to the priest's mind. Nancy looking up from her dolls, and Nancy's father taking his little daughter on his knee, and telling her that a lowly lot is the royal road to heaven; and now the high estate Mr. Egremont had dreaded for himself, and had rejoiced to think would never be his, had fallen to his little daughter's share. Father Ward drew near the picture, and pointed to the portraits of the young Earl and his two brothers under the canopy. He wanted to make his words very clear to Nancy: it was difficult for her, he told himself, poor child, to have it all so suddenly thrust upon her poor little Nancy! "See, my child," he began, speaking very distinctly and slowly, as though he feared she would not understand him: "your three uncles are dead and have left no children, but yonder boy in the frock, called Harry Egremont, grew up and married, and left a daughter He paused. Nancy's great eyes were fixed upon the priest's face. "His daughter Ann is the only one of the Egremont family left to bear the name of Loveltonne." A yellow shaft of light lay across the faces in the picture, and made an aureole of little Nancy's hair as she stood before it, and turned her questioning eyes on Father Ward. "Is it really this Nancy Egremont?" said. was what she "Yes," he answered, speaking very slowly. "Nancy, you are the Countess of Loveltonne!" He could not tell whether she was glad or sorry, the child stood so still; but he could see her little hands clasped tight, and the color come and go in her cheeks. The priest stooped his tall figure to look into her face. He saw she was trembling. "But how can a poor little maid be a great lord?" she faltered at last. She looked a poor little maid indeed, standing in the great deserted hall, that was now all her own. "The Lady Cecily would have done it well," the child went on; "and often I had wished to be a great lady like her in the picture — but not this! not this!" shook her little head mournfully. She "God will have care for you, my poor child," Father Ward said. He thought that, young as she was, the little Countess understood and feared the responsibility of her new position, and he went on: "For special need, a special grace is given: it is only when we rashly make selection for ourselves that we ought, nay, we must have fear." But Nancy was not old enough to dread the future; she was all the time thinking of the "bogey" Earl. She spoke low and fast. "What makes me afraid is- is thinking upon the stern Lord who lived all alone, and did not love my father nor me; and-and"— here a great tear fell— "I do not want to have the name of Earl, and live alone as he did, and have nobody to love me!” Poor little Countess Ann! But Father Ward succeeded in consoling her after a while, and, with all a woman's tenderness, he allayed her fears, till Nancy was able to look into his face and smile. Then taking her hand in his, perhaps for the last time, they went together into the sacristy and across the darkening chapel, where the feeble light shone like a glowworm out of the dusk. One more day, one more night, and then a new life for Nancy. She is a countess now, and must go to live with her grandmother in a great manor-house that belonged, as the Old Castle did, to the Earls of Loveltonne. Perhaps Father Ward thought the child too young to profit by many wise admonitions, for he spoke very little to her about the future, and yet the little he said sank deep. His words came back to Nancy in the hour of trial. is the motto of the "Make it your own, "For Faith and King' - it House of Loveltonne," he said. Nan, but ever remember Faith comes first, and see that you obey those set over you in all that is not sin!" and the little heart-shaped picture out of Father Ward's breviary found its way - with that legend written F upon it, "For Faith and King"-into Nancy's prayer book at parting. In spite of his strong will, tears came into the priest's eyes, and his courage failed him, when he bade her a last farewell and "God speed." admonition MRS. SOPHIE DORA MAUDE: The Child Countess. AIDS TO STUDY (ǎd'mo nish'un), a warning, a caution. allay (ă lă'), to soothe, quiet. aureole (ore ol), a halo, a crown. breviary (bre'vi å rĩ), a book containing the daily office said by priests, etc. canopy (kǎn'o pĬ), a covering. Cleasby (Klēz'bi). heraldic (hě răl'dik), pertaining to heralds or heraldry. intercept (în'těr sěpt'), to check, to cut off. patronage (păt'run áj) favor, protection. perceive (per sev'), to notice, to observe. trellised (trěl'ist), latticed. I. 1. When and where did this little girl live? 2. Tell some facts of her early life. 3. How did she know when the Earl of Loveltonne was in the Castle? 4. How did Humpy entertain her? 5. What did her father teach her to do? 6. Why were his brothers against him? 7. In case of his death, what provision did he make for his daughter? 8. Why did Father Ward have to dress as a layman? 9. What prevented him from taking Nancy to Bruges? II. 1. Tell how Father Ward broke the news to the little countess. 2. Describe the largest picture in the hall of the Gable House. 3. What did Ann say to the priest? 4. How did he console and comfort her? 5. What change did the new honor make in her life? 6. What is meant by the motto, "For Faith and King"? Expressions for study: fall into his majesty's hands little pitchers have long ears Nancy's rippling laugh surging heads of an angry crowd the feeble light to tell her beads 1. Point out the descriptive and narrative portions of this selection. 2. After you have read these two chapters, tell how you think this story ends. 3. Write a brief outline of the selection. 4. Describe any of the principal scenes. TO A SKYLARK Ethereal minstrel! pilgrim of the sky! Dost thou despise the earth where cares abound? Leave to the nightingale her shady wood; Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood True to the kindred points of heaven and home! |