Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-02-22
nv encounter.

any girl he marrleS."
A few days afterward Tim took me intt
his confidence. We were making our win
ter arrangements in that greenhouse, put
! ting away summer plants whose Towering
days were gone, and filling up gaps in oul
| shelves with bright crysanthemums anc
other winter-b blooming plants. An houl
sufficed to weary mother at this work, sc
| Tim and I we're left alone among the flow
silence, but could easily see he was long
| ing to speak, so determined to give him
an opportunity but be forestalled me.
"'Twas very fine day, the day was in
Derry, Mrs. Grace.' he said, as he passed
me carrying huge coronella from one end
of the greenhouse to the other.
cit was indeed, Tim. Had you many
people on board the steamer 70 1 replied.
l. 'No. ma'am; not to say very many
Them otficer-gentlemen from the fort"
'Had you any Of the people from about
here ?'' l asked
"Hugh Dogherty and his sister, and
Mary Conner. ma'am."
''Ah, you walked nome with the girls.
What became of Hugh p
''Troth, ma am, he just got overtaken
with drop of drink, and thought it was
but friendly to see the girls home,"
81 am sorry to hear that Hugh was so
bad as that. Tim
"Well, sorra much was on him, Miss
Ellen, but he was 10th to quit Mrs. Gala
gher's when we got off the boat, so we just
left him there. Hem! Miss Ellen, I've a
thought to change my llfe."
II am very glad to hear it, Tim
eyes, Miss Tim always forgot my
matronly title in a confidential talk Eyes
Miss. IT'S lonely work growing old with
nobody to take care of YOU"
''That is a selfish way of looking at
things, Tim 1 replied.
''Begorra, Miss. what else would a man
marry for but to have himself took care
OFF,"
81 suppose liking the girl he married
would be kind of reason, too," I respon-
ded.
90, ay, I'd still like to have the one I'd
fancy, if she was handy"
"Who are you thinking off, 1 asked, as
Tim bent over a box of geranium cuttings.
Il hope she is nice and good, and will be
kind to your mother, and good mana
ger?''
''Faith, wouldn't take one that wasn't
that, Miss Ellen" he replied, without
raising his head. ''But it's hard to tell
how these young ones will turn out''
"She is young. then 20
"Young enough, and settled enough"
he responded. "There's two I'm think
i'm OFF,
1.-TWO p exclaimed. "Why, that is
not right of you, Tim. You are surely old
enough to know the kind of wife that
would suit you best; and it is unfair to
the girls. They are relatives, if gug
right. Those two young women you were
walking with on Saturday ?''
"Just so,'' said Tin, utterly unabashed.
s'Mary Dogherty and Susie Conner. Mary's
the purtiest," he aided, IN a half soliloquy.
II have always heard that she was as
good as she looked" l said. ''She has
been such a dutiful daughter, and good
sister to those wild boys, she cannot fail to
make good wife,
MAY be-" quoth Tim. "But the Dog
herties is down in the world these times. "
Il know they are not rich, but they are
comfortable"
''They aren't begging, miss, axing your
pardon; but musha! it's little softness
there's about the house."
sWell, suppose she has known what it is
to want, she will know better how to take
care of plenty, when she gets It,"
"Troth, don't know. Maybe when
she'n get her two hands full she'd be
THROWN, away, for them that's reared in
poverty seldom knows how to guide plenty
when it comes"
"Well, I've always heard Mary extolled
for being the prettiest and best girl in In
nishowen; and Pm sure you may think
yourself happy man if you get her for a
wife, said, rather sharply.
''Sorry word a lie in that, Miss Ellen"
said Tim, as he placed the last young ge-
ranium in its pot. She's a good girl, end
as purity one as you see in a summers
day; but Pm thinking iii step up and see
them all before spake to her.
"Why Tim, have things gone so far as
that %
"Well, may say have courted her up
to the akin, miss
"And the other, Tim ?'' 1 asked, in
tensely amused.
"Troth, l don't know, but have her on
my hands, too"
'sNow is that fair to either 20 I asked
rather Indignantly.
"Begorra, 1 don't know. A man has to
look before him sharp.
'sAnd who is the other? Mary's cous-
in ?"
eyes, miss long Tom Connor's daugh-
since Holly eve. Hudie's lookin' after
her."
"She's no beauty, Tim.''
''No miss; but she's settled. They do
say she's trifle cross in the temper but
81 e has the finest two-year-old heifer ever
I set my eyes on. A pure beauty, Miss
Ellen"
''And what good would the COW be to
you, Tim, if you had sour, cross grained
wife at home %
''Maybe she wouldn't be sour or cross
,bo3l ha11 rnnI honco hor
and plenty. She's gettin old, Miss Ellen,
an she sees the young ones comm on.
and she left. There'd be square change
in her if she had her own way"
"Yo seem to think more of the COW
than the girl, Tim p 1 retorted.