The Placer herald., 1872-10-12
ONLY A MECHANIC.


to shine out, here and there like solitary bea-
cons of fire, when Grace and Myra Payne
were sitting before the crate in their cosy,
wel-used sitting-room, talking.
Grace had been darning stockings, piece
of domestic finger craft not particularly orna-
mental, but nevertheless most essential, and
Myra was doting the edge of a shirt collar
with stitches like seed pearls, but it was
Mol5 ntoo dark to work now, and they sat
in the ruddy shine of the CRATE fire, enjoy
ing the season commonly known as the "blnd
mans holiday"
"Now, Grace, I'm sure you'll think BET
ter of it, said Myra, coaxingly.
"Don't think there's the least prospect in
life of any such thing" returned Grace.
Stay, though. We have not photograph
ed our heroines for the eye of the readers
fancy. Well, they were two very pretty
girls, although in somewhat different styles
Myra, the elder, by a year, was tall and
slender, with dark, langu'd eyes, an oval
face, and jet black hair, slightly rippled,
while Grace was small and fprightly, rather
incline to be plump than otherwise, with
big brown eyes, full of liquid laughter,
skin like rosc-colored satin, and brown curls
which could no more have been coaxed TO lie
straight than SO many grapevine tendrils
You are really going to marry a common
mechanic % persisted Myra, remonstratively.
"Well ! think he's rather uncommon
one myself
"But our papa is a gentleman"
"Our papa is lawyer by profession, Ny
IA, but don't think he is any more of Il gen
ileman than Walter Genlis
"Mechanics are not gentlemen y
eyes they are if they behave themselves.
Now look here, Myra," and the big brown
eyes became resolute. 81 am very glad
hat YOU are engaged to Wall street brok-
or, who lives in brown stone house, but
don't think that gives you the privilege of
cri'icising my lover"
"But he is so poor, Grace.
"IIe has health and strength, and his own
strong right arm to he Up him.
"And YOU will have to wark.
"Wcll what then? ? My goodness gracious!
and Grace elevated two plump little hands,
"what do YOU suppose these were given to
me for? 70 wear kid gloves and diamond
rings only, and to gather roses No, indeed !!
can find better use for them than that. ~
"Gracc, YOU are really incorrigible!
"Yes, am; so you may just as well
leave off leciurng me-" said Grace, saucily.
II am going to marry nothing but a mechan-
ic | shall live in half a house, can't go
ont in a .riage. nor give parties, and ]
think it very likely that | shall not untre-
qucntly wash dishes, sweep rooms and iron
l. a. nd tIronUh oil ay-
pect to be very happy
Myaa sighed and abandoned the useless
argument. What was TO be done with so
very unreasonable damse as this
A bright little hearth sone-a kettle sing
inc ON the hob; the crimson carpet not Brus-
sells, nor velvet, but simple ingram, aud the
plain neat furniture, with Grace smiling at
The ready spread table-this was pleas
ant home for Walter Genlis to come to after
his DAVIS work in the great machine shop
was over.
"Upon my word" he said, gayly, 81
think we're happier than Myra in her big
house, with her parties and her visiting list,
and her swarm of servants. Do you know,
Oracle. almost felt at one time that | was
doing wrong by marrying you"
"Myra seemed to think you were such
victim
"Do look like victim?' demurely
asked Grace.
"Whv. no can't say think you do,
hut | wish could have brought you TO a
house all of your own, my pet. Never mind;
some day you shall reign in palace worthy
of you.
;'Nonsense, Walter could be happier
anywhere than am with youy
care you happy, love?'
She rose from her seat and came over TO
her husbands side, looking full into his face
with ewes SO eloquent that all the dictiona-
ries in creation could not have spoken more
plainly.
Yes, he knew that she was happy.
Ms. Linley, too, though she was happy,
and pited "poor dear Oracle from the very
bottom of her heart. No servants; no silver
napkin rings; no double damask table cloths
with embroidered monoerams on them; n"
carriage; no ilion carpets, nor brocatel cur
tains. What would life be worth without
these And then, too, she lived so ont
landishly-actualIy dining in the middle OF
he day, and having--good f,tes pork and
cabbage occasionally, and fried onions Mrs.
Linley was quite sure that she could not
have existed under such fearful concentra-
ton of circumstances.
"Of course we must continue 10 visit
them," said Myra, inhaling the Lubin per-
fnme from her NaIenciennes edged pocket
handkerchief, "but really | am quite ashamed
to have our carriage seen in such a common
place street"
"She's your sister," said Mr.. l.inley,
"and Genls is good fellow, after all. "
81 know it. but a common mechanic =
And Myra took ont her pearl tablets to look
over her vi ting list =,
Grace Gens knew very well that Mr.
Gustavus Lnley despised her and her low
estate. but Grace cared not two pins tor that
why should she? Was she not happy as
Oueen Victoria's self in her snug little house,