Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-10-03
Pearls and Blackberries.

words with impressive distinctness he
looked solemnly at Harry Clifford.
He might have found a worse-looking
individual to fix his regards upon than
this young M. D., who had taken his
first season in bones, muscles and human
anatomy, with the therapeutics belong
ing thereto, in the little Office across
the hall, and was just preparing to hang
up a shingle of his own; for Harry
Clifford was tall and shapely, with red
brown hair and huge auburn mus
tache, and merry eyes that laughed like
springs of water in the sunshine.
DR.. Darling took off his spectacles,
folded them, and deliberately placed
them in their case, still without taking
his eyes from his neophyte. Harry
Clifford smiled; but he looked o little
embarrassed, Notwithstanding.
"She would have you in minute, if
you were to PROPOSE" persued DR..
Darling, dropping great red-hot splashes
of sealing-wax over sheet of blotting-
paper, and stamping them with his
monogram seal in an aimless sort of
way.
eyes; but I tell you, sir, I don't
want to PROPOSE" said Harry, staring
at the entertwined D. j. D. s as if they
were the most interesting things in the
world.
"You don't want pretty girl for a
wife ?"
*'Not that pretty girl in particular,
Doctor"
Not fifty thousand dollars ?" added
the Doctor, pronouncing the three mo-
mentous words in manner that made
them sound very weighty indeed.
Il would not object to the fifty thou
sand dollars in itself, sir; but, as a
mere appendage to Miss. Bradbury"
II believe the boy is crazy" ejacu-
lated DR.. Darling. "Well, we'll, as the
Scotch proverb has it, a wilfu man
maun hae his way and shall inter-
fere no farther. BY the way, Harry"
Yes, sir?'
"You are going to the city this after
noon?'
"That is my present intention, sir"
Stop at Depierre's, will you, and
leave Mrs. Darlins's pearl brooch to be
mended. ought to have done it a
week ago, but a man can't think of
everything"
Certainly, Doctor" and Harry Cliff
ford deposited the pearl brooch-an
old-fashioned ornament of massive gold,
set with tiny seed-pearls-in his waist
coat pocket.
Rather careless way to carry
jewelry, young man," said DR.. Darling,
elevating his eyebrows.
The morning sun was casting bright
Pickering threads of gold across the
kitchen floor; the morning glories and
MADEIRA vines, trained across the case.
ment, stirred softly in the mid July air;
and Ursula Percy, Mrs. Darling's Or
phan niece, was busy "doing up black
berries"
Fresh as rose, with hazel eyes, soft
ened to intense blackness at times by
the shadow of their long lashes, and
smiling scarlet lips, she stood there
her calico dress concealed by the house
wifely apron of white di1nity that was
tied around her waist, and her black
curls tucked remorselessly back of her
ears-looking demurely into the bub-
bling depths of the preserving kettle,
like beautiful parody on one of the
witches in Macbeth; while on the
whitely-scoured pine-table beyond, a
glittering tin vessel was upheapad with
the beautiful jet-black fruit, each sep
arate berry flashing like the eye of an
Oriental belle. ..''..
Ursulap'
The pretty young girl started, very
nearly dropping her skinner into the
preserving kettle.
How you startled me. Harry"
Harry advanced into the kitchen.
with an admiring look at the bright
face flushed with little blush and o
good deal of stove heat.
"You are always at work, Ursula"
Il have got to work, Harry, to earn
my own living" Ursula Percy answered,
with a slight uplifting of her exquisite
black brows. 81 am not an heiress
like Miss Bradbury"
stConfound Mice ro1h,,xr,p, -.