South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-10-17

The next forenoon Miss Lowell came in.
to the store. Blaney introduced her to US
all, aud then showed her the room which
she was to have charge of she performed
her work, came down stairs, bade ia good
morning as she passed the store, aud went
home. She was certainly q very pretty,
lady-like appearing person, aud there is no
use In denying the fact that she created an
impression among Us clerks. Even Gale
was forced TO admit that the chamber look
cd neater and more home like that nigh.
than ever before, aud we were all well
pleased with the pleasant prospec. that our
new investment held out to us.
Three months passed rapidly by, day
followed day with its regular routine of
business IN the store. Miss Lowell coutiu-
ued to take charge Of our chamber, and she
had made it as pretty aud tasty as parlor,
and she was not only our cham bermaid now,
but she was now our seamstress, and real.
ly believe that she knew more about the
state ct the wardrobe of each one of US than
we knew of 1t ourselves then | remember
how she nursed Charley Martin, when he
had the fever and ague, and Fred Gale,
when he was almost crazy with the neural
gia ; and ii was not to be wondered at that
she became very much attached 20 us all,
or rather that we oil became attached 20 her
aud she was known throughout the whole
neiG borhood, as sour Mary
Blaney had become the most intimate
with her, probably because be had manag.
ed nearly all the business with her; having
regularly received our weekly assessments
and paid the sum over tn her for us and
If at any time she bad required any instruc.
ton or advice, she had invariably gone to
him for 1t aud in this way she had become
more familiar with him than with either of
the others. doubt ifauy one had thought
! of this, however, until after she had been
'our Mary foy more than three mouths, but
then Bianey began to absent himself from
our circle evenings 1t was only occasions
ally At first, but it soon became as FREQUENT
as once week, and quite regular, and theu
Gale began to banter him upon being out
so late nights, aud intimate that he was
very sorry to see the oldest clerk becom ing
so very dissipated. One evening when
Blaney was absent, Fred said that be- didn't
know but what he would be willing to get
married if he could have a chance to try
his wife three months as Ned had.
During the ensuicg summer months we
spent but very few evenings in the count
ing room Ned was with us little, and the
place looked desolate after the great shutters
were barred up, with neither him there nor
fire in the CRATE then our chamber was
much more pleasant than it was the previ-
Gus summer, for Mary still had the care of
it, aud so we devoted the most Of our spare
| hours to that room. The evenings that
Blaney absented himself from US, VIC often
devoted to talking of him and of Mary, and
! although we were not pleased at the idea
of losing sour Mary il was some consoa-
ton that our Ned Blaney would win her
as bis Mary. Ned was one of the best of
US all, and we were equally glad that our
Mary was to get so good husband.
One evening in early autum, Blaney
made the serious announcement TO us that
we should, ut the expiration of three weeks
lose our chambermaid. She had decided
to resign her position, aud perhaps we
would like few weeks notice in order to
engage successor.
Il presume what is our loss will be your
GAIN remarked Fred Gale.
yes, sir, / am proud to say that it will.
propose TO take 'Our Mary my wife this
coming winter! replied Ned.
On New Years night, of 1854, there
was very pleasant! though small party of
friends at pretty cottage on the buffs
Thich bad gathered to witness the marriage
Of Ned Blanoy, our senior clerk, and Mary
Il. Lowell, 'our Mary and after the we'd.
ding they occupied the cottage as their
home.
For several months we Chat is, the re-
naming four bachelor clerks em ployed a
successor to Mary, but she did not prove 90
acceptable as the drug clerks protegee, and
after a thorough trial we dispensed with
her services, and for all know, she may
be advertising W1ufe1-A Sjf,,og;or