The Argosy — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

My Saturdays. 219 income, enough to save her from the necessity of earning her bread : visited her uncles, aunts, and cousins, whenever she was asked, which was reasonably often; and in a general way, seemed to be nothing particular, and to do nothing particular. ‘¢T have her down here whenever I can,” her aunt, Mrs. Neville, explained to me that day at Windsor, when I had gone home with them to afternoon tea; “because it really is a lonely life for her. But it is a good deal ofa géne, for she isn’t lively or amusing at all, and the girls don’t care for her. And then she has no pursuits, except this dreadful spiritualism, which makes me so nervous.” ‘You don’t have séances ?” Oh, no. I wouldn’t have such a thing in the house on any account; I think it is quite wicked ; and Lena knows that I disapprove, and, to do her justice, she has never talked to the girls about it, or tried to set it going at all. But I know she visits horrid places in London where they have dark séances, and all sorts of things ; and I’m always afraid that she will set us all distracted.” ‘It is a pity she hasn’t something better to occupy her mind.” ‘So I always say. Now, the Vicar wanted my girls to take a district here ; he even went so far as to ask Marian to teachin a night school ; and of course I could not allow that. ‘They would be sure to catch fevers in those dirty houses, and altogether, it wouldn’t do. I tell them their home duties are enough for them. But Lena, now, might quite give herself up to charity, and it would be so nice for her.” | ‘“‘ Everybody is not inclined to self-devotion, though, even when they have nothing better to do with themselves. Does not Miss Graham care for music or reading P” ‘’That’s another provoking thing. Lena has a lovely voice; she used to give hours to music at one time; but no one ever hears her now, except sometimes a little at Church. She gave it all up, and went in for study. She wanted to take a degree, I think, or something of the sort. Very absurd, I always told her. ‘The mere idea of a girl being a Bachelor, you know, is so ridiculous. When they can’t even find a sensible name for the thing, it must be against nature. But I really wish now I had encouraged her, for after a time she gave all that up, too; and at any rate it was better than moping and spirit-rapping.” ‘* Do you know how she came to take up spiritualism ?” “Well, I fancy it had something to do with her little brother’s death. He was her step-brother, a great many years younger. She was quite grown-up when it happened ; they were living together at.some board- ing-house in London. She took it greatly to heart ; I think it was then that she gave up her books, and took toall these fancies. I know we were surprised to see how she felt it ; we never thought she cared much about little Joso when he was alive.” I thought that I had got the clue to Miss Graham’s melancholy, then, though it seemed strange that one such sorrow should lay waste a life ; but no further light was thrown upon her history, though I Connuiclooolkks (SO)