Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-02-24
WHY DID HE MARRY HER2


My name is Emily-Emily Wood
ford, and l live over in that big brown
house with my mother and pretty sister
May. | have a wonderful liking for
music, books and such things, and at
one time had great ambition to he Il
teacher; but you see we are those gen
teel people some folks call poor but
proud, and can't afford help, 50 Fin the
"maid of all work'-quite an unroman-
tic level for my high-llown ideas
and ambitious dreams, and it was NOR
tifying, l tell you, but it could not he
helped
You think my sister might help? So
do I. But she has such beautiful hands
that she is afraid of spelling them, 50
she sits in the parlor and plays on the
piano and embroiders, while mother
and drudge in the kitchen.
But you couldn't help loving my sis.
ter if you knew her, for she is 50 prct-
ty-has great hazel eyes, brown, curly
hair, and the sweetest little mouth i'm
Imaginable; and then she is so good-na-
tured that | am compelled to like her,
if she does call me awkward Elm and
Emily THAT is because | laugh so much,
and there is no Use of me trying to
deny my awkwardness, for ever since |
could walk | have had the greatest fac
ulty for stepping on trailing dresses,
running against people in the street,
stumping my toes, and host of other
untutored maladies. Oh, dcar,nO won
der shock sister and my aristOcratic
mamma.
But | forgot. | was going to tell
you what grand party the IIanes
were going to give You see their
daughter, Miss Clara, was coming ont,
and all the elite of the city were to he
there.
Oh, bless me, don't remember how
Clara lIaines used to hate me when we
were schOOlmatcS down at the aCadC-
my, because | was always above her
in the classes. But now she had fin
ished her education, and was ready to
come out in society, and oh, dear
was nothing better than Il kitchen
girl, with no learning to speak of.
My sister was invited, and Of course
| thought she would be delighted, and
went up to her room to hear what mar
velous toilet she was going to make for
the occasion; but there she sat with her
face ms twisted up as the note She held
in her hand.
"Why, what's the matter, May" |
asked.
Matter enough; can't 90 to the
party. | have nothing to wear"
"Where is your blue silk, your white
swiss, your"
"Do you suppose would disgrace
the IIaines' by wearing dress | had
ever worn before? No, indeedw
and the pretty nose turned up con-
temptuously.
Couldn't you let her have that pink
silk your aunt gave you?' my mother
asked of me. She hated TO deny this
beautiful daughter anything.
"Oh, yes, Eml do let me have it,"
said May. at will look splendidly
trimmed in white lace, and be the very
thing to wear with my pearls. Oh,
aren't you going to let me have it?'
said she, as she looked at my sullen
face. 81 will give you my blue silk if
you will"
"I don't want your old blue silkw |
exclaimed; "but, if you want my dress,
take it. Knight know l wouldn't have
any peace until you did get it; every.
one in the house has to give up to you"
Then l went up to my room and
cried for spite.
suppose you thought l was good
tempered because | was generally
cheerful.
Then you are mistaken, for l was us
spunky a little thing as ever you saw
when anything didn't suit me; and |
didn't want to give May my dress, for
it was the only present / had ever re-
ceived, and had lain great plans about
what was going to do when | wore it.
Would you believe it, 1 imagined
had wonderful voice, and would yet
be a great prima donna. Now, don't
laugh, but it was so.
Well, the night for the party arrived,
and very beautiful did May look in the
pink silk dress, with its folds of misty
lace. 1 laughed as 1 thought of my
big red hands and feet and wondered
hew they would look in such a dress as
that.
"You are dear, good girl" said
May as fastened the pearls around her
throat, and twined the rosebuds in her
hair; land you can practice on the
piano tonight as you please"
"Oh, thank you" l exclaimed, for
it was a rare thing for May to let me
touch her piano.
| Never did the time pass so pleasant
| ly, for l had a perfect passion for mu-
sic, and before the evening was over l
had mastered "In di Fern" piece my
sister had tried for days and days.
"You cannot guess who was at the
party tonight" said May, as l was
taking down her hair.
"Well, whop You know ! never
ould guessp"
! Why, Edward Clarence"