Demorest's Family Magazine. August 1881. Vol. 17, No. 8
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NO. CXCIX. AUGUST, 1881. VOL. XVII. NO. 8. BY ELLA WHEELER ELEN and Sara Rivera, the village “ Oh, of course,” Helen replied a little I The father was a little more difficult to ■ merchant's daughters at Berryville, abashed; “ I knew that of course, but it seems reconcile. sat out on the pleasant veranda I too bad to be tied down to this little town all “ I meant you and your mother should both I one mild May afternoon. your life when there are so many larger places. | go away this summer,” he said. “ Helen was H Or rather Sara sat in a little But then you have always been here, and 1 gone half the winter, and I thought it but fair rocker, sewing. She was making a dress for | don't suppose it seems to you as it does to me. that she should stay at home and let you go her baby brother. And Helen lounged in the I I know I am spoiled for a quiet life, and I j now.” hammock with a novel. must go to the sea-shore. Badie, try and make “ Mother can go all the same,” Sara re Suddenly Helen closed her book, and spoke. papa see that a great deal depends upon it! 1 sponded. * * She could not go before the last “ Sadie dear,” she began. “ I want you to shall meet so many people, you know—my of July any way. And I do not care at all tease papa to let me go to the sea-sliore with kind of people who will all be of social benefit about a change. I am perfectly well and Mrs. Meridith next month, will you? I am to me. And if I stay here year after year, and happy, and will have enough to do to keep just wild to go.” let these opportunities slip, I shall grow old, me from being lonely.” Sara hesitated before replying. Then she and rusty, and waste my life and my accom “ So thought Helen if she would look about only said, plishments, which certainly fit me for a dif her a little instead of always thinking of her ‘‘lam sure I wish you could go, Helen.” ferent sphere.” self,” answered the father a little irritably, “ I thought you would favor it,” Helen re “ I know it dear,” Sara answered quietly. ! “lam losing all patience with her. The more sponded with a contented sigh as she rear “ You are fitted for brilliant circles, and I 1 do for her the more she wants, and she is ranged herself in the hammock. “ And if you am sure I want you to be happy. I will speak never* happy, and never makes any one else use your influence with papa, I am sure he to papa to-night.” so.” will let me go. He thinks you are so wise and “ Thank you, Sadie,” replied Helen, with a “ But she is not in her element here at sensible in all your ideas; and you are. And I cunning smile, and resumed her novel. Berryville, papa,” Sara hastened to say. ; shall need one or two new dresses. Mrs. It never entered her mind for a moment “ Think of her accomplishments, and her Meridith wrote me yesterday that she was that her sister might have plans of her own brilliancy; she is really unfitted for such a making up a delightful party, and of such for the summer. “ Sadie was such a home quiet place. She will be just in her element * nice, nice people,—just the element I would body.” Yet Sara had been thinking for some | if she can go to the sea-shore.” like. Oh, I m ust go, Sadie. I cannot spend the weeks that early in June she could go out “ I don’t tbink her education and accom summer here. Berryville grows perfectly un into the country to her aunt's for a few weeks, plishments ought to unfit her for home,” the bearable tq, me, with its little aims and petty for a rest and change, leaving Helen to assist father responded. “ I sent her to school, and gossips, and narrow ideas of life. I wish yon her mother, and return in time to send her to the musical institution, thinking she would were not going to make your home here, mother out for the remainder of the season, i be an ornament to her home, and a comfort to Can't you persuade Will to settle somewhere Helen had been with Mrs. Meridith in the | her parents. But it seems to have been a e lse ? ” I city for two months during the winter ; and ( great mistake. Still l suppose there will be Bara's sweet face flushed a little. Sadie had fancied she might be willing to ; precious little peace for me until I consent “ No,” she said, “ I shall not try. He has a stay at home through the summer. I You may tell her she can go,” fine opening as successor to Mr. Green ; and no But now that Helen had expressed her wish | Helen’s delight was scarcely greater than young lawyer could begin under better auspi-j to go away, Sadie gave up her own plans. She | her mother’s when .Sura announced the sue- ces, I think, than he will. Beside I shall be very would stay, and let her sister go—her brilliant, I cess of her mission. Mrs. Rivers was in some glad to live near father and mother. I should beautiful sister, who was meant to shine respects a very weak woman. She loved hei feel sorry to go wholly away from them.” abroad, not to stay shut up in her village home. j children, it might truly he said, “ not wisely, "V —1 7 ^ p 338 DEMOREST’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. but too well." A beauty, and something of a sent away for a visit to Mrs. Meridith. Mrs. which would convince him that his kindness belle in her young days, she had in her do Meridith was a fashionable lady whose niece j in allowing her to go to the sea-shore was not mestic life, centered all her own personality had been in Helen’s class at school. *She lost." and ambitions in her daughters. She was un came down once to see her niece, and seemed In September she came, bringing with her selfish and self-sacrificing ; and while this was to take a deep interest in Helen. When she a formal letter to her father, from, Ms. Mc- repaid by devotion, and gratitude, and tender left she invited Helen to spend her next vaca Mahon, who requested his daughter’s hand in ness from Sara, her youngest daughter, it had tion with her, which she accordingly did, marriage. reached a precisely opposite result in Helen. writing home to her parents a glowing ac- “ But who is this man ? " queried M r. Riv. She had grown to take all this unselfishness ! count of the elegant home, and the gay scenes ers, bluntly. “ Who knows anything about and self-sacrifice as her rightful due, and to which she was enjoying to the utmost. him ? ” believe herself made of better and finer inn- j So the next winter Mrs. Meridith had writ “ Why, Mrs. Meridith him last summer terial than her mother or sister. ten for her to come and spend the holidays at the sea-shore, first, and became acquainted She was a handsome girl, and possessed of with her. “ My niece has married and gone,” with him. And of course when he came this a quick, active mind. She had outstripped she wrote, “ and I long for a young face in summer, she asked him to join her party. her classmates at the village high school, and the house. Come, and who knows but vou think she had my interests in her mind even her mother had at once suggested sending | may carry off as great a prize as Bessie did; then. He is very wealthy, and knows all her away for further instructions. This the I for, my clear, she lias made the marriage of the those moneyed men out West, and uses his father was equally anxious to do, but he oh-1 season.” money like a prince. I am sure you will like jected to the fashionable institution which I Mrs. Meridith was a worldly woman and him, papa. He is coming next week to see the mother proposed—but at length yielded a match-maker. She had admired Helen for you, and receive your consent to our mar his consent. After three years Helen came her fine form and handsome features, and riage, which he wants should take place at an home “ finished." but begging for an addi longed to “ make a sensation " with her in early day." tional year at a musical institute, which was fashionable circles. Mrs. Rivers was beside herself with joy ; given her. All this required a good deal of So Helen went, and remained two months. and Sara seemed very much pleased at Helen’s contriving and planning on the part of the i She sent home for money two or three times. bright prospects.. mother and sister to accomplish. Mrs. Rivers And Mrs. Meridith gave her an elegant ball-1 “ Only," she said to herself, “ only I wish wore her summer bonnet all winter, and made dress as a Christmas present. And she was I were quite sure that Helen loved this man. her old cloak do—and Sara denied herself quite the rage, as her hostess had predicted.