The Osceola times., 1880-05-29
WANTED.

upper hand of him, and the crops wnlcn
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 Creamer,
Spotty and Whiteface-the three cows
that always filed their pals the fullest
end made the most golden butter-sick-
sned and died.
This was the question which Martie
puzzeled over from day to day, coming
at last TO the conclusion that she must
try her luck in the big world which she
had seen 80 little of outside of her own
small village. She would 60 to London,
and, il possible, find there situation as
governess, in which she could at least
provide for her own support.
Her mother let fall few quiet tears
ever the plan, and smiling patiently
through them said;
"Ask your father"
Mr.. Woodbridge said "No" at first; but
having lain awake all night over his
difficulties, he called Nsrtie to him,
kissed her solemnly, give weary sigh,
and with it his consent.
So it came to pass that on n cool, crisp
October morning, when the woods were
at their brightest autumn flush, and the
frost had stiflened the grass into little
silvery blades and spears, and made the
few pale flowers that fingered by the
roadside hang their heads, Martie put on
her bravest smile, made hopeful, COM
forting little speeches, kissed them all
.t LA,na--th, Iaar old hnnn
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 eagerness and hopeful
ness go down to death every day, in the
frantic rush and scramble for the good
things gong. Martie in the great city,
looking for work TO do, seemed like "A
quiet little wren trying to pick up a
worm or crumb where hawks and vul-
lures were snatching and clawing for
| plumber.
Matte 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, q
modest, unpretendine little advertise.
ment was sent to one of the daily news
papers. What stupendous affair II
seemed to Martie, and how her unsoph.
isticated little heart beat at the though,
of it! Nothing could come of it that
day, however; and while she goes out
with Mrs. Allen TO do little shopping
and stare at few of the city lions, let us
take look at the quarters she has fallen
Into.
| Mrs. Allen kept a small private lodg
ing-house, very select and very genteel
Its inmates were the learned Prof Big
wig and family, from whose presence q
CERTAIN literary aroma was supposed to
pervade the atmosphere; the brilliant
Col Boreas, hero-ascordlng to his own
account-of numberless battles; a rising
Young lawyer, with his pretty, blush
ing glrl-wiie, all fresh and lovely in heI
new bridal toilet, rich widow and hei
still richer daughter, who, it is said, was
soon to become the helpmate of the cleri'
cal member of the household, the Rev
Paul Apollot and last, though not least
the representative of the fine arts, Mr.
RAYMOND, an artist, whose pictures had
|
noisseurs and golden prices from pur
chasers.
Mr.. Raymond was Martie's leit-hand
neighbor at the table. With the first
glance at his dark face, iron-gray haiI
and mustache and deep-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 in the city Martie's advertisement
appeared. Mrs. Allen sent paper w
TO her room before she was out of bed
80 that almost as soon as her eyes were
open she had begun to hope, and to be
afraid, and to wonder il, out of SO many
people who she supposed would come to
zee her, any one of them would think
well enough of her to want her ser
vices.
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
dallied fully five minutes over her little
stock of ribbons, trying this one and
that, and went down at last to breakfast
looking, to Mr.. Raymond's artist eyes,
which took her in at glance, like a wild
rose Just out of a thicket, with the dewy
morning brightness brimming in her
brown eyes, the pink of rose petals in
her cheeks, and soft, warm, shimmering
sunbeams woven into the ripple of her
brown hair. How his ARTIST fingers
longed for canvas and colors, to give his
beloved st. Agnes that beautiful hair
But the wild rose might rs well have
been blooming in her native thicket. In
vain Martie peeped frorA the front win
dows, and held her breath when the
door bell rang. No one came to see the
gray dress that morning.
The black dress Jared better. II was
aalled 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 MS
they drew up in splendid style before
tho house. But, alas Martie was not
experienced, and Martie was too young,
and, though madame did not say 30,
Marry was too pretty, {oF thege was q
grown up son in the family: and 70 get
youth and bespty befoFe him in the
shape of = yeune goveene@ would Be