The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-08
ought to know how that comes about.
That's my fathers DOING
IsNo II ia MN he nrotested

II mo, IL Is n1. ne protested.
"Don't you believe him, sir; yes, il is.
He tells me of everything he sees down
at his work. You would be be surprised
what q quantity he gets together for
me, every day. He looks into the car
riages, and tells me how the ladies are
dressed,-so that / know all the fash
ions! He looks into the carriages, and
tells me what pairs of lovers he sees,
and what new-married couples on their
wedding trip,-so that / know all about
that He collects chance newspapers
and books,-so that have plenty TO
read! He tells me about the
sick people who are travel
ling to try to get better-so that lknow
all about them! In short, as began
by saying, be tells me everything he
sees and makes out, down at his work,
and you can't think what a quantity he
does see and make OUT
Gas to collecting newspapers and
books, my DEAR" said Lamps, Its clear
l can hayc no merit in that, because
they're not my perquisites. You see,
sir, its this way: A Guard, he'll say to
me, Halo, here you are, Lamps. I've
saved this paper for your daughter.
Howis she agoing onP A Head-Porter,
he'll say to me, Here! Catch hold,
Lamps. Here's o couple of volumes
for your daughter. Is she pretty much
where she wereP And that's what
makes it double welcome, you see. If
she had a thousand pound in box,
they wouldn't trouble themselves about
her; but being what she is-that is, you
understand" Lamps added, somewhat
hurriedly, "not having q thousand
pound in box-they take thought for
her. And as concerning the young
pairs, married and unmarried, its only
natural I should bring home what little
| can about them, seeing that there's not
n Couple of either sort in the neighbor-
hood that don't como of their own ac-
cord to confide to Phoebe"
She raised her eyes triumphantly to
Barbox Brothers, as she said
Indeed, sir, that is true. If l could
have got up and gone to church, l don't
know how often should have been a
bridesmaid. But if could have done
that, some girls in love might have been
jealous of me, and as it is, no girl is
Jealous of me. And my pillow would
not have been half as ready to put the
piece of cake under, as l always find
it." she added, turning her face on it
with light sigh, and smile at her
father.
The arrival of little girl, the big
gcst of the scholars, now led to-
an understanding on the part of
BarboX Brothers, that she was the do
mestic of the cottage, and had come to
take active measures i'll it, attended by
pail that might have eXtinguished
her, and broom three times her height.
He therefore rose to take his leave, and
took it; saying that if Phoebe had no
objection, he would come again.
He had muttered that he would come
ain the course ofhis walks" The course
of his walks must have been highly ia
yorable to his return, for he returned
after an interval of single day.
"You thought you would never see
me any more, l suppose" he said to
Phoebe as he touched her hand, and sat
down by her couch.
"Why should think SOL" was her
surprised rejoinder.
~ took it for granted you wonld mis-
trust me-"
"For granted, sir' Have you been so
much mistrustedT
~ think l am justified in answer
ing yes. But l may have mistrusted
too, on my part No matter just now.
w. wore ,sDeaking of the Junction last
time. / have pIsscu HuuIs uiIvrV "i..--
the day before yesterday"
"Arc you now the gentleman for
Somcwherew she asked with smile.
Certainly for Somewhere; but don't
vet know Where. You would never
guess what am travelling from. Shall
/ tell you' am travelling from my
birthday"
Her hands stopped in her work, and
she looked ut him with incrcdulOus as
tonishment.
Eyes" said Barbox Brothers, not
quite easy in his chair, "from my birth
day. / am, to myself, an unintelligiblc
book with the earlier chapters all torn
out and thrown away. Ny childhood
had no grace of childhood, my youth
had no charm of youth, and what can
tbe expected from such 4 lost begin
ningp His eyes meeting hers rs they
were addressed intently to him, some
thing seemed to stir within his breast,
whispering: "Was this bed place for
the graces of childhood and the charms
of youth to take to kindlyi o shame,
shamew
at is disease with me-" said Barbox
Brothers, checking himself, and making
rs though he had n difficulty in swalT
lowing something, "to go wrong about
that. l don't know how / came 10 speak
of that. l hope it is because of an old
misplaced confidence in one of your sex
involving an old bitter treachery. |
don't know. / am all wrong together"
Her hands quietly and slowly re-
sumed their work. Glancing at her, he
saw that her eyes were thOughtfully fol-
lowing them.
~ am travelling from my birthday,
he resumed, "because it has always
been q dreary day to me. Ny first free
birthday coming round some five or six
weeks hence, / am travelling to put its
predecessors far behind me, and to try
to crush the day-or, at all events, put
it out of my sight-by heaping new OBJ
jects on it,"
As he paused, she looking at him; but
only shook her head, as being quite at a
loss.
"This is unintelligible to your happy
disposition,u he pursued, abiding by
his former phrase, as if there were some
lingering virtue Of self-defenee in it:
"I knew it would be, and am glad it is.
However, on this travel OF mime TIN
which mean to pass the rest of my days,
having abandoned all thonght Of n fixed
honey, / stopped, as you heard from
your father, at the Junction here. The
extent of its ramifeations quite con-
fused me as to whittier / should go,
from here. l have not yet settled, being
still perplexed among so many roads.
What do you think mean to dof How
many of the branching roads can you
see from your Window
Looking out, full of interest, she an
swered, "Seven."
"Seven,r said Barbox Brothers, watch
ing her with a grave smile. "Well j
propose to myself, at once to rednce the
gross number to those very seven, and
gradually fine them down to one-the
most promising for me-and to take
that"