juliet would be likely to 
 pass, was on the same side of the house with 
 the one under which the signal was to be 
 given. 
 
 There could bo no better post of observa 
 tion, and here Mildred seated herself, upon the 
 broad sill, while her companion, parting from 
 her with a whispered word of mingled thanks, 
 caution and entreaty, glided down the stairs and 
 let herself out at a side door, using extreme 
 caution to make no noise. 
 
 Thence she gained the avenue, and beyond 
 that the road. Here ehe paused and hesitated. 
 She was not sure from which direction her 
 brother would come ; but she must make a 
 choice
 
 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 20] 
 
 She did so and crept onward, keeping a nar 
 row foot-path that ran parallel with the road, and 
 between it and a hedge that enclosed the lawn 
 and adjacent orchard. 
 
 Left thus alone, Mildred sat still, her heart 
 beating fast with excitement and timidity, for 
 the house was dark and silent almost as the 
 grave. 
 
 But she bethought herself of Him to whom 
 the night shineth as the day, and darkness and 
 light are both alike, and with the thought grew 
 calm and quiet. She was in the path of duty, 
 and need fear no evil, because He was with her 
 
 Yet the waiting time seemed long. How 
 would it end ? If Miss "Worth were successful, 
 only in her stealthy return ; otherwise probably 
 with the signal and then a struggle between 
 Juliet and herself. 
 
 She had begun to breathe more freely with 
 the thought that the time for that must have 
 passed, and was straining her ear to catch the 
 faint sound of Miss Worth's approach, when the 
 loud hoot of an owl from the shrubbery be 
 neath the window, broke the silence with a 
 suddenness that nearly startled her from her 
 seat, and set her heart to throbbing wildly 
 again. 
 
 She pressed her hand against her side tc
 
 202 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 Btill it, while she bent forward, listening intently 
 foi some answering sound from above. 
 
 A moment of utter stillness, then a slight 
 creak, as of a door opened with extreme care, 
 followed by other slight sounds as though some 
 one were stealing softly down the hall, and Mil 
 dred slipped from her perch and back into the 
 shadow of the wall, almost holding her breath 
 for what was to come. 
 
 The stealthy step drew nearer ; something 
 was gliding past her when, with a quick move 
 ment, she stepped before, and threw her arms 
 around it a tall, slight figure muifled in a 
 cloak. 
 
 There was a low, half stifled cry, then a 
 struggle for release. 
 
 " Unhand me," muttered Juliet in a tone 
 of intense, but suppressed fury. " Is there no 
 limit to your insolent interference ? " 
 
 " Juliet, it is I ' " whispered Mildred, not 
 relaxing her hold in the least. "I only want 
 to save you from falling a prey to a villain who 
 is after your money, would ruin you to get it: 
 for he already has a wife." 
 
 *' I don't believe a word of it ! Let me go, 
 let me go, I say ! " and wrenching herself fiee 
 she dealt Mildred a blow that sent her stagger 
 ing against the wall.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 203 
 
 But she recovered herself instantly and 
 sprang after Juliet, who was gliding down the 
 stairs toward the lower hall. 
 
 She caught her as they reached the hall 
 below. 
 
 " Juliet, Juliet, are you mad ? " she panted ; 
 "will you forsake all you love all that life 
 holds dear for that scoundrel ? " 
 
 " What business is it of yours ? " demanded 
 Juliet fiercely, and trying with all her strength 
 to shake her off. " I tell you I will not be 
 prevented by you or anybody. Let go of me, I 
 say, or I will do you a mischief." 
 
 " I will not let you go," returned Mildred. 
 " Come back or I will call aloud and rouse the 
 house." What would have happened it is 
 impossible to tell, had not help come at that 
 precise moment. 
 
 A carriage had driven up to the front en 
 trance, the rumble of its wheels sending the 
 cowardly villain in the shrubbery flying to the 
 adjacent woods. 
 
 The girls, in the excitement of their struggle, 
 had not heard its approach, but the sudden open- 
 ing of the front door, and the sound of Mr, 
 Dinsmore's step and voice as he entered, accoin* 
 panied by his body servant, to whom he wan 
 giving some order as to the disposal of his lug-
 
 204 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 
 
 gage, caused them to loose their hold of each 
 other. 
 
 Juliet darted up the stairs, while Mildred 
 dropped into a chair; her strength completely 
 forsaking her with the withdrawal of the neces 
 sity for its exertion. 
 
 " Who is here ? " demanded Mr. Dinsmore, 
 his ear catching the rustle of Juliet's garments 
 and the sound of Mildred's heavy breathing. 
 
 " Solon, strike a light instantly." 
 
 " It is I, uncle," panted Mildred, bursting 
 into hysterical sobs. 
 
 " You, Mildred ! " he exclaimed in utter 
 astonishment as he recognized the voice. 
 " Why, child, what on earth are you doing here 
 at this time of night ? All in the dark too. 
 What has gone wrong ? are you sick ? " 
 
 Solon had struck a match and succeeded in 
 lighting the hall lamp, and with Mr. Dinsmore's 
 last question its rays fell full upon Mildred's 
 face, showing it pale, agitated, and with eyee 
 brimming with tears. 
 
 " Why, you are as white as a sheet 1 " he 
 exclaimed, laying his hand affectionately on her 
 shoulder. " Child, child, what is the matter ? " 
 
 In a few rapid, rather incoherent sentences, 
 she gave him an inkling of the state of affairs ; 
 to which he returned a volley of questions, and
 
 MILDRED AT BOSELAND8. 205 
 
 without waiting for an answer to any of them 
 " Out into the shrubbery, Solon," he com 
 manded, " call Ajax and Pomp, to help ; catch 
 the rascal if you can, and bring him to me." 
 
 Then to Mildred, repeating his queries, 
 "Where is Juliet!" he asked. "Where is 
 Miss Worth? How does she come to know 
 about the villain or his plot to carry off Juliet $ 
 what is he to her ? " 
 
 " I don't know, sir, what he is to her," said 
 Mildred, " but she says she has known him all 
 his life, and a letter she received to-day told 
 her of his marriage ; that he has a living 
 wife." 
 
 " He has ? the scoundrel !" cried her lis 
 tener. 
 
 " Yes sir ; and of course, on learning that, 
 Miss Worth was more than ever determined to 
 frustrate his plans." 
 
 " Well, what more, and where is this pre 
 cious fool of a Juliet? I wish all girls were 
 blessed with your common sense, child." 
 
 " She ran up sta'rs as you came in, sir." 
 
 " And may have come down by the bacK 
 stairway and made off with the rascal, after 
 all !*' he exclaimed in alarm. " Run up to her 
 room, Milly, and see if she is there, while I 
 look about below here."
 
 206 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Mildred went at once, though she would 
 much rather have been excused ; for the errand 
 WAS no pleasant one ; she was very reluctant to 
 meet Juliet again at that moment ; but fortu 
 nately was spared the necessity, as, on nearing 
 the door of Juliet's sleeping room, she dis 
 tinctly heard her voice in conversation with 
 Reba. 
 
 She hurried down again with her report, 
 which her uncle received with grim satisfaction. 
 
 " That is well," he said. " Now I'll join in 
 the search for the scoundrel, and I promise you 
 that if we catch him, he'll no* get 2 way unhurt. 
 But where is Miss Worth, ohild ? you have not 
 answered that question yet." 
 
 As he spoke, a side door opened, and a tall 
 black robed figure glided in. 
 
 " Miss Worth !" he exclaimed, catching 
 sight of her face. 
 
 " Yes," she said in a hoarse whisper, leaning 
 back against the wall, and looking ready to faint. 
 
 u You are ill," he said ; " let me help you 
 into the library and give you a glass of wine." 
 
 She hardly seemed to hear him. Her eyes 
 were fixed in eager, terrified questioning upon 
 Mildred's face. 
 
 " Juliet is in her room," the latter has 
 tened to say.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 207 
 
 "Thank God for that!' 5 she said in quiver 
 ing tones. " And he ? " 
 
 " Is gone, I suppose. No one has seen him. 
 as far as I know." 
 
 At that moment one of the men put hie 
 head in at the door. " Can't find the rascal, 
 massa ; reckon he dun gone cl'ar off de place." 
 
 " Quite likely ; but as he may return, you are 
 to be on the watch till sunrise," was the reply. 
 
 " You didn't meet him ?" Mildred asked, 
 drawing near the governess, and speaking in an 
 undertone. 
 
 " No ; I must have taken the wrong road. 
 Mr. Dinsmore, I owe you an explanation. 
 Shall it be given now ? " 
 
 The voice was very low, very tremulous, 
 but the sad eyes were lifted unflinchingly to hia 
 stern face. 
 
 " As you please," he said, his features soft 
 ening a little at sight of her distress. " Yon 
 look hardly able to make it now, and some houre 
 later will answer just as well. Indeed, I think 
 we would all do well to go to our beds as soon as 
 possible. But stay a moment." 
 
 He stepped into the dining-room, and re 
 turned with a glass of wine, which he offered 
 to the governess, saying, " You look ready to 
 faint ; drink this, it will do you good."
 
 208 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 " No, no, never ;" she cried, shuddering and 
 recoiling as from a serpent ; " it has been the 
 ruin of those I love best." 
 
 " Very well," he said coldly, " Mildred, will 
 you take it ? " 
 
 *' No, thank you, uncle ; I do not need it 
 and would rather not," the young girl answered 
 pleasantly. 
 
 "Silly girl," he said, draining the glasa 
 himself. " Well, good night, ladies ; or rather 
 good morning. Miss Worth, I will see you in 
 the library directly after breakfast." 
 
 So saying he left them. 
 
 " What a blessing that it has turned out so 
 well," Mildred said to her companion. 
 
 " Has it ? '' queried the governess, in a be 
 wildered tone, and putting her hand to her 
 head. " I feel as though the earth were reel 
 ing beneath my feet. I can not think." 
 
 " Let me help you to your room ; a few 
 hours' rest will make all right again with you, 
 I trust," Mildred said compassionately. 
 
 " Don't allow yourself to feel anxious or dis 
 tressed," she went on, as she assisted her up the 
 Btairs. " 1 am sure uncle will not be hard with 
 yon when he learns how free from blame you 
 are ; Juliet has been saved, and he seems to have 
 escaped, and will not be likely to try it again/'
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 209 
 
 " Ah, if I could have met and warned him/ 
 sighed the governess. 
 
 " Surely it is better as it is, since he has got 
 away without," reasoned Mildred : " for might 
 he not have been angry and abusive ? " 
 
 " True, too true !" she murmured, catching at 
 the balusters to keep from falling ; " yea, it is bet 
 ter so ; but my brain reels and I cannot think." 
 
 Mildred was alarmed. " What can I do for 
 you ? " she asked. 
 
 " Nothing, nothing, but help me to my bed, 
 thank you, I shall be better when I have slept 
 off this horrible fatigue and weakness. Oh, such 
 a tramp and weary waiting as it was ! out in 
 the cold and darkness on a lonely road," she 
 gasped slmdderingly, as she sank down upon her 
 bed. " It seemed as if I should drop down and 
 die before I could get back to the house. And 
 my terror for him ! that was the worst of all ! " 
 
 " I don't think" he deserves your love and 
 care for him!" Mildred said, her indignation 
 waxing hot against the worthless villain. 
 
 " Perhaps not," she sighed, " but he loved 
 me once, and he was a noble fellow then. And 
 I ah, he told me I had helped to ruin him I '' 
 " But it wasn't true ? " Mildred said in a 
 tone of indignant inquiry. 
 
 Miss Worth did not seem to hear. " I shall
 
 310 MILDRED AT SD8ELAND8. 
 
 do now," she said presently, " and you need rest. 
 Do go to your bed, Miss Mildred. Perhaps I 
 shall sleep if left alone." 
 
 Perceiving that she could be of no further 
 assistance, Mildred went not unwillingly, for 
 she too was quite worn out with fatigue and 
 excitement. 
 
 It was eight o'clock when she woke, but she 
 was ready for the summons to breakfast, which 
 was not served that morning until near nine. 
 
 Juliet did not make an appearance at the 
 meal. She was indisposed, Reba reported, and 
 would take a cup of tea in her own room. 
 
 " The best place for her," commented Mr. 
 Dinsmore shortly. 
 
 " What do you mean by that ? " queried his 
 wife, who had heard nothing of the occurrences 
 of the past night. 
 
 " Just what I say and I hope she will have 
 the grace to stay there till her father comes for 
 her, as I requested him to do by this morning's 
 mail." 
 
 " Mr. Dinsmore, will you explain yourself ? " 
 exclaimed his wife in a tone )f exasperation. 
 
 " It will not require many words," he an 
 swered drily. " She would have eloped with 
 another woman's husband last night if she had 
 not beet hindered."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 211 
 
 " Another woman's husband I " echoed Reba 
 in astonishment and dismay "I did not know 
 it was so bad as that ! " 
 
 " Dreadful 1 impossible ! " cried Mrs. Dino 
 more, dropping her knife and fork and bursting 
 into tears. "Don't tell me a niece of mine 
 could do such a thing as that ! Mr. Dinsmore, 
 it's a cruel joke." 
 
 " No joke at all," he said, " but the simple, 
 unvarnished truth ; though of course she re 
 fused to believe that the man was married." 
 
 " And who is the wretch V " cried his wife, 
 grinding her teeth. " If you'd been half a man, 
 you'd have shot him down ! " 
 
 " I'm no murderer, madam," was the biting 
 retort, " and in my opinion a cowhiding would 
 much better befit so cowardly a scoundrel. I 
 should have administered that with hearty good 
 will, could I have laid hands on him." 
 
 " I wish you had 1 " she exclaimed with pas 
 sionate vehemence. " I am glad you wrote for 
 Mr. Maroden, and I hope he will come at onco 
 and take that shameful girl away before she 
 does anything more to bring disgrace on the 
 family. Reba, why did you let her do so ? " 
 
 " I, Aunt Belle ? I'm not in her confidence, 
 and was as ignorant and innocent as youiaelf in 
 regard to the whole thing."
 
 212 MILDRED AT ROSELANDti. 
 
 " Who did hinder her ? am I not to hear the 
 whole story ? " demanded Mrs. Dinsinore, turn- 
 lug to her spouse again. 
 
 "I presume it will all be unfolded to you 
 in time," was the cool reply. " I have not heard 
 it fully myself yet. Mildred here," and ho 
 looked pleasantly at her, " knows more about it 
 than I do; and to her, I believe, our thanks are 
 due for preventing the mischief." 
 
 " To Miss Worth, uncle, much more than 
 to me," Mildred said, blushing and feeling de 
 cidedly uncomfortable under the surprised, 
 scrutinizing glances of her aunt and Reba. " It 
 was she who found it all out, tried to persuade 
 Juliet to give it up, and when she failed in that, 
 told me" 
 
 " Told you 1 " interrupted Mrs. Dinsmore, 
 with indignation. " Why did she not come to 
 me instead ? I was the proper person by all 
 odds." 
 
 Mildred was at a loss for a reply that should 
 not damage the cause of the governess; but 
 Mr. Dinsmore came to her relief. " I presume, 
 my dear, it was to save you from the mortifica 
 tion of hearing of your niece's contemplated 
 folly, and her from that of having you mado 
 acquainted with it."
 
 " Do not insult calamity : 
 It is a barbarous grossness to lay on 
 The weight of scorn, when heavy misery 
 Too much already weighs men's fortunes down." 
 
 DANIKL. 
 
 RETURNING to her room to don her riding 
 habit, directly after breakfast, Mildred met 
 Miss Worth on her way to the library to keep 
 her appointment with Mr. Dinsmore. 
 
 " How pale and ill you look ! " exclaimed 
 Mildred. 
 
 " Ah, you would not wonder if you knew 
 how I shrink from this interview," sighed the 
 governess. 
 
 " I think you need not," Mildred answered 
 kindly ; then gave her the substance of the 
 conversation at the table, in regard to the past 
 night's occurrences, adding that her uncle's ex 
 planation of her probable motives had entirely 
 appeased Mrs. Dinsm ore's anger, and presum 
 ably he did not himself hold her in great di- 
 favor.
 
 S14: MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 "How very good in you to tell me, Miaa 
 Keith/' the governess said, grateful tears spring 
 ing tc her eyes. " But I must not delay an- 
 othsr moment, lest I keep him waiting." 
 
 She hastened on into the library, and was 
 relieved to find it tenantless. Unpunctuality 
 would not have helped her cause, and though 
 the moments of waiting tried her already over 
 strained nerves, she was thankful that they had 
 fallen to her lot rather than to his. 
 
 She had slept little, waking early, not greatly 
 refreshed, and tormented with anxiety in regard 
 to her brother's whereabouts, likelihood to re 
 new his attempt to carry off Juliet, and danger 
 of arrest on the old charges. This in addition 
 to the care that came upon her every day : the 
 ever recurring question how she was to meet 
 necessary expenses for herself and those depend 
 ent upon her. 
 
 Almost too weary to stand, yet too restless 
 to remain quiet, she dropped into a cLair for a 
 moment, then rose and paced the floor, at last 
 pausing beside the tire, and standing there with 
 her right elbow on the mantel, her forehead in 
 the open palm of her hand, her eyes cast down, 
 while painful thought surged through her brain. 
 
 Thus Mr. Dinsmore found her, so absorbed 
 in her meditations that she was not aware of
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 215 
 
 hie entrance until he coughed slightly to attract 
 her attention. Then she came out of her rev 
 erie with a start. 
 
 " Excuse me, sir, but I was not aware ihat 
 I was no longer alone." 
 
 " Time enough," he said ; " and let me com- 
 pliment you on being more punctual than my 
 self. But you are not looking we A or happy." 
 
 " No, sir ; and I think you will hardly won 
 der that I do not, when you have heard what I 
 am here to tell." 
 
 " Be seated," he said, waving his hand 
 toward an easy chair, while taking possession 
 of its fellow, " and let me hear what it is." 
 
 She seemed at a loss where to begin her 
 story, and to help her he remarked interroga 
 tively, " I presume you have no objection to 
 explaining the cause of your mysterious noc 
 turnal ramble ? " 
 
 " No," she said, " I went to warn that man 
 away from the house." 
 
 " Ah ! yes, that may have been the better 
 plan, as I was absent from home ; but what 
 puzzles me is to understand how you knew of 
 his coming." 
 
 " I had picked this up in the hall," she said, 
 handing him the little note. 
 
 " But how could it tell you so much, sinc
 
 216 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 it gives neither the name of the writer nor that 
 of the person addressed ? " 
 
 " The man's writing is perfectly familiar to 
 occ," she explained, growing a shade paler as 
 ehe spoke ; " I have known him intimately for 
 years, and had learned from him his designs 
 upon Miss Marsden." 
 
 " An intimate acquaintance of yonrs ! " he 
 exclaimed in astonishment. " Not one to be 
 proud of, certainly. May I ask a further expla 
 nation ? It is a matter of some consequence to 
 know with what style of persons the instructress 
 of my children associates." 
 
 " I know it ; you have a perfect right to 
 ask," she stammered, a crimson blush suffusing 
 her cheek, hot tears rushing into the downcast 
 eyes. " Oh, may you never know, Mr. Dins- 
 more, what it is to have those nearest and dear 
 est bring shame and disgrace upon you ! " 
 
 " A relative ? " he asked. " Is he not a 
 foreigner ? " 
 
 She shook her head sorrowfully, and after a 
 moment's struggle for composure, told him 
 what the man was to her, how he had been led 
 astray by love for the wine-cup, and the evil 
 influence of an older villain; that he had left 
 his country years ago, traveling his family knew 
 not whither, and how unexpectedly she had re-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 217 
 
 cognized him in the pseudo Count of whom 
 Juliet had become enamored ; how she had 
 entreated him to go away, and failing to per- 
 eaade him, had made a fruitless appeal to 
 Juliet, disclosing his real character and aims ; 
 but only to be scouted at and contemned as an 
 envious rival; then had sought for him with 
 the purpose of calling in his aid to save the 
 wilful girl from the destruction she courted, 
 and failing to find him had enlisted Mildred in 
 the cause. 
 
 " Miss Marsden is a born simpleton ! " he 
 commented impatiently. " "Well, Miss Worth, 
 she owes a great deal to your good sense and 
 right feeling. I, too, am obliged to you. I 
 sympathize with you in the trial of having such 
 a brother, and do not see that you have been 
 at all to blame in this unfortunate matter ; but, 
 rather the contrary. 
 
 " However, Mrs. Dinsmore is not always en 
 tirely reasonable in her views and require 
 ments, and it is altogether likely would object 
 longer receiving your services as governess to 
 her children, if she knew of your relationship 
 to this man. We will, therefore, keep that 
 matter to ourselves." 
 
 So saying, he dismissed her and the sul>- 
 ject together, with a wave of his hand ; and
 
 218 MILDRED AT EOSELAND8. 
 
 she withdrew with one burden somewhat 
 lightened. 
 
 For some days nothing special occurred at 
 Roselands; Juliet kept to her own apart 
 ments ; for the most part alone, or with no 
 companionship but that of her maid ; for Rebi'g 
 strongly expressed disgust and indignation at 
 her folly had sent her into a fit of the pouts, 
 so that they had small relish for each other's 
 society ; and Mrs. Dinsmore, angry with her 
 for the disgrace she had so nearly brought upon 
 the family, would not go near her, nor allow any 
 of the children to do so. 
 
 Mildred, too, stayed away, partly in obedi 
 ence to a hint from her aunt, and partly because 
 she did not suppose her company would be 
 acceptable ; she and Juliet having never been 
 kindred spirits. 
 
 Meanwhile, Miss Worth still took her meals 
 in the nursery with the younger children, do 
 ing so of choice, attended faithfully to her 
 duties in the schoolroom, but was seldom seen 
 at other times. Her light often burned far into 
 the night, and day by day she grew thinner and 
 paler her cheeks more sunken, her eyes more 
 hollow, her step slower and more languid. 
 
 Mildred alone seemed to note the change, 
 but to her kind inquiries the governess always
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 219 
 
 answered that she was well, and that in a tone 
 that did not encourage further inquiry or re 
 mark. 
 
 Mr. Marsden was slow in responding to Mr. 
 Dinsmore's summons, but at length a letter was 
 received, announcing his intention of starting 
 on his journey two days after date, and request 
 ing Mr. Dinsmore to keep a vigilant watch over 
 Juliet until his arrival. 
 
 It had come by the mail, which, arriving in 
 the city the previous night, was brought to 
 Roselands by Pomp, in the morning. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore opened it at the breakfast 
 table, read it to himself, and with a satisfied 
 smile, passed it on to his wife for her perusal 
 while he opened the newspaper, and leisurely 
 glanced over its contents. 
 
 "Ah !" he exclaimed presently, with some 
 excitement, " here is a bit of news. Listen ! " 
 
 He read it aloud. 
 
 " Yesterday, a gentleman from Philadel 
 phia, visiting in our city, met in the street, and 
 recognized an old acquaintance, one Henry 
 Worth, formerly of Philadelphia, who, some 
 five years ago, fled thence to escape trial on a 
 charge of forgery. Worth was of respectabl : 
 family ; his father had been a man of very con 
 siderable wealth, but had failed shortly befor>
 
 220 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 the commission of the crime ; brought to ruin, 
 it ia said, by the excesses of this son. 
 
 " The yonng man has been leading a gay 
 life of late, in the assumed character of a French 
 nobleman calling himself the Count DeLisle 
 The gentleman above referred to promptly re- 
 ported his case to the police ; he was arrested 
 and is now safely lodged in prison ; whence he 
 will be sent north in a few days for trial." 
 
 " So it's all true that he was a scoundrel !" 
 cried Mrs. Dinsmore, " and his name's Worth ! 
 He's Miss Worth's brother! I know it! I'm 
 sure of it ! and that accounts for her knowing 
 all about him. The wicked, deceitful thing to 
 hide it as she has done, and impose herself 
 the sister of a convict on me as governess to 
 my children ! I never heard of anything so 
 shameful ! I'll give her notice at once, and " 
 
 " Why, my dear, what absurd folly !" ex 
 claimed Mr. Dinsmore impatiently, angry with 
 her for her unreasonable displeasure, and with 
 himself for having inadvertently read out the 
 name ; " what difference does it mak ? " 
 
 " What difference, Mr. Dinsmore ! are yon 
 crazy ? You may consider paupers and convicts 
 proper associates for your children, but they 
 are not for mine, and that woman shall go." 
 
 u She is neither a pauper nor a convict,'' he
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 221 
 
 said, *' nor in the least responsible, so far as I 
 have been able to learn, for the wrong doing of 
 this man, whom, by the way, you do not know 
 *.o be her brother ; and if he is, I should think s 
 woman's heart would feel for her in the terrible 
 sorrow and disgrace of having such a relative." 
 
 '' Papa, what is a convict ? " asked Lora. 
 
 " One legally proved guilty of a crime," he 
 said ; " and, my dear, the term does not yet 
 apply to the man himself, (much less to your 
 governess ) as he has not yet been brought to 
 trial." 
 
 " If & all the same," she sneered, " for I 
 haven't a doubt of his guilt. There, you 
 needn't smile, as if I had said a foolish thing ! " 
 
 " I wish you would not do a foolish thing 
 in sending away one so well qualified for her 
 duties, and faithful in their performance, as Miss 
 Worth, merely because she is so unfortunate as 
 to bear the same name possibly be nearly 
 related to a scamp." 
 
 " Dear me, papa, I think mamma is quite 
 right," remarked Louise, with a toss of her 
 head. " I'm sure I don't wish to be taught by 
 suoh a person." 
 
 "- When your opinion is desired, Louise, it 
 will oe called for," said her father severely. " In 
 the meantime you may reserve it."
 
 222 MILDRED AT R03ELAND8 
 
 '* Well, I mean to ask Miss Worth if that 
 man is her brother ?" muttered the child sul 
 lenly. 
 
 " You will do no such thing !" returned her 
 father. " I will not have a word said to her 
 about it." 
 
 At that his wife smiled significantly. 
 
 " It might be as well to show that para 
 graph to Juliet," she said, rising from the 
 table. " Suppose you give me the paper." 
 
 " Do so, by all means," he replied, handing 
 it to her. 
 
 " Mildred, here is something for Miss Worth. 
 Will you see that she gets it ? " 
 
 It, too, was a newspaper, and Mildred 
 hoped compassionately, as she carried it up 
 etairs, that it did not contain the item of dis 
 tressing news for Miss Worth that her uncle 
 had read from the other. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore had preceded her by seve 
 ral minutes, and her voice speaking in cold, cut 
 ting tones, came to the girl's ear, from the 
 upper hall, as she set her foot upon the first 
 stair. 
 
 " You must be aware that your services are 
 no longer acceptable here," she was saying 
 " In fact you would never have been given the 
 situation had I known of this disgiaceful con
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 223 
 
 nection ; and I must say I am justly iudignant 
 at the gross deception that has been practiced 
 upon me." 
 
 " She must be speaking to Miss Worth ; 
 oh, what cruel words !'' thought Mildred. 
 
 She had reached the landing, and turning 
 to ascend the short flight above, caught sight of 
 the speaker and ',he person addressed. 
 
 Miss Worth stood leaning against the wall, 
 one hand clutching at the balustrade for sup 
 port, her face deathly pale, and her lips trem 
 bling ; Mrs. Dinsmore standing a few feet from 
 her, gathering her dainty skirts close to her per 
 son as if fearful of contamination, her aristo 
 cratic nose high in the air, her countenance ex 
 pressing scorn, contempt, and righteous indig 
 nation. 
 
 " What have you to say for yourself ? " she 
 demanded. 
 
 " Nothing, but that I am guiltless of any 
 intentional wrong," the governess replied 
 lifting her head, and speaking in a tone of quiet 
 despair, " and that I have faithfully performed 
 try duties to the best of my ability." 
 
 " You don't deny, then, that this sconndreL 
 this felon " 
 
 " Madame," interrupted the governess, her 
 eyes flashing, while a bright red spot burned on
 
 224 MILDRED AT. E08ELAND8. 
 
 each cheek, " he is not that, for he has never 
 been convicted of, nor so much as brought to 
 trial for any crime." 
 
 " Insolence ! " exclaimed Mrs. Dinsmore, 
 :< Well, if he hasn't been yet, he soon will be , 
 and get his deserts, I sincerely hope." 
 
 And picking up the newspaper, which 
 seemed to have dropped from Miss Worth's 
 nerveless hand, she swept on toward Juliet'fc 
 apartments ; in another moment had disappeared 
 within them, shutting the door after her. 
 
 The fire had died out of Miss Worth's eye, 
 the red had left her cheek, and she was swaying 
 from side to side ; only her hold on the balus 
 trade keeping her from falling. 
 
 Mildred sprang toward her. " Lean on me," 
 she said. " Let me help you to your room. 
 Don't be so troubled ; the Lord will take care 
 of you and yours, if you put your trust in 
 Him." 
 
 She did not know whether or not her words 
 were heard and understood. The poor woman 
 answered only with a heavy sigh and whispered, 
 "Thank you. I shall be better soon. But oh, 
 what will become of them all ! my mother, my 
 poor mother ! He was her pride, her idol ! " 
 
 Sympathetic tears streamed over Mildred's 
 cheeks as she assisted her to her room.
 
 MILLRZD AT ROSELANDS. 225 
 
 " I'm to go away, Miss Mildred," she eaid. 
 u turned off in disgrace for what is no fault of 
 mine : no fault but my bitter, bitter sorrow 1 
 God help me and those dependent on me ! " 
 
 " He will," Mildred answered chokingly ; 
 "He is so kind, so full of compassion ; His ten 
 der mercies are over all his works ! " 
 
 She stayed a little while trying to adminis 
 ter consolation, then putting the paper into 
 Miss Worth's hands, merely saying that it had 
 come by that morning's mail, she went away. 
 
 Finding Rachel busy in her room, she 
 stepped back into the hall and stood for a few 
 moments at the window there, looking out into 
 the avenue below where Mr. Dinsmore was 
 mounting his horse to make his daily morning 
 round of the plantation. 
 
 Suddenly there was a sound in Miss "Worth's 
 room as of a heavj body falling to the floor. 
 
 Mildred ran to her door, and rushirg in 
 without the ceremony of knocking, found, the 
 poor governess stretched, apparently lifeless, 
 upon the floor, the newspaper lying by her 
 side. 
 
 Mildred's eye, as she stooped over the \ ros 
 trate form, was caught by a paragraph that was 
 heavily marked. 
 
 But the present was no time to examine it,
 
 226 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 and pushing the paper aside, she hastened to 
 loosen the clothing of the fainting woman, at 
 the same time giving directions to the two or 
 three servants who had been attracted by the 
 noise of the fall, and followed her into the 
 room. 
 
 " Throw up that window, Minerva ! Some 
 cold water, Fanny, quick, quick! And you, 
 Rachel, run to my room for my smelling salts." 
 
 ' O, Miss Milly, is she done gone dead ? " 
 asked Fanny fearfully, as she sprinkled the water 
 upon the still, white face. 
 
 " "No, no ; it's only a bad faint," Mildred 
 answered, but her own heart quaked with fear 
 as she spoke ; the pinched featured were so 
 deathlike in their fixedness and palloi. 
 
 And spite of every effort they remained so 
 till, nearly wild with terror, Mildred bade the 
 servants summon other assistance. 
 
 " Call Mrs. Brown," she said. " Ask aunt 
 if we shall not send for the doctor." 
 
 They hurried away to do her bidding, while 
 she renewed her exertions, sending up silent, 
 importunate petitions the while to her heavenly 
 Friend. 
 
 They were answered ; Miss Worth sighed 
 deeply, opened her eyes and lifted them to the 
 young face bent over her, with a look of such
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 227 
 
 hopeless, heart-breaking anguish, that the girl 
 burst into sobs and tears. 
 
 " Oh, what is it ? what is it ? " she said. 
 
 " He he was my husband and and I 
 loved him" came in a hoarse whisper from 
 the colorless lips, and with the last word she 
 swooned again. 
 
 " She has lost her reason," thought Mildred. 
 " Poor, poor thing ! oh, perhaps it may be bet 
 ter for her if she never comes to herself again."
 
 " Never morning wore 
 To evening, bat eome heart did break." 
 
 fxmmo*. 
 
 THEY brought the housekeeper and the 
 family physician. The latter pronounced the 
 patient very ill, and with good reason ; for she 
 passed out of one swoon only to fall into 
 another, till they thought that her end was 
 eurely near at hand. 
 
 However after some hours the immediate 
 danger seemed over and the doctor left, prom 
 ising to return before night. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore had been awed and fright 
 ened into something slightly akin to terror and 
 remorse on account of her excessive harshness, 
 bat now shook it off. 
 
 " Really she takes her dismissal very hard/' 
 she remarked to Mildred as the latter was leav 
 ing the dinner table. *' I had no idea she was 
 so much attached to Koselands."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 229 
 
 " J do not think it could be that alone, aunt," 
 Mildred returned in surprise and disgust. 
 
 " What then ? " 
 
 " Her relative's disgrace ; the poverty and 
 distress to herself and a mother and sister de 
 pendent on her, consequent on being thrown 
 out of employment." 
 
 Then with a sudden recollection of that 
 paper with its marked paragraph, Mildred 
 hastened from the room and went in search of it. 
 
 The patient had fallen asleep, Rachel watch 
 ing at her side. 
 
 A glance showed Mildred the paper folded 
 and laid upon the table. She opened it cau 
 tiously, found the article she sought and read it. 
 
 " A case of lynching occurred in one of the 
 southern counties of Texas, about two weeks 
 ago. A man named Joseph White, said to be 
 from one of the Northern States, suspected oi 
 horse stealing, was taken by a posse of some 
 forty armed men, carried into the woods and 
 hung. He was given ten minutes to prepare 
 for death ; died bravely, protesting his inno 
 cence to the last ; but of course nobody be 
 lieved him, as the proof against hirr. wa 
 strong." 
 
 Sick and faint with horror, Mildred laid 
 down the paper and dropped, shuddering, into
 
 230 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 
 
 a chair. Oh, this was worse than all ! If he 
 was that poor woman's husband, and she loved 
 him, no wonder news so dreadful, and coming 
 at such a time as this, should bring her down 
 to the very gates of death. 
 
 The girlish heart was filled with a great 
 Compassion for the poor stricken creature, a 
 great longing to comfort her in her grief and 
 desolation. 
 
 " She will not live, she cannot," she whis 
 pered to herself ; " I should not wish to were I 
 in her place ; for oh, it is so horrible, so horri 
 ble ! How can men be such savages as to take 
 human life to atone for the loss of an animal! 
 and that perhaps the life of an innocent man ? " 
 
 " I should be loath to assume your respon 
 sibility in this matter," remarked Mr. Dins- 
 more to his wife, as Mildred left them lingering 
 over their dessert. 
 
 " Why ? " she demanded, bridling ; " did 1 
 cause the ruin of her brother or the poverty of 
 the family ? " 
 
 <: You seem to have added to that last bur 
 den ; thus supplying the one drop that makes 
 the cup overflow." 
 
 " I only did my duty to my children," sho 
 retorted angrily. 
 
 "I cannot see it," he said; "the children
 
 MILDRED AT B08ELAND8. 231 
 
 have improved very much in the two years 
 that she has been with us." 
 
 u And of course all the credit of that be- 
 .ongs to her ! there is none at all due to me. I 
 often wonder, Mr. Dinsmore, how you. came to 
 marry a woman for whom you entertain so little 
 admiration or respect." 
 
 " That is hardly a fair inference from what 
 I have said," he rejoined in a tone of weariness 
 and disgust ; for she had tried his patience not 
 a little that day with her whims and follies. 
 
 He rose with the last word and withdrew to 
 the library. He was sitting before the fire in 
 his easy chair, seemingly lost in thought, when 
 the door opened softly and Mildred glided across 
 the room and stood at his side. 
 
 As he looked up he saw that her features 
 were working with emotion, her eyes full of 
 tears. 
 
 " What is it ? " he asked, in a startled tone ; 
 " she's not gone, I hope ? " 
 
 Mildred shook her head, and with a burst o! 
 tears and a whispered " I could almost wish she 
 was if if I was quite sure she was prepared," 
 pointed significantly to the marked paragraph 
 in the paper which she held before him. 
 
 He read it, and then looked up at her with 
 an inquiring "Well?" upon which Mildred
 
 232 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 told her reasons for connecting- that item of 
 news with Miss Worth's sudden seizure, re 
 peating 1 the words g-asped out hy the pale, 
 trembling lips of the governess on her par 
 tial restoration to consciousness. 
 
 " I thought then that her mind wandered," 
 concluded Mildred, " but since reading this, I 
 fear her words were only too true." 
 
 " Poor thing ! " he sighed. " Fm afraid she 
 knows by sad experience all that she rescued 
 Juliet from. Well, Milly, we will do the best 
 we can. for her. And, child, don't distress 
 yourself unnecessarily. It will do her no good, 
 you know." 
 
 " You are always kind and thoughtful for 
 me, uncle," she responded gratefully, " but this 
 geems no time to be considering myself. Do 
 you know what the doctor thinks of her ?" 
 
 " He told me that the attack must have been 
 occasioned by some severe mental shock coming 
 upon an exhausted frame. "What she has had 
 to exhaust her I don't know her duties were 
 light enough, I supposed but the shock I took 
 to have been the arrest of her brother. It 
 would seem, however, from this, that a far more 
 terrible one was superadded." 
 
 " Yes," Mildred said, shuddering. " Oh, my 
 heart bleeds for her. But how strange that she
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 233 
 
 is married ' "Why should she have kept it so 
 profound a secret? going back to her maiden 
 name?" 
 
 " That I cannot tell," Mr. Dinsmore an 
 swered ; " but probably it was a clandestine and 
 unfortunate affair, and she wished to avoid un 
 pleasant explanations. "We will say nothing 
 about it to your aunt, as it would only increase 
 her displeasure against the unhappy woman ? " 
 
 "Ah, uncle," Mildred said musingly, "how 
 little idea I have had hitherto of the dreadful 
 distress that comes into some lives ! I begin to 
 think myself a very fortunate mortal." 
 
 " It is well to learn to appreciate our bless 
 ings," he returned with a smile that had little 
 of mirth in it ; for he was thinking with con 
 cern of the condition and prospects of the 
 stranger within his gates. 
 
 "I must ask Dr. Barton whether she is 
 likely to be long ill," he said, thinking aloud 
 rather than addressing Mildred, " that we may 
 make arrangements accordingly. And I think 
 we should show him this," indicating the fatal 
 news item. 
 
 " It is her secret," Mildred suggested doubt- 
 full} 
 
 " True, my dear, but physicians have often 
 to be entrusted with the secrets of their patients,
 
 234 MILDRED AT MOSELANDS. 
 
 and Dr. Barton is a safe depository for such 
 things." 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore was impatient for Dr. Bar- 
 ton's opinion, very impatient over the unfor 
 tunate circumstances of the serious seizure of 
 the governess underneath her roof; for she en 
 tertained an utter detestation of sickness and 
 death, and was always ready to fly from them 
 nt a moment's warning ; whatever might be the 
 haracter of the illness, she insisted there was 
 danger of contagion, and saw it to be clearly her 
 duty to take care of herself by running away. 
 
 She spent the afternoon in overseeing the 
 packing of trunks, that she might be prepared 
 for any emergency ; then anxiously awaited 
 the doctor's report. 
 
 It was her husband who brought it to her at 
 last, late in the evening. He had been closeted 
 for a quarter of an hour with the physician, and 
 now came into his wife's boudoir with a coun 
 tenance full of grave concern. 
 
 " "Well, what is it ? what does Dr. Barton 
 say?" she queried fretfully, " I thoug-ht you 
 would never come back to tell me." 
 
 " He fears there is little hope of recovery." 
 her husband answered gravely, pacing slowly 
 to and fro with the air of one who is seriously 
 disturbed.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 235 
 
 " Ana is she going to be sick long ? " 
 
 " It may be for some weeks, he cannot tell 
 certainly." 
 
 " Can she be moved ? " 
 
 "Moved? "What occasion for that? The 
 room she occupies now is comfortable ; is it 
 not?" 
 
 " Dear me, Mr. Dinsmore, you can be very 
 stupid ! I want to know if she can't be sent to 
 the village to a hotel or boarding house. It 
 isn't at all pleasant to think of her dying here. 
 I don't want any haunted rooms in my house.'' 
 
 He paused in his walk, and stood looking 
 at her in amazement, that presently gave place 
 to an expression of extreme chagrin and disgust. 
 
 " Isabella !" he exclaimed, " are you utterly 
 heartless? utterly destitute of womanly com 
 passion for the helpless and suffering ? " 
 
 " Of course I'm not/' she said, resorting to 
 tears, as was her wont when at a loss for better 
 weapons of defence. " I'm sure she could be 
 made vei/ comfortable there, and I spared the 
 necessity of being turned out of my own home 
 in the depth of winter. But you can think ot 
 everybody's comfort and happiness except your 
 wife's ; it isn't of the least consequence, and 
 never will be." 
 
 " Really," he said, " I do not know what
 
 236 MILDRED AT EOSELAND8. 
 
 you arc talking about. 1 certainly have not 
 proposed your leaving home, and cannot see 
 the slightest necessity for your doing so." 
 
 " No, you would be quite as well pleased to 
 have me stay hero and get sick and die, anj 
 give you a chance to find a younger and prei 
 tier wife." 
 
 He disdained a reply to that, and presently 
 she went on : 
 
 " I shall take the children, and go to Ken 
 tucky to visit my sister. It's fortunate that 
 Mr. Marsden comes to-morrow, and is going to 
 return immediately. I could not have a better 
 escort." 
 
 " As you please ; I have become somewhat 
 used to being left out of my wife's plans," he 
 said coldly, turning on his heel to leave the 
 room. " Go if you like," he added, turning 
 toward her again, " but don't talk of necessity ; 
 for there is not the remotest danger of Miss 
 Worth's sickness proving contagious. She is 
 dying of a broken heart." 
 
 " Ridiculous ! " she muttered as he went out 
 and shut the door, " the idea J. a governess 
 coming to such a romantic end . It's far more 
 likely to turn out scarlet fever or small-pox." 
 
 By morning she had worked herself up to 
 the belief that such was really the case.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 237 
 
 The next step was to bring her nieces u> a 
 like conviction ; in which she succeeded so well 
 that they were greatly alarmed, Juliet nearly 
 forgetting the disappointment and disgrace of 
 her late attempt at elopement, in the fear that 
 small-pox might rob her of her beauty. 
 
 She had not much to lose, to be sure, but of 
 that fact she was comfortably ignorant, and as 
 what she had was but skin deep, small, pox 
 would have made sad havoc with it. 
 
 Mr. Marsden arrived in the evening, and 
 early the following morning the whole party, 
 consisting of himself and his two daugh 
 ters, Mrs. Dinsmore and her six children, with 
 their nurses, set out for his home in Ken 
 tucky. 
 
 They departed without seeing Mildred, who 
 had been so much in the sick-room that they 
 were afraid of her, but left good-bye for her 
 with Mr. Diusinore. 
 
 He made no effort to detain his family, but 
 simply remarked to his wife, on taking leave of 
 her, that when she felt it safe to return, he 
 77ould be happy to see her and their children. 
 
 The house seemed strangely quiet and de 
 serted as he turned back into it after seeing 
 them off- 
 He went up to the sick-room. Mildred was
 
 238 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 there, moving softly about, supplementing the 
 work of the housemaid with a few skillful 
 touches here and there, that seemed to brighten 
 up the place wonderfully. 
 
 He had said to her at the first, " Mildred^ 
 you are not to bear any part of this burden, 
 Mrs. Brown and Aunt Delia are both excellent 
 nurses, and will not neglect anything that can 
 be done for her relief or restoration ; and I 
 cannot have you wearing yourself out." 
 
 He said substantially the same thing now, 
 gpeaking in an undertone that could not dis 
 turb the patient, who was sleeping under the 
 influence of medicine. 
 
 " I shall not wear myself out, uncle, never 
 fear,'' she answered in the same low key, smil 
 ing up affectionately into his face, " but I can 
 not be content to stay away all the time, for she 
 seems to cling to me.'' 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Brown, coming in ; " and 
 Miss Mildred has a wonderfully soothing way 
 with her that quiets her in her fits of restless 
 ness and distress, when nothing else can. 
 
 " And I think, Mr. Dinsmore," she added. 
 in a still lower tone, " that it won't be long the 
 poor creature will be troubling any of ns. I 
 see death in her pale, sunken face now." 
 
 Mildred stole out into the hall, and her uncle
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELA^ D9. 23 
 
 following her, found her wiping away the fast- 
 falling tears. 
 
 " O, uncle," she sobbed, " what do you think 
 I have discovered ? that she has been wearing 
 herself out sitting up half the night, for months 
 past, writing articles and stories for newspapers 
 and magazines, in order to earn a little more 
 for the support of that mother and sister." 
 
 "Indeed!" he said, looking much con- 
 cerned. "I am very sorry; I would rather 
 have added a hundred dollars to her salery, 
 if i had known it. But unfortunately it is 
 too late now." 
 
 " I can't help feeling angry at them ! " ciied 
 Mildred ; " why didn't they bear their own bur 
 dens according to the Bible command ? And 
 then that brother and husband ! Oh, it is too 
 bad ! " 
 
 " Have you learned any more of her story ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 " No, sir ; she hardly speaks at all except 
 that I have heard her murmur to herself in, oh, 
 Ruch a heart broken way, ' My darling, my dar 
 ling, oh, my darling ? ' and two or three times 
 she has whispered to me, ' Tell me about Him 
 that Friend.' " 
 
 "That Friend ? whom does she reean ?" 
 
 " The Lord Jesus I told her of Him once
 
 240 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 when 1 found her sad and troubled, and it 
 seemed to do her good." 
 
 "You are a blessed little comforter! you 
 must have taken lessons of your mother," he 
 said in a moved tone, as he turned and went 
 away. 
 
 Going down stairs, he ordered his carriage 
 and drove over to Ion. 
 
 When he returned, Mrs. Travilla was with 
 him. 
 
 It was a glad surprise to Mildred, a greater 
 comfort than anything else but the arrival of 
 her own mother could have been ; for here was 
 one with a heart ever tenderly alive to human 
 woe, and far more capable than herself of point 
 ing the sufferer to the only true source of help 
 and consolation. 
 
 Together they watched, day after day, by 
 the sick and dying bed ; for the poor woman 
 had indeed received her death blow in that last 
 terrible announcement. 
 
 She said little, made no complaint, but l&y 
 there growing weaker, and often lifting her 
 eyes to their faces with a look of hopeless an- 
 guisL in them that wrung their hearts. 
 
 Then Mrs. Travilla would lean over her and 
 in low, tender tones tell of the love and sym 
 pathy of Jeens, repeating now one, now another
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 241 
 
 of the many exceeding great and precious prom 
 ises of His word. 
 
 "'As one whom his mother comforteth so 
 will I comfort you ; and ye shall be com 
 forted.' 
 
 " ' Come unto me, all ye that labor and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' 
 
 ' ' I have loved them with an everlasting 
 love.' 
 
 " ' I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."' 
 
 " Ah, if He loves me, why does He send 
 such fearful trials ? " she asked one day. 
 
 " My dear," said Mrs. Travilla, " He told his 
 disciples, ' In the world ye shall have tribula 
 tion ; but be of good cheer, I have overcome 
 the world.' 
 
 " * We must through much tribulation enter 
 into the kingdom of God.' But ' our light 
 affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh 
 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
 of glory.' 
 
 " Trust Him and He will do for you jusi, 
 what is best ; will give you strength to bear all 
 that He sends, and take you at last to Himself 
 to be unspeakably happy forever and forever." 
 
 " I will, I do," she said. " Ah, Miss Keith," 
 turning her sad eyes upon Mildred, who sat 
 near with tears streaming down her cheeks, " I
 
 242 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 thank God that you were sent here to tell me 
 of this heavenly Friend I for His love is all that 
 sustains me in this dread hour." 
 
 She closed her eyes, and for some moments 
 they thought she slept; but opening them 
 again, '' I am dying," she whispered ; " but 1 
 am not afraid, for He is with me. Ah, how 
 much easier than his death his my darling's ! 
 she added with a shudder. " Only ten minutes 
 to prepare; and 1 fear he had never found 
 this Friend." 
 
 The keenest look of anguish they had ever 
 seen came into her eyes with those words, and 
 for some minutes she was too much overcome 
 to proceed. 
 
 When at last she did it was in tones so low 
 and tremulous that they strained their ears to 
 catch the sounds. 
 
 " Six years ago we married ; secretly, 
 against my parents' wishes. They were right; 
 he was wild loved wine, cards, fast horses, 
 but me too, and oh, how I loved him! He was 
 Harry's ruin; both had to fly,and I have never 
 taken his name openly; no one knew what he 
 was to me, but my own family; and I thought 
 no one need know. Perhaps it was wrong 
 but how could I bare my heart to a stranger?" 
 
 " You were not called upon to do so," Mrs.
 
 MLLDMED AT RO&ELAND8. 243 
 
 Travilla said, with emotion ; for the sad story 
 had deeply touched her heart. 
 
 The mournful eyes turned upon her with a 
 grateful look, then closed in the sleep of utter 
 exhaustion. 
 
 She passed away that night very calmlj 
 and peacefully, trusting in her Redeemer ; and 
 as Mildred gazed upon the solemn scene she 
 thanked God that she had been permitted to 
 lead one soul to Him, to smooth one dying pil 
 low, and that Heaven would make amends to 
 the sorely tried one, lor all she had been called 
 upon to endure on earth.
 
 ' A lovely being, scarcely formed or molded, 
 A rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded." 
 
 BTBOH. 
 
 ON the veranda of a lordly mansion over 
 looking a velvety lawn of emerald green, span 
 gled with flowers and dotted here and there 
 with giant oaks, magnolias and orange trees, 
 between which might be caught the silvery 
 gleam of the bright waters of a lakelet beyond, 
 a young child, a lovely little girl of four, was 
 sporting with her nurse : tossing to and fro a 
 many, colored ball with many a sweet baby 
 laugh and shout. 
 
 Presently it flew over the railing and rolled 
 away among the flowers in the grass. 
 
 " Let's go get it, mammy," said the little 
 one, hurrying down the steps ; " let' stoss it on 
 the lawn." 
 
 "Wait, honey," returned the nurse, follow-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 245 
 
 ing her. " Ki ! let ole mammy hoi' you up to 
 see what's comin' down dar on de wattah." 
 
 " Oh, the boat, the boat ! " shouted the child, 
 as Aunt Chloe lifted her to her shoulder. " Will 
 it stop, mammy ? Is uncle comin' on it ? " 
 
 " Dunno, darlin' ; 'spect he is," Aunt Chloe 
 answered moving on across the lawn in the direc 
 tion of the little pier where the boat was already 
 rounding to. " Ki ! yes, dar he am, standin' on 
 de deck." 
 
 The child clapped her pretty hands with a 
 cry of delight. " I see him ! I see him ! Please 
 go on, mammy. Now let me down. I want 
 to run to meet him." 
 
 A man was stepping ashore, gentlemanly in 
 dress and appearance, of medium height, rather 
 stoutly built, sandy hair and whiskers, plenti 
 fully sprinkled with grey, a grave, thoughtful 
 face, with stern mouth, but kindly grey eyes. 
 
 At sight of the fairy little figure bounding 
 toward him, he set down a valise he carried, 
 stooped and held out his arms, the stern lips 
 relaxing into a smile, the grey eyes twinkling. 
 
 In an instant she was clinging about his 
 neck, the rosebud mouth pressing sweet kisses 
 on his lips. 
 
 " Well, my bonny bairn, are you glad to see 
 your old uncle come home?" he asked, fondling
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 her for a moment ; then setting her on her feel 
 and taking her hand, he walked on toward the 
 house, Aunt Chloe and a negro boy with the 
 valise, following. 
 
 A pleasant-faced matron, in a neat muslin 
 dress and cap, met them on the veranda. 
 
 " "Welcome home, sir, Mr. Cameron, " she 
 Baid shaking hands with him. " Your room's 
 a' ready, and tea will be on the table in ten 
 minutes. Elsie, my bonnie pet, will ye no 
 stay wi' me while uncle changes his linen ? " 
 
 " Yes, Mrs. Murray, wis you and mammy," 
 the child answered, with cheerful acquiescence. 
 " Uncle won't go 'way to-morrow nor uex' day 
 'cause he said so." 
 
 The child's meals were usually taken alone 
 in the nursery, earlier hours than those pre 
 ferred by the older people better suiting her 
 tender years ; but to-night she took tea with 
 her guardian and Mr. Murray, Mrs. Murray 
 Bitting opposite him and presiding over the tea 
 urn, Elsie between them at his right hand ; 
 while Aunt Chloe stood at the back of her 
 chair, ready to give instant attention to every 
 want and wish. 
 
 The evenings were cool enough to make an 
 open wood fire very agreeable, and a fine one 
 blazed and crackled on the hearth in the
 
 MILDRED AT R08SLAND8. 247 
 
 library, whither Mr. Cameron bent his steps on 
 leaving the table. 
 
 He had scarcely taken possession of an 
 easy chair beside it, when Elsie crept to his side 
 and claimed a seat on his knee. 
 
 " Poor bit fatherless bairn ! " he muttered, 
 as he took her up. " Some folk are, as the 
 good book says, ' without natural affection.' " 
 
 " Why, uncle, I's dot a papa, hasn't I ?" she 
 asked, catching in an understanding way only 
 the first half of his remark ; " Mrs. Murray tella 
 me 'bout him sometimes.'' 
 
 " Yes ; so you have," he said, " but he isn't 
 here to take care of his little lassie, you know." 
 
 " I wis' he was ! I wis' he'd come dus' 
 now! 
 
 "And my mamma in heaven where Jesus 
 is," she prattled on, " my sweet, pretty mam 
 ma," and pulling at a gold chain about her neck, 
 she drew out from the bosom of her gown a 
 miniature set in gold and diamonds, a likeness 
 of a very beautiful young girl. 
 
 " Dear mamma, sweet, pretty mamma ! " 
 she repeated, fondly kissing the pictured face. 
 
 " Let me look at it, Elsie," he said, as eho 
 was about to return it to its hiding place. 
 
 " The bonniest face I ever saw," he mused 
 half aloud, gazing intently upon it. " "Woe's
 
 24:8 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 me that the sods of the valley shou.J ha 7 cov 
 ered it from sight sae soon ! Was I wrong 1 
 Eh, how could I know that she cared so much 
 for that wild youth ? I thought it was Ihe 
 gowd he was after, and I think so still." 
 
 But he heaved a profound remorseful sigh, 
 as he relinquished the miniature to its rightful 
 owner. 
 
 As he did so he caught sight of Aunt Chloe 
 standing near, her dark eyes fixed on him with 
 an expression of keenest sorrow, mingled with 
 reproach. 
 
 " She blames me," he thought uneasily. 
 "Well, well, I meant it all for the best." 
 
 " Aunt Chloe," he said, speaking aloud> 
 " bring me a parcel you'll find on my dressing 
 table." 
 
 She left the room, and presently returned 
 bringing what he had sent her for. 
 
 " Something for you, Elsie," he said, lay 
 ing it in her lap. 
 
 It was loosely wrapped in brown paper 
 which she quickly unfolded with her small 
 white fingers, bringing to light a large, beau- 
 tiful and handsomely-dressed doll. 
 
 " Oh, oh ! see, mammy, see ! " she cried in de 
 light ; " such a big dolly ! biggest of all 1's dot ! " 
 
 Then she thanked the giver with kisses and
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 249 
 
 smiles and sweet words of baby gratitude ; for 
 she was a child of most grateful and loving dis 
 position. 
 
 Mrs. Murray must be called in to see and 
 admire the new treasure ; then with it hugged 
 closely in her arms, the delighted darling bade 
 good-night and suffered her mammy to lead 
 her away to bed. 
 
 " "What a bonny wean it is ! One caniia 
 think well o' the father that neglects it," re 
 marked Mr. Cameron, as the tiny, fairy-like 
 figure disappeared through the doorway. 
 
 " It's unaccountable, and whiles makes me 
 hae grave doubts of the reality of his love for 
 the mother," said the housekeeper. " But if 
 once he got sight o' the bairn it would surely 
 be different. Who could see the bit winsome 
 thing and not love her dearly ? Can ye no 
 manage to get him here by hook or by crook, 
 Mr. Cameron ? " 
 
 " I cannot say that I'm over anxious," he 
 answered drily. " He's too fiery and hot-headed 
 a youth to deal comfortably with ; besides hs'a 
 away in Europe." 
 
 " Ah ! when will he return ? " 
 
 " Indeed, Mrs. Murray, I got no hint o' thai, 
 except that his stay was likely to be lengthy." 
 
 She had brought in her accounts of house-
 
 850 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 hole! expenditures for the past month, and some 
 time was spent in going over them and con 
 versing of various business matters. 
 
 " Mr. Cameron," she said, as the interview 
 was about to close, " life and health are both 
 uncertain wi' us all. In case onything should 
 happen to you, sir, what " 
 
 " I will give you the address of my solici 
 tor, and o' the bairn's grandfather," he said, 
 without waiting for the conclusion of her sen 
 tence ; and turning to his writing desk he wrote 
 both on a card, which he handed to her, saying, 
 " It would be advisable for you, or the overseer 
 to send them both word immediately if aught 
 occur to deprive me of the ability to attend to 
 the affairs o' the estate and the welfare o' the 
 bit lassie." 
 
 Scarce a week had elapsed when Mrs. Mur 
 ray found reason to be thankful for this act oi 
 prudent foresight. Mr. Cameron was taken 
 suddenly and violently ill, soon became deliri 
 ous, and after a few days of suffering, bieathed 
 his last, without an interval in which he could 
 have attended to business, however important. 
 
 As soon as it was known that the illness was 
 likely to terminate fatally, letters were dis* 
 patched to the addresses given. 
 
 The lawyer living no further away than
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 251 
 
 New Orleans, was able to reach Yiamede in 
 time for the funeral ; but it would take weeks 
 foi the letter to Mr. Dinsmore to wend its way 
 to Roselands. 
 
 Little Elsie saw nothing of her guardian 
 after he was taken sick ; she was not shown the 
 corpse, and during the funeral her nurse had 
 her away in a distant part of the grounds. 
 
 " She's too young to be saddened wi' 
 thoughts o' death and the grave," said Mrs. 
 Murray ; " we'll just tell her, when she asks for 
 her uncle, that he's gone to the beautiful heaven 
 where the Saviour is; and her sweet, pretty 
 mamma, too. And she'll hae only pleasant 
 thoughts about it, the darling pet ! " 
 
 The good woman had a very strong, moth 
 erly affection for the lovely little one, and was 
 more concerned in regard to the possible, not 
 to say probable, separation from her, consequent 
 upon Mr. Cameron's death, than with any other 
 question touching her own earthly future. She 
 did not know what disposal would be made of 
 the child, but was resolved not to endure sepa 
 ration if it could be avoided, even by a consid 
 erable pecuniary sacrifice. 
 
 The lawyer could tell her nothing except 
 that the child's father would now assume entire 
 control of both her person and property.
 
 252 MILDRED Al ROSELAND8. 
 
 " Then," she said with the tears stealing down 
 her cheeks, "I fear we may have to part; :ut I 
 will ever comfort myself with the thought that 
 God reigns and the mon's heart is in His hand 
 as the rivers of water ; so that He can turn it 
 whithersoever He will." 
 
 " You seem strongly attached to her," re 
 marked the lawyer. " Well, she's a pretty little 
 creature and a great heiress; the estate was 
 large at the time of the grandfather's death, 
 and has flourished under my friend Cameron's 
 care ; his investments were always judicious. 
 In fact he couldn't have handled the funds more 
 wisely and carefully if it had been his own. Mr. 
 Dinsmore has been sent for, you say ? " 
 
 " The grandfather, sir ; the father's away in 
 Europe." 
 
 "Ah! rather unfortunate, I fear. Well, 
 Mrs. Murray, I have finished the business that 
 brought me here, and shall leave by the next 
 boat ; which passes, I understand, half an hour 
 from this," he concluded, consulting his watch. 
 
 " Yes," she said ; " but you will first step 
 into the dining-room and take some refresh 
 ment, will you not, sir ? It is quite ready." 
 
 He accepted the invitation, and while sipping 
 his tea, said, " I shall see Mr. Dinsmore in New 
 Orleans ; he will doubtless call upon me there
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 253 
 
 before coming on to V^amede, and you niaj 
 depend, Mrs. Murray, that if I have any influ 
 ence it will be exerted in favor of the plan 
 of leaving the little girl in your care." 
 
 " I thank you, sir," she said. " I love the 
 sweet bairn as I loved my own, now all gone 
 before to the heavenly rest, and perhaps, as 
 they hae never seemed to care to trouble wi' 
 her, they may be willing to continue her in my 
 charge." 
 
 Mrs. Murray was by no means the only one 
 at Yiamede who dreaded the changes that 
 might come as an indirect consequence of the 
 death of Elsie's guardian ; there were many 
 anxious hearts among the older and more in 
 telligent of the servants. "Would the little 
 mistress, whom they fairly idolized, be carried 
 away from them ? Would there be a change 
 of overseers ? "Would any of them be sold 
 away from home and kindred ? 
 
 Work had been suspended on account of 
 the funeral. It was over, and returning to 
 theii accustomed haunts about the mansion 
 And the quarter, they collected in little groups 
 here and there, looking sadly into each other's 
 faces, talking in subdued tones, with many 
 a dubious shake of the head, and not a few 
 tears dropped to the memory of the fair young
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDtS. 
 
 creature who had left them four years agone to 
 lie down beside her parents in the family burial 
 ground on a grassy slope not far away. 
 
 Ah, could they but have kept her ! so sveuij 
 so gentle, so lind. 
 
 Presently Aunt Chloe and her young charge, 
 taking the quarter on their way to the mansion, 
 appeared among them, the baby girl looking 
 wondrously like to her whom they mourned; 
 ihe same fair, oval face, large, lustrous brown 
 eyes, golden brown hair and sunny smile. 
 
 They gathered about her with honeyed 
 words of endearments, kissing the small white 
 hands, the golden ringlets, even the hem of her 
 richly embroidered white dress ; she scattering 
 gracious winsome words and smiles like a little 
 queen among her loyal subjects. 
 
 It was truly the homage of the heart, for 
 scarce one of them would have hesitated to risk 
 life and limb in her service. 
 
 She dispensed her favors with great impar 
 tiality, and was borne to the house on the shoul 
 ders of several of these ardent admirers, each 
 taking his turn in carrying her part of the way 3 
 that all might share in the privilege ; since the 
 loving little heart would not favor one to the 
 rejection of the others. 
 
 It was just as Mr. Coonly, the solicitor, was
 
 MILLRED AT ROSELANDb. 
 
 about taking his departure that the baby girl 
 was thus borne in triumph to the veranda, and 
 act down there all flushed and ropy and crowing 
 with delight. 
 
 " Nice ride, Uncle Ben. and all you other 
 nncles," she said, kissing her hand to them. 
 " Mammy will get you some cakes." 
 
 " She's a beautiful child ! " exclaimed the 
 (solicitor in an aside to Mrs. Murray. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; and a dear bairn, sweet and good 
 as she is fair." 
 
 " Will you give me a good-bye kiss, my 
 little dear 1 " he asked, stepping toward her. 
 
 "Yes," she said, holding up her rosebud 
 mouth. "But I don't know you. Did you 
 come to see my uncle \ Where is he ? " 
 
 He gave her a puzzled look, then saying, 
 " I haven't time to tell you now, ray little 
 girl," hurried away. 
 
 She looked after him for a moment, then 
 turning to Mrs. Murray, repeated her question. 
 
 " Gone away, darling," was the answer 
 " Now come in and eat your supper ; and then 
 we'll have a nice bit talk."
 
 Chapter Cfoentietjj. 
 
 " Not mine yet dear to me fair, fragrant Kossom 
 
 Of a fair tree 
 Crashed to the earth in life's first gloriou* summer, 
 
 Thou'rt dear to me, 
 Child of the lost, the buried and the sainted." 
 
 MBS. WIBT. 
 
 THE housekeeper's room, to which she now 
 led the little Elsie, was a cheery, pleasant place. 
 On a small round table, covered with snowy 
 satin-like damask, and a service of glittering 
 silverware, cut glass and Sevres china, a tempt 
 ing little repast was laid out for the two. 
 
 Mrs. Murray took her seat, and Aunt Ohloe 
 lifted Elsie into a high chair opposite. 
 
 The little one closed her eyes, folded her 
 baby hands and bent reverently over her plate, 
 while Mrs. Murray asked, in a few simple words, 
 a blessing on their food. 
 
 Aunt Chloe waited on them while they ate, 
 levoting herself particularly to her infant 
 charge, as another servant was in attendance, 
 then withdrew to the servants' hall to eat he; 1 
 own supper.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 257 
 
 And now Mrs. Murray, seating herself in a 
 low rocking-chair, took the child on her lap. 
 
 Elsie nestled in her arms, laid her head on 
 her shoulder, and softly patting her cheek, said, 
 " I love you, Mrs. Murray." 
 
 " I dinna doubt it, my sweet, bit lassie, and 
 I love you too ; dearly, dearly,'' the good woman 
 returned, accompanying the words with tender, 
 motherly caresses. " And the dear Lord Jesus 
 loves you better still, darling. Never forget 
 that, never doubt that you are His own precious 
 lambkin, and that He is always near to hear 
 you when you pray." 
 
 " Yes, I know," answered the child, " Jesus 
 loves little children, Jesus loves little Elsie. 
 And some day He'll let Elsie go to live wis Him 
 and wis her sweet, pretty mamma. Jesus loves 
 my mamma, and lets her live 'long wis Him." 
 
 " Yes, dear, she is there in that happy land. 
 And uncle has gone to be with her now." 
 
 The child started, lifted up her head, and 
 gazing earnestly, questioningly into the house 
 keeper's eyes, asked, " Uncle gone too? Will 
 he come back again ? " 
 
 " No, dear bairn, they never want to come 
 back from that blessed land ; they are so happy 
 there with the dear Saviour." 
 
 "Why didn't he take Elsie 'long? "cried
 
 258 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 the child, bursting into tears ; " I want to go 
 dere too." 
 
 " Jesus didn't send for you this time, sweet 
 pet," the housekeeper answered with emotion, 
 and folding the little form closer to her heart ; 
 " He would have you and me bide here yet a 
 bit ; but some day He will call us home too. 
 lie's getting a very lovely home ready for us 
 there." 
 
 " For my papa too ? " 
 
 " I trust so, darling." 
 
 " Where is my papa ? why doesn't he come 
 to Elsie." 
 
 " I don't know, my bonnie bairn. I think 
 he will come some day." 
 
 " And take Elsie on his kne<i, and kiss her 
 and love her ? " 
 
 " Surely, surely, darling. And you have a 
 grandpa, who will be here before many days, I 
 trust." 
 
 " Grandpa that's gone to heaven ? " 
 
 " No ; that is Grandpa Grayson, your sweet 
 mamma's father; this is Grandpa Dinsmoie^ 
 Tour papa's father." 
 
 The child looked thoughtful for a moment, 
 then with a joyous smile exclaimed, " Elsie's so 
 glad I I wish he'd come now. Elsie will love 
 him ever so much."
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 259 
 
 " May the Lord open his heart to love yon in 
 return, sweet bairnie," sighed the good woman. 
 "But not to take you frae me," she added 
 mentally. 
 
 The child pleaded for "stories 'bout mam 
 ma ; Elsie's mamma when she was little girlie, 
 and played wis her little brothers and sisters." 
 
 Mrs. Murray having been housekeeper at 
 Yiamedefor nearly twenty years, had a plentiful 
 store of these laid up in her memory. Each 
 one had been repeated for the little girl's en 
 tertainment a score of times or more, but repe 
 tition seemed to have no power to lessen their 
 interest for her. 
 
 " Why doesn't Elsie have brothers and sis 
 ters ? " she asked during a pause in the narra 
 tion. " Elsie do want some so bad !" 
 
 " Our Father didna see fit to give you any, 
 dear bairn ; and so you must try to be content 
 without," Mrs. Murray answered, with a ten 
 der caress ; " we canna have all we would like 
 in this world ; but when we get home where 
 the dear Lord Jesus is, we'll have nothing left 
 to wish for ; our cup o' joy will be full to over 
 flowing. Now bid me good-night, my wee 
 bonnie, bonnie darling, for here's mammy come 
 to take you to bed." 
 
 The child complied with alacrity. She and
 
 260 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 her mammy were devotedly attached to each 
 other, and had seldom been apart for an hour 
 since the little girl first saw the light. 
 
 And the nurse, though wholly uneducated, 
 was as simple-hearted and earnest a Christian 
 as Mrs. Murray herself, and faithfully carried 
 out the dying injunction of the young mother, 
 to try to teach her little one, from her earliest 
 years, to love and fear the Lord. 
 
 She talked and sang to her of Jesus before 
 she was a year old, and as soon as she began to 
 speak, taught her to kneel night and morning 
 with folded hands and lisp her little prayer. 
 And she, too, told her sweet stories of the 
 mother she had never known, of the beautiful 
 home whither she had gone, of the loving Sav 
 iour who was with her there, and also on earth 
 watching over her darling. 
 
 Every night she rocked her to sleep in her 
 arms, soothing her to rest with these ever new 
 stories, and the sweet wild melodies common 
 among her race. 
 
 Aunt Chloe had known sorrows many and bit 
 ter, not the least of them the untimely death of 
 Elsie's mother, and with none left to her in whose 
 veins her own blood flowed, clung to this nurs 
 ling with a love that would have hesitated at 
 no sacrifice for the good of its object, a passion-
 
 MILDRED AT HOMELANDS. 261 
 
 ate, yearning tenderness that would have led 
 her to choose death for herself rather than sep 
 aration. The big tears chased each other down 
 her sable cheeks at the bare thought of such a 
 possibility, as she held her sleeping treasure in 
 her arms that night. 
 
 She knew little of the child's father, noth 
 ing whatever of the grandfather or any other 
 of the paternal relatives, and her heart misgave 
 her lest there might be trouble in store for her 
 self and her beloved charge. 
 
 Some one came in softly through the open 
 door, and Chloe looked up with the tears still on 
 her cheeks, to find the housekeeper close at her 
 side. " What is it, Aunt Chloe ? '' she asked, in 
 a tone of alarm ; " the dear bairn is not ill ? " 
 
 Chloe only shook her head, while her 
 bosom heaved with half-suppressed sobs. 
 
 " Ah, I know what it is ! " sighed Mrs. 
 Murray ; " your heart trembles wi' the vera same 
 fear that oppresses mine : lest the darling o' 
 our dear love be torn frae our arms. But we 
 winna greet for sorrow that may never come 
 vre winna doubt His love and power who doetl t 
 all things well. Let us no forget that He IOT ca 
 her better far than we do. 
 
 " Said the saintly liutherford, ' I shall charge 
 my soul to believe and to wait for Him, and
 
 262 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Bhall follow His providence, and not go before 
 it, nor stay behind it.' Let us make the same 
 resolve, Aunt Chloe, and be happy while we 
 may ; be happy alway ; for His loving kindness 
 ehall never fail. 
 
 " Dinna ye mind his word, ' I am the Lord 
 who exercise loving kindness, judgment and 
 righteousness in the earth ; for in these things 
 I delight, saith the Lord ? "' 
 
 " Ef dey take my bressed lamb away, dis 
 ole heart break for sure 1" sobbed Chloe, 
 clasping the child closer. " I's done gone los* 
 eberyting else !" 
 
 " JSTo, no, Aunt Chloe! not the Lord !" 
 
 " No, missus, not de Lord ! dat true. Hope 
 He forgib de sinful word ! " 
 
 " And not the hope of heaven !'' 
 
 " No, no, missus, not dat either, bress His 
 holy name !" 
 
 " It is a world of trial, Aunt Chloe, but lie- 
 never sends one that is na needful for us ; and 
 ' when His people cannot have a providence of 
 silk and roses, they must be content with such 
 an one as he carveth out for them.' ' How 
 goon would grace freeze without a cross!' " 
 
 "Dat true, missus; an' we mus' take de 
 cross first or we can't hab de crown at de las'," 
 ghe assented with a heavy sigh. " Missus, do yon
 
 MlLDfiED AT ROSELAND8. 263 
 
 know what gwine be done now ? will dey sell 
 de plantation ? " 
 
 " Oh, no ! it belongs to the bairn." 
 
 " De servants ? " 
 
 " I don't think there is any danger o' that 
 either ; for they, too, are hers." 
 
 Aunt Chloe breathed more freely. "Will 
 Massa Dinsmore come an' lib heyah hisself ? " 
 ahe asked. 
 
 " That I canna tell," Mrs. Murray said, shak 
 ing her head and sighing slightly. " But, 
 Aunt Chloe, I dinna think ye need fear bein' 
 parted frae the bairn. They may take her frae 
 me, but they'll no be likely to separate her 
 from her mammy ; wherever she goes you will, 
 in a' probability, go also." 
 
 Chloe asked if Elsie was to be taken away 
 from Yiamede ; to which the housekeeper an 
 swered that she did not know ; indeed, nothing 
 could be known till Mr. Dinsmore came. 
 
 " But," she added, " whether the sweet 
 bairn's home be here or elsewhere, an attendant 
 will be needed, and I see no reason why the old 
 mammy, who loves her sae dearly, should be ex 
 changed for another. I wad be blithe to think 
 myself as secure o' bein' kept near hei ; but 
 they're no sae likely to want a housekeeper as a 
 nurse, should they decide to change her abode."
 
 S64 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 " Tank de Lord for dat ! " ejaculated Aunt 
 Chloe, half under her breath, as she rose and 
 gently laid the sleeping child in her bed. " I 
 tink iny bressed lamb neber be happy wiJont 
 licr ole mammy to lub her, an' I hopes dey'll 
 let you stay too, missus. I'e afraid Massa Dins- 
 more not care much 'bout his little chile ; 'cause 
 ef he do, why he neber come for to set? her ? " 
 
 The words sounded to Mrs. Murray like the 
 echo of her own thoughts. 
 
 " I uinna understand it," she whispered, 
 bending over the little one to press a tender 
 kiss on the softly rounded, rosy cheek. " I 
 canna comprehend it ; but the sweet wean has 
 had a happy life thus far, and please God, Aunt 
 Chxoe, she'll ne'er want for love while lie leaves 
 her in our care."
 
 %ter Stentrfrst 
 * 
 
 " A sweet, heartlif ting cheerfulnew, 
 Like springtime of the year, 
 Seemed ever on her steps to wait." 
 
 MBS. HALB. 
 
 " I SHOULD like to have a little chat with 
 you, Milly, my dear," Mr. Dinsmore said pleas 
 antly, looking across the table at her, where she 
 sat behind the tea urn ; her accustomed place 
 now in Mrs. Dinsmore's absence ; " can you 
 give me an hour or two of your company, in 
 the library, this evening ? " 
 
 "Just as much of it as you may happen to 
 want, uncle," she answered brightly. 
 
 " Thank you," he said. " I rejoice every 
 day in having you here ; it would be extremely 
 dull without you. But I wonder sometimes how 
 you keep up your spirits. Nearly six weeka 
 since Mrs. Dinsmore went away, and nobody 
 in the house, the greater part of the time, but 
 yourself, the housekeeper and servants." 
 
 " It is a little lonely sometimes," she ao-
 
 266 mi D RED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 knowledged, " but I have you at meals and in 
 the evenings, generally, now and then a call 
 frorr one of the neighbors, and almost every 
 day 1 ride over to Ion and spend an hour or 
 two with dear Mrs. Travilla. So with the assist 
 ance of books, music and drawing, and writing 
 letters to mother and the rest, I find the days 
 pass quite rapidly." 
 
 " Ah ! there is a great deal in being dis 
 posed to be contented !" he said, smiling. " You 
 are like your mother in that, too. 
 
 " "We have not yet succeeded in finding a 
 suitable person to fill Miss "Worth's place, and 
 that is one reason your aunt gives for lingering 
 so long at her sister's. The place affords ex 
 cellent educational advantages.'' 
 
 There was a little more desultory chat, and 
 then, having finished their meal, they repaired 
 to the library, Mildred not a little curious to 
 learn what her uncle had to say ; for she felt 
 quite certain from his manner that it was some 
 thing of unusual importance. 
 
 He drew an easy chair to the fire, seated her 
 comfortably therein, then turning away, paced 
 the floor for some moments in silence, and with 
 an abstracted air and clouC-dd brow. 
 
 She watched him furtively, wondering more 
 and more at his evident disturbance.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 267 
 
 / 
 
 At last, heaving a profound sigh, he seated 
 himself near her. 
 
 "Yon are -already acquainted, Mildred, &o 
 your Aunt Wealthy informed me,'' he began, *n 
 the tone of one who approaches a very distasteful 
 subject, " with a certain chapter in my son Hor 
 ace's history, which I would be exceedingly 
 glad to bury in forgetfulness ; but that circum 
 stances have rendered impossible since the 
 child of that most imprudent, ill-advised mar 
 riage has seen tit to live, and of course her exist 
 ence cannot be entirely ignored." 
 
 Mildred was growing indignant. Her color 
 heightened and her eyes sparkled ; though un- 
 perceived by him, as his face was half averted. 
 
 " Is there anything wrong with her, uncle ?" 
 she ventured as he came to a pause. 
 
 " Wrong with her ? " he echoed. " Heaven 
 forbid ! It is bad enough as it is. But, indeed, 
 I have never taken the trouble to ask. In fact, 
 I believe I half unconsciously hoped she might 
 never cross my path. But," and again he 
 aighed, " that is past. A letter received this 
 morning from Louisiana, brings news of the 
 death of her guardian that is, you understand, 
 the man who was left guardian to her mother 
 and the property ; which, by the way, is very 
 large."
 
 208 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB 
 
 Mildred began to listen with eager interest 
 She had wished very much to see Horace's 
 child ; could it be that that wish was to be 
 gratified ? 
 
 "The child heirs it all," Mr. Dinsmore 
 went on. " The mother married and died 
 under age, and by the conditions of the will 
 the property remained in Mr. Cameron's care ; 
 the child also, Horace not caring to remove 
 her. Now, however, the responsibility all falls 
 upon me, in his absence. I must look after 
 both estate and heiress. It involves an imme 
 diate journey to Louisiana, probably a stay of 
 some weeks, to get matters settled. 
 
 " And I must bring the child home with 
 me, as of course leaving her there with servants 
 only is not to be thought of, and, in fact, I know 
 of no other home for her ; for being a mere 
 babe she cannot be sent to boarding-school. 
 
 " I anticipate some complaint from Mrs. 
 Dinsmore ; she will not like it, I know, but ii 
 really cannot be helped, and need not add to 
 her cares in the least." 
 
 " Poor little motherless thing ! " sighed Mil- 
 dred softly, and as Mr. Dinsmore gave her a hasty 
 glance he saw that her eyes were full of tears. 
 
 " It is a pity about her," he said. " Strange 
 that she was destined to survive her mother;
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 269 
 
 it would really have been so much more com 
 fortable foi all parties if she had not." 
 
 "It does seem as though it might have been 
 ft happy thing for her," Mildred answered 
 drily. 
 
 But he did not notice the tone. Turning 
 to her with a smile, " How would you like to go 
 with me to Louisiana ? " he asked. 
 
 Her face grew radiant with delight at the 
 bare suggestion. " O, uncle ! how delightful ! 
 But it would be a very expensive journey, 
 wouldn't it ?" and her countenance fell. 
 
 " That would be my concern, since I invite 
 you," he said, laughing and playfully tapping 
 her cheek. " Where did you learn to be so 
 careful and economical ? Don't trouble your 
 self about expense. I shall consider the pleas 
 ure of your company cheaply purchased at the 
 cost of settling all the bills. Now will you go ? " 
 
 " Yes, indeed, and thank you a thousand 
 tiroes! if" 
 
 " If what ? father and mother give consent I 
 There's no time to ask it, as I leave day after 
 to-morrow ; but I am sure it would not be with 
 held. So we'll dc as we please first and ask 
 ]>er!nission afterward." 
 
 " Yes," Mildred responded, after a moment's 
 musing, " 1 feel convinced that they would be
 
 270 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 very glad to have me accept your kind, gener 
 ous offer ; for it is such an opportunity as I am 
 not likely to meet with again." 
 
 The remainder of the evening was devoted 
 ic the writing of a long, bright and cheery let 
 ter to her mother, telling of the pleasant pros 
 pect before her, and promising that the home 
 circle should share in the enjoyments of her 
 trip so far as descriptions of scenery and adven 
 tures, written in her best style, could enable 
 them to do. 
 
 Mildred's letters had come to be considered 
 a very great treat in that little community 
 their reception looked forward to with eager 
 anticipation. The enjoyment would be doubled 
 when they told of scenes new and fascinating, 
 and of Cousin Horace's little girl, in whom they 
 already felt so deep an interest. 
 
 Mildred had enjoyed her visit to Roselandg 
 but since the death of Miss "Worth the atmos 
 phere of the house had seemed somewhat .onely 
 and depressing. So she was very glad oi hei 
 uncle's invitation ; which promised a change in 
 every way delightful. 
 
 The journey was tedious and wearisome 
 in those days, compared to what it would bt? 
 now staging across the country to the nearest 
 point on the Mississippi, thenct by steamboat
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 271 
 
 to New Orleans, where they remained several 
 vreeks, Mr. Dinsmore being engaged in mak- 
 *ng necessary arrangements in regard to that 
 portion of little Elsie's inheritance which lay in 
 the Crescent City ; then on to Viamede. 
 
 It pleased Mildred that this part of theif 
 trip was to be all the way by water, and after 
 they entered Teche Bayou it seemed to her like 
 a passage through fairy land, so bright were 
 the skies, so balmy the breezes, so rich and 
 varied was the scenery ; swamps, forest, plain, 
 gliding by in rapid succession, the eye roving 
 over the richest vegetation ; resting now upon 
 some cool, shady dell gayly carpeted with 
 flowers, now on a lawn covered with velvet-like 
 grass of emerald green, and nobly shaded by 
 magnificent oaks and magnolias, now catching 
 sight of a lordly villa peeping through its groves 
 of orange trees, and anon of a tall white sugar 
 house, or a long row of cabins, the homes of 
 the laborers. 
 
 It was a new region of country to Mr. Dins- 
 more as well as herself, and he remarked that 
 lie considered the sight of it a sufficient recom 
 pense of itself for the trouble and expense of 
 the journey. 
 
 " But beside that," he added, " I have had 
 the satisfaction of learning that the estate ia
 
 272 MILDRED AT ROBELAND8. 
 
 even much larger than I supposed. That Scotch 
 man was faithful to his trust ; very shrewd, too, 
 in making investments, and his death gives 
 Horace control, during the child's minority, ct 
 a princely income." 
 
 "Then you do not regret his marriage so 
 much as you did ? " Mildred said inquiringly. 
 
 "I do not say that," was the cold, almost 
 stern reply ; and she said no more.
 
 Cjmpte Cfoerfj-setmfo. 
 
 ' I would that thou might'et ever be 
 
 As beautiful as now ; 
 That time might ever leave as free 
 Thy yet unwritten brow." 
 
 WILLIS. 
 
 " WHEN will my grandpa come ? " little Elsie 
 asked again and again, and finding that no one 
 could tell her, she set herself to watch the pass 
 ing boats, often coaxing her mammy out upon 
 the lawn or down to the very water's edge, in 
 her eagerness for a sight of him ; her first look 
 into the face of a relative. 
 
 She was fond of Mrs. Murray as she had 
 been of Mr. Cameron, and clung with ardent 
 affection to her mammy, yet the baby heart 
 yearned for parental love, and naturally she 
 expected it from her grandfather. 
 
 Had she heard that her father was coming, 
 she would have been wild with joy ; the arriva. 
 of her grandfather seemed the next best thing 
 that could happen.
 
 i?74 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 Mildred knew nothing of the child's an 
 ticipations, yet her heart ached for the little 
 creature as she perceived how determined Mr. 
 Dinsraore was to shut her out from his. 
 
 " She's a fortunate little miss," he remarked 
 of her, as they came in sight of a sugar and 
 orange plantation exceeding in size and fertility 
 almost any they had passed, and the captain oi 
 the boat, pointing it out, said, " That's Yiamede ; 
 the old Grayson place." 
 
 They were sweeping by a large sugar house ; 
 then came an immense orange orchard, and then 
 a long and wide stretch of lawn, with the loveli 
 est carpet of velvety green and most magnifi 
 cent shade trees they had ever beheld ; half 
 concealing, with their great arms and abundant 
 foliage, a lordly mansion set far back among 
 them. 
 
 So surpassingly lovely was the whole scene, 
 that for a moment Mildred could have echoed 
 her uncle's words, and almost found it in her 
 heart to envy the young heiress of it all ; but 
 the next she said to herself, " No, no, not for all 
 this would I be so lonely and loveless as she, 
 poor, little, forlorn girlie ! " 
 
 The boat rounded to at the little pier. Close 
 by, in the shade of a great oak, stood an elderly 
 colored woman with a child in her arms a little
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 276 
 
 girl of fairy-like form, and face perfect in out. 
 line and feature, a complexion of dazzling bril 
 liance, a countenance radiant with delight aa 
 ehe watched the travelers stepping ashore. 
 
 " This is she, I presume," Mr. Dinsmoro 
 eaid coolly, halting in front of the two. "What's 
 your name, child ? " 
 
 " Elsie Dinsmore," she answered, her lip 
 quivering, the large soft eyes filling with tears. 
 " I fought it was my grandpa comin'." 
 
 " And so it is," he said, slightly touched by 
 her evident disappointment. " Have you a kisa 
 for me ? " 
 
 For answer she threw both arms about hia 
 neck, as he bent toward her, and pressed her 
 red lips to his. 
 
 He disengaged himself rather hastily, step 
 ping back to give place to Mildred, who, gazing 
 with delight upon the beautiful little creature, 
 was eagerly awaiting her turn. 
 
 " You darling ! " she cried, clasping the 
 child in a warm embrace. " This is Cousin 
 Milly; and she is going to love you dearly, 
 dearly!" 
 
 " Tank you, Miss," said Aunt Chloe, with 
 tears in her eyes. " And welcome to Viamede, 
 Miss; welcome, Massa," dropping a courtesy 
 to each.
 
 276 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Mrs. Murray and several servants now came 
 hurrying toward them; there were more cour 
 tesies and welcomes; the baggage was seized 
 and quick.y transported to the house ; the travel 
 ers, Mrs. Murray, and Aunt Chloe with her 
 little charge, following it leisurely. 
 
 Mildred was filled with delight at the 
 beauty surrounding her, yet more attracted by 
 the child than by all else. She turned toward 
 her with an affectionate smile, and the little 
 one, now walking by her nurse's side, return 
 ing it with one of rare sweetness, ran to her and 
 slipped a tiny, soft, white hand into hers. 
 
 " Is she not beautiful, uncle ? " Mildred 
 asked with enthusiasm, at the first opportunity 
 for doing so without being overheard. 
 
 4< She's no Dinsmore," he said coldly ; " not 
 a trace of Horace's looks about her ; must be 
 all Gray son, I presume." 
 
 " Oh, how can he ! " thought Mildred, " how 
 can he harden his heart so against anything so 
 gentle and beautiful ! " 
 
 They were standing on the veranda for a 
 moment, admiring the view and watching the 
 departure of the boat which had brought them ; 
 while Mrs. Murray was busied in giving direc 
 tions in regard to the disposal of their luggage. 
 
 A suit of delightful apartments had been
 
 MILDRED A T ROSELANDS. 2 7 1 
 
 appropriated to Mildred's use during her stay. 
 Conducted thither by Aunt Chloe and her 
 nursling, she took possession with great ccn- 
 tent, and with the assistance of a skilled wait 
 ing maid, also placed at her service, soon 
 arrayed her neat figure in a becoming dinner 
 dress, little Elsie and her mammy looking on 
 admiringly the while. 
 
 "Isn't my cousin so pretty, mammy?" 
 whispered the little one. 
 
 Mildred heard, and turning with a pleased 
 smile, held out her hand to the child. " Won't 
 you come and sit on cousin's lap a little while ? 
 I can tell you about your dear papa; for I 
 know him." 
 
 The child's face grew radiant, and she hast 
 ened to accept the invitation. 
 
 " Oh," she said, " please do ! Will he come 
 here soon ? I want to see my papa ! I want to 
 kiss him and love him." 
 
 The soft eyes filled with tears, and the red 
 lips quivered. 
 
 Mildred clasped the little form close in her 
 arms and kissed the sweet, fair face over and 
 over, exclaiming in tremulous tones, " Yod 
 dear, precious baby ! if he could only see you, 
 I'm sure he couldn't help loving you with all 
 bis heart 1 "
 
 278 MILDRED AT R09ELANDB. 
 
 The travelers were summoned to the din- 
 tier table, and little Elsie partook with them, 
 conducting heiself with the utmost propriety. 
 
 " She seems a well-behaved child," her 
 grandfather remarked graciously. " How old 
 are you, my dear ? can you tell ? " 
 
 " I's four," piped the bird-like voice ; " I's a 
 big girl now, grandpa ; too big to be naughty ; 
 but sometimes I's not very good." 
 
 " Ah ! that's honest," he said, with an 
 amused smile. " "Well, what do they do to you 
 when you're naughty ? " 
 
 " When I was a little girl, mammy put me 
 in de corner sometimes." 
 
 "And what now you are so large ? " 
 
 " She jus' say, ' Jesus not pleased wis my 
 darlin' child, when she naughty.' " 
 
 " But you don't mind that, do you ? " he 
 asked curiously. 
 
 She looked at him with innocent, wonder 
 ing eyes. "Elsie loves Jesus; Elsie wants 
 Jesus to love her and make her His little lamb ; 
 she asks Him to do it every day." 
 
 " Stuff! " he muttered, in a tone of annoy 
 ance ; but tears of joy and thankfulness weled 
 up in Mildred's eyes. 
 
 " Blessed baby ! " she thought, " you will 
 not have * lonely, loveless life if you have so
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 279 
 
 soon begun to seek the dear Saviour. Ah, 
 how my mother's heart will rejoice to hear 
 this!" 
 
 On Doming to the table the little one had 
 folded her tiny hands, and bending with closed 
 eyes over her plate, murmured a short grace ; 
 but Mr. Dinsmore, busying himself in carving 
 a fowl, did not seem to notice it ; yet it had not 
 escaped him ; he was watching the child fur 
 tively, and with far more interest than ho 
 would have liked to own. 
 
 " I'm afraid they're making a canting hypo 
 crite of her," he said to Mildred when they 
 had retired to the drawing-room. 
 
 " O, uncle, do not say that ! " exclaimed 
 Mildred. " It is just the way my dear mother, 
 whom you admire so much, trains and teaches 
 her children." 
 
 " Ah I " he said, " then I shall have to 
 retract." 
 
 " What pretty manners she has, uncle ; both 
 at the table and elsewhere," remarked Mildred ; 
 " she handles knife, fork and spoon as deftly as 
 possible, and is so gentle and refined in all sho 
 does and says." 
 
 " Yes," he said with some pride, " I trust an 
 uncouth, ill-mannered Dinsmore might be con 
 eidered an anomaly, indeed."
 
 280 MILDRED AT R03ELAND& 
 
 " Then you acknowledge that she is a Dins- 
 more ? " Mildred said playfully. 
 
 " Have I ever denied that she was Horace's 
 child ? " he answered with a smile. 
 
 " I wish he could see her at this moment. 
 1 am sure he could not help feeling that he had 
 good reason to be proud of her," Mildred said, 
 approaching a window that looked out upon the 
 lawn, where the little one was wandering about 
 gathering flowers ; " see, uncle ! is not every 
 movement full of grace ? " 
 
 " You seem to be quite bewitched with 
 her," he returned, good humoredly, following 
 the direction of her glance. " Children's move 
 ments are not apt to be ungraceful, I think. 
 
 " This is a fine old mansion," he went on, 
 " and seems to be well furnished throughout. 
 Have you been in the library ? No ? Then 
 come ; we will visit it now. Your heart will 
 rejoice at sight of the well-filled book shelves. 
 
 ' Ah, I knew it ! " watching the expression 
 of keen satisfaction with which she regarded 
 them, when he had taken her there. 
 
 They consisted largely of very valuable 
 works in every branch of literature, and Mil 
 dred's sole regret was that she would ha?e 
 so little time to examine and enjoy them. 
 
 There were also some few fine paintings
 
 MILDRED AT HOMELANDS. %S1 
 
 and beautiful pieces of statuary in the room, 
 and indeed scattered through all the principal 
 rooms of the house; the drawing-room being 
 especially rich in them. 
 
 They lingered for some time over these 
 works of art, then went out upon the veran 
 da, presently wandering on from that to the 
 lawn, where they strolled about a little, and 
 finally seated themselves under a beautiful 
 magnolia. 
 
 " Ah, see what a pretty picture they make ! " 
 Mildred exclaimed, glancing in the direction of 
 another, at some little distance, in whose shade 
 Aunt Chloe was seated upon the grass with 
 Elsie in her lap, both busied with the flowers 
 they had been gathering. 
 
 " Yes," said Mr. Dinsmore ; " and what a 
 striking contrast ! the child so young, and deli 
 cately fair, the nurse so black and elderly ; she 
 seems much attached to her charge." 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! You do not think of sepa 
 rating them, uncle 2 " 
 
 " Certainly not ! why should I ? " 
 
 Mildred answered only with a pleased look, 
 for at that moment little Elsie left her mammy 
 and came running with a lovely bouquet in 
 each hand. 
 
 " One for you, grandpa, and one for Cousin
 
 '282 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 Mill/," she said, dropping a graceful little 
 courtesy as she presented them. 
 
 " Thank you. dear ; how pretty they are I " 
 Mildred said, kissing her. 
 
 " Humph ! what shall I do with it? " Mr. 
 D.nsmore asked, accepting his. 
 
 u Put it in your buttonhole," said the child. 
 " That's the way uncle does." 
 
 " Uncle ? who is he ? You have none that 
 you ever saw, so far as I know." 
 
 " Massa Cameron, sah," explained Aunt 
 Chloe, coining up ; " he always tole my chile 
 call him dat." 
 
 " Well, she needn't do so any more. I don't 
 like it. Do you hear ? " to Elsie, " don't call 
 that man uncle again. He was no relation 
 whatever to you." 
 
 His tone spoke displeasure, and the little 
 one drew back to the shelter of her mammy's 
 arms, with a frightened look, her lip trembling, 
 her soft, brown eyes full of tears. 
 
 "There, there!" he .said, mor& gently, 
 " don't cry ; I'm not angry with you ; you knew 
 oo better." 
 
 He rose and wandered away toward the rear 
 of the mansion, and Mildred drew Elsie to a 
 seat upon her lap, caressing her tenderly. 
 
 " Sweet little girlie," she said, "cousin love*
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 283 
 
 you dearly, already, and cannot bear to see tears 
 in those eyes. Tell me about your sweet, pretty 
 mamma." 
 
 " Here she is, cousin. Don't you love he? 
 too ? " prattled the babe, drawing forth the 
 miniature from her bosom, and quickly forget 
 ting her momentary grief in displaying it. 
 " She's gone up to heaven to stay wis Jesus, and 
 Borne day he'll take Elsie there too." 
 
 " Mildred," said Mr. Dinsmore, coming back. 
 " I hear there are fine saddle horses in the 
 Btables. If I order two of them brought round, 
 will yon ride over the plantation with me ? " 
 
 " Gladly ! " she said, putting the child gently 
 down, and rising with alacrity. " I will go at 
 once and don my riding habit. You shall tell 
 me the rest another time, little pet." 
 
 Already enthusiastic admirers of Viamede, 
 they returned from their ride doubly impressed 
 with its beauties. 
 
 "It seems an earthly paradise," Mildred 
 wrote to her mother, " and the little owner ia 
 the loveliest, most fairy-like little creature yon 
 can imagine so sweet, so gentle, so beautiful ! 
 and good as she is pretty. Mrs. Murray tells 
 me she is generosity itself, and she dosen't be 
 lieve there is a grain of selfishness in her nature. 
 Elsie showed me her mamma's miniature, and
 
 284 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 it is so sweet and beautiful that I do not won 
 der Cousin Horace lost his heart at first 
 eight." 
 
 But it was not until the next day that this 
 letter was written. Mildred had enough to do 
 that day in looking about her and making ac 
 quaintance with Elsie and her attendants. 
 
 After tea, Mr. Dinsmore being closeted with 
 the overseer, she made her way to the nursery, 
 coaxed the little one into her lap again though 
 indeed no great amount of persuasion was 
 needed and amused her for an hour or two 
 with stories and nursery rhymes. 
 
 But the child's bedtime drew near, and with 
 a tender good-night, a lingering, loving caress, 
 Mildred left her and went down to the drawing- 
 room. 
 
 Her uncle was not there, and passing oat to 
 the veranda, she fell into chat with Mrs. Murray, 
 whom she found seated there enjoying the beau 
 tiful scenery and the soft evening air. 
 
 Their talk turned naturally upon Viamede 
 and the Grayson family ; particularly HDrace 
 Dinsmore's wife, the last of the race; Mrs. 
 Murray giving many details that were of great 
 interest to her hearer. 
 
 " She was very lovely," she said, " baith in 
 person and in character ; a sweet, earnest, child-
 
 MILDRED AT EOSELAND8. 285 
 
 like Christian; and the bairn is wonderfully 
 like her. She seemed to me a lamb of the fold 
 from her very birth ; and nae doot in answer to 
 fcne mother's prayers. Ye ken, Miss Keith, 
 that she lived scarce a week after her babe was 
 born, and all her anxiety was that it should be 
 trained up in the nurture and admonition o' 
 the Lord, her constant prayer that He would be 
 pleased to mak' it His own. 
 
 " The bit bairnie isna perfect, of course, but 
 quite as near it as grown folk. It's very evident 
 that she tries to please the blessed Saviour; 
 that she grieves when she has done wrong, and 
 cauna rest till she's been awi' by hersel' to beg 
 Hia forgiveness. 
 
 "I tell her whiles aboot the new heart God 
 gives to his children, and that He will give it to 
 a' such as ask earnestly ; and she will look up 
 in my face with those great innocent eyes and 
 answer, ' Yes, Mrs. Murray ; and I do ask 
 earnestly every day'." 
 
 The old lady brushed away a tear, and her 
 voice was slightly tremulous as she added, " Mr. 
 Cameron used to fret a bit whiles, lest she was 
 too gude to live : like her mother before her, 
 he wad say. But I canna think early piety 
 any sign that life will be short. Except, in 
 deed, that when the work o' grace is fully done
 
 286 
 
 MILDRED AT R08 ELANDS. 
 
 glory follows. She's come o' a God-fearing raot?, 
 Miss Keith, and the Lord's aye faithful to His 
 promise ; showing mercy to thousands o' gen 
 erations o' them that love Him and keep II is 
 commandments. 

 
 Chapter 
 
 " She was like 
 
 A dream of poetry, that may not be 
 Written or told exceeding beautiful." 
 
 WtLLM. 
 
 As Mildred sat at the open window of hei 
 dressing-room the next morning, enjoying the 
 beauty of the landscape, the delicious perfume 
 of myriads of dew-laden shrubs and flowers, the 
 gentle summer breeze and the glad songs of the 
 birds, her ear caught the patter of little feet in 
 the corridor without, then a gentle rap upon 
 her door. 
 
 She made haste to open it, and a vision of 
 loveliness met her view : a tiny, fairy form 
 arrayed in spotless white, of some thin, delicate 
 fabric, trimmed with costly lace, and a broad 
 sash of pale blue, with slippers to match ; a 
 shining mass of golden brown curls clustering 
 about the sweet face and rippling over the fair 
 neck and shoulders. 
 
 The soft brown eyes looked up lovingly into
 
 288 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 her face, and the rosebud month was held up 
 for a kiss. 
 
 " Good morning, cousin," said the bird-Hke 
 voice ; " do Elsie 'sturb you coming so soon ? " 
 
 " No, darling, indeed you don't ! " cried 
 Mildred, giving her a rapturous embrace ; " I 
 can't see too much of you, dear little pet 1 
 Will you come and sit in my lap while we have 
 another nice talk ? " 
 
 The child hesitated. " Don't you want to 
 come wis me, cousin, and see my marnma when 
 she was a little girl, and my mamma's things ? " 
 
 " I should like it greatly," Mildred an 
 swered, suffering herself to be led along the 
 corridor and into an open door at its farther 
 end. 
 
 Here she found herself in a beautiful bou 
 doir ; evidently no expense had been spared in 
 furnishing it in the most luxurious and tasteful 
 manner ; even Mildred's inexperienced eye rec 
 ognized the costly nature of many of its adorn 
 ments, though there was nothing gaudy about 
 them. 
 
 Elsie led her directly to a full-length, life- 
 sized picture of a little girl of ten or twelve, 
 before which Mildred stood transfixed with de 
 light, face and form were so life-likfe, and so 
 exquisitely lovely.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 289 
 
 She gazed upon it for many minutes with 
 rarished eyes, then glancing at the little one 
 standing by her side, said half aloud, " Beauti 
 ful as it is, I do not believe it is flattered ; for 
 it is just what she will be six or eight years 
 hence." 
 
 "It's my mamma when she was a little 
 girl," Elsie said, " and this," drawing the min 
 iature from her bosom, " is my mamma when 
 she was a lady." 
 
 Mildred gazed upon it again long and ear 
 nestly, thinking as before, that there was abund 
 ant excuse for her cousin Horace's passion and 
 his inconsolable grief over his loss. 
 
 There were two other portraits in the room, 
 which Elsie said were " Grandpa and Grandma 
 Gray son." 
 
 She pointed out, too, her mother's writing- 
 desk and her work-table, a dainty basket upon 
 this last, with its little gold thimble and a bit of 
 embroidery with the needle still sticking in it, 
 just as it had been laid down by the white 
 hands on the morning of the day on which the 
 little one first saw the light. 
 
 It was Aunt Chloe, coming in in search \A 
 her nursling, who told Mildred this. 
 
 But Elsie drew her on through a beautiful 
 dressing-room into a spacious and elegantly fur
 
 290 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8 
 
 nished bedroom beyond, and Aunt Chloe fol 
 lowing, pointed out, with bitter weeping, the 
 pillow on which the dying head had lain, and 
 described the last hours of her idolized yc ung 
 mistress: her mournful leave-taking of her 
 little babe, and dying injunction to her to bring 
 her up to love the Lord Jesus. 
 
 It was all intensely interesting and deeply 
 affecting to Mildred. 
 
 " Don't cry, mammy, you dear ole mammy ! ' 
 said Elsie, pulling her nurse down into a chair, 
 and with her own tiny white handkerchief 
 wiping away her tears, " don't cry, 'cause dear 
 mamma is very happy wis Jesus, and you and 
 Elsie are goin' dere, too, some day. An' den I'll 
 tell my sweet, pretty mamma you did be good 
 to her baby, and took care of her all the time." 
 
 At that Aunt Chloe strained the tiny form 
 convulsively to her breast with a fresh burst of 
 sobs, and looking up at Mildred with the great 
 tears rolling down her sable cheeks, faltered 
 out, " O, Miss Milly, dey ain't gwine take my 
 chile 'way and disseparate ole Chloe from de 
 las' ting she got lef to lub in dis world ? " 
 
 " O, mammy, no, no ! dey shan't, dey 
 shan't !" cried the child, clinging about her neck 
 in almost wild affright. " Elsie won't go 1 Elsie 
 will always stay wis her dear ole mammy 1 "
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 291 
 
 * No, no, you are not to be parted," Mildred 
 hastened to say ; "Elsie, darling, your grandpa 
 told me you were not. So don't cry, pet.'* 
 
 " O, Miss Milly, dat bressed news ! " cried 
 Aunt Chloe, smiling through her tears. " I'a 
 tank you berry much. Dere, dere, honey dar- 
 lin', don' cry no mo' ! I's ole fool mammy to 
 make you cry like dat." 
 
 The breakfast bell rang, and hastily remov 
 ing the traces of the tears called forth by Aunt 
 Chloe's narrative, Mildred obeyed the summons. 
 Mr. Dinsvuore seemed in excellent spirits, chat 
 ting in quite a lively strain all through the 
 meal. He was enchanted with the place, he 
 said, and intended, if agreeable to Mildred, to 
 remain some weeks, believing that the change 
 of scene and climate would prove beneficial to 
 them both. Mildred assured him, her eyes 
 sparkling with delight the while, that she was 
 perfectly willing to stay as long as suited his 
 convenience and pleasure. 
 
 " There are horses, carriages and servants 
 always at your command," he remarked; "a 
 pleasure boat on the lakelet, too, and oarsmen 
 to row it, so that you can go out on the water, 
 ride or drive whenever you wish." 
 
 " O, uncle, how nice ! " she cried ; " I shall 
 enjoy it all greatly with little Elsie for a com
 
 S92 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 
 
 panion* and you will sometimes go with ns 
 when you have leisure, will yon not ? " 
 
 " I shall be most happy," he said, " but fear 
 t wil be but seldom that I can." 
 
 The family carriage was ordered at once, and 
 the greater part of the morning was spent by 
 Mildred, Elsie and Aunt Chloe in driving from 
 one lovely spot to another. 
 
 At little Elsie's request they visited the 
 family burial ground, and Mildred viewed with 
 pensive interest the last resting-place of her 
 Cousin Horace's young wife " the sweet, pretty 
 mamma," of whom the baby girl so constantly 
 prattled. The spot was beautiful with roses 
 and many sweet-scented shrubs and flowers 
 growing there, and daily Elsie and her mammy 
 came thither with love's offering in the shape 
 of buds and blossoms gathered from the lawn 
 and gardens, which they scattered with lavish 
 hands over each lowly mound, but ever reserv 
 ing the most and the loveliest for the grave ot 
 her whom they loved best. 
 
 There was seldom a day when the quarter 
 was not visited also, Aunt Ghloe taking her 
 nursling from cabin to cabin to inquire concern 
 ing the welfare of the inmates, and give to each 
 the pleasure of the sight of the little fair face 
 that was so dear to them all.
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 293 
 
 Their devotion to her, and various ways of 
 manifesting it, greatly pleased ind Jiterested 
 M'ldred ; and she was not long .n discovering 
 that they were exceedingly anxious in regard to 
 the question whether both she their idolized 
 little mistress and they were to be allowed to 
 remain at Viamede. 
 
 Some of them even ventured, in their great 
 anxiety, to inquire of the young lady visitor if 
 she could tell them aught about these things. 
 
 She evaded the question so far as it referred 
 to Elsie, feeling that she could not endure the 
 sight of their grief when they should learn that 
 they were to lose her ; as to the other part she 
 said, truly, that she was ignorant, but hoped 
 there was no real danger. 
 
 She ventured at length to sound her uncle 
 on the subject, telling of the fears of the poor 
 creatures; and to her delight was given liberty 
 to assure them that none would be sold unless 
 unruly and disobedient to orders. 
 
 She availed herself of this permission on her 
 next visit to the quarter. 
 
 The communication was received with joy 
 and gratitude ; but there still remained the 
 great fear that Mr. Dinsmore would carry away 
 their darling ; and this Mildred was powerless 
 to remove.
 
 294 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 She told Mrs. Murray about it, and the good 
 woman confessed with tears, that she, too, was 
 tortured with the fear of separation from " the 
 sweet bairn she had learned to love as her very 
 own; ' asking if Mildred knew whether that 
 trial awaited her. 
 
 Mildred looked grieved and perplexed. " I 
 only know," she said, after a moment's hesita 
 tion, " that uncle intends taking hie little grand 
 daughter home with him. Should you feel 
 willing to leave Yiamede, Mrs. Murray ? " 
 
 1 'The bairn is far dearer to me than the 
 place ; though I hae spent mony o' the best 
 years o' my life here," was the reply. " I wad 
 gangony where sooner than part frae my bonnie 
 bit lassie. I have a mother's heart for her, Miss 
 Keith, and hae often wanted to bid her call me 
 by some dearer name than Mrs. Murray ; but 
 knowing the Dinsmores were proud folk, 1 
 feared to offend ; and I perceive it was well I 
 refrained, since I hae learned frae Aunt Chloc 
 that the grandfather was no pleased that she 
 spoke o' Mr. Cameron as her uncle. " 
 
 " No, he didn't seem to like it, and told her 
 not to do so again. But might not that be the 
 jealousy of affection ? " 
 
 Mildred blushed as she spoke, half ashamed 
 in view of Mr. Dinsmore's evident lack of
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 295 
 
 lore for the child of making the sugges 
 tion. 
 
 " Affection ! " repeated Mrs. Murray, with a 
 faint, incredulous smile ; " I dinna see much in 
 his manner toward the bairn that looks like it." 
 
 To this remark Mildred had no answer save 
 a deeper blush. 
 
 But at this moment Mrs. Murray was sum 
 moned to a conference with Mr. Dinsmore in 
 the library. She came back with a face full of 
 joy and thankfulness. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore had received a letter that day 
 from Mrs. Brown, the housekeeper at Rose- 
 lands, saying that her health was failing, the 
 physician recommended change of climate, and 
 therefore she must resign her situation for a 
 year or more. 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore now offered it to Mrs. Mur 
 ray, and Aunt Phillis, an old servant in the 
 family and every way competent to the task, 
 would be left in charge of the mansion here. 
 
 "I am very glad for both you and little 
 Elsie," said Mildred, " and yet I feel sorry for 
 you, and for her, that you must leave this lovely 
 spot. Is it not a trial ? " 
 
 " 1 canna deny that it is," the housekeeper 
 answered, with a sigh, " for I hae lived at Tia- 
 mede many years ; years in which I hae seen
 
 296 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 much o' baith joy and sorrow, and I had hoped 
 to end my days here; but AS the saintly Ruth- 
 srford says, 
 
 " ' This is the Lord's lower house ; and 
 A'hile we are lodged here we have no assurance 
 to lie ever in one chamber, but must be content 
 to remove from one Lord's nether house to 
 another, resting in hope that when we come 
 up to the Lord's upper city, Jerusalem, that is 
 above, we shall remove no more ; because then 
 we shall be at home.' Ah, Miss Milly, what a 
 joyous day it will be when we win there 1 "
 
 Chapter 
 
 ' Must I leave thee, Paradise ? thus leave 
 Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades, 
 Fit haunts of Gods ?" 
 
 MlLTOV. 
 
 MK. DINSMOKE was, in the main, a kind- 
 hearted man, therefore felt a good deal uncom 
 fortable in prospect of the grief likely to be 
 manifested by the four or five hundred negroes 
 belonging to the plantation, and particularly 
 the house-servants, when called upon to part 
 with little Elsie. 
 
 Both Mrs. Murray and Mildred had spoken 
 to him of their strong attachment to the child, 
 and his own observation had told him the same 
 thing. He knew that they almost idolized 
 her, and would feel her removal as a heavy 
 blow. Desirous to lighten the stroke, he de 
 termined to allow Elsie to make a farewell 
 present to each, and engaged Mildred and Mrs, 
 Murray to assist her in preparing a list of suit 
 able articles to be sent for. The child, know
 
 298 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 
 
 ing nothing of her grandfather's reasons foi 
 permitting this unusual outlay, was highly de 
 lighted. 
 
 It was Mr. Dinsmore's will that his plans 
 with regard to Elsie should be kept secret 
 from her and the servants until near the end of 
 his visit, still some weeks distant. 
 
 Those weeks flew fast to Mildred, spent in 
 a round of innocent, restful enjoyments, marred 
 only by the knowledge that they must be so 
 fleeting. 
 
 The day set for the departure from Yia- 
 mede was drawing near when the sight of some 
 of the needful preparations revealed the truth 
 to the house-servants, and from them the sad 
 tidings quickly spread to the field-hands, 
 causing great grief and consternation. 
 
 Elsie was perhaps the last to learn the 
 truth. She was running through the lower 
 hall one morning soon after breakfast, when 
 Aunt Phillis suddenly caught her in her arms, 
 and holding her tight, covered the little fail- 
 face with kisses and tears. 
 
 " Why, Aunt PhOis, what's the matter ? " 
 asked the child, winding her small arms, sc 
 plump and white, about the woman's neck; 
 " what makes you cry ? is you sick ? " 
 
 " O, honey, darlin'," sobbed the disconsolate
 
 MILDRED AT R03ELAND& 
 
 rareature, " it's heap wus dan dat ! Dey's gwine 
 to carry you 'way, bressed darlin' pet 'way 
 off Norf, where Aunt Phillis won't neber see 
 yo' sweet face no mo'. Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! " 
 
 " No, no ! " cried the child, struggling to 
 release herself. " Elsie's not goin' 'way > Aunt 
 Phillis. Where's mammy ? I want mammy ! " 
 
 Aunt Chloe came at the call, and Elsie ran 
 into her arms, crying in a frightened way 
 " Mammy, mammy, is dey going to take me 
 'way ? Mammy, don't let dem ! " 
 
 "Darlin', your ole mammy neber leave 
 you!'' Aunt Chloe said soothingly, evading the 
 question she could not answer as she wished. 
 
 " Elsie doesn't want to go 'way ! " sobbed 
 the child. " Dis is Elsie's home, dis is Elsie's 
 house. Elsie wants to stay here wis Aunt 
 Phillis and all Elsie's people ! O, mammy, 
 mammy, does Elsie have to go ? " 
 
 " Don't cry, honey, don't, darlin' pet ; you 
 won't have to go 'way from mammy ; mammy 
 'll go 'long, too," was all Aunt Chloe could 
 Bay. 
 
 The house-servants were crowding around 
 them, all weeping and wailing, and the little 
 givl seemed quite inconsolable. 
 
 Mildred heard and came to the rescue. 
 
 " Darling child," ehe said, kneeling on the
 
 800 MILDRED AT ROSfiLANDS. 
 
 carpet by Elsie's side, and softly stroking the 
 beautiful hair, " you are going to your papa's 
 home ; and perhaps you will see him there be 
 fore long ; and I think you will come back to 
 Viamede some day." 
 
 At that the little head WAS lifted, and a smile 
 broke like a sunbeam through the rain of tears. 
 
 "Papa!" she exclaimed, "will Elsie see her 
 dear papa dere ? Den I won't cry any more ! " 
 and she wiped away her tears. "Don't cry, 
 Aunt Phillis and Aunt Sally, and de rest of 
 you ; my papa will bring me back again." 
 
 " Dat be a long time off ! " muttered Aunt 
 Phillis, shaking her head as she moved slowly 
 away. 
 
 "Roselands, your grandpa's and papa's 
 home, is a very pretty place," Mildred went on, 
 still caressing the shining curls, " and there are 
 little boys and girls there that Elsie can play 
 with." 
 
 " Brothers and sisters for me ? " asked the 
 little one joyously. 
 
 " Your papa's brothers and sisters, nice 
 playfellows for you," Mildred answered. " There 
 is Enna, who is just a baby girl, only two years 
 old." 
 
 " I's four, I's big girl," put in the child. 
 
 " Yes ; and Walter is past three, nearly as
 
 MILURED AT ROSELAND8. 301 
 
 old as you ; and what nice plays you can have 
 together." 
 
 " Yes, I want to take him a present ; and 
 one for the baby, and what's dere names? de 
 other children ? " 
 
 Mildred went over the list, and the baby girl 
 repeated her wish to take a gift to each. 
 
 " We will ask your grandpa about it," Mil 
 dred said. 
 
 " Has dey dot a mamma ? " was the next 
 query ; and that being answered in the affirma 
 tive, the wish was expressed that she, too, should 
 be remembered with a pretty present, and that 
 Cousin Milly would ask grandpa's permission 
 for all these purchases. 
 
 Mildred took an early opportunity to do so. 
 
 " Who has put that nonsense intc the child's 
 head ? " he asked in some vexation. 
 
 " No one, uncle ; it was entirely her own 
 idea ; perhaps suggested by the thought of her 
 proposed gifts to those she leaves behind." 
 
 " Very likely ; but let her forget it. I do 
 not want to encourage her spending money 
 apoii my family. 1 ' 
 
 " But her heart is very full of it, uncle, and 
 1 really think it would help to reconcile her to 
 leaving Viamede. I'm afraid, uncle, that is going 
 to be a Lard trial for the little creature ; for she
 
 802 MIL DEED AT MOSUL ANDS. 
 
 dearly loves her home, and her people, ae she 
 calls the negroes." 
 
 " She will soon forget it all, and perhaps Jke 
 Roselands quite as well. Childish griefs are not 
 lasting." 
 
 " But terribly hard while they do last, uncle. 
 I am not so old yet as to have forgotton that." 
 
 " No ? " he said with a smile, followed by a 
 aigh. " Ah, well, I'm sorry for the little thing, 
 but don't see how it can be helped." 
 
 " But you will lessen the trial by humoring 
 her in this and everything else that is reason 
 able ? " persisted Mildred, in her most persua 
 sive tone. 
 
 " Well, well, if I must, I must, I suppose ! 
 What an excellent advocate you are. But really 
 I feel ashamed to allow it." 
 
 " Ah, uncle, it's your turn now," said Mil 
 dred, laughing. " I had mine in Philadelphia,. 
 But isn't Elsie rich enough to be allowed to 
 spend such an amount on her own gratifica 
 tion ? " 
 
 " Humph 1 what amount, pray ? Ah, I have 
 you there ? " he added, laughing at her per- 
 plexed look. 
 
 " Not so fast, uncle ! " she returned, bright- 
 ening. "I can be definite. May she spend 
 two hundred dollars for this ? "
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 303 
 
 "No." 
 
 " One hundred and fifty, then ? " 
 
 " H'm ! I don't know : we'll see about It 
 vbcn we get to New Orleans." 
 
 ' Then I may tell her that she is to be 
 allowed to buy presents for them ? " 
 
 " Yes. Now, don't make me commit myself 
 any further." 
 
 After this Mildred talked a great deal to the 
 little girl about the children at Roselands, the 
 games and romps she would have with them, 
 what should be bought for them, and how 
 pleased they would be with her gifts. Also of 
 all she was likely to see on her journey that 
 would be new and interesting : how nice it was 
 that Mrs. Murray and mammy were to go 
 with her ; grandpa, too, and Cousin Milly ; and 
 that the dear Saviour and " her own sweet, 
 pretty mamma," would be just as near her there 
 In her new home as at Yiamede. 
 
 It was thus she tried to tide the darling 
 over the trial that awaited her in the sundering 
 of the tender ties that bound her to the home 
 of her early infancy. 
 
 Those were April days with the baby girl, 
 from the time of Aunt Phillis's unfortunate 
 revelation of what awaited her until the blow 
 fell.
 
 804: MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 They were to leave in the morning, though 
 not at a very early hour, and at Elsie's request 
 the field-hands were excused from work for the 
 half day, and directed to come up to the house 
 soon after the family breakfast, to say good-byo 
 to their little mistress. 
 
 They gathered in a crowd in the rear oi 
 the mansion. The family party Mr. Dins- 
 more, Mildred, Elsie and Mrs. Murray were 
 assembled upon the back veranda, where stood 
 a* table piled with the goods to be distributed. 
 The little girl sat beside it on her mammy's 
 lap, Mildred and Mrs. Murray near at hand to 
 give their assistance ; the overseer, standing on 
 the topmost step, called the roll, and each, com 
 ing forward in answer to his name, received a 
 gift presented by the child herself, and was 
 allowed to kiss the small white hand that be 
 stowed it. 
 
 This was esteemed a great privilege, and 
 many held the hand a moment, dropping tears 
 as well as kisses upon it, and heaping blessings 
 on the head of the little fair one ; pouring out 
 their lamentations, also, over her approaching 
 departure, till at length her tears fell so fast 
 that her grandfather interfered, forbidding any 
 further allusion to that subject, on pain of hav 
 ing to receive their gifts from some other hand,
 
 MILDRED AT HOMELANDS. 3U5 
 
 No one was neglected, no one had been for 
 gotten, but each, from octogenarian, no longer 
 able or expected to work, down to the babe of 
 a few days, received a gift of substantial worth 
 to him or her ; after which came a liberal dis 
 tribution of pies, cakes, candies and fruits. 
 
 The baby girl dried her tears, and even 
 laughed right merrily more than once, as she 
 watched them at their feast. But her grief 
 burst forth afresh, and with redoubled violence, 
 when the time came for the final parting, and 
 the house-servants gathered, weeping, about 
 her. 
 
 She embraced them in turn, again and 
 again, clinging about their necks, crying, " Oh, 
 Elsie can't go 'way and leave you ! Elsie must 
 stay wis you ! Elsie loves you ! Elsie loves her 
 own dear home, and can't go 'way ! " while they 
 strained the little form to their hearts with 
 bitter wailing and lamentation. 
 
 To Mildred the scene was heart-rending, 
 and her tears fell fast ; Mrs. Murray waa 
 scarcely less moved ; Aunt Chloe was sobbing, 
 and tell-tale moisture stood in Mr. Dinsmore's 
 eyes. 
 
 " Come, come,'' he said at length, speaking 
 somewhat gruffly, to hide his emotion, " we 
 liave had enough of this ! there's no use in
 
 306 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 fretting over what cannot be helped. Elsie's 
 father will be bringing hex back one of these 
 days ; so dry your eyes, Aunt Phillis, and all of 
 you. The boat is waiting, the captain wanting 
 to be off. Are you quite ready, ladies ? " 
 
 Receiving an answer in the affirmative, 
 " Then let us go on board at once," he said, 
 and would have taken his little granddaughter 
 in his arms ; but Aunt Phillis begged the priv 
 ilege of carrying her to the pier. Then with 
 one last, long, clinging embrace, she resigned 
 her to her nurse. 
 
 " Dere, honey darlin', dry yo' eyes and don' 
 cry no mo'. Wipe de tears away so you can 
 see your home while we's goin' 'long past de 
 orchard and fields," Aunt Ohloe said, stand 
 ing on the deck and lifting the child high in 
 her arms. " An' look, pet, dere's all de dark 
 ies standing 'long de sho' to see de boat move 
 off; and dat's de way dey'll stand and watch it, 
 when you and ole mammy comes back.'' 
 
 Yes, there they were, gathered in a crowd 
 close to the water's edge, weeping and wailing, 
 Aunt Phillis in the foreground wringing her 
 bands, and with the big tears rolling fast down 
 ner cheeks. 
 
 The child saw and stretched out her arms to 
 &er with a cry of mingled love and distress ;
 
 MILDRED AT M08ELAND8. 307 
 
 tnen, as the boat swept onward, turned and 
 buried her face in her mammy's bosom. 
 
 Mildred saw it all through eyes dimmed 
 with tears. " Don't cry, darling ! " she whis 
 pered to Elsie. " Think about the time when 
 your dear papa will bring you back. Now lift 
 up your head and look again at your beautiful 
 home." 
 
 " Will my own papa bring Elsie back and 
 live here wis me ? " asked the little one, lifting 
 her head as she was bidden, and smiling through 
 her tears, as she gazed out over the lovely land- 
 scape. 
 
 "I hope so," Mildred said. "And you 
 mustn't forget what a nice time we're going to 
 have in New Orleans, buying the pretty thinga 
 for the children at Roselands." 
 
 That was a wise suggestion, very helpful in 
 cheering the sorrowful baby heart. In the 
 discussion of the momentous and interesting 
 questions what those gifts should be, and in 
 what sort of places they would be found, she 
 presently grew quite cheerful and animated. 
 
 A wonderful new world opened upon the 
 baby eyes as they neared the city. She was 
 filled with eager curiosity and delight, mani 
 fested in ways so entertaining and winsome, 
 and by questions showing so much native wit,
 
 308 MILDRED AT R08ELANDB. 
 
 that her grandfather's heart warmed toward 
 her Then, wherever they went he found her 
 attracting so much attention, by reason of her 
 beauty, sweetness and intelligence, that he grew 
 j>rond of her in spite of himself.
 
 Cjmpter 
 
 * Knvy is but the smoke of low estate, 
 Ascending still against the fortunate." 
 
 LOBD BROOM. 
 
 " MAMMA, what's the matter ? " asked Ade 
 laide Dinsmore. 
 
 They were at the breakfast table ; Mrs. Dins- 
 more was reading a letter from her husband, and 
 Adelaide had been studying her face the while, 
 noting the gathering frown upon the brow, the 
 flushing of the cheek, the compression of the 
 lips that spoke of increasing anger. 
 
 " Matter 'i I was never so provoked in my 
 life ! " cried Mrs. Dinsmore, crushing the letter 
 passionately in her hands, then tearing it into 
 bits. *' The idea of bringing that child here 1 
 and not merely for a visit (which would be bad 
 enough), but to stay permanently. I don't know 
 what your father can be thinking of ! It seems 
 it's not enough that I've been tormented with a 
 stepson, but I mast have a step "
 
 310 MILDRED AT ROSELANDB. 
 
 " Step what, mamma ? " from all three of 
 the little girls, as she broke off' abruptly, leaving 
 her sentence unfinished. 
 
 *' Nonsense ! be quiet, will you 1 " she 
 answered angrily. 
 
 They waited a moment for her passion to 
 cool ; then Adelaide began again. 
 
 "What child, mamma? Is papa com 
 ing home, and going to bring a child with 
 him!" 
 
 " Yes ; your brother Horace's child ! You 
 may as well know it first as last, I sup 
 pose." 
 
 Three pairs of eyes opened wide with 
 amazement, three young voices crying out 
 together, " Brother Horace's child ! why, 
 mamma, what can you mean ? We didn't 
 know he had any. We never even heard that 
 he was married ! " 
 
 " Of course you didn't," said Mrs. Dins- 
 more, pushing away her plate ; " and probably 
 you never would if this child hadn't been stub 
 bornly determined to live in spite of losing 
 her mother before she was a week old. 
 
 l< No ; we were never proud of the match, 
 and had kept the thing quiet ; but now it wil! 
 be a nine days' wonder to the neighborhood, 
 and the whole story will have to come out."
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 311 
 
 " Then you might as well tell it to us,'' was 
 Adelaide's sage rejoinder. "Come, mamma, 
 Jo, I'm dying of curiosity." 
 
 " It can be told in a few words," said Mrs 
 Dinomore, in a tone of wearied impatience. 
 " Five years ago Horace went on a visit to New 
 Orleans, met an orphan girl of large fortune, fell 
 in love with her, and persuaded her to marry 
 him. The thing was clandestine, of course ; for 
 they were mere boy and girl. They lived to 
 gether for two or three months, then her guar 
 dian, who had been away, came home, found it 
 out, and was furious. 
 
 " He carried the girl off, nobody knew 
 where ; your father sent Horace North to col 
 lege, and some months afterward we heard that 
 the girl was dead and had left a baby. She's 
 four years old now ; the guardian is dead, and 
 your father is bringing her home to live. 
 
 " There, I've given you the whole story, and 
 don't intend to be bothered with any more 
 questions." 
 
 " But, mamma," burst out the children, who 
 had listened with breathless interest, "yon 
 haven't told us her name, or when they are 
 coming ? " 
 
 " Her name is Elsie, and they will be here 
 in about a week. There, now, not another ques-
 
 812 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 tion. I'm bored to death with the sub 
 ject." 
 
 " Four years old ; why, she's just a baby/ 
 remarked Adelaide to her sisters. " Let's go 
 tell mammy the news, and that she's going to 
 have another baby to take care of." 
 
 " No, she's not," said Mrs Dinsmore sharply ; 
 " the child has a mammy of her own that's com 
 ing with her.'' 
 
 " "What relation is she to us, Ade ? " asked 
 Lora. 
 
 " Who ? the black woman ? None to me, 
 I'm sure," laughed Adelaide. 
 
 " You know I didn't mean that ! " Lora 
 retorted, in a vexed tone. 
 
 " Why, we're aunts ! " exclaimed Louise. 
 "Now, isn't that funny? And mamma's a 
 grandmother ! that's funnier still ! " she added, 
 with a burst of laughter. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore was in the act of leaving the 
 room, but turned back to say wrathf ully, " No 
 such thing ! the child is not related to me in 
 the least. So don't let me hear any more of 
 that nonsense." 
 
 " Mamma's mad," laughed Louise, " mad 
 enough to shake me, I do believe. She leesn't 
 like to be thought old enough to be a grand 
 mother "
 
 MILDRED AT E08ELANDB. 313 
 
 "May be she isn't," said Lora. Horace 
 wks a pretty big boy when papa and inainma 
 were married ; wasn't he, Ade ? " 
 
 "I can't remember before 1 was born," 
 Adelaide answered teasingly. 
 
 " Well, if you don't know about anything 
 but what has happened since you were born, 
 you don't know much," Lora retorted with 
 spirit. " But I'll go and ask mammy. She'll 
 know, for she was here before he was born." 
 
 It was a lovely spring day, and from the 
 windows of the breakfast-room they could see 
 Aunt Maria, the old colored woman who had 
 been nurse in the family ever since the birth of 
 Mr. Dinsmore's eldest child, and whom they 
 all called mammy, walking about under the 
 trees in the garden, with Baby Enna in her 
 arms, while Arthur and Walter gambolled to 
 gether on the grass near by. 
 
 " Ki, chillens ! what's de mattah ? " she ex 
 claimed, pausing in her walk, as the three little 
 girls came bounding toward her in almost 
 breathless excitement. 
 
 " O, mammy ! " they cried, all speaking at 
 once, " did you know that brother Horace was 
 married and has a baby girl ? and that papa'a 
 bringing her home to live ? " 
 
 " Ki chillens, what you talkin' 'bout ? " re-
 
 314: MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 tamed the old woman, incredulously. " Ton's 
 tryin' to fool your ole mammy." 
 
 " No, no, indeed, mammy ! it's all so : 
 mamma has just been telling us ; " and they 
 went on to repeat substantially what they had 
 just learned from their mother. 
 
 Aunt Maria was an intensely interested and 
 astonished listener; and they had several others 
 before their story was finished; Arthur and 
 Walter came running up to ask what it was all 
 about, and two or three servants also joined the 
 little group. 
 
 " You look pleased, mammy ; are you, 
 really ? " asked Adelaide. 
 
 " To be sure I is, chile," returned the old 
 nurse, with a broad grin of satisfaction. 
 " Marse Horace one ob my chillens, and I'll be 
 mighty glad to see his little chile." 
 
 The news spread rapidly among the ser 
 vants, and formed their principal topic of con- 
 versation from that time till the arrival of their 
 master and his young charge. 
 
 On leaving the breakfast-room Mrs, Dins- 
 inore bent her steps toward the nursery. She 
 found it untenanted except by a housemaid, 
 whc was engaged in putting it in order for the 
 day. 
 
 "Go and tell Mrs. Brcwn that I wish to
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND3. 315 
 
 speak to her immediately," commanded the 
 mistress, dropping into an easy chair. 
 
 " Yes, missus," and the girl disappeared, to 
 return shortly, accompanied by the house 
 keeper. 
 
 " You have heard from Mr. Dinsmore ? '' 
 remarked the lady inquiringly, addressing Mrs. 
 Brown. 
 
 " Yes, ma'am. He writes that Mrs. Murray, 
 the housekeeper at Yiamede, has consented to 
 take my place for the coming year." 
 
 " Yes ; I'm afraid she won't suit me as well. 
 It's a great pity you should have got such a 
 notion in your head ; I mean as to the neces 
 sity or desirability of going away. I don't think 
 you'll find a healthier place anywhere else thau 
 Koselands." 
 
 "I've no fault to find with the place 
 ma'am ; but I need rest, the doctor says, from 
 the care and '" 
 
 "Dr. Barton's full of notions 1" inter- 
 rupted Mrs. Dinsmore impatiently. "Well, 
 you'll stay, I suppose, until this Mrs. Mur 
 ray learns from you about the ways of the 
 house?" 
 
 " Yes, ma'am ; since you wish it." 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore gave her orders for the day. 
 as usual, then said, " There's another thing,
 
 316 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 Mrs. Brown. You have probably heard that 
 Mr. Dinsmore is bringing a child with him ? " 
 
 " Yes, ma'am ; he mentioned it in his letter 
 to me, saying that a room must be got ready 
 for her and her nurse." 
 
 " That is what I was coming to.'' 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore arose and opened a door 
 leading into an adjoining apartment. 
 
 " This room will answer very well. Have 
 the trunks and boxes carried to the attic, the 
 floor, paint, and window washed, a single bed 
 stead, washstand, bureau, and two or three 
 chairs brought in, and put up a white muslin 
 curtain to the window." 
 
 But, ma'am Mrs. Dinsmore " and Mrs. 
 Brown looked almost aghast at her employer. 
 
 " Well ? " exclaimed the latter, with sharp 
 ness. 
 
 " Excuse me, ma'am, but isn't I under 
 stood that the little lady was Mr. Dinsmore's 
 granddaughter, and and quite an heiress." 
 
 " Well, and supposing she is all that ? " 
 
 " I beg pardon, Mrs. Dinsmore, but isn t the 
 room rather small ? Only one window, too, and 
 I presume she's been used to " 
 
 " It makes no difference what she's been 
 used to, and you are presuming too far. You will 
 be good enough to see that my orders are car-
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 317 
 
 ried out at once ;" and Mrs. Dinsmoro was 
 sweeping from the room in her most dignified 
 style, but turned at the door to add, "A cot bed 
 sail be put up here for the nurse, and the door 
 left open between at night :" then sailed ma 
 jestically down the hall. 
 
 " Dear, dear, whatever will Mr. Dinsmore 
 say to having his granddaughter put into such 
 a hole as that !" exclaimed the housekeeper, 
 half to herself, and half to the housemaid. 
 " Well, it can't be helped. I'll just have to do 
 the best I can, and tell him 'twasn't my fault. 
 Sally, do you go down and send up two of 
 the boys to carry away these trunks ; and tell 
 Aunt Phoebe to heat a kettle of soft water for 
 the scrubbing." 
 
 Mrs. Brown did her best ; had the room 
 thoroughly cleaned, neatly papered and car 
 peted, a set of pretty cottage furniture carried 
 in, put a lace curtain to the window, looped it 
 i>ack with pink ribbon, made up the bed in the 
 daintiest fashion, and on the day the travelers 
 vrsre expected to arrive, decorated the small 
 apartment profusely, with the loveliest and most 
 fragrant flowers that could be found, trans, 
 forming it into a bower of beauty. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore paid no attention to her 
 proceedings, but the children watched them
 
 318 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 
 
 with interest, wondering the while that so 
 mean a room had been selected for their little 
 niece. 
 
 They were quite amused and gratified with 
 the idea cf being aunts and uncles, and if left 
 to themselves would have been disposed to we! 
 tome the little stranger warmly ; but the slight 
 ing, sneering way in which their mother alluded 
 to her and her mother's family, presently im 
 pressed them with the idea that she was to be 
 looked upon as an object of contempt, if not as 
 A positive disgrace to the family. 
 
 They reasoned among themselves, the older 
 ones at least, that probably Horace thought so 
 too, or he would have told them about her. 
 
 But when they saw the carriage which was 
 bringing her, their father, and Mildred from 
 the city, actually rolling up the avenue, all this 
 was forgotten, and they rushed to the door to 
 meet them, filled with curiosity and delight. 
 
 There was a tumultuous embracing of their 
 father and cousin ; then they turned to look at 
 the child. 
 
 What they saw was a small, fairy-like figure 
 In the arms of a pleasant-looking, middle-aged 
 colored woman, a delicate oval face, tinted with 
 the loveliest shades of pink and white, framed 
 JQ by a ir68 of golden ringlets, and lighted bjr
 
 AT SOUXLAXDB. 319 
 
 pair of eyes of the softest hazel, which were 
 gazing half shyly, half eagerly at the. 
 
 , ;^, 7 n darliag> y u P re "y darling I 
 cned Adela.de, reaching her with a bound and 
 gmng her a vigorons hng and kiss. Do 
 
 The embrace W -- ,,, v . 
 TI. - ~uy voice cooed, "Yes, Elsie loves. 
 
 you." 
 
 " Don't teaze the child, Adelaide. Childreny 
 let her alone," said Mrs. Dinsmore, sharply. 
 
 But no one seemed to hear or heed ; chil 
 dren and servants had gathered round in quite a 
 little crowd, and were hugging and kissing and 
 making much of her, examining her with as 
 much curiosity as if she were a new specimen of 
 the genus homo, calling her " Brother Horace's- 
 little girl," " Massa Horace's baby," remarking 
 upon the beauty of her complexion, her eyes, 
 her hair, the pretty re und white shoulders and 
 arms, and the tiny, shapely hands and feet. 
 
 " They'll hae the bairn fairly puffed up wi* 
 vanity Miss Mildred 1 " exclaimed Mrs. Mur- 
 ray in a dismayed aside to our heroine. 
 
 " Never mind," whispered Mildred, joy 
 ously ; " I'm only too glad she should have sucfc
 
 320 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 
 
 a welcome, the darling! and I don't believe it 
 will hurt her in the least." 
 
 There, children, and the rest of you, tha 
 sill do," said Mr. Dinsmore with authority 
 "The child is tired with her long journey 
 Carry her to her room, Aunt Chloe, and let 
 her have something to eat and a nap/ 
 ..Aunt Chloe obeyed ; Mildred hurried af ter 
 
 4. i A/r AT ' i M " established, and 
 
 vited Mrs. Murray to her new quarters, anu 
 
 Mr. Dinsmore, waiting only to give an order 
 to his body servant, hastened after the little 
 girl and her attendant, following the sound of 
 their voices ; for the child was prattling to her 
 inainmy and Mildred, and they were answering 
 her innocent questions and remarks. 
 
 " Dis my little missus's room ? " Mr. Dins- 
 more heard Aunt Chloe exclaim in a tone of 
 astonishment and contempt, as the little party, 
 guided by Sally, the housemaid, reached the 
 door of the room selected by Mrs. Dins- 
 more. 
 
 He hurried forward. " What, this pigeon- 
 hjlc ? " he exclaiu ed, turning wrathf ully to 
 the girl. " Who bade you bring the young 
 lady, Mr. Horace's daughter, here ? " 
 
 k ' Missus tole de housekeeper fix dia room
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND&. 
 
 fo' de little lady, massa, replied the girl, trem 
 bling with affright. 
 
 "Stupid, you must have misunderstood 
 her," he said. " This way, Aunt Chloe." 
 
 The room to which he conducted them ad 
 joined that appropriated to Mildred, and wag 
 equally large, airy, and cheerful ; equally well 
 furnished. 
 
 Aunt Chloe surveyed it with a look of relief 
 end satisfaction, and bidding her send Sally for 
 whatever was wanted for the child, Mr. Dins- 
 more left them and went down to his wife. 
 
 She read displeasure in his countenance, and 
 drew out her handkerchief in preparation for 
 her usual mode of defense. 
 
 " Pray, madam," he demanded in irate tone, 
 " by whose orders was that cubby-hole prepared 
 for the use of Horace's child ? " 
 
 " That very nice little room next the nurs 
 ery was the one selected by myself," she an 
 swered with dignity. 
 
 " Nice little room, indeed ! " he returned 
 with scorn ; " ten feet by twelve ! that for one 
 born in a palace and reared, thus far, in the very 
 lap of luxury ! " 
 
 " Plenty good enough and big enough for ola 
 Gray son's grandchild !" observed the wife, turn 
 ing up her aristocratic nose in supreme contempt
 
 S22 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 
 
 "Madam, she is also my grandchild, and 
 heiress in her own right to over a million." 
 
 Mrs. Dinsinore's look expressed, first, aston 
 ishment, then jealous rage and envy. u And 
 the very incarnation of beauty ! " she muttered 
 between her clenched teeth. " What did you 
 bring her here for to cast our children into 
 the shade ? I hate her ! What have you been 
 doing ? where have you put her ? " 
 " In the blue room." 
 
 " The blue room ! one of the very best in 
 the house ! the blue satin damask cushions of the 
 chairs and sofas are so handsome and delicate ! 
 and to think of the sun being let in to fade 
 them, and a baby rubbing its shoes over them, 
 and scattering greasy crumbs on them ; and that 
 exquisite carpet ! It's too trying for flesh and 
 blood to stand ! " and the handkerchief went up 
 to her eyes. 
 
 " It's not worth while to distress yourself,'" 
 he remarked coolly ; " her income is quite suf 
 ficient to allow of it's being refurnished at 
 double the cost every six months if necessary." 
 " Tou ought to be ashamed of yourself, Mr. 
 Dinsmore, throwing up her wealth to me in 
 that style ! " sobbed the much-tried and very 
 ill-used woman. 
 
 Little Elsie was brought down to the draw-
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS, 323 
 
 ing-room after tea, Mildred leading her in, 
 while Aunt Chloe followed, bearing a paste 
 board box. 
 
 Fresh pangs of envy and jealousy assailed 
 Mrs. Dinsmore at sight of the little fair one, 
 now rested and refreshed, beautifully and taste 
 fully attired, and looking even more bewitch- 
 ingly lovely than on her arrival. 
 
 Running to her grandfather, she asked coax- 
 ingly, " Please, grandpa, may Elsie dive de finga 
 now ? " 
 
 " As well now as any time," he said, not 
 unkindly, and she ran back to Mildred, who had 
 taken the box from Aunt Chloe, and now opened 
 and held it so that the child could handle the 
 contents. 
 
 " This is the one for Enna's mamma," Mil 
 dred whispered, pointing to a jewel case ; " I 
 would give it first.' 3 
 
 The small white hands seized it, the soft 
 brown eyes glanced about the room till they 
 rested upon the figure of a richly-dressed lady 
 in an easy chair ; then the little twinkling feet 
 tripped across, and with a shy look, up in the 
 not too pleasant face, the case was laid in her 
 lap, the baby voice lisping sweetly, " Please, 
 Enna's mamma, Elsie wants to dive you dis." 
 Mrs. Dinsmore started with surprise,
 
 824: MILDRED AT ROSELANDS, 
 
 opened the case hastily, and seeing a very hand 
 some gold bracelet lying there, condescended to 
 smile and murmur a few words of thanks. 
 
 But the little one had not waited for them ; 
 hack to Mildred she ran in eager haste to finish 
 the work of presenting her love tokens to these 
 new-found relatives ; a handsome gold ring to 
 each of the three little girls (received with kisses, 
 thanks and exclamations of delight), and toys 
 for the others, which seemed to give equal satis 
 faction.
 
 <%pter 
 
 " Sweet beauty Bleeps npon thy brow, 
 
 And floats before my eyes ; 
 Ai meek and pare as doves art thou, 
 Or beings of the skies." 
 
 ROBEBT Mowua. 
 
 " Do you like it, aunt ? " asked Mildred, ap 
 proaching Mrs. Dinsmore, as she was in the 
 act of clasping the bracelet on her arm. 
 
 "Yes, it's very handsome; but I think 
 there might as well have been a pair of them." 
 
 " Ah { " returned Mildred with a smile, 
 directed toward Mr. Dinsmore ; " little Elsie 
 would have been glad to make it so, but uncle 
 held the purse-strings, and was inexorably de 
 termined that it should be but one." 
 
 " Just like him ! " said the wife, snappishly. 
 
 " My dear, I felt extremely mean in allow- 
 ing so much as I did to be spent upon my fam 
 ily," he said, with a gravity that was almost 
 stern. 
 
 " I don't see why you need," she replied,
 
 326 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 with irritation, " sacrificing the comfort of youi 
 family, as you are, by taking her in. v 
 
 " I must confess," he returned, " that I see 
 ill sacrifice about it. The child will not be tho 
 slightest expense to us. But rather the re~ 
 verse ; nor will her presence in the house add 
 in the very least to your cares." 
 
 " The children seem well pleased with their 
 gifts," Mildred remarked, giving him a cheery 
 smile, as she moved away toward them, gath 
 ered in a little throng about Elsie, amusing 
 themselves by making her talk; asking her 
 questions, and bidding her pronounce their 
 names in turn, with the prefix of aunt or 
 uncle. 
 
 " You're the darlingest little thing that 
 ever was ! " Adelaide exclaimed, catching her 
 in her arms, and kissing her again and again. 
 
 " She's too pretty ; nobody will ever look 
 at us when she's by. I heard mamma say so," 
 muttered Louise, discontentedly. 
 
 " Pooh ! " what's the use of talking in that 
 way ! " said Lora. " We can hide her up-staira 
 when we want to be looked at." 
 
 " Of course,' said Mildred, laughing ; " and 
 being such a mere baby, I don't think you need 
 fear that she will prove a serious rival." 
 
 " I'm her uncle," remarked Arthur, draw.
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 327 
 
 ing himself np, with dignity ; "say Uncle 
 Arthur again, baby girl." 
 
 " I isn't a baby," she said, smiling up into 
 his face. " Elsie's a big girl now ; Enna's do 
 baby. Pretty baby ! Elsie loves you ! " she 
 added, lovingly stroking Enna's hair. 
 
 " It's high time those children were in bed,' 
 said Mrs. Dinsmore, from the other side of the 
 room. " Aunt Maria, take Enna and the boya 
 to the nursery." 
 
 Aunt Chloe, not slow to take a hint, picked 
 np her nursling and followed the other woman, 
 Elsie looking back, and kissing her hand to her 
 grandfather, with a pleasant "Good-night, 
 grandpa ; good-night, Enna's mamma, and all de 
 folks." 
 
 Mildred went with them to enjoy a little 
 talk and play with the child, as had been her 
 custom at Yiainede, but did not venture to stay 
 long, lest Mrs. Dinsmore should be displeased 
 at her absenting herself from the drawing- 
 room on this first evening after her return. 
 
 On going down again, she found Mr. 
 Landreth there. He spent the evening, and 
 made himself very agreeable. Mildred waa 
 quite full of Yiamede, and its little heiress, 
 and he seemed much interested in all she had 
 to say about them.
 
 888 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Mr. Landreth was a favorite with Mrs, 
 Dinsmore ; she considered him an excellent 
 match in point of wealth and family, possessed 
 also of the added recommendations of good edu 
 cation, polished address and genial disposition, 
 
 He had been a frequent visitor to Roselands 
 in the past months, and she had spared no pains 
 to show off to him the attractions of her nieces, 
 and throw him as much as possible into their 
 society ; at the same time adroitly keeping Mil 
 dred in the background. 
 
 But the young man was sufficiently keen- 
 sighted to see through her schemes, and while 
 seemingly falling in with them, in reality re 
 served all his admiration for Mildred ; who on 
 her part was taken up with other interests, and 
 thought of him only as a pleasant acquaintance, 
 whose visits to the house meant nothing to her. 
 
 Mrs. Dinsmore had been disappointed by 
 her failure to secure him for one or the other 
 of her nieces ; but they were now engaged, and 
 having come to have as warm a liking for our 
 heroine as it was in her selfish nature to enter 
 tain for any one not connected with herself by 
 ties of blood, she desired, as the next best thing, 
 to bring about a match between her and Mr. 
 Landreth. 
 
 But Mildred did not second her efforts.
 
 329 
 
 lowing no particular preference for Mr Lan- 
 dreth's society above that of any one of the 
 half dozen or more other unmarried gentlemen 
 vho frequented the house. 
 
 She treated them all courteously, but gave 
 encouragement to none, seeming far more in 
 terested in little Elsie, and in the otudic, nh 
 discontinued duiing her W at Viamede, but 
 taken up again with wed zeal dxrectly on 
 
 ^ to b 
 
 aged ; he paid court to Elsie, learning soon to 
 love the little creature for her own sweet sake, 
 and managed after a time to associate himself 
 with several of Mildred's pursuits. 
 
 The time had now arrived when, according 
 to the original plan, Mildred was to return home, 
 and those who loved her there were looking for 
 ward with eager impatience for her coming. 
 
 But Mr. Dinsmore wrote to her parents, en 
 treating that he might be allowed to keep her 
 gome months longer, and bringing forward 
 several cogent reasons why his request should 
 be granted ; Mildred was improving in health, 
 making the best use of opportunities to perfect 
 herself in accomplishments, etc.; was a most 
 pleasant companion to himself and wife, ought 
 not to be permitted to undertake the long
 
 330 MILDRED AT R08E1.ANDB. 
 
 journey alone ; and at present no suitable es 
 cort could be found. 
 
 The parents carefully weighed his argu 
 ments, and for their child's sake finally gave 
 consent, albeit somewhat reluctantly. 
 
 Mildred was both glad and sorry, having a 
 yearning acoiro for home and its dear occupants, 
 but at the same fne feeling that the parting 
 from wee Elsie would v* verv sa d ; so tender 
 was the attachment that had si/r^-- * 
 herself and th -^-** a y e * . , ,, , 
 
 Pity was a large element in Mildred s love 
 for the child, and that increased as the weekB 
 and months rolled on; for both the grand- 
 father and the young uncles and aunts yield- 
 ing gradually to Mrs. Dinsmore's baleful influ 
 ence, treated her with less kindness and con- 
 Bideration ; while Mrs. Dinsmore's tyranny was 
 B uch that not unfrequently Mildred could scarce 
 refrain from expressing violent indignation. 
 
 The child was not subjected to blows, but 
 angry looks and harsh words and tones, that to 
 her sensitive spirit were worse than blows would 
 have been to a more obtuse nature, were pie 
 tifully dealt out to her ; also ridicule, sneers and 
 
 6I1U And there was no respect shown to her righte 
 of property the other children might rob her
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 331 
 
 of her toys, books and pictures, with entire im 
 punity, if she ventured to carry them outside 
 her own room ; Mrs. Dinsmore averring that if 
 she showed them, and so excited a desire for 
 them in the breasts of her children, she deserved 
 to lose them. 
 
 " She is quite able to afford to present them 
 with anything they want, 5 ' she would add, " and 
 I am not going to have them tormented with 
 the sight of pretty things that are to be refused 
 them." 
 
 Elsie was so unselfish and generous that, as 
 a usual thing, she could be easily induced to give 
 even what she highly valued ; but to have her 
 possessions laid violent hands upon and forced 
 from her outraged her sense of justice, and 
 though she seldom offered much resistance, it 
 often cost her many bitter tears. 
 
 She was a careful little body, who never 
 destroyed anything, and her loving nature made 
 her cling even to material things, in some in 
 stances, which she had owned and am used her 
 self with for years ; an old dollie, that she had 
 lovec and nursed from what was to her time 
 immemorial, was so dear and precious, that no 
 new one, however beautiful and tine, couJd pos 
 sibly replace it. And a living pet took such a 
 place in her heart from the first a tame squirrel
 
 332 MILDRED AT R03ELANDS. 
 
 that she had brought with her, and a white 
 dove given her by Mr. Landreth soon after her 
 arrival. 
 
 But all these were taken from her ; the dol! 
 had to be resigned to Enna, the dove to Walter, 
 and the squirrel to Arthur. 
 
 There was a short struggle each time, then 
 she gave it up and sobbed out her sorrow in her 
 mammy's arms, or on Mildred's sympathizing 
 bosom. 
 
 " Oh, Elsie wants to go back to her own 
 dear home ! " she would cry. " Can't Elsie go 
 back ? Must Elsie stay here, where dey take her 
 fings all away ? " 
 
 Mildred at first hoped her uncle would in 
 terfere ; but no, he did not enjoy contention 
 with his wife, and, like many another man, 
 could not understand how things of value so 
 trifling in his sight, could be worth so much to 
 the child. 
 
 He was willing to replace them, and thought 
 it only ill-temper and stubbornness when she 
 refused to be comforted in that manner. 
 
 It was a sore trial to the three hearts in 
 the house that loved her so dearly ; but all they 
 could do was to soothe her with caresses and 
 assurances of their love, and of the love of Jesus, 
 and that if she bore her trials with meekness
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. 383 
 
 and patience, returning good for evil to those 
 who used her so ill, it would be pleasing to 
 Him. 
 
 Mildred would talk tc her of her papa, too, 
 and the happy times she would have when he 
 came home ; how he would love and pet and 
 fondle her. 
 
 " For surely," she reasoned with herself, 
 " he cannot possibly do otherwise when he sees 
 how sweet and lovely she is." 
 
 The prospect seemed to give the little one 
 intense pleasure, and she would often ask to be 
 told " 'bout de time when Elsie's dear papa will 
 come." 
 
 She would watch her grandfather, too, as he 
 petted and fondled his little ones, with a wist- 
 ful longing in the sweet brown eyes that brought 
 tears to those of Mildred, and made her heart
 
 u Wooing thea, I found thee of more value 
 Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags ; 
 And 'tis the very riches of thyself 
 That now I aim at." 
 
 SHAUFHAIB. 
 
 EARLY in June, the Dinsmores repaired to 
 the sea-shore, taking Mildred with them ; also 
 little Elsie and her mammy. 
 
 The whole summer was spent at watering- 
 places, and Mr. Landreth vas generally one of 
 their party. 
 
 Mildred enjoyed it, the time spent at the 
 sea-shore, especially, very much in a quiet way, 
 taking no part in the gaieties of the fashionables, 
 but delighting in walks and drives along the 
 beach, and in boating and bathing. 
 
 Elsie was fond of a morning stroll on the 
 oeach, with " Cousin Milly," Aunt Chloe 
 being always at hand to carry her pet when the 
 little feet grew tired, and Mildred was nevei 
 averse to the companionship of the sweet child, 
 never in too great haste to accommodate her
 
 MILDRED AT ROSELAND8. 335 
 
 pace to that of the little one, or to stop to exam 
 ine and explain whatever excited her curi 
 osity, or to let her pick op sea- weed, shells and 
 : Cobbles. 
 
 Sometimes the other children joined them ; 
 occasionally Mr. Landreth also. Later in the 
 day he was almost sure to be Mildred's com- 
 panion, unless she contrived to elude him. 
 
 This she attempted quite frequently toward 
 the latter part of the summer, declining his at 
 tentions whenever she could, without positive 
 rudeness. 
 
 At first he would not believe it was by de 
 sign, but at length he could no longer shut his 
 eyes to the fact, and, much disturbed and mor 
 tified, he determined to seek an explanation ; 
 he must know what was her motive whether 
 aversion to his society, or fear that he was 
 trifling with her ; and if the latter, it should 
 epeedily be removed ; he would tell her what 
 was the sober truth, that he esteemed and ad. 
 mired her above all the rest of her sex, and 
 would be supremely happy if she would con 
 sent to be his wife. 
 
 They and their party had left the sea-shore 
 for a fashionable resort among the mountains, 
 where they had now been for a fortnight or 
 more, and where they had found the elder Mr.
 
 836 MILDRED AT R08ELAND8. 
 
 Landreth and his wife established for the 
 season. 
 
 Mildred set out for a walk, one morning, 
 directly after breakfast, taking Elsie and her 
 nurse with her. 
 
 They found a cool, shady spot, beside a 
 little brook, at the foot of a hill where the 
 grass was green, and a rustic seat under a spread 
 ing tree invited to rest. 
 
 They sat down, and Elsie amused herself 
 with throwing pebbles and bits of bark into 
 the water. 
 
 " Aunt Chloe," Mildred said, presently, " I 
 want to climb this hill, for the sake of the 
 view ; so will leave you and Elsie here. I 
 don't intend to be gone long, but if she gets 
 tired waiting, you can take her back to the 
 house, and I will follow." 
 
 So saying, she tripped away back to the 
 road, made her ascent, seated herself upon a 
 log, at a spot which commanded a fine view of 
 the mountain, hill and vale, and taking out 
 her drawing materials, was about to sketch the 
 scene; when a voice addressed her. 
 
 " Good-morning, Miss Keith. I am happy 
 \o have come upon you just now, and alone. 
 
 " I'm quite out of breath with climbing the 
 hill," the voice went on, as Mildred, turning
 
 MIL DR ED A T ROSKLANDX. 337 
 
 her head, recognized Mrs. Landreth, responded 
 to her greeting, and made room for her on the 
 log. " Thank you ; yes, I will sit down here 
 beside you. for I want to rest and to have a 
 little talk with you." 
 
 ' I am at your service, Mrs. Landreth," 
 Mildred said, closing her sketch-book, recalling 
 as she did so her companion's formerly ex 
 pressed opinion that such employment was a 
 sinful waste of time, and anticipating a lecture 
 on that subject. 
 
 However, the good woman's thoughts were, 
 at that moment, too full of a more important 
 theme to allow her to so much as notice with 
 what the young girl had busied herself. 
 
 " My dear," she began, " I have a strong 
 liking and high respect for you ; because you 
 seem to me sincerely desirous to do right and 
 live in a Christian way, according to your light. 
 You are gayer, of course, in your dress than 
 I can think quite consistent ; but we don't all 
 uee alike ; and I should be rejoiced to receive 
 you into the family if that might be without 
 the danger to you spiritually which it in* 
 volves." 
 
 Mildred rose, her cheeks burning, her eyoa 
 flashing. 
 
 " When I have shown my desire to enter
 
 888 MILDRED AT RO8ELAND8. 
 
 your family, Mrs. Landreth, it will be lime 
 enough to " 
 
 "Ah, my dear, my dear, you quite misun 
 derstand me/' interrupted the older la<ir. 
 1 Except for your own sake and your duty He 
 Christian to marry only in the Lord, I should 
 be delighted. And I've never felt at all sura 
 that Charlie could get you ; but I see plainly 
 that he wants you ; and so it seemed my duty 
 to warn you not to take him." 
 
 Mildred was very angry. Drawing herself 
 up to her full height, and speaking with 
 hauteur, " Excuse me, madam," she said, " if 
 I venture to remind you that unasked advice ia 
 seldom acceptable ; and if I add that it is es 
 pecially unpalatable when it involves the med- 
 dling with matters too delicate for even the 
 most intimate friend to allude to uninvited." 
 
 " What a temper 1 I begin to think you 
 are none too good for him after all," grimly 
 commented Mrs. Landreth, rising in her turn, 
 " Good-morning, miss," and she stalked away 
 down the hill, while Mildred dropped upon 
 the grass, and hiding her face in her hands, 
 indulged in a hearty cry. 
 
 It was a mixture of emotions that brought 
 he tears in those plentiful showers; ange? 
 turned still in hei breast, yet at the same tima
 
 M1LDHED AT R08ELAND8. 33$ 
 
 she was bitterly remorseful on account of it, 
 aorry and ashamed that she had so disgraced 
 her Christian profession ; bringing reproach 
 ipon the Master's cause ; and ah, what meant 
 the pang that meddling woman's words 
 had caused? could it be the fear that duty 
 called her to resign that which had become 
 very dear to her heart ? Alas, yes ! it cried 
 out with a yearning, passionate cry for this 
 love that she must reject, if, indeed, it waa 
 offered her. 
 
 Did he, indeed, love her ? Oh, what joy ! 
 what bliss ! But, oh, the bitter anguish if she 
 must put that cup of joy aside untasted ! How 
 could she ? yet how dare she do otherwise ? 
 The Bible did speak of marrying only in the 
 Lord ; it did say, " Be ye not unequally yoked 
 together with unbelievers." 
 
 Some one knelt on the grass at her side, 
 gently lifted up her head and took her hands 
 in his 
 
 " Don't, darling ; I cannot bear to see tears 
 in those dear eyes. I know all I met her, 
 and she told me. How dared she so wound 
 your delicacy 1 But it is true that I love you 
 yes, a thousand times better than she can 
 imagine ! and that I am utterly unworthy of 
 you. But, Mildred, dearest, sweetest, best of
 
 840 MILDRED AT RvtUSLAXDS. 
 
 women, give me a little hope, and I will try to 
 become all you can ask." 
 
 She could not speak. She tried to hide 
 her blushing face, and to withdraw her hands] 
 but he held them fast, and continued to pour 
 out earnest pleadings and passionate expres 
 eions of love and devotion. 
 
 " I cannot, oh, I cannot ! " she stammered at 
 last. " I'm afraid she is right. Not, oh, not 
 that I am any better than you 1 but but we 
 are traveling different roads, and ' how can two 
 walk together except they be agreed 2 ' ' 
 
 " I would never interfere with your relig 
 ion," he said. " I know it is different from that 
 which makes my poor uncle's home the most 
 desolate place on earth. O, Mildred, think that 
 you may be the saving of me 1 I am willing to 
 walk in your road if you will show me the 
 way ; even to join the churcn at once if that 
 will satisfy you. ' 
 
 She looked up wistfully into his face. " Ah, 
 Charlie Mr. Landreth is that your idea of 
 what it is to be a Christian ? Ah, it is more, 
 much more. 
 
 " ' With the heart man believeth unto right 
 eousness ' gets the righteousness of Christ put 
 upon him, imputed to him, while holy living 
 proves the reality of the change, the saving
 
 MILDRED AT R08ELANDS. 341 
 
 nature of his faith ' and with the mouth con 
 fession is made unto salvation.' 
 
 " Do you not see that conversion must come 
 before joining the church ? " 
 
 "I don't understand these things," he said; 
 * but I am willing to learn. O, Mildred, be my 
 vrife, and you may lead me whither you will ! " 
 
 She shook her head sorrowfully, tears steal 
 ing down her cheeks. 
 
 " I am too weak, too ready to stray from the 
 path myself, too easily led by those I " 
 
 " Love ? " he whispered eagerly, and bending 
 over her, as she paused in confusion, "O, Mil 
 dred, darling, say the sweet word 1 You do 
 love me ! you do 1 I see it in your dear eyes, 
 and I will never despair. But speak the word, 
 dearest, once, just once ! " 
 
 " Oh, Chai)ie ! " she groaned, covering her 
 face, " I should larn to love you too well to 
 bear the thought that we were not to spend 
 eternity together." 
 
 TUB BUD,
 
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