Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-01-21
EE1EN's AMBITION.

yellow with the full maturity o. the
rpened year, was flooding the western
porch floor the asters and golden rods
nodding along the edge OF the hazel
copses and maple swamp. silently wrote
the epitaph of the dead and gone
summer-and Helen Doty, slowly
climbing the hill, when the apple tree
leaned towards the east felt the sweet,
drowsy influences of the season, with-
out fairly comprehending their spell.
She was pretty rather than beautiful
with an oval face, deep brown eyes,
and curls bronzsd with CLEANS Of bright
ness, while the peach-like bloom upon
her checks betokencd the presence of
perfect health, and certain little
elasticity of movement dwelt in all her
gait and bearing.
Farmer Doty sat il his easy chaif
On the piazza, nodding over the last
weeks county paper, as Helen's football
sounded on the step.
ats you, eh, Nelly7" said the farmer
Hugh Martin has just been here-he
says his mo.her'd ike you to come as
early i'll the week as you can, for she's
kind o'ailin', and there a good deal to
be done, and -"
Hugh must look out for somebody
else, aid Nelly, contracting her pretty
brows g! am not going out to work
in any ones house like a common
servant girl"
Farmer Doty started, 4..
But it amt like a servant, Nell!
Mrs. Martin is poorly, and every one
knows you are to be married to Hugh,
when---~"
Every one knows nothing Of the
kind" interrupted Nelly coloring, and
speaking abruptly. ..
Nelly!
81 may as well tell you my plans
first as last" said Helen, with the roses
burning deeply on her cheeks, 81 have
resolved to go to London!"
"What for, in the name of all Gre
ation!" demanded the farmer, his breath
fairly taken away by the unexpected
tidings.
"To cultivate my voice. Mr.. Fors
dyce Glenville says -"
"Mr Fordyce Glenville!" repeated
Doty bitterly. eyes, that explains it
all! might have known that when
Mrs Chenille took to patronizing you
and making much OF you, with her de-
mands and Der fal-lals and her silk
gowns irailin in the dust, all your
common sense would go bv the board!
Do you suppose, Helen, that now they
have returned to the city, they will
waste second thought on the caYntry
girl, whose pretty face-for you are
pretty enough, Mel! : amused them
when they had nethin else to do, and
whose singing helped to pass the time
away of long stupid evenings"
Helens eyes fell, and she played
unconsciously with the strings of her
straw hat. She could not muster cour
age to tell her father all that Mr.
Fordyce Chenille had whispered to her
in the purple dark of these self>same
stupid evenings" as he escorted her
from the country hotel to the farm
gate.
''Mrs. Chenille is good judge she
said falteringly, "and she told me that
my voice, with a little cultivation,
would be quite as good as that of many
young girl who makes her fortune on
the stage!'
"Fiddlestick!' said Farmer Doty.
ssAt all events, said Helen, resolute~
ly. Il mean TO try. / have hun
dred pounds in the savings bank,
and
"Nelly Nelly pleaded her father,
who scarcely knew how to manage or
ceutrol the headstrong girl. who had
been motherless from her birth, ssyoure
LOT Ia earnest. You never csald ldsss