The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-04-16
WANTED.

Martie Woodbridge-her name was
Martha, but no one called her SOLVED
on the outskirts of small village
Her father was farmer, but not a
prosperous one. Nature, with her frosts
and draughts, was always getting the
upper nand of him, and the crops which
he raised were sure to be those which
brought the lowest price in the market
The canker worm stripped his apple
tree, and late frost blighted the corn
and oats He had the misfortune to buy
cow which introduced the cattle dis
ease into the farm-yard, and Dreamer
Spotty and Whiteface-the three COWS
that always filed their pals the fullest
and made the most golden butter-sick.
ened and died.
This was the question which Martie
puzzled over from day to day, coming al
last to the conclusion that she must try
her luck in the big world which she had
seen so little of outside of her own small
village. She would go to London, and
if possible, find there situation as gov
erness, in which she could at least pro
vide for her own support.
Her mother let fall few quiet tears
over the plan, and smiling patiently
Mr.. Woodbridge said Mo- mt first; but
having lain awake all night over his diff.
ficulties, he called Martie to him, kissed
her sOlemnly, gave a weary sigh, and
with il his consent.
So it came 10 pass thaton q cool, crisp
October morning, when the woods were
at their brightest autumn flush, and the
frost had stiffened the grass into little
silvery blades and spears. and made the
few pale flowers that fingered by Tie
roadside hang their heads. Martie put on
her bravest smile, made hopeful, com
forting little speeches, kissed them all
goodbye at home-the dear old home,
so full of joys and troubles-and started
for London, to put into that great, hur-
rying, driving, jostling market the modest
wares she had TO offer.
Martie was eager and full of hope; but
alas how much eagcrness and hopeful
ness go down to death every day, in the
frantic rush and scramble for the good
things going. Martie IN the great city,
looking for work to do, seemed like a
quiet little wren trying to pick up a
worm or crumble where hawF II
vultureS were snatching and ciawIng for
plumber.
Martic was met the moment she step
ped from the train by an old friend of
the family, who had kindly promised to
receive her at her house, and do what
she could TO assist her. The next day,
early in the morning, a modest, unpre-
tending little advertisement was sent to
one of the daily newspapers What a
stupendous affair it seemed to Martie,
and how her unsophisticated little heart
beat at the thought of it! Nothing
could come of it that day, however; and
while she goes out with Mrs. Allen to do
a little shopping, and stare at few of
the city lions, lets us take a look at the
quarters she had fallen into.
Mrs. Allen kept small private lodg-
ng-hOuse, very select and very gcntcel.
It's inmates were the learned Prof Big
wig and family, from whose presence Il
certain literary aroma was supposed to
pervade the atmosphere; the brilliant
Col. BorcaS, hcrO-accOrding to his own
accOunt-of numberless battles; a rising
young lawyer, with his pretty, blushing
girl-wiie, all fresh and lovely in her new
bridal toilet; rich widow and heI still
richer daughter, who, it is said, was soon
to become the helpmate of the clerical
member of the household, the Rev Paul
ApOllos; and last, though not least, the
representative of the fine arts, Mr. Ray
mond, an artist whose pictures had won
golden praises from critics and con,
noisseurs and golden prices from pur.
chasers.
Mr.. Raymond was Martie's letthand
neighbor ut the table. With the first
glance at his dark face, iron-grey hair
and mustache, and decp-set gray eyes
she felt rather inclined to be afraid OF
him. When he smiled she liked him
better, and thought the gray eyes looked
kind; and as she felt very shy and lone,
some among all these strange faces, she
was glad to have him talk little to her
and take care that she was provided with
all she wanted.
On the second morning after her ar.
rival III the city Martie's advertisement
appeared. Mrs. Allen sent paper up
to her room before she was out of bed,
so that almost as soon as her eyes were
open she began to hope, and to be afraid
and to wonder if, out of so many people
who she supposed would come to see her
any one of them would think we'll enough
of her tO"want her services.
Martie was very painstaking with heI
toilet that morning. She wanted to look
her best. She spent twice the usual time
over her wavy, gOld-brown hair, and she
had put on her pretty gray dress-the
gray dress for morning, and the black
silk for afternoons-and fastened the
dainty spOtless collar and cuffs, she dial
lied fully five minutes over her little
stock of ribbons, trying this one and that
and went down at last to breakfast, look
ing, to Mr.. ItaymOnd's artist eyes, which
took her in at glance, like wild rose
just out of a thicket, with the dewy
morning brightness trimming in heI
brown eyes, the pink of rose petals in
her checks, and soft, warm, shimmerine
sunbeams woven into the ripple of hel
brown hair. How his artist fingers
longcd for canvas and colOrs, to give his
beloved st. Agnes that beautiful HART
But the wild rose might as we'll have
been blooming in her native thicket In
vain Martie peepcd from the front win,
dows, and held her breath when the door
bell rung. No one came to see the gray
dress that morning.
The black dress Jared better II was
called upon; and Martie went down to
the parlor, with her heart in her mouth
to meet the grand lady whose carriage
and dashing horses she had watched as
they drew up in splendid style before the
house. But, alas Martie was not ex.
perienced, and Martie was too young.
and, though madam did not say so, Mar
tie was too pretty, for there was a grown
up son in the family, and TO set youth
and beauty before him in the shape of a
young Coyerness would be tempting
Providence. Madam was very sorry
hoped this and that, and swept graceful
ly out to her carriage, while Martie
mounted with rather slow step to her
little four story room, to watch and wait
and wonder if everybody would find her
too young. She was not to blame for it
anyhow, she said TO herself, trying to
coax laugh.
No one else came that day, but the
next morning there was an early call for
the lady who advertised" Martie was
glad she had on the gray dress; perhaps
she looked older III it. But gray OF
black was all the same; she was again
weighed in the balance and found want
ing-not in years this time, but in Ger
man; and as one weary hour after an.
other went by, and no other applicants
appeared, Martie grew heavy-hearted
Her advertisement was 10 appear for
three days. Two had already passed
resulting only IN disappointment. Mrs
Allen tried TO encourage her, but when
night came, and the 6 O'Clock dinner
Martie felt sad and homesick.
II hope no one has made arrange
ments to carry you off just yet" Mr.
Raymond said, as he took seat beside
her at their end of the long table.
No" said Martie. mo one wants me
I'm too young, and l don't know Ger
man" And big round tear rolled over
into her teacup.
There's no cause for discouragement
in that, l assure yOu,'' said Mr.. Ray.
mond. Il know people who would not
find fault with you on either score"
Then he went on talking TO her in such
a pleasant way that she soon became in
terested, forgot her troubles and the tear
in her teacup, and was as merry as
though she had been older and had
known German.
Mr.. Raymond stayed down stairs un.
til 10 O'Clock, read aloud an old-time
fireside story, and kept the ball of con
versation rolling in such pleasant chan
nels that the evening was gone before
Martie knew it, and in spite of all her
disappointment it had somehow been the
pleasantest one she had spent there.
The NEXT manning q Lady came To see