Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/145

 Ethel Frccma7i.

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��el. Above all, she was diabolically clever. All this gave her great pres- tige in P. She was a widow of

the age designated as "youngish," childish, and she lived in elegant rooms at the finest hotel.

Ethel had first felt an affection for her on the occasion of a dangerous illness of Florry, her oldest child. She had come, and in her firmly gen- tle manner insisted on staying at the house and assisting in taking care of the little girl ; and she had proven so good a nurse, so self-sacrificing, sen- sible, and etiicient, that Ethel could not withhold a share of love and con- fidence despite her intuitions. As for Florry, she became a loyal, devoted subject of her whilom nurse, accord- ing her the blind, adoring worship that innocent childhood lavishes on its incarnation of perfection. Mrs. Hamilton was perfection in her eyes. She resolved she would grow up to be like her as exactly as she could, and she was never so happy as when in the presence of her sovereign.

And Mrs. Hamilton, who had been fawned upon and flattered all her life, found the fresh, sincere love of tlie child very grateful to her empty, callous heart. She took great pains to keep alive and increase her attach- ment, both for its own sake and as a means to secure a longed-for triumph that no refreshing principle of right or feeling of pity could force her to forego.

Ethel in the meantime grew more and more discontented. She was hav- ing a bitter experience, that of feel- ing her self-respect lessening day by day. What was she beside this wise and witty and bewitching woman? Even her own child neglected her for

��the sake of the other's society. Her early training and education had surely been all wrong. She was not sure but that the fame of a Cleopatra was after all more enviable than that of a Cornelia. And how she had been petted and made much of at home ! Could George realize how ditferent it seemed in his home? At last one evening her resolve was made. Mrs. Hamilton was singing in the parlor, while she sat nnperceived and for- gotten in the adjoining partially dark- ened library, to which she had with- drawn ; her husband and Florry were with the songstress.

She sang Mrs. Akers Allen's heart- sick song. Rock Me to Sleep. Ethel listened, her piteous heimweh growing worse.

" Yet with strong yearning and passionate pain Long I to-niglit for your presence again.



Overmy heart, in the days that are flown, No love like mother-love ever lias shone; Ko other worship abides and endures, — Faithful, unselfish, and patient like yours! "

cried the thrilling voice, while tears rolled down her unseen listener's face.

" I would like to go to New York for a month or two," she said to her husband at the breakfast table next morning.

"■ But what should we do without you ? " asked George ; and poor f^thel thought his manner and tone showed a studied concern, but betra^'ed a real relief.

"You will do very well. I mean to take Florry with me, and you know Nurse is perfectly trustworthy with the other children. Katy will take good care of the house. I need the change."

" But, mamma, I think I would rather not go, if you please," said

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