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

application that surprised his friends,
and delighted his father.
lie was not without good traits of
character, and with other discipline
might have been different, but he never
knew mothers influence, and his
sisters, lacking the same guidance,
grew up, married, and became fashion
able, worldly women.
Ambie met Mr.. Croswell at the door.
"You are tired" she said; go up to
your room, and rest few minutes
supper will be ready when you come
down."
He soon returned.
81 like your place very much, Mrs,
Turner" he said; "there is fine view
from the north window, and it is very
cool. Your flowers are very pretty,
Miss-"
"Flint, sir; or if you like, Ambie."
"Ambiel is that your real namep'
"Ambronetta, sir"
"a singular name,' he said, with an
amused smile.
Grandmother gave ii to me, and |
never quarreled with her on account of
it, for | like it exceedingly; perhaps,
because no one else has it,"
Every well, Miss Amber, l shall not
quarrel with her either, and if you
Iplease, l would like my supper.
He showed his appreciation of the
meal by eating heartily, and when he
had finished, retired to his room.
"Whata plain looking girl Miss Flint
is" he solilOquized, "but not absolute
ly homely-very neat, and quite singu-
lar. Well, all things considered l like
the place exceedingly"
lie found Ambie very shy, however
Mrs. Turner was affable, and cOnversed
well; but Ambie was engaged with
household matters throughout the
mornings, and though she would
spend nearly the whole afternoon with
her grandmother if he remained in his
room, yet if he came down for a chat,
she would often find that something
else required her attention, and would
soon leave the room.
One afternoon, when he was sitting
in the parlor with Mrs. Turner, Ambie
came down, attired in a neat white
suit.
"Are you out for n walk ?" he asked.
"NO, | am going to the Seminary to
practice2'
"May go with you? l would like
to hear you play"
Certainly" she replied, rather re-
luctantly, he thought.
They met Miss Perks going out.
"GO in tie parlor ard practice,
Ambie," she said; "there is no one
there"
Ambie gave Mr.. Croswell a seat on
the sofa, and threw off her hat and
saCque.
"What a hOmely woman Miss Perks
is" said he.
81 love her !" replied Ambie, quickly,
tanning her flushed cheeks with a
piece of music.
81 don't think that | could love a
homeIy woman" said he with a most
provoking smile.
"You are too severe" returned
Ambie, sweetly; you and l ought to
be lenient with homely persons, Mr..
Croswell; it is impossible for every
one 10 be as handsome as we are
He laughed uprOariously; and
Ambie, without another word, took
her seat at the piano, and commenced
playing: now, waltz, with a atripping,
fairy.like measure; then, her clear
voice rang out in some grand OLD song.
She sat for an hour without pausing or
speaking. The piano was a good one,
and her touch exquisite; and closing,
at last, with deep mournful passage,
she rose, saying:
at Is time for us to CO."
Mr.. CrOswell sat shading his eyes
with his hand. He rose, and with a
voice hardly steady, said:
Little Amber, won't you be my
friendP"
Certainly, if you wish it, though my
friendship must be of slight cOnse-
quence to you"
He extended his hand, she gave him
hers, but met his earnest gaze with
serene and quiet eyes.
"Your music is strangely thrilling
may ! come with you always when
you practice?'
"As often as you like"
Next day Mr.. Croswell brought down
some books, and read aloud.
This pleased Ambie, for her oppor-
tnnities for reading had been some
what limited. He liked to read to her,
liked to hear her naive criticisms and
comments. He learned much of her
nature during the days he was thus
occupied.
When ne first saw her he decided to
amuse himself with what he called a
harmless firtation;" but after few
days acquaintance with her, he would
as soon have thought of flirting with
her grandmother. She was to him a
new study-a fresh,' pure, innocent
girl; he had heard Of such-he had
never known one SO intimately before.
So day after day he came and sat
near her and read, she swiftly sewing
meanwhile; and as the bright needle
glanced in or out of the work, her
eyes grew soft and smiling, or humid
and sad, as the subject changed; and he
watched her, at the end of the SEN
tences, with strange, silent tender.
ness in his glances, that any one, more
learned in the lore of love than she,
could never have failed to interpret.
But Ambie was not impr essibie. The
days thus spent were pleasant to her,
and profitable; further than this she
did not think.
Autumn came, and Mr.. Croswell re.
ceived letter from his father, urging
his return. 1t was evening when il
came; he read 1t, and went out into
the twilight, and paced up and down
under the orchard trees. "Love's
young dream" had missed him, but now
that his youth was past, love strong
er than himself and purer than any act
of his life, had come to him, "like an
angel, unawares."
To and fro he walked, with uncov
cred head. scanning his whole life. and