Effie's Reward'

Otago Witness, Issue 1343, 25 August 1877, Page 20

Effie's Reward'

'^Stella, is. it-yon,?" . . It was abitt'eVVinVriigfit?' M »■-j.» ■- j. The full;j modn shining^ with.-ireeaing f , light r.over aiiJcold^expanse'? of I glittering;^ ■snow;'"' -'- < in :— f .">.-/ \f *;.)., l { n*'Jfi'}r \ Thg' ! bi?ailchesi f in'thVglen Itirikling'»«dd1 tirikling'»«dd ■< 'feraqklmg Junder 'th'eiJf - *w-^ighfc- 6f''idiel»s the stars glistening' if ar off? d - !i ?' Ji ''<•«¥«' / I.haa f run J 'acr,oss ttfe 'bea&to. BSth^hal ' " led jfrdm ,the ! \i6uk£%o':Wsffiitf,:iplsis': some'apples ' that.Lwere pacjcecL, sVsnugly rin tHe s oatrbin7 for o'ljd !l Mf ; C6fne;i' 4,Md.-come4 ,Md.come , to .spend the jje^ening, 1 , and, Tray 'mother ..took- -pride in her.nunpretendjLng , hospitality.- >• > ,< ■ ■ -^ l; . _:,„ jt , 1 But just 'as I' stooped <to lift the: lid of---the bin, a rdstling noise in thehay' startled - me.; '- '"■ 4 ' ""' - (""ti-. ?!+<^r.r '-.-?. •?■ Befpre I could utter ,th ! er low cry'that* .trembled' 6^ my lips/ T'aawJthalijie^ag' : Severn: ;.:•• '^V.'^r' v V r wtoi't -' rYSjtella.jSe.™^ girlj a. wUd^'reckless, thmg r ,^lip]re ; c^ve ad',a badjiaine,at everyone'sl.han^d, ancTco:^' ' , ;|trived, somehow,, to, get .blamed forj>eyesy. ( ,J, Xcrape that was going. -~~ — — ~ ' Y.;'^hether,Stella ;w,aa: really^ Jbad/vq^rtot^ s • no one f could tell — but- somehow she was j'pyrpefcually under the Van/ •'• ;- ; ''"'''!W m!''' ,' Mrs Lobkwopa', ; a' stiff, 1 '> rigid dame' b£ 'thejPuritanic typej'ktiew^ifo mbre'hbw°t6 jnaanag'e' Stella 1 Severri'thafo r the-mk^pMy ' f 'lien! comprehends the 'rbving'natur&bf ?the,wUM' duckling IJ that 'takes W' th'e wate*~2 ;in spiM^of'everythiiig^and 'fߣ ibx&& i recent escapade,' th'e'fuil detailtf&f *'wHich -•• I did hot'know, I' 'had" beerr forbidden by- ' my smother eyeifto spealeto* Stella.^' l * (! /< Yesr^is, I,"'>id f -Stellarßibwly'^ rearing herself otftof the hay? arid Staring' atme with 1 her ; big eyes:' : f And' l ani^'.Oh^SO COld !?s! ?s J ' -' ' 'I. yti ,M;'h smc* ': s i< , M What are you dping.here'? ■'* "Frisked;; '* holdingiip, my lantern in 'so're'perpreiiW''* 1 /'l'm trying to" sletjp f ," said^'Stella! 7 "iye;ruVa'way:" " li! "'^ '>'•>"> ny, ,:, . '*' "Run awayf WHat ( for r ?' J ' !f fl >- i^mb v " Because '-I '^cduldh't statfd 1 it' imy-^lori-'' : ! geri Mrs Lbckwood accused; mb'of bein f g \ a thief —she had ' lost, s'bm'e 'm'isera'ble f *6ld' '' teaspoons or other— and TWb'n^'Bg'called) 1 * "a tHief! " l!l • " ■ •' '• •'» '*•'■"-« "•■ X*>»'j \ .j ", But;- Stella," I cried, ' r m'y' |v ;iiaWre tnrillirig''witli lT vague 'terror at'tA'e^ni'er'e- 5 ,idea : '6f :j such' v bold' measures "asr tfi^se'V' " 1 " w,hat'are'yb.u going to do r ? "•' < i (! - I * «iM iU l -'\"- l \ TJha-' ' Lord ' .. i brily; > 'knows," ii H ; Stell^ v ' answered,' with more ! reckless ''tru'tkHh'itf 1 '» ,'revererne: s . -1 1( • i|( ■•" ''^ * 5 '■• rUimuni -j ■'■." MPerhdpsWtKeV'.wouid ln'our'sparerbom/^^hesitaied. !} t » l ;. t '?f" J n<[ /' "Perhaps sKe f wouldn't' !.'■'• scbrflfdliy '' retorted Stella. ' "No'decerit^pefsori'iots I1 '' me,in!"' ' ' ''•'■' •' ' '" •'*•'•' -.'»•'« '"I mean to ask her."' ■ ';'"■, v ' i>i ; | 'i | |. 'fAsk, then; and 'get V scolding* for'" ypurpain's," laughed Stella' bitterly. 1 " "1("" 1( " V, ' ' 'I Bt^t it's so cruelly. cold,';and Mother : " wotil'dh't' shut f< out 'even'^a dbg -ii l!J gu^H ■ 'wea'therasthis."- 5 ''-' •'.' ""^^ 'Ji'-i i±A n ', '"Perhaps! 1 ,-' but I am'vrbr^^'tnan"*^ dog;. - You "mean'-kihdlyV *Eme lU Heartt.- 7 1 but'i you'll :'nHd'Out' the folly of'it.'"''"-;' 1 " s ' ! ' Ii made' ; n6 r answer;' but 'ran as'fasV'ag'l'" 'could' back' 'Hoi' the house*,' 'whore, Width!- s }' and' panting, I preferred my^re^uea't l ."' '. M A thief!' A' J i-una\rayJ Tn^iy;n6iise !"• ' ! ,crie;d' m'y r mbth'erV ' ' ''■' •' ;r; r ■'' ::i .-wi--; ■ i( '\ A 1 lazy^ gob.d,-fbr-hbthm£f/ whd Wdiuld" 1 '" i^atlier lie in the 'sunsliine r than wprk"'atiy"' ! "time," "echoed Cornell; ' ;t ; " >:Jr : 'f 0!t '*" «■ fin '\ Go,'and ;> w^ her' qff'the^p^miseit. 'immediately; " said ! iny mdth'er^ 7 ' iU '~ i( '* l S" 1 ", I dunhb f b\it f I'd "oiigKb'Wgfcdt'tU' ?' ' constable, 1 ' 'dubiously remarked ! Cbf iiellj ' ; f f6eling'hisstubbly i beard!" ; .' !r ''"' N) io^'-;'"'l'sluhk-'away^difiheartenea. 1 ' ,'0 * ; " hV '- fl X Stella's prophecy Hid; been corfe'cl:. 5 - ' ts " QEJut/f HyaS deWmmed'not'tbilese'rt. mjr, old, play nia'te' thus: r ' • ').•."■■''; ..;■ ! ; iJ 'Greeping'up' to' my room, 'T'topkf a ' solitary crown I 'piece, 'treasured towards 1 a fit new blue 1 'sash -for 'a spring muslin,* and wrote ■a n short note • to ' Hub'ert f ! Leslie^- : ' • '^Hubert' Leslie, 1 ' the f youhg ' artist wh^Md' 1 lived : with' us' the summer M previ6u'B— - " 'asking him to befriend' the friendless.' 1 ' J -''■-' •, I believed" he would "dp a8 f> m'ucH 'as 11 J that for my sake; and' then hurrying l once " more to • the ' barnj II 11I 1 crep't' tip tb'Btella r « ? ' Wide.' !' ' "'' ''■ ' - M '"» M - > on'.m-. 1 V Stella, 1 "' said' I, "you^mustgtf'aW'ay 1 - 1 from 'here." ■ •■ ' ! '" !r ! ' <(> ' 11 ;/ >"-:-?''"i"f '"'"I 1 thought ao, J "-' s resp6iided'' l " r Stella',' ' |ca'lmlyr' '-"'". ' •' ' ' ' ■ ••' y ■ •■> ' tf But i. Here's a' ; crown-^all the 1 nioney I. have g6t?'''lt' x will 'take ! yoii t ; to York." ' And here is a note- to a gentleman who"" may, perhaps, ,help ybu,tb'fiiid ißometi Bometh > ing ' Stella threw .her arms about! niy neck, ' and I could feel ncr tears, .we,t and, ivarin, . .upon my cheek. t ,' "' s '",' } .' ( l a Effie.Heartt," sobbed she, ."k'ajltke.. world was like you, perhaps ,1-shovildn't.; be so bad as I am. Yet I'll. do>my, best. ' ,. Give me the money and let me go/ , I watched her dark form ploddingaway over the snow until the black, speck vanished under the wall of trees/

thafr lined, the road, and then I. came back into thd house where my mother' and the visitor. jwere, ( . , ;! : *** Has Bhe gone ? " asked the former, j ■ "'Yes, she ha 3 gone,'*l answered. " I ,apa glfid of that/ "said my mother. * " I've no fai|h in; that Sfcejla Severn. She might nave' had a good home with Mrs Lockwood, jf only ahe had behavejl herAnd it was no£ until some time afterwards that, I ventured to tell ;my mother what I^ai done. ",.;,', ,-',,' ] , „.",You aye ,al, foo|," said , she, w,ith acerbity. ' ""^pui I "' money' is' as clean thrown away' as if you had pitched it dpwax. the ; well ;. and I'm sure I don't know, what. Mr/jJeslie will think of your infeerference.'^ „.',' , ' ' \ „' . I hung, my ; head and made no answer J But when the summer hung her coronkl of big'-.-.creaM-colourdd . rosed over/ oor farm-house door, and Hubert Leslie came back with his easely I venixcred to ask him of Stella. - , « Oh," said "he, "'thai s black-eyed girl wUh the Spanish face ? Yes,l remember,' ' nf|w. :/ *rgbth'er a 'place as ' child's nurse with my cousin, Mrs Evelyn, btft she ran away. f within^he,mpnth." , , . 1 * ' "■Hueod)i T jl .iojd, ;you'. so," said my mother, with scornful emphasis which is so jbar^tp.bear.iv; !•• ■• ■ ■'< I l?itmy lip.- '- j | i "Never .mind, Effie," said Mr Leslto, kindly, " a good action is never entirely thrown' -away.- Stella Severn's gipsy blood ,',' could ill bear restraint ; but I don't think she'll forget you, for all that" ! . This :was jasi before Hubert, Leslie t asked'mfr-tpbe his wife.' '' A l ' ''• ; \ ,We wiSr^ J marrißd'.the next spring, arid •.;^we'at6Yprkto;live; M : ' : ! ; l '^JWeJiacLa ; tit&e'fiif'lof a room,opening out of Hubert's I studio, where we kept. house like a pair of turtle doves in a nest. "> ( i 'MfnSugli Hub^r't' wae ! such 'a ge|ius, and Ji^d painted" so many beautiful"p'ic*ffeirea, 'ftp was ' young ' and .comparatively ' "linM'oWn, arid .we found it hard to live, '. particularly Alter the twins had opened on the wintey sunshine pf .^ioripus February ddy.^,^ , ' %.,{:\ I nad done a little' fanifsyirwork nejetb.fore'; .but.nowmy hands were tied, and jit '-was hard to, see .the, shadpws creep- over HaberfcVbrowi ancl : know* that I had no PQwer to lift them. 1 ■ , /Soth^yearywentby. j* . „ „' r | ,^for^'.Uttle Tories clustered, around our ,;,«antv 'board; and althpugh Hubert —-worked hard and conscientiously, theire to the jpublic ta^te, and^ceived more orders, j I We w^e vjffitpoiot; . . ; j < - " Huber^fXßa.rd-^onc day, when the |load of poverty been almost imore fthaa-w^ oonHlfear, '^don'trypn you, |had neVer niirneaT^, :,*..', i j "Do-I^wishHho sunshine had never 4S2SiM2^yrMe.*l!Lh±^«d-V- * s Js<?y' 6r--.jpiit' jtfiaT**que3tion again, little^'wife. '; Whab wonM existence .be worth ,withont you sn4 {he bhbes hi!.- , ■:- •;. / ! . w ff'K'you could ! only sell that 'pidturej" '• I-sighedj thinking of- something that had ■'•beeoPori-the qasel fdr montiia.^ 3 • ' • ' j «':•" He -shrugged his shiaulders, 1 ' r "* ] , " Harper. says.it ian't worth anyth f ingj" * 'i$T c Popular Standard of appreciation, 'J j . ± ---I-aighed -j-bat~iß-spite of -all our'priva''s.'iiona j'l>would~notj 'I>would~not have «aked Hubert \o * lOTOrfcig'grahdideat'bf'art.* * h i! l^-^lwa^proud'dfit.'"- -•''*■"•'■-• } l '■ * I was proud^oT * liim. „ " 3i ' Al : ? : us* HM^b W e g ol^9 n^.?S e / «^s .dawnefl, ?an4*(fcWß-.atrt isi^apprefiifttedj^t last., |I '■ haite [»oH my s pioturew' r „',// i M -. ; . r ., j >w in* Hto'dßß^'SantiMt?' Hubert? Vj. ; ; i ' j -^^-YeßiJithffi *.Smiri3e.'i.;liook;l< .Here;s f for signed u 'bs i Sigriora Estella Severihi, 'theiprima -.donna. SJie.. is in the 'sttdfp jiow', I 'and says she wants, rjuy, be introduced to tie iiartiat'swife:?? i..»/.;mu will : \ --.-«f.Bttt3!Bftibert,.my dress!/' . '<: : ;i. ;'^'Ohl^our jdreßs .is well enough; Mrs 1 ;tJuSdel*lla;""; tJuSdel*lla;"" he tjribdj laughing; as ;iie drew me towards the door. • i t A lady sat in the model's chair — a tall, i »nperbly-mouide4 ? )ady r dressed. in-bla(|k * velvet,- and an Indian shawl, with haiz of '' rippled' purplish black, and large 1 dusky •■'i&yes.* -«■• '-• •" ... .:. ..i -'■ -, *Hfe inßtant she looked np, I knew her '' againl ' • '-»'-.•» ,- . ; .. :4: 41 3«ellal Stella Severn ! v I cried, with .'"ftiwrt^pf.'gaspi. ' t " • ';,' ! „!]? 'Sheipse,, laughing and crying, and fail »,'j''-,".'» ,'j ''-,".' ..'"■";• „ i •ui'.WhW^m/iSi «> think .that /we „ . shooldimpefc: alfcer, alL these.years ! "!' „ I She told me, ihen, her story. ; , „ • How, after long battling with* tl|o TM Yprld's I.viciiwitude1 .viciiwitude3 i '.she ] r had come across ' ' an operaV xnanig^ lyfho-. ,' tHe li: bidden treasure tha^ , existed in her yo'ick . -and voluntarily assumed the eipeuae pf .t training it. , „. , .' j - • • ." And lam rich and famous npw," said -she. 1 , " lean pay back £ho debt I owe yon, Sffie ; for I think if it had not been for ~y6u~~an& your money -that winter ..night, 1 qhould have been driven to swallqw.the little.', v^al of laudanum I had clreadyin my pocket 1 " , i .. "6h,.Stella.rV».' • '. • ",/,',, ;* bufc! | sbould. You do ni>fc ,i, i jandentand how persecuted and hunted! I ' was, En%—but' thank God, that is, over now I" _ • ,1 i, , s Signora Severini's thoasand-pound 3 cheque was the beginning of our ne.w fortunes. , It was the fashion to copy her whims „and caprices. •>\ .tOtttW.n^pple^bought; because BUe'did-j-and pretty aoon, we were able to moye to » pretty cottage of our own. ' '

An<i when my mother and Mr Cornell, ] down in the country, heard what Stella Severn had become, they declared sagely^ru Well, there's never any telling"hpw'* things may turn out injhig^wprlil "- ; - .'