Middletown transcript., 1868-12-19
Popular GALES.
WILD MADGE..

ssCousin, where did you pick up that
,honiely little elf that was scrubbing the
stoop when | came in r.
|" Hush, Paul, she will hear you. She
came here one night almost frozen and in
a starving condition, so mama took her in,
and lets her, work for her board. We call
hes wild Madge."
n. "A good name upon my word. Why
its as good as dose of salts to look at
her. / am seriously inclined to fall in
love with her beautiful phiz. What would
4 you advise me to do, coz r.
p II would advise you to stop making fun
of that child. So we viii change the sub
jcct. If you please"
Paul Reynor was a young man of per-
haps twenty-five or three years, who. hav-
ing an abundant share of this world goods,
was inclined to ignore those less favored
by fortune. and consequently his proud
and overbearing manner rendered him dis
agreeable to those whom he termed his in
fcriors.
snas That he was handsome we will admit
at least SO thought Madge, as she watched
him come up the walk. his curly locks
blowing in the wind. Very grand he
looked to her unsophisticated eyes, and
she stepped aside with feeling OF awe as
i he passed, stopping to listen to his voice
AS. il sounded throngh. 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 -
uttered: and very pale was that pale little
! face as she turned again to her work, won
dering if she really was such an ugly little
elf as he called her.
When work done she quietly slipped
away to her little garret bedroom and ta-
king piece of glass that she had found.
from her pocket, eagerly scanned the fea-
tures before her, and truly they were not
very pretty,
She was, perhaps, fourteen years of age,
and though at first glance we would term
her decidedly homely, after moments S
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 rolled hither and thither
: they had strange weird expression. The
features were small aud pinched, and the
complexion what might be called muddy,
while very black, straight hair, cropped
close around her head, comprised the pic
ture that Madge was gazing at SO earnest
ly, and it did not please her apparently,
fcs with q long drawn sigh she laid the
glass aside, and sitting by the window,
muttered: s
s"No, don't hate him for saying SO,
for he don't know how it hurt me: and
Z besides | am just as homely as he SEX,
and worse, too. But ~, yw,nat of IL! am
only nccSss Ss servant" 20 dear p she
sm9q. s9m9q.sbba0dy, and have people iage me-.and
t0D0G lt0D0G Y she said, bringing her little
hand down on the window-sill. !. If an
homely, can be better than mere
drudge n and in her childish face there
grew q look Of high womapIy resolve. in.
sdicative Of q high and noble intellect.
During. his visit Paul seemed to take spe
cial pains to worry and provoke poor
Madge and many q joke did he thought
lessly crack at her expense, never think
ing Il worth his while to speak p civil, ol
pleasant word to HE poor wait, till sh'
grew to shun him as she would q serpent
and, to cap the climax. the day before h
was 10 return home, as he was riding to
ward the house, on horseback, seeing
Madge in the yard and thinking It a goo'
time to show his authority, he ordered he
10 open the gate.
Why don't you run, you ugly whelp?'
IS Take that, for not obeying q gentleman
orders with better grace Y SO saying b
gave her cut across the neck which mad
her start and turn pale, but in secon
the hot blood mounted to her face. and he
large eyes flashed defiance as she watche
lhlm out Of sight, his mocking laugh stil
ringing IL her ears when with wall, sh
sank into tie t8H grass. her little forr
conyplsed with sobss.
Nine years passed away. and the seen
opens before US IN one Of TIE most stylIs
palaces Of our metropolis,