The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-08-24

back on poor old White, and went
toadying on with this aristocracy.
White lived in house even smaller
than mine, and had hard enough work
to pay for that. He had failed in bust
ness some years before, and | don't
know what they would have done with
out their boy, Bob He was with me
in the city, and | knew that goodly
portion of the lad earnings were given
over to the support of the house. 1t
was rather hard for Bob, but he bore
his lot with great resignation. He came
over pretty often to have a game of
cribbage and talk over business matters
with me, and l found him sharp enough
at both. Then he had pleasant way
with the women Our little Rosalie
was little more than child, but Sally
used to brighten when Rob came in, till
she got into that kink bout the Blacks.
You IL stay here with Resale, won't
you BobP" said to young White; and,
as l spoke, felt Sally give a savage
pinch to my arm. No sooner were we
outside the room than she began about
poor Bob.
eff you have no regard for your
daughter future, and choose to throw
her away on poor, miserable beggar
like Bob White" began Sally.
why, my DEAR" broke in, "Rosa-
lies a mere child. Don't begin to plan
about her future, beg of you. She's
scarcely left off her pinafores, and if
ever there were maiden meditations,
fancy-free,' anywhere, they lie in the
! brown ewes of orr ROSalip -
By this time we had reached the i'm
posing portal of Blacks house, and
were soon ushered into the presence of
the satin damask and ebony. Black
children were none of them grown, but
were precocious enough to take the
lead in conversation; and we sat for
whole mortal hour and listened to the
eldest girl hammer out upon the piano
what Mrs. Black called "reverie" |
was glad when Black took me into his
library, where there were some good
cigars, and we left the women to them
selves.
But goodly quantity of poison was
infused into Sallys system and mine
before we left the big, luxurious house,
and we went home together as changed
as if touched by the rod of the en-
chanter.
Dear mel" said Sally, "what a
little cubby-hole this is! l declare it's
quite like baby-house!
"Pd like to have library like
Blacks" said l, taking up the refrain.
cit nice to have room," | continued,
to Bob White, "where man can take
his friends 1t would be far pleasanter,
for instance, if you and l could have
our game of cribbage without the con-
tinual gable of women in our ears
"Oh, | don't think So" said Bob 81
don't think so at ALL
The lad looked over at Rosalie and
blushed ingeniously. The color deep
ened in Rosalie's cheeks till it went far
ahead of the crimson in Blacks satin
damask upholstery, and shy CLEAN
shot from her brown eyes that sent a
flood of light into my obtuse Uranium.
l began to think that Sally was right.
Bob White was all very well in his way,
but no sort of match for my daughter
Rosalie. She was my own eve lamb
the bonniest, best and dearest little girl
the sun ever shone upon. And. besides
all this, there was the secret conscious
ness that she could, if she wanted to,
dress Sin silk attire, and siller haze to
spare" l hadn't lived in plain way
all these years for nothing. People
about me began to realize, that, al
though Brown lived in small house,
he was a man of no inconsiderable
means. Black had managed to con-
vey this intelligence to them, and
found no fault with this friendliness on
his part. Old White never thought of
such a thing as taking his seat beside
me pow on our way down in the train;
it was generally filled by more popular
parties, and | began to take quite an
interest in the social and political
points of discussion.
All this cost me considerable in the
way of time and money. My games of
cribbage were few and far between, and
put my name TO all the subscriptions
they chose to get up; but didn't mind
the money, and | had long since deter
mined that the less Rosalie saw of young
White the better. The color grew
little less vivid in her rounded cheeks
and the light less mischievous and joy
Gus in her eyes; but Sarah said--I
thought this was really a more suitable
name for my wife's years and dignity
that her beauty was growing more
and more refined every day. 1t had
even lately attracted the attention of
Mr.. Percival Green, the junior member
of Blacks firm, and Green was one of
those live, active business fellows, who
was sure TO make his mark in the
world. 1 told my wife to spare no ex-
pense for Rosalie's advancement and
happiness, but was sorry to see a lack
of spirit upon her part and quiet de-
NAL to partake of these new pleasures
of p popularity.
One thing was certain-radical meas
ures must be taken to put a gulf be-
tween her and Bob White that could
not readily be bridged. My new house
on the Boulevard began to take noble
dimensions and had already cost me
mint of money. Its marble halls were
spacious enough to chill me to the
bone, and there was quite melan-
choly expanse of mud and masonry in
its vicinity.
1t quite surprised me when Iput our
snug little place in the hands of the
agent, that my wife was so willing to
mart with the furniture too. | tboupht