The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-04-01

the floor covered by scanty carpet
somehow the broad March sunshine
brought out every element of poverty In
the abode of the poor widow and hei
daughter.
"Put on a little more coal, Amy !" said
Mrs. Ardenham, shudderingly, drawing
her shawl closer around her frail figure,
as she dropped her needlework, sit is bit
terly cold this morning p
Amy obeyed silently-yet she could
not help noticing how nearly the little
stock of fuel was exhausted, and remem-
bering how inadequate their slender purse
was to the replsnishmsnt thereof, and
her heart sank little.
Only little though, for our Amy was
not one of the responding kind. No
she was a sunshiny little creature, full Of
bright infectious hopefulness-but some
how, in that squalid room, shs seemed
like fresh rose blosoming in a sandy
desert Size was very pretty, with brown,
tender, eyes, just the shape of the heavy
braids of hair abuve-a small coral mouth
and cheeks delicately shaped like the
deep incarnadine of the pomegranate
flower, aDd as she took up the newspaper
you couldn't help noticing what snowy,
taper little hand she had, with pink
tipped fingers, and dimples at every
joint.
Mamma !" said she suddenly, "here's
an advertisement for governess ~
"Well, what Of it 2"
"Why, mamma" hesitated Amy, "you
know we are very poor, and-and /
should like very muca to earn little
money
Mrs Ardenham had bowed her face
upon her hands, and in an instant Amy
was kneeling beside her.
Mamma, darling, dom. cry!"
II did not mean to be so foolish, love,
but it all came back to me at that moment
the wealth and station We have LOST
the poverty to which we are reduced
Oh, Amy, it is too hard y
"But think mamma 2" said Amy cheer
fully, how delightful it would be to make
my school accomplishments help US along
in the world May l try for this situa-
lion / should like it very much !''
"If you think it best, my child" ac-
quiesced Mrs Ardenham, resignedIy.
Then [ must lose no time," SAID Amy.
as she began to arrange her hair, adjust
the details of her simple toilet.
-"How do look, mamma 7" she laugh
ed, when at length she was ready to de-
part. And Mrs. Ardenham's admiring,
atfectionate glance brought the roses to
her cheek, as she ttippsd away.
For she did look exquisitely pretty
the coarse shawl took graceful curves
about her slender form, and the cheap
straw hat, with its plain black ribbon,
might have been $50 French chopeau
without being whit more becoming.
Darling Amy" pondered the mother,
as her light footstep died away on the
air ;--''she is perfect little sunbeam in
the darkness of my daily existence: Her
heat has never aohed with the bitter
nay she had drawn it to the dregs!"
There was vein of poetic appreciation
somewhere in the tumble of fun, sentl.
ment, good humor, and sarcasm that con-
stituted Frank Ashley, as he lay laziy
on the sofa, and was playing with two or
three golden haired children who were
tottsring about the room.
81 II tell you what, Lizzie J" said he
to his sister who sat embroidering, "you
spoil these young imps about as com.
pletely as any mamma of my acquaint-
ance !"
GAS if you didn't spoil 'em ten times
worse" retorted Mrs. Jay, laughing
"W hen succeed in obtaining govern
ess, perhaps they will be put under some
sort of discipline. But really, I have al
ways wondered that you were never mar
ried p
"Indeed Why?"
"You would have made such nice do
mestic sort of husbsnd-you are so fond
of home | know that nanoeuvering
Miss Roland laid desperate seige to the
rocky citadel Of your heart but | thought
you disliked her."
"You were right--she was indescrlbly
repelant to me-"
"Then who"
"Then why did I never marry anybody
else? Well, listen. Lizzie, and III tell
you. I was once in lose-with one of
the sweetest girls, l believe, that ever
walked this earth 1t was when [ was
in Washington-she, too, was spending
the winter there. At first | thought she
encouraged my suit, but all at once she
grew cold aud distant-I determined. at
all hazards to know my fate, for | felt
how wretched life would be without her
But the very evening that | had resolved
to submit my suit to her-we were both
inuitnd 70 O nnrtu or Miss Rnland'c-I