The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-05
ToDDLEs.
II Know Not, I Ask Not, II Quilts In
That Heart"

@%eeS " oNS tAat tA0tAtuB' was
lady, 1 thought, after all ]; quite as much S
as Mrs. Jones, who lived in the great CT
pola house on the hill, Quite as much c
a lady, said to myself, briskly, as dus
ed up my little shop, and arranged III
sheeny ribbons and gay striped goods Ii
the window. Thewindow was hung wit
pretty lace curtains, and there was a glob
otgold fish in it that sailed about as coul
teously and busily as though they wer
getting their living as head clerks.
1t was a sweet, soft autumn morning
the village street was grassy and quiet
and l hummed tune as glanced cheer
lily out at little Toddles, fitting about Il
her scarlet ribbons under the old Willoy
outside. Bless her little rosy face! VIII,
shouldn't ! be happy when I've her t
look atterH ! was happy, and humme,
again that old snatch Of q tune, and no d
ded gayly to Toddles, wondering vaguel,
to myself what was going to happen that
felt so uncannily bright. Nothing-sim
ply nothing; things were done happening
me long since. My way was straight ant
narrow, my days quiet and uneyentful.
As ] slipped my coffee that morning
remember that l held the cup up to III,
light, and felt certain sense OF satisfac
ton in the translucence OF the rare bit O
china. 1t is so pleasant TO know tina
ones own election may keep one Rloo
from the ugliness and squalor OF poverty
It doesn't take much TO keep one person
OF course, and l don't count Toodles fol
anything. 1t needs but the odds and ends
OF things-a bowl Of bread and milk, 9
cup Of coffee, with now and then q lively
bit OF ribbon-to- keep the little one going
famously.
Yes, I always wanted to be a lady. And
as ] sat in my bright little room half fell
Inclined to forgive Richard Gray the
heart.break he gave me long ago. And,
o God! it was a heart-break. But II he
had married me, perhaps he would have
shut me up in some gloomy city house, to
be a lady after his fashion, to stiAe for
want Of a bit Of fresh air, to walk softly
under thousand petty conventionalities,
and to cease being my own mistress. All!
that ] never could endure. So it is, per.
haps,as well that Richard left me and went
of somewhere-God knows where.
You see, / like Tiny little shop,
There's something so delightful in seeing
the pretty girls OF the village, with now
and then a fine lady, hanging over my
dainty wares, and trying the tints OF scar
let and blue and orange with many q
laugh and many glance In the mirror.
call It my reception when they pour In OIL
a holiday afternoon. love colors; Il love
grace and beauty; and perhaps l might
have been a bit OF IN artist, in my way, il
I'd ever had tie opportunity. Richard
used to say so. Butah ! he said many flat,
tering thing and many u false in those old
days. And II ever dreamed Of any high
er life than contents me now-well, I've
given up dreaming. For there's Toddles
so round and sweet and soft and real
She leaves me little time for building air.
castles.
You see, Hove the child as il she were
my very own. For she came to me one
day about four years ago, a wee little baby
thing, curled up in a heap on my door.
step when | went TO open the shutters
Wherever she came from I never knew
Toddles never explained; she Just stretch.
ed up her little fat arms 10 me and CUR,
gled "Tod.od-doddle," and that was hel
sole introduction. twas surmlsed that the
child had been dropped by some travelling
circus passing through the town, and
had excellent neighborly advice about
putting the treasure in the founding
hospital. But one seldom takes good ad,
vice, and I didn't.
To tell the truth, grew so attached to
the child that ] should even have been
wicked enough, fear, to regret any ones
turning up to claim 1t. But that's not as
all likely now, alter SO many years-no,
not at all likely; no more likely than that
Richard and l should ever meet again in
this world. And that-that Is among the
things that never can happen.
It was on this wise, our parting: Rich.
ards mother was old and feeble and miser.
ly. She'd spent good deal OF money on
him-sent him to college, and expected,
folks said, to make something OF him.
She always expected to get her moneys
worth out Of her transactions. Richard
held her in sort Of awe, somehow, though
she was little wizened old woman that
he could have lifted with his left hand
But l liked him for respecting his mother
One day We two were sitting at twilight
talking Of the future dreamily, as was oul
wont.
"My little one," said Richard, putting
his arm about me, "ithalfseems too brigh
to ever be-"
ever bep echoed. "oh, Richard, Il
you talk that way, twill never be-
Richard smiled, but his face grew over
cast. l felt that a storm was coming.
"Well?" 1queried, seeing that he So
brooding and silent.
Darling" he said, soothingly, ~ knew
1t would come hardly to you; but how
can / 60 against my mother? Her poo
old heart is bound up in me, Jeanette, aut
she will never hear to TO anything
that"
Srhat seems to lower you" added, il
q steely voice that seemed to cut It's way
out Of my heart like q keen, cold knife.
"Oh, am a coward--a poltroon!" Grief
Richard, wringing his hands, ~ was borl
TO bring trouble on those ! love. Who
who, shall leave to suiIor for me now
Jeanette?"
1.-THE one who will say least about it,"
answered, hardly. My heart was throb
ing heavily, like clock that ticks tn
hour Of execution, but ! made no outcry
and We arted in that final parting silently
And l have lived silently ever since. On
year after that l heard that Richard
mother was dead, and then that he ha
married; who, knew not-who, l care,
not He had married another womal
while my last words were yet ringing i
his ears-right there, before the face Of til
living heaven, married another woman
and swore to love and cherish her, as b
had often vowed to love and cherish me
But / did not seem TO feel this blow as
had felt our parting, just flung him OF
OF my heart there and then, and my Low
and my silence vanished. l looked int
the face Of my misery with q smile, and
took this little shop in tho village, an
worked early and late, and madeit thrly
Then, two years later, came my little To-
dies to me, sitting like lily on my doc
Etet1. aS ifsome angel OF peace had droppe