Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-11-08
GOLD AND GILT.
CHAPTER 1.

She was very pretty girl and she
knew it, and did her best in an innocent
sort of way to let other people know it:
and she could not help thinking, as she
walked along the Feltham road, that
keeping company with Tom Dawlish-
who was just plain, honest, hardwork-
ing young fellow-was rather waste Of
time, and that marrying him would be
altogether throwing herself away.
Her reflections came to an end at the
door of Messrs. Bradbury's Office, and
she walked in, wholly intent on the bill
she had to pay. A smart-looking young
man received the money; when the re-
ceipt was made out, and she turned to
go, she found the shower, which had
threatened for some time, was coming
down with vengeance.
sob, dear, she said, "and have nc
umbrella"
"Wait here few minutes, miss; il
will soon be over" said the smart young
man; and then having accepted his offer
of shelter Mary found herself after a
minute or two thinking that he was a
very nice young gentleman (as she after
ward described him to the cook, and
that he had beautiful hair-it was SO
nicely curled, and he had little dark
mustache, and wore such pretty blue
necktie; oh, he was very nice-looking,
indeed.
care you Miss Pooles sister ~ he
asked, after few minutes conversation.
Mary flushed as she replied truthfully-
for she was far too good a girl even to
equivocate-that she was not such dis
tinguished individual, but only the
housemaid and chambermaid combined.
And then he asked what her name was
and with another blush she told him that
it was Clara, but Mrs Poole said that it
was too fine name for a servant, and
so called her Mary.
g shall call you Clara" he said
"shall p he added, with an appealing
glance. Mary felt her heart beat faster;
something seemed to tell her that her
destiny had come and she had no words
to utter, SO he followed up his successful
sally with another one: "Do you ever
get out of an evening for walk 2"
@ Sometimes, she said, softly.
"Will you go out for walk with me
next time ~
" 1t wouldn't be right; you are quite
strange, you see," she answered, softly.
sob, we'll soon get over that, you
know. Perhaps you are engaged,
though2'
Mary's inconvenient heart gave a
thump, which showed that he meant
business. e., matrimony.
"No, I'm not; but Pm wanted to be. y
Not very lucid answer, but heunder-
stood it.
HWho to?" he asked, coaxingly.
ssWell, perhaps I oughtn't to say his
name, " she answered, slowly; for in this,
the most important moment Of her life,
as she felt it to be, words seemed alto
gether to fail her.
What is hep
"He-he's carpenter" Mary never
felt the truth more difficult to tell in all
her life.
"a carpenterl" he said, in telling
tone of inquiry, not unmixed with scorn.
q Well, of course, Pm no better than a
carpenter"
sob, you are, you are, sir2n said Mary,
in her excitement, putting out her hand
and resting it for moment onhis sleeve.
Mary lost her heart to the smart young
man with the blue tie and the well-oiled
hair. He never said anything more
definite than he said that first day; but
he was always ready to take her out,
and most particular about her dress;
and the result was that all her
little hoard of savings went in more
Or less ill-chosen fnery, and Tom
Dawlish was forgotten. There was
Dne thing she refused to do, and that
was she would not give up her 6aturda.