THE NOVELIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1442, 12 July 1879, Page 21

THE NOVELIST.

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CHAPTER IV.

Aunt M.lly'i Arrival,

Written for the Otago Witness.

(By the AuraoßESs of " Aitkr Fifty Ybars.")

Mrs Ross and her daughters hastened to the hall to welcome the travellers. A servant was carrying in boxes and bags, and a gentleman was assisting an old lady to alight from the cab. They hurried in, and shut the door on the cutting wind and drifting snow. "Flora, girls, come and welcome your Aunt Milly," cried the gentleman, who wa3 no other than Mr Ro3s. His wife came forward with an affectionate greeting, and the girls were introduced to the aunt they had heard so much of, but had never seen till now. "Come to the fire, do," said Mr 3 Ross, leading the way back to the drawingroom ; "you must be perished with cold, ifc is a dreadful night." As they enter the well-lighted room Miss Osborne romoves her wraps, and you see the dear old face again. It is older and more careworn, but age has not robbed, it of iis calm, trustful expression. The last seventeen years have passed far mure lightly over her than over Flora. Mr Ross follows ; hia sandy locks are yet untouched by tho hand of time, but his face is graver and sterner, and there are deep lines of caro on his brow. As they enter the light he casts a keen glance at his wife, which seems to satisfy him, for his brow clears, and he joina Aunt Milly in giving a description of their journey. In a few minutes they separate for a brief toilet, and then reassemble for that

moat comfortable of meals, a " knife-and-fork tea," "Who do you tlimk is the new doctor V asked Mr Ross, as he carved the meat. " I was just wondering this evening who it would be," observed Esther. tl Hugh Gordon," said her father. " What ?" cried Isabel ; " Harry Scott's friend ? the man who saved his life V "The very same. He travelled down with vs — he and his mother. " " I thought she was a great invalid." remarked Mrs Ross, " So she is ; and he was afraid travelling on such .a night would be bad for her, but it was utterly impossible to help it : he must be here this week, and she will not be separated from him for a single day." "Do you like him ?" asked Isabel. "Yes," was the answer. "I never remember taking to a new face so quickly. I can see we shall get on together firstrate." "Harry will be glad to have his friend so near him again," remarked Esther. " I am curious to see Harry," said Miss Osborne. " What is he doing now ?" " Ruinhig himself," answered Mr Ross, shortly. Aunt Milly looked grieved. " It is true ; I wish it' were not," said her nephew, " for I always liked Harry ; but since his old uncle left him that legacy of £200 a year he has been good for nothing." " That old Ralph Abernethy was a strange character," continued Mr Robs, j " He began life without a shilling, as he used to boast, and left almost a million behind to found a hospital. I cannot conceive how a man making such a profession of religion as he did could die worth such a sum, considering the want and misery to be found in London alone, especially as he had no relations to provide for except the Scotts. It looks too much like giving what one can by no possibility keep longer." "Yet they spoke very well of him at the time of his death," interposed Aunt Milly, who could never bear to hear ill of another. " Men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself," responded Mr Ross drily. "Well, well," said gentle Miss Osborne, " the poor man is gone now where he will be judged on his own merits ; but I am sorry to hear his legacy has done Harry so much harm. How is it V "Why you see," replied Mr Ross, ' ' before this money came he knew success depended on his own exertions, and that knowledge kept him straight at the university, and he did very well. But just as he had bought a practice here and settled do.vn, in comeß this legacy and upsets it all. First he took a holiday on the strength, of it, and then by degrees got into idle ways and company. Now he has quite given up work, and leads the life of a fasb man about town." "Dear, dear!" exclaimed Miss Os- , borne ; " what a trial it must be to his poor parents, and Nellie, too : is she not engaged to him ?" "They are fond of each other, but Mr Scott will not allow an engagement until Nellie is of age, which will not be for some months yet. When old Dr Jamieson made Mr Scott her guardian, he exacted a promise that she should not be allowed to pledge herself to anyone until she was twenty-one. And Helen Jamieson is not the girl I take her to be, if she consents to marry Harry when she is of age." I "Oh! papa," cried Isabel eagerly; " they love each other so ; and it might be the saving of Harry." "Believe me, Isabel," returned her father, "if the hope of winning such a girl as Nellie is not sufficient to keep Harry steady, the possession of her will never do it. " Isabel made no reply to this, and there was silence at the table for a few minutes. Presently Mrs Ross spoke ; she had been trifling with the food on her plate, eating scarcely anything, and seeming to take no interest in the conversation. Now she roused herself, and addressing Aunt Milly, said : " You have told us nothing yet of poor Rosie." A shade of sadness came over Miss Osborne's pleasant face. "There is little to tell," she replied, softly ; " the end came suddenly at last, as we were told to expect it would. She had had her chapter read for the night ; and we were talking of Mrs Osborne, when Rosie askod me to move her pillow ; while I was doing it, she fell back on my arm and expired without a moan." Tears were in Aunt Milly's eyes, and her voice trembled as she spoke. Esther bent forward, with glistening eyes and quivering mouth ; Isabel looked grave, and even Flora was touched. "Poor Rosie 1" she sighed, "hers was indeed a sad life." " She would not have said so," answered Miss Osborne ; " her patience and unselfiahneßS were beautiful to witness, and her unvarying cheerfulness through almost constant pain made her sick-ruom attractive to all who knew her." "Was the cause of that accident ever ascertained 1" abruptly inquired Mr Robs. " Yes, it was clearly traced to the drunkenness of the signalman ; he neglected to hoist tho danger signal, and the train dashed through the station at full speed, as it was not to stop there, camo into collision with a line of cattle trucks, and was thrown off the rails a perfect wreck." " Was Aunt Rosie's husband killed at once ?" asked Isabel. (< Yes ; he, gave his jlife for her, "When

found he was leaning over her in a protecting attitude ; but though the blow that would have killed her fell on him, Rosie was still so much hurt that for weeks her life was despaired of." -^ ■ . "Poor thing, poor thing," sighed Mr Ross ; " and on her wedding day, ,tqo !" Esther could not speak ; she was crying silently. The details had never been so fully known to her before. She was very young when it happened ; for months Aunt Milly and Mrs Oaborne had been bo constantly in attendance on Rose as, to leave little time or heart for letter- writing, and afterwards the subject was too painful to be revived. ; ,■ , "Ah!" said Miss Osborne, "we little thought on that bright morning how the day would end. The two brides looked so bright and lovely, and my heart wjia so at rest about the husbands they had chosen, that if anyone had asked me, I should have had no hesitation in predicting a happy and useful future for both couples." , -, ,i, "When I heard Rosie had chosen ; a clergyman, I was surprised," remarked Mrs Ross ; " I should have thought her far too childish for a minister's .wife !" ' ' "We never did her juatice,". replied Aunt Milly. "A woman's heart beat under that childish exterior ; and her engagement made her far, more womanly in manner than when you last saw her. Lucy Clinton first, and then Kenneth Huntly, were the greatest blessings |bo Rosie." < •' , . " How did Lucy bear the news of the accident ?" Mrs Ross inquired. " She and her husband, Walter Tr?emaine, Btarted for India that very day, and heard nothing of it until our letters reached them. Lucy was terribly shocked and grieved — indeed the news brought on a severe illness. She wrote as soon, -.as she was able, though hardly daring to hope the letter would find her friend alive ; and since then not a mail has passed without bringing a long .letter from her, filled with all which Bhe thought likely to interest the dear invalid." " Aunt Rosie must have fell grandma's death greatly," observed Isabel. "Yes. Mrs Osborne had been in a delicate state of health for some time, but her death was quite unexpected.' Poor Rosie never recovered the Bhock." J Aunt Milly did not add, 'as she could have done, that it was hearing from, a tattling acquaintance, lately returned from Scotland, the news of her eldest daughter's degradation which had hastened her end. , " '/ As the travellera were fatigued with their journey, Mr Ross had pray era earlier than usual, and "good nightai *', were exchanged. Her father signed Esther -to remain ; and when they were alone :' " How have things gone while I have been away 1 ?" he asked, passing his arm round her and drawing her near. . ' " Pretty well, papa." ' " How did you enjoy your party laat " I did not go," was Esther's hesitating answer. " How was that ? I thought you had been looking forward to ' it for some time." " Mama was — not very well," said she unwillingly, " and I preferred remaining at home." Mr Ross's brow grew dark. "Was she very bad?" he inquired sternly. "Oh no, papa ; she had not taken much." " How did she get it V "I don't know ; she had not been out all day, and no one had brought any in, I feel sure. I searched while Bhe was asleep, but could find none." Mr Ross sighed heavily. "Well my dear, good night ; there, is no need to keep you up. Ido hope your aunt will be a restraint to her." "I hope sa too, papa, dear. Good night ;" and with an affectionate embrace the father and daughter separated, Esther going to her room, with an anxious heart. '' " " She has some way of procuring brandy that I don't know of ; and if that is the case, will Aunt Milly's presence restrain her ? How can she get it ?"-r-a problem which poor Esther fell asleep trying to solve.