Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-22


time"
you may safely leave him to Martha,
after those repentant tears and the SOW
ereign."
Very reluctantly Mary let herself be
persuaded, after long visit TO baby's
cot and many an injunction many times
repeated to Martha as to the care she
was to take of him.
"Sit with him, Martha, and take q
book or u little nPedlework till return,
there's good girl. and be sure you do
not leave him. not for one moment"
"No. ma am" said Martha, mot for
one single instant, bless his heart"
"Ilave you bookY'
81 don't care for reading just now,
thank you, ma am; am cmhroidering
smoking cap for my young man and !
will get on with that"
lyon remind me, Martha, said Mary, a
taking half-crown from her purse,
this should be your evening out, but
you will not mind, you can have tomor
row instead
at does not matter a bit" said Mar
tina, with magnificent indifference, "he
is sure to call, and cook can answer
him. Young men must be taught that
they cannot have all their own way.
never encourage such nonsense"
Mary only smiled. What difference
in this respect was there between mis-
trcss and maid after ally
That will buy you pair of gloves"
she said. And do take care of baby.
Put the cot by the bedside, and you can
sit at the window; it will be more lively
there"
1t proved much too lively for Martha.
Mrs Coombcs, not being Walncd in the
kitchen, came up and told Martha she
was going out just for few minutes,
and she went. Mr.. Barker's man had
been out all the afternoon. Mrs. Little
had gone in bath chair, to the other
side of the square, and Mr.. NJ. 2. Park
er was shuddcrlng over vivsection
article in the Lancet" and there at
| the window upstairs sat Martha, embrol-
dering the smoking-cap for her young
man to wear in the garden on Sunday
mornings. 1t was pretty work, and the
subject interested her. Still the time
went slowly, hour by hour, and baby
slept like little angel so Martha said
to herself. and wondered who could
think of leaving him, even for mo-
ment.
And Just then she saw eryoung man
walking dsconsolately along the pave
ment opposite, smoking q detected pipe,
and looking wistfully at the windows.
He had rang the bell, and been answer
ed civilly by Mr.. Parker, who told him
| in all good faith what he brlieved-that
there was nobody at home. He had
great respect for Martha's handsome
Young man. though he thought it n pity
that such figure as Martha's should
be wasted on the working classes. IL
he married her himself. and educated
her, nobody would know in few years
| time that she was not lady born. But
then this handsome young man Of hers
an engineer-had dark. determined
face, with thick, closely-cut Roman
beard, and was made OF nothing but
| layers OF muscle.
| Il know the cook is out, " Mr.. Parker
said, "anl Martha must be, for | have
rang Sc, eral times within the last two
hours aud the bell has not been answer
ed. but if you like to sit in my room and
| NNlt, NNli az NtI y NtINNIbt' ll'tNS
nothing to offer you but some lime
juice, or citrate of magnesia, or saline,
unless you would prefer barley water
| Y ou are very welcome. Mr.. Phillips
| Thank you. sir; you are very kind,
| but | won't intrude. If | wait about |
may see her and save her the trouble of
coming in. Much obliged TO YOU, sir,
all the same"
lie lighted his pipe and began walk
| ing up and down, throwing his coat
open wide as he grew morOse and reck
less with waiting, and driving his hands
deeper into his trousers pockets as de-
jectedness set in.
Il should like to know what she isup
to- lie said to himself. "IIaying a lark
with me, perhaps. She is fond Of that
sometimes. She may try it on once too
often. have good mind to furnish
couple of rooms next week, and stick
the banns up; that would about fetch
her and put an end to her tricks"
| lie had been counting the paving
stones more than an hour before he al
rived at this state of mind. lie felt
gloomy and savage, and would have
been glad if somebody about his own size
had run up against him. lie looked at
the house from basement TO Garret, and
saw nothing except head that might
have belonged to a shaggy old lion, in
blue spectacles at the drawing-room
window. Attracted by that singular
head, lie looked again, then looked
higher, then saw Martha. He could see
that she was making signs to him. but
could not understand them, SO he beck
oned her down. The signs were repeat
ed, and he shook his head, The girl
looked at the cot irresolutely; baby still
slept like little angel. There could
not be any harm if she went down, just
for minute. So she put on her bonnet
carelessly, with the strings loose, and
went
Mr.. Philips-glad as he was to see the
J face he loved so well, how well only
those who understand the great heart
of the intellectual working man can tel
was still inclined to be little sulky;
he heard her explanation modify. and
J put his pipe in his pocket instead OF
flinging it into the middle of the road
= and lie did not speak until they
were in the shadow away from the lamp
, light. and then sulkiness and anger
vanished as he crushed her 10 him with
t an arm like vice, as strong as his love
J for her
Look here, my girl he said, 81
r shall not stand any more of this; furn
ish couple of rooms and stick up tn,
banns next week, so now we take turn
round the square, and have aquiet glass
/ | somewhere"
t but the baby, Fred."
Let it sleep a little longer; anyhow
l it won't fall out Of the window, or Sc
itself Oh fire."
T Mr.. Frederick Philips, the engineer
4 was not to be denied when he fixed hi
B, mind upon an object, he settled himsel
) down, and worked with will until tina