Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-01-31
EEOw WON POLLY.
By TEN HOOD.


1 was the second sub clerk at the Cow
ford Office when the postmaster, Mr.
Dwerryiman, was compelled to resign ra-
ther suddenly through i'll health. AS
consequence the first sub-clerk, Chaundy
and had to do the chiefs work between
Z us until a fresh appointment was made Ii
was thought in the Office that Chaundy was
likely to get, not the Cowford ONCE. but
that, of Moilugam, the postmaster OF which
would probably be transferred TO Cowford
He was the likeiest candidate for our va
cancy. though Chaundy had been recon-
mended for it by Dwerryman, who was a
man much thought of at headquarters II
was supposed that Chaundy was sure to
get some sort of promotion and think 1t
pulled him up q little, for he seemed to give
himself the airs of a superior, and certainly
made me do the lions share of the WORK.
didn't care. was poor and sub
clerk, and | never expected to be anything
else. Indeed, | scarcely desired to be any
thing else And why? Because L was In
love. That is atbing to make most men
ambitious; but it only made me, II not
contented, at. all events submissive I'M
der poverty. | had fallen in love with the
heiress of one of the richest landowners IN
the county; and [ knew no possible posi-
ton within my limited sphere wOnld or
could ever qualify me to become sutton
for her hand Dreams Of ambition there
fore did not trouble me. Had the office OF
postmaster general or secretary been va
cant, and made the prize OF severe COM
petitive examination, | would have given
the, best years of my life, poor scholar as l
was, to study forthe contest, III order to
try and win position that would make
me Worthy of her. Failing, | should have
come back without murmur to my high
stool, with bold face and broken heart
She was q lovely girl-such merry
bright glimpse Of sunshine! We first be-
came acquainted-if | may so term her
condescending ever after to bow to me
on one st. Valentines day, when | stamp
ed some twenty valentines for her. When
she was gone | looked them over-not
without pang OF jealousy, which was al
layed when I found they were either to
schoolfellows or old gentlemen--her god
father, her uncles, and that sort OF thing.
A more innocent batch Of valentines never
swelled her Maiestys revenue.
How man like her father could ever
had so charming a daughter, / can't under
stand Mr. Darke was harsh proud man
stern on the beuch, and heartless at the
tramps and beggars, and he preserved his
game with the utmost strictness. There
was fierce hatred and feud of long
standing between him and the poachers,
who were tolerably plentiful. He was not
the sort of man ] was at all disposed to ask
for leave to pay my addresses to his
daughter.
So | bowed to fate; cherished Mary's
image in my heart of hearts; and used to
comfort myself in the intervals of business
by reciting mentally Shelley's lines about
The love OF the moth for the STAR
Besides this I had but one delight-that OF
collecting foreign stamps for her. She hap
pened one day 10 ask for one that was lying
ON the office-ledge; and | kept watch for
them ever afterwards How grateful !
was to the mania | had scOrned and des-
pissed M a5
This humble passion Of mine had existed
nearly two years under these not highly
favorable circumstances, and what is more,
instead of diminishing it was increasing.
Meantime Chaundy and | went on as two
sub-clerlzs rolled into one postmaster, and
no appointment was announced.
Early in December there was always a
great ball at Cowford, whereat all classes
met, and were supposed to fraterniZe. 1t
was the event of the season in the county,
Mr.. Darke was one of the patrons, and oc-
casionally honored the ball with his pre-
sence and that of 'his lovely and accom-
plished daughter" as the local journal
gushingly styled her. This year he had
not announced his intention of going, and
twas. generally supposed therefore that
he would not be present He had just
made a fierce raid on the poachers, and was
reported to head his watchers nightly in
person, being determined to put down the
gang, two of the ringleaders of which had
just been sentenced to long imprisonments
through his fundamentally.
One afternoon, about three days before
the ball, L was looking out of the window
My desk was just at the junction of the
office in which letters were received, orders
issued, and transactions with the public
generally conducted with the inner room
in which the sorting was done, and the in
ternal affairs of the Office were arranged
These two rooms formed two sides of the
small court or yestibule, which was oper
to the public; and the window where | sa
was just in the angle, lighting the innel
office, so, by looking over the ground glass
with which the window was glazed half
way up, / could see in profile all applicant:
at the outer office.
The other clerks were at tea--a meal
did not care for; and | had, just as an oc
cupation, cleared the box and sorted tht
letters, and then returned to my desk. A.
/ mounted the stool | saw one of Mr.
Darkes servants.
He was only a stable help and had bu
lately entered Mr.. Darkc's service, yet
knew him, for it was silly fancy of mine
to watch all Mary's surroundings with mi
mute care, and picture to myself where
should have made alterations and improve
ments, supposing had been rich enough
to make her mine.
Noticed that the fellow peered round
as if anxious to see if he were observed
Not noticing my face at the window, owing
to the deepening twilight, he seemed re-as
sured and slipt letter into the box. There
was something so odd about this that / a
once went TO the box ana took it out: per
haps l half expected it was from Mary. l
was in wretched scrawl, addressed 81
NJ, Post Office, Cowford, ITO be calico
for'o hurried to a window which CAV,
a view of the street, and just caught sigh
of the man climbing into cart which wa
standing outside the poulterers, a few
doors off i knew it to be the gamekeep
er's cart, in which game was brought into
the town for-sale. AS watched, | saw tht
keeper come out of the shop, mount The
sart and drive off Tho hal,e no o,-;Ja,,t