The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-25

SAOES LANtIO ChOCo ~ LAC OadllLJ 0d1Os
missis or I? Missis buys the wool, it
costs ninepense; she says. Here Eliz-
aheth, you a knit this up at leisure
times. Very good; when they are
done they are worth two shillings, and
missis sends them and all the other
things | knit to the sale. Well, [ am
a charitable person, that's certain!
To be sure missis pays for my tine;
IN fact, one may say she hires all my
time of me. Yes, [ seel Why, it's
not my charity then at ALL" !.
This conclusion did not seem to dis
tress the young woman, for she pres
emily began TO sing; and very pretty
she looked, and very cheerful and con-
tented, as she sat under the laden ap-
pie trees, in her neat print gown.
After a while she stopped suddenly,
from "a fancy she had that somebody
was beating time to the song. She
shaded her eyes with her hand and
looked back into the orchard, but she
did not see any one, and the sound
had ceased.
So she began again, and the sound
began too. 1t was not like beating
time, she now thought, but like slow,
uouUeiui iOOeotCpo, uCdiol duu
nearer.
Surely [ do here somebody COM
ing" said Elizabeth, turning again.
Its only me. | beg pardon. I'm
sure" said a voice almost at her ell
bow.
Bless mel Mr.. Tompkinsl" ex-
claimed Elizabeth, jumping up and
coloring; how you did frighten me-"
Mr.. Tompkins was a young man
who served in a corn-chandler's shop.
On being thus accosted he blushed
even redder in the cheeks than Eliza
beth had done, and said he hoped he
was not in the way; hat knowing her
mistress was out he had just called as
he went home to his dinner, to ask
how she was. and cook had sent him
down the garden.
Il am very well, thank you" said
Elizabeth.
(which is easy to see, | should say"
replied the younger chandler;
For if ever there was anybody that
looked-that always looked"-here
not preceiving how to finish his sem
tenee, he paused, and Elizabeth sit
ting down and beginning to knit again,
he sat down on the bench beside her,
and continued for some moments to
gaze on the little river. Whatever
Elizabeth may have expected him to
say next, it certainly was not what he
did say; his words we're
WAS you ever at sea. Elizabeth"
"Why, no, William" she replied,
You know | never was"
II should saw" proceeded Mr..
Tompkins, nervously,h that a sea
voyage wouldn't hurt you a bit. In
short I think it would do you good"
A silence followed. If Mrs. Rich
mond had heard this said to her ac-
tive, good-humored, aud clever little
housemaid, she would have known
very we'll what it meant. and would
have begun TO look out for a success
sor; but Eelizabeth was so taken by
surprise that she could only look con-
fused, and answered slowly
Il don't want any sea voyage to do
me good; | never had a days illness
in my life"
Only nobody wants to be a servant
that can help it." said the young man;
land [ should like to set up shop for
myself. I want to be independent,
don't your"
Il should like it very we'll" answer
ed Elizabeth, demurely.
well, there is nothing but a sea
voyage between us and independence,
as far as l can see," proceeded the
young man, gathering courage.
Il thought you were very comforta-
BILE where you are" said Elizabeth.
$50 / am while 1 stop as l am,"was
the reply; "but my wages would be a
poor living for a wife and family. So
Elizabeth. my dear, if you would but
consider that you have lived a good
while in service Here again the
bashful lover stopped, and thought he
was in general a straightfoIw ward aud
downright young fellow, he now went
a long way round before he came
to the point; his grammar got all
3rong, his sentences came out head
first, and at last he heaved an audible
sigh, and heartily wished this terrible
business was over; but he had begun
by astonishing his companion so much,
that she was not quite certain as to his
meaning yet. nor did she thoroughly
master It till he gave her a letter to
read, which set forth that the writer,
who was his brother, was doing un-
commonly well In New Zealand. and if
he, William, would marry and come
out to him. he thought it would be a
fine thing for them both.
Which" said Mr.. Tompkins. lis
the very Identical thing that | should
like to do, provided, Elizabeth. my
dear. you would get v e the disad-
vantage of the voyage, and would mar
ry me-"
The end of the conversation which
followed. provided that Elizabeth