Daisy Burns, a tale

Chapter I

" Nonsense !" said Kate, " I am not gomg to stand that, you know." She spoke in the oddest of her 'many odd ways. I looked up — her bright eyes were gbttering — she passed her arm around me, made me lay my head on her shoulder, and kissed me with unusual ten derness. " Poor bttle thing ! " she said gently, " your troubles begin early, and yet, take my word for it, they wdl not last nor seem so severe after a time. When those two are married, you and I shall live together and be quite happy." " When are they to marry ?" I asked. VOL. II. B DAISY BURNS.

CHAPTER I.

" Nonsense !" said Kate, " I am not gomg to stand that, you know." She spoke in the oddest of her 'many odd ways. I looked up — her bright eyes were gbttering — she passed her arm around me, made me lay my head on her shoulder, and kissed me with unusual ten derness. " Poor bttle thing ! " she said gently, " your troubles begin early, and yet, take my word for it, they wdl not last nor seem so severe after a time. When those two are married, you and I shall live together and be quite happy." " When are they to marry ?" I asked. VOL. II. B " In a month or two. A foobsh business, Midge : I thought Cornebus would have had more sense ; but he is to have plenty of work from a Mr. Red mond, and on the strength of such prospects he is going to marry. He is but a boy, and he does not know better ; but she does, and it is a shame of her to take him in."

" I thought Miss RusseU had money." " So she has ; but I know Cornelius ; he won't live on his wife's money ; he wid do paltry work to support himself, lose all his time in copying bad pictures, and ruin his prospects as an artist, — aU that because he could not wait a year or two. Ah weU ! I hope he may not repent it ; I hope he may always love her as much as he does now. Don't fret, child; he never deserved such a good bttle gdl as you have been to him." " Oh, Kate, it is not for that I fret, but is it possible Cornebus can think of giving up painting ? it cuts me to think of it." " He does not think of it, foodsh febow ! He does not see that he is tying himself down ; just as he does not see that it is to please her he is sending you away. He thinks it is all his idea, whereas I know very weU that of his own accord Cornelius O'Reilly would never have dreamed of parting from the chdd of Edward Burns.

To be sure, I might have insisted on keeping you, for the house is mine, but for your own sake I would not make an annoyance of you to him. One must always let men have thed way, and find out their own mistakes : he will regret you yet, Daisy." Thus she talked and strove to comfort me, until, after a long drive, we stopped at the door of the Misses Clapperton. They resided in a detached vdla, very Moorish looking, with windows smad enough to satisfy even the jealousy of a Turk, a flat roof admdably calcu lated for taking cold on, and a turret that threat eningly overlooked a classic villa opposite, and gave the whole budding a fortified, chivahic, arabesque an, confirmed by its euphonious name — Alhambra Lodge. I knew the Alhambra through the me dium of Geoffrey Crayon, and devoutly hoped it did not resemble this.

On the left of the Al hambra arose an imitation old Engbsh cottage, with tiny gable-ends and transversal beams artis ticaby painted on the wrads ; on the right a Swiss chalet told a whole story of pastoral innocence, and made one transform into an English Ranz des Vaches the cry of "milk from the cow" coming up the street ; further on arose a Gothic mansion — but peace be with the domestic architecture of England ! We were received in a comfortableb looking parlour — not in the least Moorish — by Miss Mary Clapperton. She was short, deformed, grotesquely plain, but had a happy, good-natured face, and inteUigent black eyes, of bird-bke live liness. She spoke volubly, cabed me " a dear," and laughed and chatted at an amazing rate. We had scarcely sat down, when her sister, Ann Clap perton, entered the room.

She proved to be the very counterpart of Mary. There never was such a perfect likeness, even to then voice and their very expressions. As they dressed alike they puzzled every one. Ab the time I was with them, I never could know which was which ; to this day I remember them as a compound individual, an swering to the name of Mary- Ann Clapperton. Everything had been settled beforehand, so Kate only had to bid me good-bye. It was a quiet parting ; she promised to come and see me soon, and, in return, made me promise not to fret. So far as tears went, I kept my word. I was not much given to weeping, and pride alone would have checked outward grief in the presence of strangers. I sat looking at the Misses Clap perton, who looked at me very kindly, and con versed about me as much as two persons who never had a separate thought could be said to converse.

The only difference I found between them was that one, I bebeve it was Mary, suggested ideas which the other immediately con verted into facts, as in the fobowing whispered dialogue — " Ann, she looks delicate." " She is debcate, Mary." " I fancy she is intelligent." " I am sure she is." I did not hear the rest of the conference; it was brief, and ended by one of the Misses Clap perton — I think it was Mary, but I am not quite sure, for in turning about they had, as it were, mingled — asking me d I should not like to be come acquainted with my future companions; on my replying " Yes," she took me by the hand, and led me out into a green garden, ad lawn and gravel path, where I was formally introduced to, and left alone with, the two Misses Brook. Jane and Fanny Brook were orphan sisters of fourteen and fifteen ; fine, fresh, romping gdls, with crisp black had, cheeks like roses, and ivory teeth.

They looked as demure as nuns whdst Miss Clapperton was by, but no sooner was her back turned than they began to whisper and giggle. Then suddenly addressing me as I stood by them, feebng sdent and lonely, Jane said — "Wdl you run?" " I never run ; I cannot." " Try," observed Fanny. They caught me between them and whdled me off, but they were soon obliged to pause. I had stopped short, ad out of breath. " I told you I could not run," I said, a bttle offended at then free manner. " Poor little thing ! " compassionately excladned Jane. "Wbl you race ?" asked her sister. " I don't mind if I do." A laburnum, at the end of the lawn, was fixed as the goal. They made me arbiter. I sat down on a wooden bench to look; they started off at once, reached the tree at the same moment, knocked one another down in then eagerness — then rose aU tumbled and disordered, and ran back to me.

" I was first, was I not?" cried Jane. " Indeed you were not. It was I, was it not?" " Indeed," I repded, " I don't know which it was. I think you both reached it at once." This impartial decision displeased them both. They said I was ill-natured and sly, got recon cded at my expense, and began a gentle sport of then own invention, caUed " the hunt." It con sisted in one of the Misses Brook running the other down, which she did most successfuUy, and then submitted to being run down in her turn. My arrival had converted this into a holiday; so when the hunt was over, Fanny amused hersed with a bow and quivers, whilst Jane swung her sed to and fro from the laburnum. I looked on with wonder, and thought I had never seen such odd gdls. The strangeness of everything made the day seem doubly long.

So sudden and violent a separation from ab I knew and loved was more irritated than soothed by the new objects and new faces to which I was compeUed to give my attention, but which could not absorb my thoughts. I welcomed evening with a sense of rebef, and a hope that it would bring me sdence and com parative sobtude. I shared a large, cheerful, airy bedroom with the two sisters, who slept together. At first they were very quiet, but after awhde I heard a low rustling sound of paper that seemed to proceed from under then bedclothes ; then one whispered to the other — " Do you think she is asleep?" " Try," was the laconic reply. "What a beautiful moonlight!" observed the voice of Jane aloud. " Oh, very !" emphatically answered Fanny. " Do you like the moonlight ? " asked Jane, seeming to address me.

"Yes, I like it," I repbed; I could scarcely utter the words, my heart was so full of the lost home, with its quauit garden, sun-dial, and old trees, on which the same moon that chequered the drawn window-Mind shone at this hour. On hearing my reply, the two sisters held a whispered consultation, which ended in Fanny saying in a subdued tone — " Will you have some sweetstuff ?" " Thank you," I repbed, rather astonished, " I never eat sweets ; I do not like them." This answer appeared to produce a very unfa vourable impression. The sisters seemed to think me a traitor and a spy, and to repent then imprudent confidence. Of this, though I could not see them, I was intuitively conscious. " You need not be afraid that I should tell," I observed, somewhat indignantly. They both said in a breath, " they were sure I would not," and very kindly pressed me to share then dainties.

" Don't be afraid," encouragingly remarked Jane, " there is plenty of it." " A whole bagful," added Fanny, whose mouth seemed to be as full as her bag. " Oh, Fanny, you greedy thing!" exclaimed Jane, " you promised not to begin untd I was ready : I am sure you have taken ad the candy." I am afraid that thus it must have proved on examination, for I suddenly heard a sound slap, accompanied with a recommendation of " Take that," which, d it aduded to the slap, was whoUy unnecessary, it being not merely received, but re turned, with " Take that too," that proved the beginning of a regular battle. I felt greatly disgusted; the idea of sighing in bed was essentiady repugnant to my sense of deco rum ; but an end was soon put to the contest, by the sound of an approaching step : on hearing it the combatants stopped as d by magic.

" Say as we say," hastily whispered Jane. I felt something abght on my bed; the door opened, and Miss Clapperton — I think it was Mary — appeared with a bght in her hand, and her ugly good-humoured face wearing an expression of solemn reproof. " Young ladies," she observed, ad dressing the Misses Brook, " are you not ashamed of yourselves?" " We were only laughing," gdbly said Jane, " weren't we, dear?" " Yes, dear," replied Fanny. " We could not help it," continued Jane ; " she b has some sweetstuff in bed with her, and she said she would give us some, and I said I would have aU the candy, and Fanny said she would : didn't you, dear?" " Yes, dear." I was amazed at the readiness of then invention ; but I could not understand why Miss Clapperton looked at me so gravely. At length it came out : the perfidious Jane, knowing she would not have time to conceal the bag of sweetstuff, had tossed it on my bed, where it lay — a convincing proof of my guilt.

Miss Clapperton reproved me very gently. " She did not aUow sweets," she informed me, " but of course I did not know that, although she must say that eating them thus in the dark did not look quite bke unconsciousness. Stdl she would not be severe on the first day. The confis cation of what she could assure me was most per nicious stuff, should be my only punishment." With this she retned. I had not contradicted the story of Jane, but I was none the less indignant, and I meant to tell her a bit of my mind, when, to my astonishment, she chose to accuse me. " How could you be such a ninny," she coolly asked, " as to let her carry off the bag ? It will all go to that odious PoUy. You could have coaxed her out of it, if you liked ; a new pupd always can coax her out of anything — she is so soft."

Fanny chimed in with her sister, and both agreed in caUing me a " muff," a mysterious ex pression that puzzled and annoyed me extremely, but which they refused to explain, saying I knew very well what it meant. At length they feb fast asleep, and left me in peace. School reminiscences do not possess for me the universal charm ascribed to them. I was a chdd in years, but I had outgrown the feebngs of a chdd : this was the torment and the happiness of my youth. A few days reconcded me however to the rough ways of Jane and Fanny Brook. They were, on the whole, kind-hearted, merry, romping gdls ; but I was years beyond them in everything save physical strength; I had feelings and ideas of which they entertained not the faint est conception, and, after spending nearly three years in the debghtful and intedectual companion ship of Cornebus and Kate, I could not care much for then childish amusements and still more chdd ish talk.

They pitied me for being so weak, and liked me because, though I could not share in their boisterous pleasures, I was of some use to them in then studies, and because, whenever I could do so, I helped them through the difficulties into which then indolence daily brought them. So much for my companions. The Misses Clapperton proved, as might have been expected from then appearance, kind-hearted, zealous teachers. I had entered Alhambra Lodge on the Tuesday ; Kate had not said that she would come on the Sunday, but I ftdly expected her, and when, at an early hour, I was summoned down to see a visitor, my heart beat with more joy than surprise. I entered the parlour, and I saw, not Kate, but Cor nelius. I was so glad, so happy, that I could not speak. As he kissed me, he saw that my eyes were full of tears, and he chid me gaily.

My first words were — " Is it exhibited, Cornelius?" " What are you talking of?" " The Happy Time ; I know the Academy opened yesterday, I thought of it ab the day long." " Of course you did," he replied, smoothing my had, " I was sure of it." " Oh, Cornebus, do teb me." " Cau't you guess?" His smiling face could bear but one interpreta tion. Overjoyed I threw my arms around his neck ; he laughed, and said I looked quite wild. I know not how I looked, but I knowl felt debghted. " Yet they look older than you." " So they are ; but, would you bebeve it ? they have never heard of Michael Angelo or Raffaelle." "Poor things!" laughed Cornelius, "how do they manage to exist?" " Indeed I don't know. When I talk to them of painting, Jane says she should bke to padit fire screens, and Fanny says she should uot care."

" They are both young Vandals," said Corne bus, " so don't waste your high ideas of Art upon them ; they cannot understand anything of the sort, you know. The fact is, there are not many little gnls bke mine. Oh, Daisy ! I don't want to reproach, but how is it that you, who are so good in everything else, have on one point been so perverse?" I did not answer : d he did not know that my only sin was loving him too much, where was the use to ted him ? I asked after Kate ; he said she was web, and would come in the afternoon : then we spoke for a few minutes of other things, and he rose to leave me, promising that on his next visit he would give me a long walk. I thought my heart would fad me at the parting, but his look checked me, and I bore this as I was learning to bear so many things — with the sdent endurance that is not always resignation.

" Yet they look older than you." " So they are ; but, would you bebeve it ? they have never heard of Michael Angelo or Raffaelle." "Poor things!" laughed Cornelius, "how do they manage to exist?" " Indeed I don't know. When I talk to them of painting, Jane says she should bke to padit fire screens, and Fanny says she should uot care." " They are both young Vandals," said Corne bus, " so don't waste your high ideas of Art upon them ; they cannot understand anything of the sort, you know. The fact is, there are not many little gnls bke mine. Oh, Daisy ! I don't want to reproach, but how is it that you, who are so good in everything else, have on one point been so perverse?" I did not answer : d he did not know that my only sin was loving him too much, where was the use to ted him ? I asked after Kate ; he said she was web, and would come in the afternoon : then we spoke for a few minutes of other things, and he rose to leave me, promising that on his next visit he would give me a long walk.

I thought my heart would fad me at the parting, but his look checked me, and I bore this as I was learning to bear so many things — with the sdent endurance that is not always resignation. L6 DAISY BURNS. me, " he means to come oftener, but every Sunday brings something new to prevent him. He is very fond of you though, often talks of you, praises you, and has hung up in his studio a Uttle drawing of himsed and you which some one uselessly tried to make him take down." " Yes," I repbed, sighing, " he likes me, Kate, but he does uot come near me; and though he promised to take me out walking with him some day, he has never done so yet." " Then it is to come," was her phdosophic reply. But, seeing this did not comfort me, she added — " I have a great mind to teb you something ; but no, I will not on reflection, it would make you conceited."

" Then I know what it is, Kate ; he said I was clever, or that I would grow up to be good-looking, or something of the kind, which I care very little about ; whereas I should care a great deal about his coming to see me." "No," repUed Kate, smding, "it was nothing like that ; but the other evening, when I certainly did not imagine he was flunking of you, he said all of a sudden — ' I wish I had that tiresome little gdl back again.' I repUed carelessly, ' Do you ?' just to draw him out. 'Yes,' he answered, 'I me, " he means to come oftener, but every Sunday brings something new to prevent him. He is very fond of you though, often talks of you, praises you, and has hung up in his studio a Uttle drawing of himsed and you which some one uselessly tried to make him take down." " Yes," I repbed, sighing, " he likes me, Kate, but he does uot come near me; and though he promised to take me out walking with him some day, he has never done so yet."

" Then it is to come," was her phdosophic reply. But, seeing this did not comfort me, she added — " I have a great mind to teb you something ; but no, I will not on reflection, it would make you conceited." " Then I know what it is, Kate ; he said I was clever, or that I would grow up to be good-looking, or something of the kind, which I care very little about ; whereas I should care a great deal about his coming to see me." "No," repUed Kate, smding, "it was nothing like that ; but the other evening, when I certainly did not imagine he was flunking of you, he said all of a sudden — ' I wish I had that tiresome little gdl back again.' I repUed carelessly, ' Do you ?' just to draw him out. 'Yes,' he answered, 'I never knew how fond of her I was until she was gone.' So there is something for you."

Affection is sud of wiles. I fodowed the pre cept of drawing out just laid down by Miss O' Redly, and said quietly — "Is that ad, Kate?" "AU!" she repUed didignantly; "why, what more would you have ? You ignorant little thing, don't you know that the human heart is made up of separate curious niches, and that in the heart of Cornelius you have quite a niche of your own. He loves me more than he loves you ; and, alas ! he loves Miriam more than us two put together ; but for aU that I am much deceived d he does not feel more of what is caUed friendship for you than for either of us j and let me tell you that friendship which is not exacted as the love of kindred, not interested like passion, is a very lovely thing. It is odd that a bttle gdl like you should now be to him what is cabed a ' friend,' and yet it is so ; but whether because of some secret sympathy invisible to me, or on account of your liking his pictures and painting so well, is more than I can ted."

She spoke positively : . memory confirmed all she said ; the words of Cornelius repeated by her gave additional proof, — for to be missed is one of the tokens love most prizes, and on which it relies most securely. The blood rushed to my heart : I looked up at Kate with mute gladness. " Bless the chdd ! " she exclaimed, " Daisy, what is the matter?" And she looked confounded. "Nothing," I repUed. " Then do not look beside yoursed. Oh, Midge, Midge ! how will it end?" She pushed back my had to look into my face with a rueful glance ; but my heart swam in a joy she could not check. Cornebus missed me, loved me, and loved me as his friend ! "Oh ! Kate," I said, "how kind of you to teU me aU this!" " Then make much of it, for it is all you shaU hear from me. No ; it is no use kissing me, and looking pitiful.

You are quite fond enough of him as it is." More I could not get out of her, either then or subsequently. For some time the consciousness that Cornelius had missed me, sufficed me ; but the heart is craving ; mine asked for more, and, not obtaining what it asked for, grew faint and weary. It sickened for the sight of his face, for the sound of his voice, for his greeting in the morning, for his kiss at night, for ad it had lost and missed dady. It missed home too, the home I had loved so much, with its cheerful rooms, its ivied porch, its green garden and old trees, its sense, so sweet and pleasant, of happy bberty ; its studio, where I loved to hnger. Another now en joyed the shelter and pleasantness of that home; the garden flowers yielded her then sweetest fra grance, the trees then shade; she might sit with him in the studio, alone and undisturbed, ad the day long.

I was ever haunted by these thoughts ; the cure of absence was but a slow one for me. Three months passed away ; the wedding was put off from week to week and day to day, to the great vexation of Kate. " It is not that I am in a hurry for it," she said to me, when I questioned her on the subject, "but I do not bke to see my poor brother made a fool of. I am sure Miriam plays with him, as a cat with a mouse. He can think of nothing else. He was not had so bad in the beginning ; but she has irritated him into a perfect fever. Ah wed ! I wish it may not cool too much after marriage, that is ad." " I wish they were married," I said, sadly, " for then I might at least be with you, and see him now and then." Kate took both my hands in her own, and looked at me very earnestly. " Midge," she said, " you are now thdteen ; you are old enough to hear sense, and to make up your mind as I have made up mine; think that when Cornelius is married, he is, in one sense, lost to you as weU as to me ; do not imagine that he wib or can be the same again ; do not come home with an idea that old times can return ; one who has proved it can teb you, that there is no beginning over again old affections."

I looked at her wistfudy, loath to believe bi so hard a sentence. " It is so," she resumed, sighing : " think of Cornelius as of a very dear friend ; love, respect him as much as you wid, but expect nothing from him ; wean your heart ; you must, for his sake, as much as for your own." " Kate," I replied, " I shab try and not be jea lous of his wife." " My poor chdd, you do not understand me ; indeed it is very difficult; but wives do not like then husbands to care for those who cannot be in cluded in the circle of home; they want to have them for themselves and then chddren." " I shall be very fond of his chddren, d he has any," I answered; "indeed I shall, Kate; I shall love them as I love him — with my whole heart." " You foobsh girl, that is just the mischief." And she proceeded to explain the feeling I was to have for Cornebus : it was so cool, so distant, that it chdled me to hear her.

" Kate," I said, " I think I could sooner hate Cornelius — and I am sure I never could do that — than bke him in that strange way ; and I am very sure," I added, after a pause, "that is uot at aU the way in which you bke him." She smded, and kissed me, and told me to like 1dm my own way ; that God would see to the future, and not let sorrow come out of true affection. I did not understand her then, nor did she in tend I should. Since that time, I have divined that she looked with uneasiness to coming years, and wished to subdue in time a feeling that might prove far more fatal to my own peace than to that of her brother. She meant web, but she had the wisdom not to insist ; it was not in her power to make me love him less ; it was in the power of none, not even in his own. If for that purpose he had exded me ; d to cool my affection he came so seldom near me, and gave me not his long-pro mised walk, he faded.

I felt the banishment, the visit ever deferred, the promise never kept ; but I still loved him with my whole heart. At length, one morning in the week, and towards the middle of June, I was told by Miss Mary Clapperton that Mr. O'Reilly and another gentle man wanted to speak to me. I went down wondering d Mr. Smadey or Mr. Trim had taken a fancy to pay me a visit. On entering the parlour, I saw Cornelius, who stood facing the door ; the other gentleman sat with his back to it, and his clasped hands resting on the head of his cane. He looked up as I came in, and showed me the brown face, white beard, and keen black eyes of my grandfather. I went up to Cornelius, who gave me a quiet kiss, and standing by him, I looked at Mr. Thornton. " Come here ! " he said. I obeyed, and went up to him. "Do you know me?" he growled, knitting his dark brow.