The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-31

always in the same business-like way,
never lingering for moment, never by
any possibility smiling or exchanging a
word with either of us, and yet we
looked upon him quite in the light of a
friend and speculated about his history,
as lonely women will about those with
whom they come in contact He had
been in the army and had lost an arm;
this was all we knew about him, except
that he was evidently German, and
quite good looking, not to say scholarly,
in his aspect.
Were you aware" asked Brunhilda
one morning, with an ominous express
sion, " that Miss Murphy speaks Ger
MANI"
"Speaks German!" 1 repeated, in
amazement. "And pray how did you
find it out?" For Brunhilda's knowledge
of German matches Shakespeare's Greek
and Latin.
BY hearing her address the postman
in that delightfully."- musical and easily
acquired tongue" was the reply.
And what did he say?" l continued,
excitedly.
AS nearly as I could make out, this
was his rejoinder": and Brunhilda oblig-
ingly perpetrated series of growls,
with squeal at the end Of each one,
which, so far as zoe were concerned,
effectually illustrated Talleyrand's defni-
ton of language. ..
We both laughed, but with a chilling
sort of presentiment that this was no
laughing matter.
I cho1l min tbic -, h,1d cold
severely. But presently better thoughts
came to me. l remembered my own
youth, and remembered Crawford,
where Miss Matrie, after the Death of an
old lover, softens to Martha and allows
followers"
A week or two passed, and l was at
tending to my preserves one day in the
kitchen-it was pleasure to do anything
in Marys kitchen, everything looking
so Immediately clean, almost poetical,
| thought-and l approached the sub
ject uppermost in my mind by saying,
carelessly:
So, Mary, you know German, it seems
How does that happen?"
Mary's pretty face was overspread by
a rosy cloud, as she replied, in low
tone; " l picked it up myself. l had
some German books once"
Then she sat down and cried, very
much to my bewilderment; and pres
emily she exclaimed 81 should like to
tell you something, Miss Darlingford; /
shall feel better when you know all"
hope" said l, with vague expec-
tation of dreadful developments, "that
{ alp ic mot wary, ho6 Now
The flush deepened on the pretty face,
but for an answer she took from her
bosom black ribbon, to which was fas-
tened a plain gold ring. dropped my
preserves in amazement; the girl looked
so young.
You are a widow, them" said l, with
feeling of tender pity. "Poor childW
81 don't know whether / am or not"
was the reply, with fresh burst of
tears, " and that is what troubles me
sou
turned to my preserves again, with a
smile, as / thought of the good looking
German postman.
Miss Darlingford," continued the
girl, more composedly, want to tell
you e0erything, and am sorry now that
l didn't do this at first. But felt that
it would be against me, and l had to
get place. l have boy six years
old" ...
In the name of wonder" exclaimed,
how old are you yourself?"
g am twenty-five" she said, little
proudly; and Mr.. Blumenthal promises
to take care of Willie; he wants me to let
him pay his board now" ...
Here | sat down hard in a chair to col
lect myself. People have other things
besides greatness thrust upon them; and
l saw that l was destined to prove a
most unwilling benefactress to the one
armed postman. Why is it, l thought,
bitterly, that if one ever does happen
upon that rGrd GUis, MODEL servant, all
the powers of darkness seem leagued to-
gether to spirit her away?
Where IS your child!" l asked, with
strong effort.
81 have put him to board little way
out of town." replied the girl, sadly.
" He is with friend of mine, who takes
good care of him; and l always 60 to see
him on my afternoons out; but do miss
him SOP
And here she broke down again.
But what does it all mean?" / con-
tinued, for my sympathies were getting
dreadfully worked upon. Why are
you not living with your husband, if he
is alive? Or why do you not know it, if
he is dead? Just tell me the whole
story, Mary, from beginning to end"
AT this point Brunhilda, who always
scents romance from afar, appeared
upon the scene, and gracefully estab-
lished herself upon the kitchen dresser.
"Seven years ago." said Mary, "when
/ married William Murphy, thought
there was no one like him in the world;
and l should think so yet if he hadn't
nearly worried the life out of me. But l
shall always believe that his mother was
to blame for it all. She was that jealous
of Will that it sometimes seemed as if
she would like to scratch my eyes out.
We lived with the old people for year
or two; but after little Willie was born |
had no peace at all with his grandmoth-
er, who insisted on having her way with
him, and l naturally thought that had
right to mine.
1.-THE old people had money and lived
very comfortably, and Will and his IA