Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1866-11-22
WILD MADGE.

cousin, where did you pick up that
homely little elf that was scrubbing the
stoop when [ came in %
''Hush. Paul, she will hear you. She
came here one night almost frozen and in
a starving condition. so mamma took her
in, and lets her work for her board. We
call her wild Madge."
"a good name, upon my word. Why
it's as good as a dose of salts to look at
her am seriously inclined to fall in love
with her beautiful phiz. What would you
advise me to Go, coz p
Il would advise you to stop making
fisra 81 the poor child. So we will change
the subject, if you please"
Paul Raynor was a young man of per-
haps twenty-five or three years, who, hay
ing an abundant share of this worlds
goods, Was inclined so ignore those less
favored by fortune, and consequently his
proud and overbearing manner rendered
him disagreeable to those whom he termed
his interiors.
That he was handsome we will admit
at least SO thought Madge, as she watched
him come up the walk, bis curly locks
blowing in the wind. Very grand he
looked to her unsophisticated eyes, and
she stepped aside with a feeling Of awe as
he passed, stopping to listen to his voice
as it sounded through the open window of
the room above. But when she heard
the first sentence that passed his lips she
stood spell bound, drinking in every word
he uttered; and very pale was that pale
little face as she turned again to her work,
wondering if she really was such an ugly
little elf as be called her.
When work was done she quietly slip
ped away to her little garnet bedroom and
taking peice Of glass that she had found,
from her pocket, eagerly scanned the feat
ures before her, and truly they were not
very pretty.
She was, perhaps, fourteen years of age,
and though at first glance we could term
her decidedly homely, after a moments
study there was something peculiarly in
teresting in that little face Certainly the
eyes were too large and wild looking, and
as the wild orbs rollod hither ard thither
small and pinched, and the complexion
what might be called muddy, while very
black, straight hair, cropped close around
her head, comprised the picture that
Madge was gazing at so earnestly, and it
did not please her apparently, for with
a ieng drawn sigh she laid the glass
aside. aRd sitting by the window muttered:
''No, I don't hate him for saying so,
for he don't knyw how it hurt me and
besides am just as homely as he said,
and worse, too. But what of it / am
only poor servant! 0 DEAR she ex-
claimed, rising, II wish I might be some
body, and have people love me-and [
will, too" she said, bringing her hard
little hand down on the window-sill. IF
I am homely, can be better than mere
drudge" and in her childish face there
grew "a hook of high womanly resolve, in-
dicative of high and noble intellect.
During his visit Paul seemed to take
special pains to worry and provoke poor
Madge: and many a joke did he thought
lessly crack at her expense, never thinking
it worth his while to speak civil, or
pleasant word to the poor waif, till she
grew to shun him as she would serpent
and, to cap the climax, the day before he
was to return home, as he was riding to-
ward the house, on horseback, seeing
Madge in the yard and thinking it a good
time to show his authority, he ordered her
to open the gate.
"Why don't you run, you ugly whelp ?
Take that for not obeying gentleman's
order with better gracen so saying he
gave her a cut across the neck which made
her start and turn pale, but in second
the hot blood mounted to her face, and her