The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-09
CATCHING LARKS.

| sweep in front oil his mouse, listening " his
wife, who thought, poor woman, that she
might possibly persuade him to do what
she wished. He was gentleman-llke'
good-looking man; and his clothes had
once been good, but now, like his wife's'
they were sadly unworthy of the many
uuarterings on his shield. The overgrown
garden, the half-ruinous old house, looked
like fallen gentility; and the sun which
was shining so brightly over it all, that
sweet Summer morning, only brought out
the shabbiness.
| "Don't you think, William" said Mrs.
| Thorney pleadingly, "that you could spare
the girls few pounds more to dress them
selves decently? 1 don't ask for myself;
nobody cares if an old woman looks shabby;
but should like to see my daughters look
like ladies'
"The ladyism is not worth much, if it
depends on dress"
''But it is so bad, so degrading, for
girls to be always scrubby and untidy, and
to be ashamed to appear among their ac-
quaintance, because all their things are so
old-fashioned and so mean. I'm sure,
William, when you were young man you
were as particular as possible about your
dress.''
"Possibly," said Mr.. Thorney, looking
at his thread bare sleeve.
81 know we are dreadfully poor his
wife went on; "but we have cut off all
extra expenses. sent Moggride away on
word from you, though knew should
never have comfortable day after she
left. And you won't hear of the girls
going out as governesses, which they are
willing to do"
either, should think. In the first place,
what could they teach? And, in the sec
ond place, it would be hardly wise to
estrange all our relations. AS long as they
have home to live in, they had better be
satisfied
81 wish it was better home for them.
wish you would sell it, and let us take
lodging in some nice town."
"Thank you; prefer to keep it. If
| your daughters wish to go away, they may
marry"
GAS if there was any chance of such
thing in this desert!' sighed Mrs. Thorney.
"However, William, if you would enable
them to dress little better, then, indeed,
they might go out more, and have the same
chances as other girls
"When the sky falls, we may possibly
catch Iarks," responded her husband.
| "Don't answer me with that horrid old
provcrb," said Mrs. Thorney, rather hast
lily. "You don't appreciate your daugh-
ters, William. They are very cookbook
girls, even in the rags they are wearing
now-and Fanny has already had one
admirer."
| "Yes-a gentleman living on twopence
year among the cassowaries, who may
eat him cold for luncheon with my free
consent"
With these parting words, Mr.. Thorney
turned, and walked away into the shrub
berry. His wife stood still for moment,
wiping her eyes, and then went into the
house, to tell the girls the result Of her
intercession.
Madge and Fanny Thorney were sitting
in the study, little dark room in the front
of the house, with a long low window, half
overgrown with honeysuckle; and through
this open window they had heard every
word of the conversation. Their little
sanctum was never invaded by any one but
their mother, and they thought it the most
comfortable room in the house, though
everything was worn down to the extreme
of shabbiness, thread bare carpet, black
ened paper, crazy furniture, and great
implanted deal bookcase, heaped with I'M
bound books in every stage of dilapidaton.
The two girls were trying to improve their
minds in their own way. as they sat oppo-
site to each other. Fanny had large old
map Of Africa, full of "unexplored re-
gions," and 8ladge appeared to be deep in
Spanish grammar; but these studies were
very inferior in interest to the converse
ton outside. When it was ended, and
Mrs. Thorney opened the door with hes
itating hand, and came in, she found two
rather dismal faces waiting for her report.
81 am sorry to have to vex you, my
dears," she said, looking from one to the
other. 81 can't make your papa give me
decided answer-he never will-but ! see
very plainly that he doesn't think he can
afford it. l wish l had anything of my
own to give you," and Mrs. Thorney wiped
her eyes again.
Never mind, mother" said Madge;
"if papa can't, he can't, and there's an
end oft. Only, wish we might do some
thing for ourselves. can't see any rca-
son on earth why we should sit here doing
nothing, getting poorer every day, just
above beggary, that's all, when we have
heads and hands to work with. Don't you
think SO, Fan? %
Fan nodded her concurrence.
"My dear Madge," said Mrs. Thorney,
"you must recollect that, although we are
poor, we belong to one of the best and old.
est families in the kingdom; your papa
traces his descent -
81 know, nanny" interrupted Madge
more sadly than rudely. "But if our an
cestors were great people, that doesn',
hinder us from being as poor as rats. Papa
is quite as poor as Mr.. Jenkins, the father
of Mrs. Maule's governess; and why she
should earn fifty pounds year, and we
should earn nothing, when we want it just
as much, is past my comprehension"
"My dear child, how can you make sucl
comparisons? Do you wish to be ignored
by your relations? Can you think that
Lady Catherine would ever show any attcn.
ton to a governess?"
81 don't see what difference it would
make to Lady Catherine, l must say
observed Fan. owe don't have too much
of her attention as it is. Ibelieve she gave
me white frock, when was baby"
"Well, girls, can't argue with you, y
said Mrs. Thorney, unable to dispute this
last position 81 know very well, and sc
do you, that your papa would never allow