The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-07-02

cried sadly about it. Yet after any Of
these secret crying spells she fought her
battle with herself all the more furiously!:
and although it wrung her heart, she
would insist upon talking about Philip,
and suffer Bessie to sing his praises on
every occasion that offered, in fear and
trembling all the while lest voice or face
surrendered, and took all his small kind
nesses as a matter of course.
The winter wore away at last, and Mar
cia might have felt her trouble in their
behalf, her self-denial, and the money, or
rather the eggs, that she had spent, all re-
paid in the glossy look of her hens, with
their red combs and their nests full of
eggs. Those who are in search of any
thing can always find it, and she had Sc
cured, in one way and another, eggs Of
the choicest breeds, the hatchings had all
turned out we'll, and the result was
great flock of some Of the fnest-looking
birds in the country, among which troop
Of black Polanders went about shaking
their full white crests, and hardly able to
see out Of their eyes. "I'm sure they're
| fine," said Marcia. "And as am never
going to marry, and shall have to earn my
living in some way, I'll earn it this way:
And she then announced that she was
going to contribute to the poultry show
in the city, and waited for some opposi-
| ton. u# fas.3t'.' +"
But they had done with opposing Mar
/ H., - I,
! ''They treat me with the silent contempt
Deserve" she said lightly. But sac
bribed Tom to help her manufacture a set
of coops, bribed him with promise that
| Bessie should make him a box of cookies
to take away with him; for he had begun
his study of medicine, while Phil, who
| thought the learned professions already
! full, was looking in vain tor something to
| do in which to start himself in life.
"Poor fellow!' thought Marcia over and
over again, if he only could get some
thing to do, then the engagement could
| be announced, and by-and-by they could
be married" 1t seemed as though she
herself would be easier when it was ali
over. But there was no prospect of it,
and Phil's outlook was dark enough at
!
favorable time, why he didn't go out to Col
orado, and, after he had made home
there, send for Bessie. She fancied that,
after all, the best thing for her would be
not to be obliged to witness their happi-
ness at last. .'.
But when Marcia had emptied the bet
ter part of her hennery into the great
poultry show, she felt it necessary to 60
and look after her interests there, and she
sold enough Of the common stock left at
home to pay the expenses Of herself and
Bessie in the city. Her mother burst in
to tears with the thought Of the vulgar
pursuits of her daughter; and they left
Emily first wiping her mothers eyes and
! then making her an eggnogg from the
| proceeds of the vulgarity. . ....
1t was fine thing, that show, as Mar
cha said, trusting Bessie could make out
what she said in the riot of the chanti-
cheers, each rivalling his unseen opponent
"Just hear the rumpus those ROSTERS
keep up!" she cried. And what with the
! cackling of the geese, the quacking of
the ducks, the gobbling of the turkeys,
the clatter Of the guinea-fowl, the cooling
| of the pigeons, and the screams of the
peacocks, the rumpus pas that of Pan
| demonium itself. But, except fer the
unsightly coops, it was rather beautiful
Pandemonium-the hugh Brahmas with
their fluff of snowy feathers like so many
arctic owls, the jet and shining Creve-
occurs, the siiver-spangled Hamburgs
| fine as silk-clad court ladies, the Cochins
with the gloss of dark green enamel on
the blackness of their plumes, the superb
red Game, the crested, ruffed, and beard
ed Sultans, and the little Bantams more
important than the whole Marcia felt
all the glory of a connoisseur and the
| wealth of a producer, as she moved
through the place, and recognized her
| own, and listened to the clarion call about
her. :.a: f. ID t.s.4
| She found a seat for Bessie at last, and
then went to see the secretary ''Phil
will be sure to be here,'' she said to her
self, $50 long as he knew Bess was COM
ing. He'll find her, and keep her from
being lonely" AS she came back with a
radient face after half hours interview,
she saw that her prophecy was fulfilled
Phil was there sitting Bessie, their heads
close together, their backs toward her,
| A'ASoAAaiSo w w 90 AuC41 oHC COulu,
started to put her face close down be-
tween theirs in order to tell her news,
and SO it came about that she heard Phil
saying, "Ah, it only had 'some sort of
business, so that could speak without
disgracing myself!' .-;...,a a.#.ts.. .
"Speak away, Phil,' answered Bessy,
putting Marcia in mind of Priscilla and
John Alden, in spite Of herself. 81, ya.
Then the little hen-women drew back,
and waited half minute before she
touched them on the shoulders. 'sConte
with me, Phil" she said; and led him
! down to the lower corner of the hall, where.
the peacocks having rested from their
screaming, t. was trif1e less noisy than
| any where else. ''Iheard what you said,
PHIL she contrived to say directly, sand
1 have a proposition to make to you.
| "See here''-as he turned to her with
stare of utter amazement in his handsome
eyes. "Look at this list of premiums
I've taken twenty. And every one of
my birds are sold, some at ten and some
at fifteen dollars a pair, just as the secre-
tary chose. What do you think Of that
| for wea1thGn she cried cau1v uNTu 70