The Republican journal., 1872-11-14

'.Oh, my good gracious! how dare
vou2"
Fanny laid the pink bundle down on E
rocking chair full OF pillows. The bundle
protested with a vigorous movement, anC
in another moment the rocking chair anC
the baby came down together
Now, YOU awful man, the child Is
killed !" clled Fanny, with scared face
a she lifted the tiny morsel from the floor
but the pillows had protected it, and the
startled baby after one effort at curling
her lips, broke into charming smile.
No harm done; and l trust | am for
gwen" said Mathew Dom.
"No. You are not forgiven. | shall
never forgive YOU, Mr.. Mathew Dom; SC
please leave baby and me. have nothing
to saw"
well, i I'm going"
''Gou can 90, sir"
| The Young man went softly. slowly
out; but he looked neither greved nol
angry on the other side of the door he
| smiled
The circumstances were these:
Fanny had been amusing her sisters
child and the little cherub seemed never
to tire Of musical sounds; so Fanny who
had Mother Goose" by heart, liked moth
| ing better than to sit in the cosy sitting
room which was really the nursery, and
| sing those old, old melodies
| Mathew DOM was the hired man and
on this particular morning had stolen in
| quietly behind Miss Fanny and, tempted
of-what? ? surely not the evil one-had
! bent over and kissed her on the forehead.
| And this he had dared to do, knowing
that Fanny was city young lady, living
in a fashionable quarter and used to the
best society.
Fanny's sister had married rich farm
er not quite two years before. People
| talked about these Bryson's burying them.
| selves alive; but both Olive and Fanny
| loved the country better than the town
| Every summer Fanny was glad to leave
| the "stutly old house." as she called it,
and almost by one leap on the express
train find herself in paradise, breathing
air redolent OF white clover and sweet
| hriar. During the winter the sisters cor
responded regularly; and Olive had sung
the praises of Mathew Dom, their hired
man, so often, that Fanny found herself
| thinking of his acquaintance as one Of the
probabilities of her next visit.
1--WE don't pretend to treat him as help, y
wrote Olive, holding her baby on one
| knee and Steadving the paper with a
'5'Nn~v weight. +Iui Ia. ,,UL Iii me leasl
| like the men who is hired out in these
parts. | should be ashamed not to ask
| him to come to the table; and Just for the
novelty of it | want you to peep into his
room Harry calls him his rara avis; and
the two really enjoy themselves together
like brothers. Besides, he's nearly rs
handsome as my Harry. He, you know
is the handsomest man in the world"
And the pleasant pen ran on and told
about the planting. the prospective sweet
corn. and pea blossoms. and how the
grape vines were full of tniest lunches
and the young peach trees were going to
do splendidly; and Adela had two cunning
milk white teeth and | don't know how
much more loving nonsense.
Now, Fanny had rich lover, and, like
most rich lovers, he was not prepossessing
in his personal appearance. In her own
written language to Olive, she pestered
her to DEATH To he sure it was pleasant
to see his splended equipagc in front o
certain occasions Fanny yielded to his
solicitations to take ride; and he always
contrived to take her by his castle Of q
brown stone front, perhaps to tempt her
for Fanny was fond OF beautiful things as
women ought to be, and was well aware
of the advantage which money can give.
Both father and mother were anxious
that size should marry the Hon Ebeneze7
Wolcou, but Fanny was high spirited
and they seldom advised her. The CIR
knew that they were living beyond thei
means Tor her sake, and this knowledge
had been bitterly earned. She and Olive
had many conferences over it.
IL think il you were married." said
Olive, ''papa would come here and take :
small house; then business need not press
him so in his old age"
Ebenezer had done the proper thing
had offered Fanny his heart, his house
his carriage and his horses and although
he was known for pugnacious old gen.
tleman, terribly set in his way, he was
honorable, and he loved Fanny Brysor
with all his heart. And Fanny told him
that. she could not then decide-that she
was going for the summer months to sister
Olives, and at the close Of her visit she
would give him his answer
"And mayI come out there sometimes p
asked Eben.
Fanny gave a reluctant consent, anC
wished with all her heart that she had re-
fused him. SO, with the understanding 9
that he would call as a friend, the two
parted.
AT the depot Fanny found her sisters
carriage in waiting, and was accosted by
the handsomest as well as the tallest man
| she had ever seen. Six feet high and
proportionately majestic he seemed like
Apollo and Hercules in one
"Can this be the hired man P" thought
Fanny; and then she looked at his dress
Not Il trace of servtude about him, but
he treated her with extreme Difference,
said but little, drove with the precision OF
a man accustomed to horses and drew ur
before the cottage in grand style.
Fanny was in Her sisters arms and after
her the baby came in tor full share of
the kisses
''Well, is that your hired man ?" queried
Fanny, after her comfortable installmeni
in one of the luxurious easy chairs.
eyes, dear that is Mathew Dom. How
did you like him ?''
He looks like gentleman" said
Fanny, after little pause.
''He is a gentleman, dear, in the bes
sense of the word told you that"
'And does he speak English well?"
"Why, child, he isn't foreigner
laughed Olive.
81 mean grammatically," said Fanny.
"Oh, yes presume he has common
school education" replied Olive, "and
something better I know there are GER
tain classical books in his room. Whether
he ever reads them or not cannot say"
"Why in the world does he hire out ?'
cried Fanny, with dismay in her voice.
"Why shouldn't hep" asked Olive
laughing heartily again. "He likes the
country, is used to horses, and. suppose
he can't get anything better to do"
"But a man like him might-be some
body" calculated Fanny. with vehemence
my patience has he no ambition? I'm