The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-08-08
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WHAT HE LOST.


all the doors and windows in George
street Were set open and every body who
could escape from indoor occupation was
out for stroll. The people living here
were decent, hard working men and wo-
men, earning enough to keep their fam
lilies in comfort, and taking honest pride
in themselves and their dwellings.
Most of the windows could boast OF clean
muslin curtains, and the doorsteps were
as white as hard securing could make
them. There was one house, however,
whose doorsteps could i'll bear com
parison with It's neighbors; and as to its
curtains, they were drab and dingy, and
had been up all the winter.
"Miss Kennaway don't regard appear
ances that's certain, said one matron
to another, as they took their evening
walk together, IF | were her, should
be sick of the sight of those frightful
drab curtains. And she with a smart
young man coming often to the house. J"
"Poor thing!" sighted the other wo-
man, good natured soul, always ready
to find excuses for those the world was
hard upon-''Poor thing she can't have a
minute to call her own. What with her
dressmaking and her mothers long ILL
ness, she must be pretty nearly a. her
wits end"
"WelI, if young Parr don't mind the
curtains, and that disgraceful doorstep of
hers, I'm sure [ DON'T" responded the
first speaker, sharply. " And here he
comes, looking as natly as you please,
and walking as if the very ground wasn't
good enough for his feet p
William Parr, the promised husband
of Fanny Kennaway, was one of those
men who are said to be above their sta
ton, and are sometimes so very much
above it that there is no keeping them in
it. William, however, was industrious
enough to find favor with the merchant
who employed him. Out of the count
ing house he held his head high, and
looked down upon his fellow clerks, who
never ceased to wonder why such lofty
fellow should have c0urted an humble
little dress maker in George street. But
very few men of taste would have been
surprised at PARIS choice, if they had
seen Fanny Kennaway in her seat by the
window that evening.
After long days work she was rest
ing eyes and hands for few minutes,
and watching for Williams coming.
Hers was a delicate, clear cut face, pale as
a lily and serious almost to sadness-a
face that seemed to have little in com
mon with the needles and pins and gay
stufs around her. And yet, in gener-
al way, Fanny worked cheerfully enough
at her trade, 1t was only when nurs-
ing as we'll as dressmaking fell to her lot,
and heavy doctors bill was added to
ordinary expenses, that her little body
felt itself aweary of this great world.
But there was no WEAKNESS in the smile
that greeted William, as be entered the
humble room. Like a wise woman as
she was, Fanny always met her lover
with bright look and CHEEKY voice.
Come, Fanny" he said, won't you
go for a walk this evening? Your mother
is better, so that you can surely be spar
ed"
"Oh, yes mother can spare me;
Mrs. Marks is sitting with her. But
there is dress that must be finished to-
night, William"
Il wonder why we can never enjoy
ourselves as other people do" muttered
Parr GROSSLY. ''You are making a reg
ular slave of yourself Fanny"
"Well, then, III CO." she answered
after a little pause, "and | won't be five
minutes getting ready"
She tripped off, and soon returned,
looking so neat in her wedding garb that
only an ill-humored man could have
found a faultin her. But as they walk
Ell away together down the street, there
was a cloud on Williams face and
presently he spoke out his grievance.
'Why don't you get stylish hat,
Fanny, instead OF wearing that everlast-
ing bonnet? | can't think how it is your
things last so long; one never sees you in
any thing fresh and new. For my sake
you ought to be little smarter in your
dress"
Fanny did not tell him that every six
pence she earned was spent on the COM
mon necessaries of life, and that all her
savings had gone to pay this terrible doe
tors bill; but she looked up lovingly into
his handsome, gloomy face. William
was her first love; she could not wish
him changed, even when his magnif-
cent notions caused her some inconveni,
ence. The ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit is not always duly valued
and many people might have blamed
Fanny for her tameness. But she was
one of those women who would rather
hear harsh words than speak them.
Instead of Gliding, she patiently set
herself to bring her companion into
better frame of mind, and she succeeded
so well that William almost forgot the
old bonnet. And yet, when he had left
her at her own door, and was going back
to his lodging, he began to think of it
again. 1t was quite humiliating, he said
to himself, for man in his position to
have been seen in the company of such
bonnet as that.
GLOW are you, Parr?" cried a loud
voice. '.Spiendid evening, isn't it?
Come home and have supper, will YOU ?"
The speaker was dashing young fellow,
son of an auctioneer who was reputed to
be making a fortune. 1t was the first
invitation that William had ever had
from Tom Derry.
Thanks, he answered promptly, !" l
shall be very happy to come" And then
the two set off together, and William was
by no means i'll pleased to walk with a
well dressed acquaintance, who nodded
Familiarity to one or two men in a sphere
above him.
The Derrys' lived in a pleasant villa,
with coach-house, stables and green
houses Voices and laughter were heard
in the garden as the young men APP
preached the gate. William caught
sight of light dresses futtering about ON
the lawn, and remembered certain ru-
mors of the beauty of the Derry girls.
After George street, and Fanny's lit
tie work room, it was no wonder, per-
haps, that Gloucester Lodge seemed al
most an earthly paradise. Julia Derry,