The Daily Reporter.
P. C. IKEI.ANI» .4 CO. PVRI.iSHEKS.
McMinnville, Or.
-
-
Feb. 10, 1887
THE HALF CASTE.
AN OLD
GOVERNESS’S TALE—
FOUNDED ON FACT.
RY MISS MU: OCR.
'it SeOnTt'n If long time since 1 had
neen in any town, and tlie girls might
never have been there in their lives, so
eagerly did they linger at shop-win
dows, admiring and longing after
finery. The younger consoled the elder,
saying that they would have al! these
sort of grand tilings some time, "it’s
only four years,” whispered she, just
four reais, and then that stupid Zill
—” Here Caroline pushed her away with
an angry “hush!” and walked up to my
side witn a prim smile I thought it
strange, but took no notice, al wavs dis
liking to play the governess out of
school-hours.
Another odd thing happened the
same week. There came a letter to
Mr. Le Poer from Mr. Sutherland. I
could not help noticing this, as it lay on
the mantel-shelf two days before the
former returned, and I used to see it
always when I sat at'meals. His—Mr.
Sutherland’s I mean—w ms a fair, large
hand, which would have caught any
one’s eye: besides, it was like old times
to see it again
I happened tobebv when Mr. Le Poer
opened the letter. He was so anxious
over it that he did not notice my pres
ence. Perhaps it was wrong of me to
glance toward him, but yet natural,
considering it was the letter of a friend
of mine. I saw a little note inclosed,
the address of which I was almost sure
bore my name. I waited, thinking he
would give it to me. I even made
some slight movement to attract his
attention. He looked up—he actually
started—but the next moment smiled,
as only Mr. Le Poer could smile.
“News from our friend, you see!”
said he, showing me the outside envel
ope. “He is quite well, and—let me
consider,”—glancing over his own let
ter—“tie sends bis kindest remembran
ces to you. A most worthy man is Mr. i
Sutherland.”
So saying he folded the epistle, and I
placed it in hi» desk. The little note,
which he had turned seal uppermost he
?uietly put unopened, into his pocket. I
t must have been my own delusion
then. Yeti was disappointed.
At the expiration of my first year as
a governess, just as I was looking with
unfold wagerness to my midsummer I
holidays, when 1 was st length te go
home to iny mother—for the journey to {
London was too expensive to admit of'j
that happiness more than once a year
there happened a great disaster to the
Le Pt»er family; no less than that terri
ble scourge, typhus fever.
Matilda 1
took it first, then Caroline, then the '
mother. These three weresearcely con- j
valescent when Zillah caught.the fever I
in her turn, and had it more dangerous- I
ly than anv of the rest
Her life was
in danger for many days, during which
1 had the sole anxiety and responsibili
ty; for Mr. Le 1’oer, on the first tidings
of the fever, had taken flight, ami been
visible at home no mo;’ •. True, he
wrote every oilier (lay most touching
letters, and I in return kept him con- |
stantly informed as to the progress of j
his wife and children. When Zillah
was taken ill, however. 1 <i 1 not think
it necessary to send him word <oncem- ;
ing her, feeling that the poor orphan’s
life was precious to no one. I never '
was more surprised than wlien on Mr. i
Le Poor's venturing back and finding I
Zillah in the crisis of her disease, his i
terror and anxiety appeared uncontroll- ,
able.
“Good God!” he cried, “Zillah ill?
Zillah going to die? Imp hs tile! Why
was I not inform'd b-'fore? ( onfound I
yon. madam!”—and he tui lied furiously
to his still ailing wife—“did you not |
think?—Are you mad -quite mad?”
I declare I though I he was. Mrs. I^e-
Poer ofily sobbed in iTIi nee. Mean
while the outcries of the delirious girl
were heard in the very parlor. I had
given her ray room; I thought, poor
soul, she should not die in her damp
kitchen-closet.
•*
in oney me; m-
.r.
. >er t r ■ i
. V W tl.iw uiaA. ..«..nk* a; om?i An ei»n. «'^.c- 1 an?’.v« i
Wil •i terna -1 • w .> d i x; ,■«••.-c«i only al notion worthy of a poor govern (’end it was i ays a ^reat pain for a
quiet so il li'w me to have to assume
mil .! < oneern w i eii ’■ ' !.'• •
dauiih- ess!
te; » were in pt r
The only remarkable event of our authority
I should have got on better
■ i s «': v<'f, ’ said
*.e. bo-ir-e!v. ••«
... n : .< ; !>e done. voyage was my sudden introduction by even with Mrs. Le Poer to assist me;
T! ■
nr.i :■■■■'.;
1; 1' ‘ ■■ itch her Mr. Le Poer to a personage w hom I had but she. p <>r little woman, terrified at
^•■nd tor not thought existed. “My son, Miss change. hi. i preferred sla\ ing quietly
•i.i • ‘.•*1 . |>i \
, '>t • - send to Pryoi; my eldest and only son, Lieut. at beine in Y orkshire. 1 w is not quite
Lei ■ds. Li • e ; :
sure leil that she had the best of it
. I.
-i: even. Align si us’ Le Poer.”
O1 ly. bv —. s •' nt M.1
I was very considerably surprised, as utter <11.
be.’"
In th- ■- l-e of a wee my cares
. • Sin- was I had never heard of the vonng gentle
1 ■<>< h
:i:4
•ewh.lt light' •ned. The Hou
;. . mirpvse.s; man. 1 could only conjecture what I wt r>
afterward found to be the truth, that t C u :; * • i
• -e re !. m< I :r»-. li lb at - ue
Ugl ■ I, : u ;
' :rn b!
I o: u, w i. •• -,i! ng
■ Ixdsuie, this was the son of a former marriage, forvnnl I had very little o' the girls’
ligi . it
lie be! ’
a kind
’ }!■!• -'lip and that there had been some family company, lie was <■■ it
mt
i',> '• ••• 7..-: ; n which quarrel, lately healed. The lieutenant broth i■; I could not but c nowledge
•it .“J-
II:.
t ;V .illd bowed tome, and I to him. Zillah, who that. He took them about a .rent deal
!• '.i .• ’ •
'! Le . <|- vini . 1
' b- me. had no share in the intro- or else laved al Holy wood, leaving us
• i iein, until tlie young man, slicking by the lute evening train. is he said, to
r ins in his eye, stared al her ener i goto his lodgin s at Bell i t. 1, the
i ‘ :
‘ j ' ' ■ v.. • Site may
1 : ie vet
.
.1 i 'u I..
to liim- getically. muttering to his father some temporary mistress of the establish
il • . : t'.iy efter • saw b's nice •. question, in which 1 jus! detect-d the ment, was of course duly jmlite to my
■■ •« >s i’i' r. tny wife ;s a fool
! mean words, “odd fish.'
pupils’ brother, and he was really very
: ■ » l< i’ :< •
' * :• o. . I’ell me
:i
: Rit111 V
“Only Zillah,” answered Mr. Le Poet civil to me, though lie treated me with
carelessly. “Child, this is your cousin the distance due to an ancient duenna.
If • i
;. ?■' I i ■<< -M'li! •■<! but Augustus, Intel;, returned from foreign This amused me sometimes, seeing I
was on!;. twenty-s;x probably his own
With little hop't! it mv ¡''.vice would service. Shake hands with him."
Zillah listlessly obeyed but her age; but I was a wavs used to be re-
h eg - to se i
be follnv ’
o’d >•>••• 1
air . “11
' to! at <>■ ee said "cousin” seemed not at all to relish the T;ir»l<‘d ns
To be Continued.
he. “Mrs Le Peer .ml ti e girls can title. He cast his eyes superciliously
over her. 1 must confess my poor
ti or\ e care <u h r; or -'ay - she likes you
bes t. Miss l’;yor, are you willing to child’s appearance was not very attract
Writing taught at the Mc
ive. 1 did not wonder that Lieutenant
(T, i ’J"
Minnville Business college per
This qiiestii’ii peifectly confounded Augustus merely nodded his head,
m *. I had been so I h
r’v . 1 »ipaU twirled his mustache, and walked away. month, |3. Twelve lessons $2,
ing my going home—<le . i»d.. - in com Zillah just looked lazily after him. mid with time till March 12th to
mon charily 1 co id not it delay it, on then her eyes declined upon the beauti
complete the same. This otter
account of the fever. Now this troub ful expanse of sea.
For my part I watched our new
le was over 1 ' il quite < o :nte ! on my
is open tor (his week only. For
departure. T • it very v
I 1 td been friend with some curiosity ami amuse
ment,
especially
when
Caroline
and
further particulars call at the
preparing my ' .«11 ’.va j ’ e’. so as ' >
Matilda
appeared,
trying
to
do
the
look as ni> e a < possible ir. my inothei 's
college het ween the hour of five
agreeable, rhe lieutenant was to them
eyes. She had given me a hiiittodo
ami six p. in. Opera house
evidently
the
bom
of
a
brother.
since she and I were to sp I the v:t
For
mv.-
’
elf
I
did
not
admire
him
at
all.
tion together at Mr. Su‘herland’s coun
building.
try-house, and old >lr. Sutherland was Unluckily, if I have three positive
aversions
in
the
world,
it
is
for
dandies,
so very particular.
Advertisnients, etc., intended for
• Why do you lies,tat ■*?’’ »aid Mr. Le- men w th mustaches, and soldiers—and publication in The Weekly Reporter
he
was
a
compound
of
all
three.
Also,
I’oer rather sharply. "Are you thinking
of the money? You shall have any he was a small man; and 1, like most must be handed in Tuesday morning.
additional salary—£o0 more, if you little women, have a great reverence We cannot in future deviate from this
choose, Upon tuy soul, madam, yon for height in the other sex. Not uni rule.
versally, for some of my t ruest friends
shall! only 1 entreat you to go.”
■ would not have minded his entreat have been diminutive men—excellent,
ies. but I was touched by those of noble, admirable Zaecheuses. Still,
SEVENTH ANNUAL
Zillah, who seemed terrified at the idea from an ancient prejudice, acquired—
of going to a strange place without me. no matter how my first impression of
Then, too, the additional money, not any man is usually in proportion to his
unneeded; for Mr. Sutherland, so kind inches; therefore Lieutenant Le Poer
ly generous in other things, had the did not stand very high in my estima
still rarer generosity never to offer us tion.
Little notice did he condescend to
that. I determined to write and tell
take
of us, which was rather a satis
my mother the position of affairs. Her
good judgment would decide; or if faction than otherwise; but he soon be
hers failed, she would be sure to apjieal came very fraternal and confidential
to Mr. Sutherland, her trusty and only with his two sisters. I saw them all
adviser since my father died; and I chattering together until it grew dusk;
wae content to abide by his decis aud long after that, the night being
tine. I watched their dark figures walk
ion.
ing up ami down the other side of the
He di<l decide. He told my mother deck. More than once 1 heard their
that it was his earnest wish I should laughter, and detected in their talk the
stay a little longer with Zillah Le Poer, name of Zillah; so I supposed the girls
whom he called “his ward.” Her his were ridiculing her to their brother.
tory, he said, he would inform me when Poor child! she was fast asleep, with
we met; which must ’>e soon, as he was her head on my shoulder, wrapped
—AT—
contemplating returning to India for closely up, so chat the mild night
some years, and had something to com could do her no harm. She looked al
municate to me before he went away.
most pretty—the light of the August
Mr. Sutherland returning to India! moon so spiritualized her face I felt
And liefore his departure he must see thankful she had not died, but that un Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
me—me! It was a very simple and nat der Heaven, tny care had saved her—
February 22d, 23d and 24th,
ural thing, as I felt afterward, but not for what? Aye, and for whom? If, as
1887.
then. I did what he desired as indeed I kissed the child, I had then known—
1 had long been in the habit of doing— But no, I should have kissed her and
and accompanied Zillah.
loved her still!
LIST OF PRIZES.
I had supposed that we should go to
Our brief voyage ended, we reached
There
will
be prize» given on the following
some near wateringplace, or at all Belfast and proceeded to Holy wood -a nmned exhibit»:
events to the Liverpool shore. Indeed small sea-bathing village a few miles
l»t mid 2d prize for bent mid 2d b« st ex
I had pointedly recommended Tanmere down the coast. To this day I have hibit
of KeiiHington painting.
where, as I stated to Mr. Le Poer. there never found out why Mr. Le Poer took
1st mid 2d prize, for beat mid 2d bent ex
was living an aunt of Mr. Sutherland’s the trouble to bring us all over the wa hibit of KeiiHington embroidery.
who would have taken lodgings or ter and settle us there; where, to all
I»t mid 2d prize, for bent mid 2d bent ex
done anything in her power for her intents and purposes, we might as well hibit of outline work by a child under 14
nephew’s ward. To my surprise lie ob have lieen buried in the solitudes of the i year» of age.
1st mid 2d la-»!, for l>«»t mid 2d beat ex
jected to this plan. After staying a Desert of Sahara. But nerliana. that
hibit of work of any kind by a boy under 14
night in Liverpool, instead of crossing was exactly wtiat ne wanted. ■ • •*
of age.
to the opposite shore, as 1 expected, lie
I think that never in her life, at least , y ears
1 at mid 2d prize, for be»t and 2d tient ex
put us all—that is, Zillah, the two girls since childhood, could Zillah have been hibit
of ornvon work.
and myself—on board the Belfast boat, so happy M she was during the first
There will al»o be h prize given for tha
and there we found ourselves floating week or two of our sojourn at Iloly- heaviest,
lightest mid prettieHt baby under 1
across the Irish Channel!
wood. To me. who in my youth, when year of age.
•
The two Misses Le Poer were consid we were rich and could travel, had
Following i»a list of priza> offered; For the
erably frightened; Zillah looked most seen much beautiful scenery, the place prettie»t baby, gold necklace; lightest mid
happy. She said it reminded her <tf was rather uninteresting; to her it was tieavieat baby under one year of age, each a
tier voyage to England when she was a perfection! As she grew stronger, life gold ring; outline work by a child under
little ehi I<1. She, had never seen the sea seemed to return to her again under fourteen year», firm prize, ear ring», wcotid
since. Izmg after wo got out of si ght quite a new aspect. Certainly it was a prize, a rap book; kenaington • mliroidery.
of land she and I sat together on the great change in her existence to hate Brat prize, napkin ring, second prize, box
deck in the calm summerevening, talk
no one >ver her but me for her uncle writing piqier; kenaington painting, first
ing of this Indian voyage and what it and cousin Augustus had of course prize, manicure set, second prize, brnoket;
work, first prize, paper holder, second
was like, and what people did during speedily vanished from this quiet spot crayon
prize, pitcher; boy'-, work, first prize, paper
the long four months from land to lamb —to be able to do just what sl«e liked, , holder,
second prize, ink»tmid.
She gave me much information to which was usually nothing at all. She
Piirnd«-
of Firemen T ii «- m I h > nf-
which I listened with strange interest. was not made tor activity; she would
Icrnooii.
I well remember, fool that I was! sit lie whole days on the beach, or on the
ting on the de-k of that Belfast boat, grassy walk which cam»* down to tlie
with the sun dipping into the sea liefore very edge of high-water mark cover Doora will be open hi 7 «>’<*lo<*k,
p. in. <lall}, during the
us, and the moon rising on the other ing her eyes with her pok • bonnet, or
I’alr.
side — sitting and thinking what it gazing sleepily from under her black
—All are invited to Attend—
would lie to feel one’s self on the deck lashes at the smooth Ixmgh. and the
of some India-bound ship, alone, or >■ M wavv line of hills on the opposite shore.
Admission 25 Cents.
in companionship that might make the Matilda rind Caroline ran very wild al-
By Order of
C ommittee .
Koxd sUlL correct, accord in ar to its oritr- s •.u_r i'. Jia.d n<>. lessons 1 found it
FIREMAN'S FAIR
McMinnville Firs Department,
Garrison Opera House,