Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-13
IS Richardson leaned forward and

Miss Richardson leaned forward and
said:
81 haven't any idea what your name
is. [ think that it ought to be prosy,
though"
And then the small woman laughed as
she answered.:
''It isn't though, it's Marthy Marthy
Fairchild."
And then the " magnificent, gorgeous,
radiant Kate replied, just as she would
have caressed bird:
"Ah and I shall call you Marthy,
then, shall I not?"
Not one dim thought of warning had
she, not single swift feeling of recoil,
not an idea that she was hugging to her
heart a rival-she who held sway among
men with waltz, and tete-a-tete, and
repartee.
But under the feet of those who tread
volcanoes the ground will sometimes
break; one cannot forever safely walk
the edge of the precipice; thin ice will
part.
They were sitting side by side, as
usual, one evening; the window framed
calm, mild star. Sitting so silently;
how strange if they had known each was
saying over and over the same name.
The star was shining kindly-shining
and twinkling like an eye mildly shrewd,
and then it gave place to another and an
other, till the night sky seemed shaken
full with a lustered dust. Presently
Miss Richardson began to hum little,
in her soft contralto, and Marthy's
thread-like soprano took it up like a
the dull lamp in the further end of the
car held their fingers on their cards for
moment, and the fretful baby ceased it's
crying. Two women hushed gossiping
and stared, and, under pretense of flare,
the passing porter turned down the flame
in lamp while he stopped to listen.
"Marthy,' said Miss Richardson,
gently, "Where did you learn that :? It's
such an old-fashioned, sentimental thing,
I shouldn't wonder if it had been love
song in '75."
"Oh, yes; I shouldn't wonder if it
had. 1 learned it way back in Vermont
oh, how far away that seems nowl I
used to sing it with Richard that
seems only yesterday, though it has
been years and years. I've never told
you about Richard-have [? His name
is Powers, and it is he that I'm coming
to California to meet A long, long time
ago, when I was such little, little girl
L can scarcely remember it, some kind of
sickness broke out, and mother and
father took it and died. I can Just see
mother lying with white flower in her
hand as they closed the coffin lid, and
then in a day or two some woman said
she wondered what was to be done with
me. Somehow or other l got to grand
pas, in among the little hills and the
COWS that gave me a living. Grandpa
was just my mother to me over again,
and there 1 stayed, and was so happy
with him. 1 have always been
a little girl, and think I shall
never be anything else. When I am
an old woman it seems as though I
should still be a little girl. How
it all came about never could
imagine, but it was just as the flowers
come up in the spring, and as the fruit
gets ripe in the fall. Grandpa said one
morning he should have young man
come to help with the milking, and be-
fore night I knew Richard; and, some
how, think I must have been ripening
ready to know him, for my heart was all
open to him from the first. He came
up to me when it was twilight, apd said
he: Good-evening, Marthy," and then
l seemed to fall into futter, and to feel
that he must know it. Oh! / never can
tell you how Richard seemed to me.
Every night, after that, as / went along
the meadow path, he came and said:
"Good-evening, Marthy just so, and
L took to listening SO hard for his
coming that my heart hurt me, and beat
in my cheeks and lips. And all the
time grandpa never knew. One day the
sky was so blue and the air was so sweet
[ was certain that something was going
to happen; and whether 1t was the birds
singing Or my heart beating out a
rhythm I do not know, but in a moment
[ seemed to be standing among the
flowers, for Richard had taken me in his
arms.
"Oh, life had just begun to me then,
and not one day since, not even the day
grandpa died, has been all sorrow; but
dark days there have been, too, for in
few weeks more my Richard went away,
80 that by-and-by he could afford to
marry his "bud Of a girl that's what
he always called nae. Oh, how tender
ana true ne IS what grand place his
heart is to live in! What a little queen
he has crowned me! His letters have
been so loving and sweet that one never
came without carrying me through the
space of heaven; and they were such
sorry little ones I could write in answer.
So many noble women must have loved
him. But he loved his little Marthy all
the time. All, Miss Richardson" and
the earnest, reverent tone deepened in
It's haE whisper, "can you imagine any
thing at all about what tell you?"
emo" replied Miss Richardson, bit
terly, "for there is no romance, not one
grain of it in my life. The romance I
had was spoiled just short time ago.
Keep your faith in your Richard, Mar
thy, but have none left for man. You
must go on now, and let me know the
rest"
"I would rather die than lose my
faith in Richard, said Marthy, tremu-