Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-08-13
sslsrteh Misrsllany.
From the saturday Evening Post.
HOPE DEFER II F. ID.
ny MAURICE EGAN.

Mss Selma Martin lives over the
wuv~ she is an old maid. 1t is her
habit to come over every day, and bor
row Mrs. Evergreen's newspaper. AS
write in the little sitting groom hear
her talking 10 Bessie.
AS general thing" SAYS Miss Sc
lima, Il don't think much ofthe French.
They amt my style. Their Paris COM
muncs. low-necked dresses, and gener-
al carvings OH don't suit my ideas
but. then I'm kinder strange
To hear Miss Sclinas tone, you
would naturally think that she was
the oAe pattern of morality left in this
degenerate age.
"rherc's some good among them,
I'll allow" she continues, "some of
'em know their places, and I've got
one Of that kind. Picked her up
lookin' for all the world like u scared
chicken among lot of emigrants
t'other day. She's not like the usual
run Of hired gals. Bless you, no. |
took her because she can't speak much
English, and Il girl who can't speak En-
glish. isn't likely TO have followers; /;
and if there's anything set my foot
on, it's followers"
And Miss Selma having secured the
paper took her leave in virtuous tri-
umph.
was curious to see the ''hired gal"
who had ut last succeeded in pleasing
the ancient maiden.
Having finished my writing, | took
book, and sat down at the window !;
but when | have my choice between
studying books and studying people, |
always prefer the latter, and SO the
book was neglected.
After which, the postman stopped
at Miss Selina's door, and IA young girl,
in white cap, which covered all her
hair, came out to take the letter. lfyou
have been an invalid at any part of
your life, your whole world made up
of the space between four walls, you
have learned to study small things, find
ing. like the melancholy Jacques, ''ser-
mons in stones" and deepest meaning
in the veriest trifles. There was lit
tie romance in the way the girl took
that letter. Her hand went out eager
ly to meet it, and she read the direc-
ton on the envelope. Then the eX-
pectant light faded from her blue-eyes,
and the blush-rose tint left her cheeks.
She closed the door, her manner ex-
pressing sad resignation, and left in
my mind the impression that had
discovered link in the life story of
Miss Selina's hired girl.
| tried to brush up the small stock
of French which had been diligently
pounded into my youthful mind at
school, and soon made myself useful
as an Interpreter between Miss Selma
and her assistant. BY putting "this
and that together" was able to make
out Marie Liseau's little story.
Her father and mother were Nor
man peasants, who lived on a little
farm, near Pont Audemer, i'll Norman
dy. "We were not rich, monsieur
we three" said Marie, "but we were
very happy. All, how well | remem-
ber those happy mornings in the spring
and summer, when my good mother
and | would come into Pont Audemer
for the market. Many of our neigh
bors would come also, and we made
quite crowd. The wagons were all
filled with fresh eggs, and cheese, and
butter, with sometimes red cherries
and carrots-not such rs You have
here, monsieur, but larger and finer,
and of the color of gold. And | wore