Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-12-02

nan could not by any possibility slip one il
among them, ard sat regarding her wi h al
oppression of the most ludcr"us astonishmenl
This remarkable volubili'y completely baf
q d the old mans slOwness. He could not Ea'
a word If he wished to. and when she eonclud
ed with '' kin make Zap jacks and corn bread
hst'd bring the very eyes out iv yer head
aud make ye sWnller yer tongue with delight.
somness" (if be had a weakness il was for q lp
jacks and corn bread, he could only Iwirl his
thumbs in a sort of deliciou. awe and ask hel
with cunning smile /" how much she expect
Il to get for doing all them things"
Sivinty-fVe cints week." was tbs prompt
reply.
With a still more cunning laugh Joel off-red
her half the money. Greatly to his amaz.-
ment, she agreed at once, and he found HIM
self. to use his o~n expression. in for it,
10 add to his ehagrin, Anson stood by, laugh
ing With intense enjoyment.
But the girl, without further ado. proceeded
10 disencumber herself Of bonDet and shawl
and vanished in the direction of the kitchen
before anything could be said. As she shut
the door she stole a glance at Ansou that
made him start AID bite his lips, and present
y be stole kitchenwsrd also. She was already
at work, handling the broom like an adppI,
and grumbIiug in her rich brog4e at the dust
hat had accumulated in the corners for the
extent Of Ansons and his fathers sweeping
had been TO brush the center of the room
omewhat to the disadvantage OF :he rest.
She did not look up as Anson entered but
he sat down deliberately aud furtively watch
I'd her. For some time she seemed unconscious
Of bis scrutiny, but presently she turned, and
cIasping both liJrle hands upon the top of the
broom hsndle, said with a mixture of bra
V4do and archDess too natural to be mistaken,
' Well Auson, what do you ihink2"
The young man laughed and looked annoyed
in the Same breath.
Then it is you, Barbie ?" he said. Il was
suspecfing something OF the sort"
" Not till looked at you" said the girl,
rogui~bly, retreating hs approached.
DO you think this is quite the thing.
Barbe?'
Sure an why amt it the thing for poor
girl to be gettin' her living dacintly an hon
estly?"
And that was all he could get out of her.
Having Acknow EDGED her identity with Bar
bic for su instant, she was the most unapprOch-
able "Biddy" lhs nexr, aud would have moth
ing to say to him save in that character"
& Dues your father know OF this, Barbe p
What would he say ?" asked Ansoh anxiously
Sure an' il's not me own fader would be-
,nterferin' wid mr, would he 7" said B ddy.
In vain were al remonsirancrs with the
rOgaish aud willfuI RI. She persisted in he
Ing Bid6y even to him. and mainIained u di--
'ance between them very DIFF rent from thsi
mel ween him and ,rhie in her own proper
self. Annoyed. provoked, chagrined. almost
angry, the sdvenI Of bis father forced him L.
reIire from the kitchen, for fear Of belraying
Barbie's secret. which he would not have dooe
or grest deal
1t was several hours before he could return
In he house, his father having lined him, aud
upon one preiexr and annthsr detained him
When al last they entered together. Kitchen
and sitting room, bDth Of which had been 10
most untidy state when they left them, had
Undergone such remarkable rehOvating pro-
Tess that old joel drew back al first thinking
ne had set foot in somebody else's house in
,teAd OF his own. Supper was smoking Oh
the table-such a supper as old joel at least.
had not sPen for months. To crown all Mrs.
Shellenbarger WAS sitting, prOpped with pill
lnws. in great ensy chair, and hooking won
Ierfuly cOufented, and with reason-the pnOr
.ady had not had woman's hand about her
neiore since her illness. They lived in snch
an isolated inhnspitAb BILE manner. that very few
Of her neighbors even knew that Mrs Shel.en-
nsrger was not al well as usual. Biddy, as
he called herself, had lidied the poor lady up
in a wonderful manner.
JneI Shellen barger sat down to the daintiy
spread table, and made a most hearty and
keeny relished neal glancing askance 1t Bid
dy meanwhile. AnsOn, strange TO say, ate
very little, and he watched Biddy askance too.
This was only the beginning of reforms this
daring girl instituted. First. however, as
much perhaps, for her own peace of mind as
Ansnns-knOwing that mother and son were
fast friends and always OF one mind-she told
her secret TO Mra. Shellenbsrger. and fairly
wbeedIed the good old lady into an approval
1t is true that she shook her head at frat, and
looked woDderously shocked. But it was 8"
charming TO have those soft little hands hut-
tering about her, and to see such brightness
and comfort spring up around that she could
not for her own sake, help cuun enaucing, as
much as silence could, Biddy's mysterious
presence.
haven't time to give you all Of the par
iiculars, but having made SO good beginning,
with true Irish facility, Biddy established
herself in very short time completely in The
graces of the cd man. lie had u lurking
likeness for neatness ard order, and Mrs. Shell
enbarger poor lady wasn't a very tidy
housekeeper. Uuder the new reign order
grew out of chaos the house seemed in holi-
day garb all the time, and an atmosphere oi
social chserfalness pervaded everything.
One mOrning-Blddy had said something
about leaving the day befOre-the old man
ended grumbling complaint to Auson with
' never seed no gOUd come of eddicatiOn yet.
If it hadn't been for that college business
you might have taken liking to a sensible
girl, and she to you" He glanced at Biddy
AS be spoke. She turned scarlet, and came
near dropping the dish she was holding. II
was not the first time AnsOn had heard such
insinuations, and he rather enjoyed Them.
See here father" he said tOguiShly, jus,
you pick me out wife, and zee what will
come of it,"
1.-The only girl I know Of, worth having
won't have you dare say.-wOuId you Biddy?'
Joel said grumoling, bat suddenly turning TO
the girl.
A Anson was smiling mAliCiOusIy. Bridget
O'Flynn had kept Barbie's lover at a moft