The Argosy — page 161: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

146 My First Situation. “ How tired you must be, my dear; and”—she stopped in the middle of the great hall we were crossing, and took my hand in hers—‘‘it is all through a mistake, and I am more in fault than any- one. I ought to have gone myself to tell you we were going to start by a later train; instead of that I sent my brother’s servant. We have long been afraid that he is not trustworthy, and now he has proved himself what we thought. You never received my second letter, did you ?” *“ Never,” I replied. “Ah, I thought that was it! I hope you will forgive us, dear, and that we may be able to make you forget all the unpleasant- nesses of your journey. Could you sleep last night? My brother- in-law telegraphed to us that you had been wrongly directed, and that you had got to Woltersdorf instead of to Wellersdorf. I do think the name ought to be changed.” And so the kind lady went on talking till we reached my room. ‘‘T hope you will be happy here, and stay with us a long time, my dear,” were her parting words, as she was about to age the room with her daughter. | I went up to her, and took her hand within my own. “It is more like coming home than anything I could have imagined,” I was just able to say, for I had a choking sensation in my throat that took away my voice. How good everyone was to me! How different from what I had expected! III. A WEEK passed. Nothing could exceed the kindness of all the inhabitants of Castle Dahlsburg. I had plenty to do, but I liked that, and my pupils and I were fast becoming friends. I had told my adventures to the assembled family on the evening of my arrival, and elicited both laughter and tears—real tears from the Countess Dahlen. ‘‘ Poor child,” she said, stroking my hair; ‘* what escapes you had through that mistake! Thank God, you fell into good hands.” After which my journey had not been reverted to again. - One morning I was greeted at breakfast with cries of: ‘ Miss Alford, Miss Alford, Uncle Harry is coming to-day: ar’n’t you glad ? We are,” said one of the little boys. ‘‘ He is so jolly, and does — speak good English, doesn’t he, mamma? Better than papa even.” ‘They both speak well, dear ; and no wonder, when your grand- mother was English. ‘That is why I want you all to speak a especially well, you know.” The Countess was called out of the room, and we all dispersed to our several avocations immediately afterwards. When lessons were over, Marie and I went out for our usual walk. We crossed the _ garden to get into the village, and then Marie found out that she had forgotten a book she wished to take to a sick woman. Gomicbooks.cor