Rosamond; or, The Youthful Error | Page 4

really led a very easy life at
Riverside.
Looking curiously into the frank, open face of the young girl, Mrs. Van
Vechten concluded she was never intended to take a negro's place, and
with a wave of her hand she said, "You may go; I can dress myself
alone."
That evening, as the brother and sister sat together in the parlor, the
latter suddenly asked, "Who is that Rosamond Leyton, and what is she
doing here?"
Mr. Browning told her all he knew of the girl, and she continued, "Do
you intend to educate her?"
"Educate her!" said he--"what made you think of that?"
"Because," she answered, with a sarcastic smile, "as you expect to do
penance the rest of your lifetime, I did not know but you would deem it
your duty to educate every beggar who came along."
The idea of educating Rosamond Leyton was new to Mr. Browning,
but he did not tell his sister so--he merely said, "And suppose I do
educate her?"
"In that case," answered the lady, "Ben will not pass his college
vacations here, as I had intended that he should do."

"And why not?" asked Mr. Browning.
"Why not?" repeated Mrs. Van Vechten. "Just as though you did not
know how susceptible he is to female beauty, and if you treat this
Rosamond as an equal, it will be like him to fall in love with her at
once. She is very pretty, you know."
Mr. Browning did not know any such thing. In fact, he scarcely knew
how the young girl looked, but his sister's remark had awakened in him
an interest, and after she had retired, which she did early, he rang the
bell for Mrs. Peters, who soon appeared in answer to his call.
"Is Rosamond Leyton up," he asked.
"Yes, sir," answered Mrs. Peters, wondering at the question.
"Send her to me," he said, and with redoubled amazement Mrs. Peters
carried the message to Rosamond, who was sitting before the fire,
trying in vain to undo an obstinate knot in her boot-string.
"Mr. Browning sent for me!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing up.
"Wants to scold me, I suppose, for pulling his sister's hair. I only did
what she told me to," and with a beating heart she started for the parlor.
Rosamond was afraid of Mr. Browning, and feeling sure that he
intended to reprove her, she took the chair nearest to the door, and
covering her face with her hands, began to cry, saying--"It was ugly in
me, I know', to pull Mrs. Van Vechten's hair, and I did it on purpose,
too; but I won't do so again, I certainly won't."
Mr. Browning was confounded. This was the first intimation he had
received of the barbaric performance, and for a moment he remained
silent, gazing at the little girl. Her figure was very slight, her feet and
hands were very small, and her hair, though disordered now and rough,
was of a beautiful brown, and fell in heavy curls around her neck. He
saw all this at a glance, but her face, the point to which his attention
was chiefly directed, he could not see until those little hands were
removed, and as a means of accomplishing this he at last said,

kindly--"I do not understand you, Rosamond. My sister has entered no
complaint, and I did not send for you to censure you. I wish to talk with
you--to get acquainted. Will you come and sit by me upon the sofa?"
Rosamond's hands came down from her face, but she did not leave her
seat; neither did Mr. Browning now wish to have her, for the light of
the chandelier fell full upon her, giving him a much better view of her
features than if she had been nearer to him. If, as Mrs. Peters had said,
Ben Van Vechten was fond of pretty girls, he in a measure inherited the
feeling from his uncle, who was an ardent admirer of the beautiful, and
who now felt a glow of satisfaction in knowing that Rosamond Leyton
was pretty. It was a merry, sparkling, little face which he looked upon,
and though the nose did turn up a trifle, and the mouth was rather wide,
the soft, brown eyes, and exquisitely fair complexion made ample
amends for all. She was never intended for a menial--she would make a
beautiful woman--and with thoughts similar to these, Mr. Browning,
after completing his survey of her person, said-- "Have you been to
school much?"
"Always, until I came here," was her answer; and he continued--"And
since then you have not looked in a book, I suppose?"
The brown eyes opened wide as Rosamond replied,--"Why, yes I have.
I've read over so much in your library when you were gone. Mrs.