Unlucky: A Fragment of a Girl's Life

her method of dealing with young people. Brought up herself by two maiden aunts on the old-fashioned repressive system, from which she had never consciously suffered, the children of to-day,

been called upon to face the child-problem seriously, she had contented herself with gently regretting the lax discipline prevalent amongst the rising generation, and with wondering mildly

hanged to something deeper, to which she responded. After that they soon came to a mutual understanding, and it came about so quickly, and yet so naturally, that their fellow-guests at the hotel were more fluttered than those chiefly concerned when, one fine morning, this middle-aged couple were quietly married at the little English church, and then as quietly went away together. This happened a few months before our story opens. Upon the intervening time it is needless to dwell. Helen's feelings may be better imagined than described when, one day, without a word of warning, her father walked into the drawing-room of the pleasant, unruly household where she was temporarily located, and where she was, at that particular moment, engaged in teaching some untidy-looking children to sit monkey-wise upon the ground like her ayah, and, rather hastily unclasping

by her novel surroundings was so great that at first it almost took away her breath and left her passive. That she, Helen, who had never learned anything save in the most desultory fashion, upon whose caprices almost all her father's arrangements had depended, and who had recognized no authority save that of her own will, should be suddenly subjected to a routine that would have been galling even to carefully brought-up children, must have seemed to the poor child a cruel fate indeed. Every hour was mapped out for her, every action was to be performed at its appointed time. Mrs. Desmond had recalled, with singular accuracy, the memories of her own school-room days, and upon these Helen's were to be modelled henceforward. From seven to eight o'clock she was to practise. At eight she breakfasted upon the orthodox bread and milk or porridge-both forms of nourishment

rebelled fiercely, fairly frightening her composed stepmother with her outbursts of passion, and distressing her father, who could not bear to see his little daughter suffer, but who was daily

d his fancies gratified; above all, his wife-pleasant, low-toned, and agreeable to look upon-was constantly at hand to minister to his wants-a gracious, restful presence set in pleasant surroundings-for Mrs. Desmond possessed ample means, and money worries were, for the first time in the colonel's experience, conspicuous by their absence. It can scarcely be wondered at, then, that Colonel Desmond, looking at his wife with her ser

occasionally lament her stepdaughter's unfortunate plainness. It was an interesting little face, with delicate though sharp features, and large, questioning, restless, blue-gray eyes; sad enough sometimes, but gleaming with fun and mischief on the least provocation. Helen's rough dark hair and

ill reigned supreme, as a being absolutely perfect and noble. It was on her stepmother's unconscious head that all the vials of Helen's wrath were poured. More or less cowed into outward submission, and half broken-spirited by her monotonous life, she hated Mrs. Desmond with a hatred that bade fair to poison her whole nature. To succeed in visibly annoying her stepmother, to bring an angry cloud over her calm face, was a positive pleasure to Helen. Mrs. Desmond had been accustomed to a well-ordered household, and any domestic disturbance was extremely annoying to her. Helen soon discovered this, and although she was supposed not to speak to any member of the household, with

she had a genuine talent. This last gift, however, did not help her much under the system of tuition adopted for her. Ordered, for instance, to practise her scales for an hour each day, without receiving any explanation as to the usefulness of such practice, the girl naturally regarded scale-playing as a fresh device for annoying her. Consequently her playing during her early morning practice soon became one of Mrs. Desmond's chief tortures, for each jarring note penetrated through the thin partitions of a London house, and, reaching that unhappy lady's ears, robbed her of her comfortable morning nap. Far too conscientious to put an end to the nuisance for consciously selfish motives, and too lacking in musical taste herself to discern Helen's real talent, she su

d both forgotten the time, and that Mrs. Desmond was to return home at six

answer to the colonel's rather nervous questioning. A cloud fell upon Helen as she entered the

, and the shaded red light played on her diamond rings. She looked the very embodiment of delicately-nurtured, serene, English womanhood, and so the colonel thought as his eyes fell upon her

home again. As for tea, the truth is, Helen and I-well, we have been having a little fun on our own account. Come he

then perceived Helen standing half-

hat I will not have you come into the drawing-room with your walki

o dreaded a scene with Helen, and who had, besides, begun to gr

uite old enough to understand that her duty is to conform to them, and stay!"-as Helen was tur

N

hool-room, and set to work at once. We s

to her, and who she dimly understood was responsible for her lapse from duty that afternoon, she strove to control herself. Knowing that her only chance was in escape, she m

na was very dear to her. She suffered no one but herself to touch it, and it was her boast th

ttle shepherd is broken. You might as well have broken

coming forward. He was really touched by his wife's distress,

you suppose that I would have a piece of mended china in m

broken fragments tenderly, whil

ic want of tact. "I have seen plenty of figures like these in old china sho

el's sentence as a confession of ignorance too gross for argument, but who was reca

en watching her from the open doorway with an expression of scarcely veiled triumph. It was the last straw. If the girl's face had expressed even fear or shrinking, Mrs. De

measures, but something must be done to make you more careful in future. For the present, go to your own room and remain-. Wh

nxiety flitted over Helen's

How dare you bring parce

thout moving, for an evil spirit seemed to possess her, and she w

; while the colonel, murmuring "Helen" in a ton

out at her stepmother's authoritative tone; and as she spoke she placed the viol

ut her hands to her ears. Helen dropped her right hand by her side, with the other still h

t even her husband felt uncomfortable. "Go to your room and to bed. To-morro

have done nothing to deserve punishment. My father gave

you. After Helen's disgraceful behaviour you cannot wish her to keep th

hed, but came f

se your mother. You know that she o

ing him with a curious expression, and

to give her my v

show that you are sorry, and that y

rious expression; then she let the instrument drop slowly from her shoulder, and seizing it w

E VIOLIN AT MRS

ke it. You have robbed me of my father

sound of a banging door, adding a last torture to Mrs. Desmond's sorely-tried n

d away. His wife, always careful and or

she said, placing it on a tabl

argaret," said the colonel, no

hard on h

ed herself in her easy-chair, leaning back wearily an

urse not," returned

t w

nce. It is perha

It is hard o

ear, I know tha

ant upstairs upon this gentle woman who continued to sit with her handkerchief to her eyes. He was longing to reco

my own child could I care more for her welfare? I sacrifice my leisure, my in

he colonel; but she mot

on. "I do not wish you to know. She is your child, and I shall d

to you for your patience and for your goodness to me, to-to us every day. Why, you have only been aw

and. She suffered herself to be consoled, and present

ul training I don't despair of making a good woman of her yet. But

to learn the violin

piano in my young days; and I consider the modern girl's craze for violin playing extremely unf

r child. Judging by her silence that she must have fallen asleep, Colonel Desmond retired to his smoking-room and comforted himself by reflecting that Helen had certainly been naughty and probably deserved whatever punishment might be meted out to her. Then he recalled his wife's angelic goodness and smiled, thinking that such a woman could not possibly be very severe. Finally, as he knocked the ashes out of his pipe before going to bed, he decided that only women could understand girls, and tha