The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-05-17
Gbe Gtn1es, Ne&p Bloonftelo, ABA.


prepared her fully for the task, and she
was herself notable housewife. Mr..
Osgood was compelled to acknowledge |
that her mullins were superb, her coffee
Incompatible and her arrangement of
the table a masterpiece OF taste. He was
very careful, however, to take Charles
with him when he left the house. and the
young man, well-schooled in his part,
played it to perfection. Dinner and sup
per passed off most satisfactorily, after
which Marian disappeared for the night,
not daring to follow the custom of Mrs
Wilson and take that lady's seat by the
drawing-room fire.
Surely there was never such an obsti-
nate attack of rheumatism as that of Mrs
Wilson's, s,nor such cold ,stolid, ,ascetic man
in the presence of young and beautiful
woman, as Charles Osgood Days passed
into weeks and Mrs Wilson still kept her
bed and Charles his distance. Mr.. Os-
good thawed by degrees, almost imper-
ceptibly, and his reserve vanished much
more rapidly than Marian's At last he
astonished her one day by asking her to
take a seat in the drawing-room, and by
conversing with her as socially as he had
been accustomed to do with her predeces-
sor. After this she regularly read the
evening paper to him and he would have
sorely missed her fair young face had he
been deprived of it. He accordingly
chided Charles for the GOODNESS and in
difference with which he treated her.
How this state of things would have gone
on it is impossible to say, had not the
Providence which watches over the for
tunes of youthful lovers contrived to
break the old gentleman leg one even
ing, as he was returning from his count
ing-room across q glare Of ice upon which
he slipped and fell. He was carried home
and never did a man have u gentler nurse
than Marian. Her presence was ever
about him. The sound Of her light ster
never Jared upon his nerves, and hel
hand possessed the most soothing inhu
ence when she bathed his fcvered fore.
head AS he grew convalescent, he
could not bear to have her out Of the
ROOM Charles tried to read to him, bu
he would hear no voice but hers, and the
young: man began to fear that his fathe
would marry Marian himself by mair
; force, and thus make matters worse thar
ever.
Mr.. Osgood had so far recovered tina
he could be lifted into an easy chair anc
l sit comfortably with his broken leg rest
= ing on a cushion, when Marian one even
= ing, after arranging his position to hi
, entire satisfaction as no one else could
| seated herself upon stool at his feet ant
E in htsitating, timid, but firm tone sh
+, said
"Mr. Osgood, I have been here mucl
, longer than you originally intended
should remain Mrs Wilson is gettin
i well enough to look out for other help
: and [ must look for another situation. I
= you please, sir [ will go a week from tc
s night, ai1d-and-" here again the littl,
= apron came again into highly efectiv
: play.
n You must look out for what? ?" gaspe
d the astounded Mr.. Osgood, as he locke
n down up On the little head buried in tn
k dainty little apron from which sob afte
e sob came convulsively.
"Auother situation, if you please, sir.
c "Why, my dear girl-are you not we
n used here? No one is unkind to you,
:. there?"
It "Oh, no, sir, but you told me 20 curse
e that you did not want young and prett
e women alb out your house, and | don
is think I ought to stay"
% d" Fiddlestick, my dear. I did n,
Il know your value then; | did not appr
to ciate your modesty and good sense as
" do now. I can't spare you"
le But must 90, sir, nevertheless"
a "You must go? Then you must hay
% some other reason, You don't mean
say that t'nat soapegrace boy of mine h;
h been making love to you 2"
oe ooh, no, sir. l thought you kne
of that general rumor says he is paying h
Up addresses to Miss Wood around the &C
to ner. OF course he would never stoop
We me-"
ar "Whats that you say? ?" growled t
lg old man, starting up so suddenly that /