Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-06-29
AMBER.

"l'm afraid you are very tired, Atn.
bic, dear. Is supper ready?'
"All but drawing the tea, gland-
mother, aud the kettle is boiling. am
going upstairs to change my dress, and
when the stage comes, l wish you
would call me-"
"Yes, dear, are you through with the
baking and cleaning"
"Everything is finished, and | shall
not need 10 come down until Mr.. Cros.
well arrives"
81 don't like city gentlemen, gener-
ally, but l hope lie will be a good
boarder."
al haven't the slightest doubt but
that we shall get along nicely, grand
mother. Farmer Bailey has promised
to bring fresh eggs and pair of chick
ems once a week, and we have lettuce,
green peas and strawberries from the
garden, besides nice ham III the eel
larP"
Ambie ran up stairs and laid aside
the dark dress she had worn during
the day. She had little from which to
choose in making her toilet. A pink
and a light calico hung against the
wall-her sole afternoon dresses. She
hastily put OIL the pink. 1t was re.
lieved at the neck by white ruffl >
and was buttoned close to the throat; ;
for Ambie had 10 jawelry, no ribbons
nor any of the little fancy articles that
go to make lady's dress pretty. Af-
ter she had put on neat white apron,
however, nothing more was needed.
Ambie was Enthusiastically so; but
she HAD what is better than beauty-a
cheerful, even temper.
She had, moreover, a stylish, thor
oughbred air; and though her dress
might be ever SO plain, it always fitted
neatly, and was wellbecoming.
Her grandmother, Mrs. Turner, when
young, had married a wldower with
one son, William, then ten years of
age. She had one child of her own
Afterwards daughter, who married
and died, leaving Ambie, an infant,
Dut leW weeks Olu.
Hrs. Turner was then widow, and
poor; but she took the little orphan TO
her heart; and afterward, when
Ambie's father died, no one but her
grandmother had any claim on her.
Mrs. Turner took in sewing and
managed to send Amble to school un-
Ill she was fourteen, when she desired
to attend the young ladies' seminary
in the place. So she swept the school
rooms to pay for her tuition, and as
she was an apt scholar, soon became
in spite of her poverty, favorite i
the school, and especially with Miss
Perks, the principal, who at length al
lowed her to take music. French and
dancing lessons, Ambie teaching two
or three hours each day in return.
The music. teacher in the seminary
was a FrenchwOman, and Ambie had
an excellent opportunity for learning
the language.
At the age of sixteen Ambie gradu-
ated, and became the organist in the
village church, receiving small salary
therefor, which paid the rent of the
old house in which they lived.
Soon after, Mrs. Turner was taken
sick, and when she recovered, she was
unable to work. So Anbie sewed, rs
her grandmother had done, for the old
lady was growing childish, and would
not consent to remain alone all day, as
she must do if Aubie taught, as she
desired.
Once a month Miss Perks gave an
evening entertainment to the patrons
of the school, consisting of music, tab
leaux, charades, ctc., and she found
Ambie so useful in these, that, for the
sake of securing her, she allowed her
still to practice her music, and, when
she had time to attend to it, French.
Matters went on very well for a
time, but at length Ambie got in debt
how, she could hardly tell; but her
grandmother's eyes were too weak to
allow her to sew, and her tea, and
many little articles she could not do
without, were quite expensive.
At last Ambie wrote to William
Turner, at her grandmother's request,
and in her name, plainly stating the
case. Mrs. Turner felt that she had
the right to do this, for she had helped d
him with her own slender means when
he set out to seek his fortune.
He had been twice married, and was
well established in business in a neigh.
b;rlng city; but he seldom wrote to
his step.mether. Still, he was not a
bad man at heart, as Mrs. Turner well
knew, or she would not have called up
on him; but he was devoted to music,
and perhaps somewhat misery.
His wife wrote to Mrs. Turner i'm
mediately, sending her sufficient money
to cancel all her little debts, and also
said that she had cousin, a Mr.. Cros,
well, who had just recovered from a fit
of illness, and who would like to board
with her during the summer, If con.
venient, mentioning the amount to be
paid forhis board, which caused Ambie
to open her eyes with astonishment.
ale is wealthy" she wrote, "and
though not handsome, is something OF
a flirt; so don't lose your heart, Ambie
dear"
AT this Ambie smiled. She had seer
but little of the society of gentlemen
and disliked it as thoroughly as any
girl possibly could.
A week later, Mr.. Croswell arrived
He was over thirty years of age, Of
medium size, and plain looking. Ambit
thought. though she noticed, from thu
first, that he had fine dark eyes.
Born of n wealthy father, and hav
ng unfortunately lost his mother II
pfancy, he was allowed to follow hi