The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-02-20

shurc, an why alnl it ghe thing lor
poor girl to bc ggtlia' her living daeeutIy
and honestly
And tbst was all DE coujd get out Of
her. Having acknowledged her identity
With Barbio for an instant, Size was the
most uuapproachablc Biddio the next
aud would have nothing 20 say in that
character
Does your father know of this, Bar
bics What would he say: perscsercd
Ansou.
shure, au' it's not me own mddor
would be- iuterfcrjn wild me, would he,
said Diddy.
IN vain were an remon,lrauces with
the roguish aud willul girl She persist.
cd in being Biddg even to him, and main
tanned distance between them very diff
ferent from that between him and Barbie
in her own proper self Annoyed, pro-
yokcd ehargned, almost angry, the adj
vent Of his father forced him to retire
from the Kitchen, for fear OF betraying
Barbics secret, which he would not have
done for o good deal
1t was several hours before he could
retun to the house, his father upon one
pretext or another having detained him.
When at last they entered together
kitchen and sittiag-room, both OF which
had been left in a most untidy state when
they left there, had undergone such re
markable renovaling process that old
Joel drew back at first, thinking he had
set foot in somebody else's house instead
Of his own.
Supper was smoking on the table;
such supper as old Joel, at least, had
not seen for months. To crown all, Mrs.
Shellenbarger was sitting, propped up
with pillows, in great easy chair, and
looking wondrously coutented, and with
reason-the poor lady ha9 not had a
woman's hand about her before since her
illness. They lived ia such an isolated,
nhospitable manner that very few OF
their neighbors even knew Mrs. ShelIen-
barger was not as well as usual Biddy
as she called herself, had tidied the old
lady up in wonderful manner.
Joel Shellenbarger sat down to the
dainty-sproad table, and made a most
hearty and keenly-rclished meal, glancing
askance at Biddy meanwhile. Anson,
strange to say, ute very little, and he
watched Biddy askance, too.
This was only the beginning Of reforms
this darling girl instituted. First, how
ever, as much as for her own peace of
mind as Anson's knowing that mother
and son were fast friends and always of
one opinion-shc told her secret to Mrs.
Shellenbarger, and finally whedlcd the
good lady into approval. 1t is true that
she shook her head at first, and looked
wandrously shocked. 1t was so charming
to have those little soft hands iluttering
about her, and to see such brightness and
comfort spring up around, that she could
not, for her own sake, help countenanc-
ing, as much as silence could, Biddy's
mysterious presence.
haven't time to give particulars, but
having made a good beginning, with a
true Irish felicity, Biddy established her.
self, In short time, completely in the
good graces OF the old man. lie had a
| lurking likeness for neatness and good
order, and Mrs. Shellenbarger, poor wo-
man, wasn't a neat housekeeper. Under
the new reign, order grew out of chaos; ;
the house seemed in holiday garb all the
time, and an atmosphere Of social cheer
! funess peryadcd everywhere.
One morning, the old man entered a
/ grumbling complaint Of Anson with
never see no good come of eddication yet.
/ II it hadcn't been for that college business
you might have taken liking TO a sensi-
bic girl, aud she to you.
lie glanced at Biddy as he spoke. She
turned scarlet, and came very near drop
ping the dish She was holding, It was
not the first time Anson had heard such
insinuations, and he rather enjoyed Bid
dy's trepidation.
See here, father, he said, roguishly, Just
pick me out wife, aud see what will
come Of 1t,
The only girl / know Of worth having
wouldn't have you, dare say--wouId
you h.ddy; Joel said gramblingIy, but
turning suddenly TO the girl,
Ansoa was smiling maliciously. Brid-
get O'Flynn had kept Barbie's lover at a
tmtalizing and unrclenling distance all
this time. lie was taking his revenge
now, Making desperate effort, Biddy
rallied her confused senses to say, with
considerable selt-po5session;
Shure, sir, an il isn't mcscf thatH be
after having any mau till I'm asked.
BiddY, will you marry me5 said Anson
grayely extending his hand.
twin that now, said Biddy, promptly
her hand in his, while old Joel came near
choking himself with amazemcnt 1t wa,
TOO late to fecede, however, whether he
had really wished such a thing or not, a'
they soon made him understand. lie
went ont Of doors presently privately
b pincbiug himself to ascertain II be were
I really 10 bis senses or not, Seeing tht
TWO standing By the window Ia close con
yersaliou soon after, hc erept with III,
? same laudiblc inieniion toward them, uu
, der cover Of the bushes that grew by to-
2 house.
Now, Bidlie, Ausou was saying laugh
iugly. what is TO be done uexlf ! mus
, say you have mausged wonderfully, e
: Tn Lut MAaL DO Auu -mnI.nae Le-LL ~