Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-02-09

seeking to advance their own interest regard
less CT others. Unselfshness self-sacrihce
and great-heayted philanthropy were sil very
well 10 weave beautiful dreams about, but
they were not to be found in practical every
day life. Heroes did not exist except in
books and fancy; and for the sake Of visions
and dreams should she turn away from what
the most Of her acquaintance would cell
wonderful good tortune-a golden opportu-
nitv? She would have wealth, and with il
position and influence, as this mans wife;
yet her cheek flushed at the last three words
even though they were spoken TO her own
heart alone-it seemed so much like selling
herself Why should il though? she asked
herself persstentlY. II she did not love 'here
neither did she elsewhere, and no one would
be wronged. She could give all be asked or
cared fora placid, good natured liking.
Deep, iervent love he would never require
or even comprehend. That was one trouble,
indeed: there were depths in Marion nature
that he would not know. she felt,even while
she reasoned with herself, that if she entered
upon this path, her old high thoughts Of life
and all its noble possibilities. her best re
solves and highest aims her truest self, must
be put aside. or would die in the atmosphere
that would surround her. Ii would be
dwaried and starved by the influence of q
life that should be one with hers, and vet
would be altogether diverse. True, ir was
only what others We're doing all around her,
and calling practical and sensible, but was il
not a deep sin against her own truth and
Vomanh0od? Despite all the offered pleas
ures that 1t held out to her, would there not
come many days Ike this one, that would
shut away the world and force her back upon
herself? Would there not come many hours
Of loneliness and forced introspection. when
the lite 70 which she Was looking forward
would seem empty, worthless and false?
>ao was not ready to answer these ques-
tiuns vet. and the basy thoughts that she
could not put aside. wearied and troubled
her. She could not interest herself in the
/ book she had taken up, and the room seemed
strangely silent now that Nanuie's merry
rrattlc was gone. She was about to % N
search of the child, when Bridget once more
appeared a the door.
There's maa out here ma am. wants
to know does ye want any umbrellas
mindid?
No, Mrs. WIlmot said carelessly. oh
yes, do too she added with q quick
second thought. Mamie broke one the
other dav. irving 10 use IL for q balloon.
" here is he, Bridget?
.Ort i'm the hail ma'am' And Bridcet
returned to the kitchen, while Mrs. Wilm0t
hunted mn the article with fractured homes
and carried If onr FIR ins,octior
little snare. Thin man stood there. lean
inc SLIGHTLY upon his bundle of umbrellas TO
afford suuTtrt In one I,nb that was shorter
than the other His coat q rather shabby
one was drawn well down over his iron
grav hair. lint from rrdor this latter article
n mir NJ b-irb+ teon evcs were surveying
bis SURROUNDINGS li+tio hov--a -bv r.lr-
nc.5 -ad-evoi child was with him
GOT sometime for me to mend. mq'arn %
rho man aske8 NJ Mr.. WTnot gruroacbe5
bi,, and bis v,ico sounded v66jerfpiIv
rbosry and ,.Is,.sr+ IN come from sueb :.
,.ors,1 or5 ~, s, f,rro-- n 5ay .Ycs'm
Ios ir5oo9. t,is eosv ,,erde5 Won have
il all ri,bt in q hurry won't we JOHNNY II
tbc ledS can crve MS "a bit Of Mace r. 81.
down we nocin'r axe il awav at aU'
Ms ly,I,oqr glanced M rl,e- cb1d's little
hands blne with The cold and turned inyol-
,,-+,--I,- +o,rs-.i ~, i,--,t- ,r.-r, room, sho
b7d i1sf Iefr
III won't make much dirt. [ surp9sc p
.Lo ,..,,s.io-,l ,,a,,s;,., f,,., moment With
a 5o1sewifelv reirord for her Garnet.
.Ob no ma am . dear mo- Notbipr more (
n ,,;scs mr. tyro NJ ,vbaioi1ns and q lii If
80 s- the ,,o-t
Mn lyilnot was res-.urel. and wing
oreD tbo door .be eavs them c5mrrtaHs
.cers Lv tbo fire n,fin, AS Ne aid so. how
o,,-rl, tts wv, ,ai-s 9f hands vya-e Liza a.+
t,yTTsrj tbs 7-s-,Iinr. bls1o
.T,-yi-,, Fl, lio,bsr INV fo.,ers q E-tIo bf-
FIRE + hi, ,,,'an, The man s,il with q
s-a5rs ..It',o c1lJ he'd dav onr but /
s'nose Won vou won,in'r feel f much here p
bd o55.5 ,ritt a-, a,lr,ir-o, ,,o-c cs around H. =.
,,rsttv orort emit
No. van, i've ,,,o5 ,r,v. off little b,v 2'
,vorisd Mamie f-psbin, the curl- a,,av
f-o-n bsr f9cs and maxim, bosfi-aIJe a5-
,-,,,c.s +oD-s,3 d, ,,r,e-s,-;,r, wifi tls
vopn, STRANGER Rut he only lacked at her
,,.,dorir,.l,i and ,,ar,4 o. fit-ie rre,.Ip +,
bis eEoi-
no ,,o,y .T,brr.y,t ,,l,, 5,-,'r Won, ferL "a,
the I;rrIs oiri - ssii fa t,tb,- brisllv ana
tber oTo7,gst;eaIIv +, M. WTm6,-.IIe
b,;rs Icon ei,t ,viti ne many time. vo1
500 I'm orI,, inst bo-inoin,, q, tske him
because he c,1 holm -o carr the uul,-eIias
s,meti,nes
.u@7, ,,aDv children haze v5,, 7' asked
NJ WiImof kindly
sOrly f7,r Tns am .Iobnnv here j. the
ol5est We di5 ba-o three ol5er hn. fbcv'rc
.,...o,,.,,, ,,,,,,
aSrsvIa+ ,'la,,. vor ,,aa, ., ,rss+ionsd
N,~;o,, ror t1i-s co,,,7,rcl,or5iri, and h.
,;nI,i,g IN feel interested in the cdd CHEEKY
ittIe man Win bisou;cI- r,,verer,-s and H.
IIo ,,,sod ,r, ;rsts,t in tho nor 1r ,,,,in-
ont bi5 roois ana Looked toward her
sYes mo'am +, tbe verr host lind of 81
rliaee-un there SoD ln6v There's no
dancer tbat they'll ever want for onvtbino.
or ever be turned aw8v.'
There followed a moments silence which
lie was the first to break.
1t did seem dreadful hard al frst-iust as
they were getting old enough TO work and
helm some. But then. as sand to Martha.
what more did we want than 10 see EN- do
well and I'd tried and worked nv hard
est | couldn't have got en- into no such good
fortune as they'd know how. It's better
for them. 80 we won't fret if it is little
harder for Us. will we. johnny? o.
But it must be hard for YOU to take caie
of four little ones. inst in the wav. with no
one TO helm you.' Mrs. Wilmot said.
.Ob. | don't Martha helps a good deal
takes in washing and such things, you know.
It's pretty hard work, sometimes, but still
We get along l didn't take to this always,
though ! used to be b-lcklayer before /
got the fall that lamed me; but never
could do much at 1t aiEerward.
You do not seem unhappy with 1t all,
commented Marion, coloring suddenly, how
ever, wheE she found that She had spoken
her thoughts aloud.
But the stranger was not well enough
versed in the ways of society to perceive any
thing strange IN the remark, and he answer
ed 1t unhesitatingly.
Unhappy? No. to be sure amt. WHY.