The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-07-22

hips! What witch did she 60 to to get
charm for that miserable Jean Pierron p
What secret did she turn up in her grand
mothers workbag ?" Cairette patientl,
sought a solution of these difficulties. She
thought, finally, that she had found one il
the presence of little white lampkin which
constantly followed the shepherdess's foot
steps.
After making this important discovery
it may be imagined whether Charlotte wa
prompt in procuring a lamb as closely
resembling as possible that one of the darl
complexionedLixand From that da,
forth she was never seen without this pref
ty little creature bleating and skipping
around her, and always coming to her t.
eat bread out of her hand.
Did sutton follow in the footsteps o.
the lamb! No more than he came at til,
signal of the red petticoat, or at that O.
the cross ribboned distaff. Day followed
day, month followed month-poor Clairettt
looked ia vain.
III.
To regrets and notification succeeded
despair. Old Aunt Migueline, wise in the
ways of the world, overheard her means
and administered consolation. Where is
the young girl who has not some good ole
fairy at hand to give her counsel if she will
only take pains enough to listen to it.
"You are weeping, Clairette," said Aunt
Migueline, addressing her.
81 am crying over my twenty-one years
gone without, without-stopping,'' she
responded.
" Without fetching you husband, you
mean to say"
"One need not be witch to guess that,
Migueline.'
"Your red petticoat and gay distaff are
worn out in useless service; your lamp
kin bleating and frisking around you has
proved equally useless"
"Why do you throw these things up to
me, Migueline
81 say what I think, Clairette. Do you
suppose that my eyes, half closed by age,
do not see clearly into the tolls and snares
set by you and those like you on the patti
to matrimony? Every young girl is an
initiating bird of the parrot or magpie
order, who, since the world began, is evel
exclaiming, Husband! husband. and it is
not necessary to teach her anything in this
direction, my dear niece Clairette."
"'Tis true, Migueline. But l thought l
might be as fortunate as my friends, and
in initiating their mode of display make
"And you are obliged to confess that
you have had ali your trouble for nothing
Poor children, always relying upon color
instead of form, and never finding out the
true state of things! Yes, the habit of
your companions of appearing in public
associated with certain suitable and useful
objects, has contributed not little towards
getting tlc:n husbands. But do you know
the reason9 1t is because the red petit
coat was wen and made up by the perse-
vering young girl who wore it; such an
example of her skill and activity in using
her needle furnishing admirable proof OF
her knowin5 what to do in the situation in
which she is placed. The distaff likewise
proved as profitable to Biebe, because she
was fearless spinner, and did not rest sat
isfied, as you did, with carrying the imple-
ment around with her motionless at her
belt; she kept the spindle below it and her
fingers always busy, so that the flock of
wool or flax had to be renewed ten times a
day. If the lamb did not prove unservice-
able to Lixandrine, it was because it was
the leader of fine drove of fifty which
that careful little shepherdess led out daily
to pasture, early in the morning in sum-
mer, and during the afternoon in winter,
avoiding wet grass and fields, always get
ting back before it rained, and ever keep
ing clear of changes IN the weather, of sc
much harm to those delicate little creatures
Your three companions worked SO faithful
ly in their respective callings that they are
known far and wide for their intelligence
dllu tiSllNIUy-lIC DCSU poSSIOlC uoNly
young girl can have, and the most reliable
charm for a husband. Put aside the red
petticoat which you bought and did not
spin, the distaff of no avail to you and the
equally useless lamb. You have fields and
meadows that are lying fallow; resume
your rake and hoe, stir up the ground, and
null fbn xranlc. no in1,,sfrinYs aS
your companions, and you will not have to
wait long for husband"
Clairette listened to Aunt Migueline's
discourse with all the attention which
advice deserves when one is disposed to fol.
low it because it seems good. No longer
quitting her little plot of ground, she dug,
hoed, and made hay so successfully that, at
the end of the year, the son of rich old
Thomas came and put to her the following
question::
"Clairette, will you be my wife?''
"Why should refuse, Monsieur Thomas,
if such is your wish ?" responded Clairette,
with downcast eyes and modest feint,
which the least bashful of country girls
can so well assume.
"You are agreed, Clairette?
GO am and they joined hands. GALAXY
Fifty feet of the bottom of the Wyom-
ing Canal, near Wilkesbarre, sank sudden,
ly on recently, draining the whole level.
The canal was constructed over deserted
chambers of a coal mine, and the accident
was caused by the falling in of their roof.
The water which washed through filled
adjoining chambers, and had the disaster
not occurred on holiday, there would
have been terrible loss of life. Moral you
can't have coal mines and canals on the
same piece of land.
An important question soon to come
before the Secretary of the Interior will
necessitate decision whether, in the esti-
nation of the laws granting lands and bonds
to railroad companies, a narrow gauge
road with light rolling stock is a ''first-class
railroad" such as those laws reduire to be
built. The Secretary will probably refer
the matter to special commission CON-
posed of some of the leading railroad men