The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-10-27

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"But even John has had a long
time to wait for his promotion" sale
[, feeling myself the devils advocate
had just checked myself in time MOI
to say that two hundped and twenty
pounds year was not very gigantic
promotion; which would have beer
both foolish and cruel.
"Oh, no, indeedr' cried Ellen; ''ht
looks a great deal older than he is
He lived so much alone, you know
before he knew us; and that gives {
man an old LOOKOUT he is not bit
old. How much would you give him
No, indeed, thirty; he is only just
thirty. His birthday was last week
"And you, Ellen?"
81 am twenty-four-six years youn-
ger than he is. Just the right differ
ence, mother says. Of course, | am
really dozen years older than he is
[ have far more sense. He has read
books and books till he has read all
his brains away; but luckily as long
as [ am there to take care of him.
Then she made pause, looked round
the room with a alf-frightened look
then, drawing closer to me, she said in
a hurried undertone, "He said some
thing about that other subject to-day
"Of course he did; how could he
have done otherwise?" | said, with a
little momentary triumph.
''Please, please don't take his part,
and make it all more difficult; for you
know it is impossible, impossible, quite
impossible; nobody could have two
opinions. 1t was that, above all, that
[ wanted to tell you about"
''Why is it impossible, Ellen?" /
said. IF you set up absurd obstacles,
and keep up an unnatural state of
things, you will be very sorry for it
one day. He is quite right. I could
not think how he consented to go on
like this, without word"
"How strange that you should be so
hot about itr' said Ellen, with a mo-
mentary smile; but at the bottom of
her heart she was nervous and alarm
ed, and did not laugh with her usual
confidence. ''He said something, but
he was not half so stern as you are.
Why should it be so dreadfully neces-
sary to get married? lam quite hap
py as l am. can do all my duties,
and take care Of him too; and John is
quite happy
'There you falter," said; "you
dare not say that with the same in
trepidity, you little deceiver. Poor
John! he ought to have his life made
comfortable and bright for him now.
He ought to have his wife to be proud
of, to come home to. So faithful as
he is, never thinking Of any other
pleasure, of any amusement, but only
Ellen blushed with pleasure, then
grew pale with wonder and alarm.
"That is natural, she said, faltering.
"What other amusement should he
think Of? He is most happy with
'"But very few men are like that 1
said. 'He is giving up everything
else for you; he is shutting himself
out of the world for you-what are
you giving up for him?'
Ellen grew paler and paler as [
spoke. Giving up?" she said, aghast.
IL would give up anything. But
l have got nothing, except John,"
she added, with an uneasy little laugh.
"And you say he is shutting himself
out of the world. Oh, I know what
you are thinking of-the kind of
world one reads about in books, where
gentlemen have clubs, and all that
sort of thing. But these are only for
you rich people. He is not giving up
that [ know Of"
what do the other young men do,
Ellen? Every one has his own kind
of world"
''The other young men, she cried
indignant. Now see indeed you
don't know anything about him (how
could you2 you have never even seen
him), when you compare John to the
other clerks. John! Oh, yes, I sup
pose they go and amuse themselves;
they go to the theatres, and all those
wrong places. But you don't sup
pose John would do that, even if |
were not in existence! Why, John!
Gno IdCG Is, you uOu U KNOW hill, CudC
is the whole affair."
81 humbly confess it," said I; "but
it is not my fault. | should be very
glad to know him, if l might"
Ellen looked at me with a, dazzled
look of sudden happiness, as if this
prospect of bliss was too much for her
which is always very flattering to
the superior in such intercourse as ex-
listed between her and me. ooh!
would you?" she said, with her heart
in her mouth, and fixed her eyes ca
gerly upon me, as il with some pro-
ject she did not like to unfold.
"Certainly I should" Then, after
a pause, l said, Gould not you bring
him tomorrow, to tea?"
Ellen's eyes sparkled. She gave a
glance round upon the room, which
was a great deal bigger and hand
somer than the little parlor in Pleas
ant Place, taking in the picture and
the piano and myself in so many dis
tinct perceptions, yet one look. Her
face was so expressive that I recog-
ed all these different details Of her
pleasure with the distinctest certainty.
She wanted John to see it all, and to
hear the piano, which was much bet
ter than her little piano at home; and
also to behold how much at home she
was, and how everybody liked her.
Her eyes shone out upon me like two
stars. And her big English "Oh!' of
delight had her whole breath in it.
and left her speechless for the mo-
ment. "There is nothing in the world
I would like so much," she cried al
last; then paused, and, with sobered
tone, added IF mother can spare me-
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