The Shasta courier., 1869-11-13

Ihat nOtnlng new my dear, SAID ncr
husband dryly.
:" But what shall l do," pleaded Mrs.
Wicklow, as two tempestuous little ones,
with hair like floating fax, pursued one
another over her lap. "All these children
and no nurse maid, and such nuralgia
that l can't stir out of the house. Do
please, put down your everlasting news
paper, and give me little advice"
My dear, how very unreasonable you
are. If you were only aware of it, my
everlasting newspaper, as you call it, is the
very thing that's going to help you out of
your dilemma"
81 should like to know how"
Then just listen.'
A young woman from the country de-
sires situation to take charge of children
in respectable family Wages not so
much an object as good home.''
"That sounds very nice," said Mrs.
Wicklow, refectively. "Where does she
advertise from, Theodors?" 2"
"An intelligence office, down town."
"Would- would you 90 and see her?
Certainly not, my desr?" said Mr.
Wicklow with calm decision that dash
ed his wife's budding hopes prone to the
ground. {" have no time to run over town
after nurse-maids. Business, Elenor-
business must be looked after"
" Perhaps Carl would go?'
Perhaps he would" said Mr. Wick
low, in doubling tone, that brought the
vexed flush to his wife's cheek.
81 am sure he wouldn't mind the trou-
ble-Carl is so obliging, and here he comes
now"
In the same moment the door swung
slowly open on its er-plated hinges and
Carl Wicklow entered.
As brown and handsome as ever, with
the same hazel light in his frank eye, and
the dark crimped hair tossed away from
square forehead. Eight years had changed
him very little and yet people in society
had fallen into the habit of calling Carl
Wicklow an old bachelor.
Halo !" said Carl, good
surveying the disordely scene; I" it strikes
me that our children are rampant to-day.
Take care, Tommy-your heads pretty
hard, but it is not equal to marble man.
tie in density. My poor Elinor you'll be
entirely annihilated at this rateW
"If you would only oblige me, Carl?"
How?"
Mrs. Wicklow took the newspaper out
of her husbands unresisting hands and
read the advertisement aloud.
"Don't you think she woulk suit us,
Carl? A country girl, you know, would
not have aEy of those horrid citiied ways
that Mary Ann had-and she would be so
good to the children"
And you want me to go down and
secure this paragon for you? is that it
Eleanor 2"
"That's just it, Carl"
every well; may as well lounge away
my time in that way as any other. Give
me the address--Pll 60"
The intelligence Office was crowded with
Irish, French, German and English, as
Carl Wicklow bowed his tall head to enter
"a miscellaneous crowd, with very mis-
cellaneous appearance.
"Is it cook ye're wantin, sir ?" de-
manded ponderous Hibernian. "Sure
the one you're after-wid two years
recommendation from my last place, and"
She stopped abruptly as the pale, sallow
little clerk advanced.
"Can do anything for you to-day, sir?"
"Yes; l believe you advertised nurse
girl for children. My sister needs such
domestic"
"Ah, yes-Mary Ryan, herev'
GA red-haired girl advanced with tread
like that of megatherium, and dirty
plaid shawl drawn tight around her.
you'll find this young woman very re-
liable, SIR"
Ah-yes-I dare say" said Carl,
little taken back but the young person
| mean from the country, and"
"Oh, understand, now-I understand"
said the clerk, lowering his voice little
" To tell you the truth, she's entirely diff
ferent from the sort of persons we have
here everyday-quite lady sir-and she's
up stairs with my wife, l really had not
the face to ask her to come down here"
And the clerk gave his head little jerk
towards the assemblage that lined the walls
+" Walk up stairs, sir if you please-frst
door to the right"
And Carl Wicklow walked up stairs ac-
cordingly, and tapped at the indicated door.
Come in."
There was something in the soft ring of
the clear voice that made Carls heart throb
little strangely. He opened the door
and went in.
1t was small, low ceiled room, with
red curtains and glaring red carpet and
stiff plaster-ofparis ornaments on the wood
en- mantel- "a vulgar looking, dreary little
room, without one home association within
its four blank walls. And beside the ash
choked fire, with her fair head inclined
thoug ghtfully downward, sat solitary wo-
man dressed in deep black, relieved. only
BY the FURNISHED gold of stray curl that
had escaped from its net and lay over her
shoulder.
She arose as be entered, and Carl Wick
low stood face to face with his first love
and his last-Lucy Taylor