Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-12-08

|
she to go? Their village was but score of
milts from London, yet they were as much
strangers to it as though a thousand leagues
distant in their own neighborhood there ap-
peared to he no Upeiiiiig ftr her At length
friend amongst the neighbors undertook to
write to friend in the great metropolis and
before week had expired, the said friend in
London found place for Emily in family as
nursery maid. The salary, it was true, was
small enough-just shilling week, to be paid
every seventh day-but it was beginning and
who could say what it might lead to. What,
indeed
The Sharpes to whom Emily was now en-
gagged were what is ordinarily termed respec-
table people : that is to say, they kept gigI
and Mr, Sharpe had an Office, not shop
somewhere near the Monument up very mar
row, buSlness-lke lane. He was in the hard
ware or Birmingham line of business A; and not
only SO in profession, but in nature. Had he
been cast and bronzed instead of having been
born, he could scarcely have assumed a harder
texture and disposition He appeared metal
lic IN all his movements (; perhaps it happened
that having lost his heart when courting Mrs
Sharpe, he had ordered bran new one from
a birmingham foundry
|
Notwithstanding her caSt-iron master. Mrs
Sharpe was great invalid, and quite satisfied
to leave the nursery entirely in her charge. She
could scarcely have done better. Itwas quite
delightful, or rather it would have been, to
any but the Sharpes, to see what marvellous
change the widows daughter wrought amongst
that young family How she loved them, play
ed with them, watched over them, worked for
| them thOuub bol bar lro
theirs and sisters. | can scarcely hope to re-
late as it deserves to be told How they found
n new life with her and how much neater
and prettier they all appeared with less actual
cost to their Birmingham parents who in re-
turn doled out the weekly shilling as reluc-
family as though it La been a lin of purest
gold.
! Weeks, months passed away, and Christmas
came. There had never been such a holiday
/ time in the Sharpes' house ever since it had
been house Why, little Emily, pretty fair
! fingered Emily. made as many beautiful things
| for the Christmas tree as would have furnish
ed many small fancy bazaar People won
| dered how she managed to find time for so
| much work. Emily was not the least happy
of all that merry throng it would have done
you good to have seen how light hearted she
was, and how much pretter She looked when
from the poverty and care of her village
home
Winter passed away spring came. and with
1t the bright sunshine and brighter tiowers.-
But no blossom in the broad sunlight wore
brighter, sweeter look than did Emily amidst
the little children on the lawn. Her happy
laugh rung amongst the shrubs and flowers
her pretty figure might be seen darting along
q ora vol lES in af
little Sharpe; and altogether the widows
daughter scattered so much mirth and happi-
ness around, and appeared so essential to the
domestic welfare, that the great difficulty was
to imagine how how they had ever contrived
TO live without her.
At length spring wancd, and birds and sun
ny cloudleSs skies gave promise of joyous
simmer Just then, Emily was flung into an
| ecstacy of delight by the arrival of cousin
| and former schOOlmate and companion of Young
er and better days who, having learned her
new abode, came to renew the old friendship.
Hugh was now an artist and had passed some
years in Paris, where, besides his professional
education he had acquired many elegant arts
and accomplishments, which were well calcula-
ted to find favor with one so young and impress
sibe as Emily. 1t was not difficult to see that
they were mutually pleased with the renewal
of their acquaintance she with her simple
happy winning ways he with his gay and
polished manners. They parted, resolved to
meet again, and often.
From that day a new life dawned upon the
widows daughter Hugh was in all her tho'ts
and aspirations She dreamed of him she
thought Of him she talked about him to the
children. lie was so finished i'm dress and
manner and had seen so much of what she
had not even heard and when Emily con-
trasted her own simple scant dress with his
ample and fashionable garments, blush of
rcXatiOn stole across her face and dimmed her
blue eyes
Hugh had asked her to accompany him to
see some fower-gardens in the ncighborhood
and enjoy a stroll through the parks and as
her mistress had given her permission, Emily
prepared for that delightful evening She look
ed through her scanty wardrobe, to see what
she could wear. Had she been less regardful
ofappearance, had she loved and admired Hugh
less. or had her own person been less attrac-
tive, she might have felt contented with the
humble dress and a few simple adornments she
possessed. Unhappily, it occurred to her as
she looked over her little store of wearing ap-
parel, that a new ribbon on her bonnet would
greatly improve her appearance that, in fact,
she could scarcely walk out with her cousin, so
gaily, and herself wearing such poor, faded,
wcatherbeatcn ribbon as was then Oh her bon
net.
But the difficulty lay in obtaining this new
ribbon Her last months salary save few
pence kept back for the children, had been sent
to her mother and she should have no further
means until the following week Pondering
this in her mind, it occurred to her how easy
it wouId be to obtain what she required at the
shop where her master dealt, in the next street,
if asked for in his name: she could pay for
the ribbon next week, and no one would be the