Mrs.
Leighton so strongly urged us to spend the night with them that we could
not refuse. Laura was absent, visiting some friends in the country.
Georgania and Bertha were both absent, attending school. Lewis has not
yet been sent from home, but attends school in the city. He has grown a
fine, manly-looking boy. He made many enquiries of me, if I had seen or
heard from you? I was sorry that I was not at liberty to tell him how
lately I had seen you, for I am sure that it would have afforded him
much pleasure. My enquiry for Willie caused a pained expression to cross
the countenance of both Mr. and Mrs. Leighton. Mr. Leighton replied
briefly by saying, 'Willie is at present in England.' Later in the
evening, when the gentlemen had gone out, Mrs. Leighton said to me,--'As
you are an old friend, Mrs. Harringford, I will explain to you the cause
of Willie's absence. You doubtless remember Clara Roscom who was a
former pupil of yours. After you left Philadelphia, she completed her
education at a distant boarding school, and soon after her return home I
engaged her as governess in my family. We soon learned to love and
respect Miss Roscom, on account of her many excellent qualities, and we
treated her very kindly.
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