The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-07-16
CHAPTER vI.--coNr1NuEp.

"But ii person is fool, what's to
be done thenp In course I'm fool. /
knows that very WELL There's no say
ing no other. Butt can't go on living
here, if Miss Mary is to be put over my
head in that way. Baggett has sent
for me, and must go. Baggett is at
Portsmouth, a-hanging on about the
old shop. And he'll be drunk as long
as there's gin to be had with or without
paying. They do tell me as his nose is
got to be awful. There's q man for
poor woman to 60 and spend her saw
ings on! He's had Almost all on 'em
already. Twenty-Five pound, four-and-
sixpence he had out O me the last time
he was in the country G1And he don't
do nothing to have him locked up. 1t
would be better for me4if he'd get his
self locked up. / do think it's wrong,
because young girl has been once
foolish and said few words before a,
parson, as she is to be the slave of a
drunken, red-nosed reprobate for the
rest of her life. Amt there to be no
way out of itp"
1t was thus that Mrs Baggett told
the Gale Of her married bliss-not how
ever, without mourning the censure of
her master because OF her folly in re-
solving to go. He had just commenced
a lecture in which he was prepared to
show that all the evils which she could
receive from the red-nosed veteran at
Portsmouth would be due to her own
stif-necked obstinacy, when he was
stopped suddenly by the sound OF a
knock at the front door. 1t was not
only the knock at the door, but the en-
trance into the hall of some man, for
the hall door had been open into the
garden, and the servant-girl had been
close at hand. The library was at the
top of the low stairs, and Mr.. Whittle-
staff could not but hear the demand
made. The gentleman had asked
whether Miss Lawrie was living there
''Who's that?" said Mr.. Whittlestaff
TO the housekeeper.
'It's not voice as I know, sir" The
gentleman in the meantime was taken
into the drawing-room, and was closeted
for the moment with Mary
We must now closet ourselves for a
few moments with Mary Lawrie before
the coming of the strange gentleman.
She had left Mr.. Whittlestaif half an
hour since, and felt that she had sec
ond time on that day accepted him as
her husband and now she must do the
best she could to suit her life to his re-
qulrements. Her first feeling was one
of intense disgust at her own weakness.
He had spoken to her of her ambition;
and he had told her that he had found
place for her, in which that ambition
might find fair scope. And he had told
her also that in reference to John Cor
don she had dreamed dream. II
might be so, but the continued dream
ing OF that dream would satisfy her am
bition better than those duties which
he had arranged for her. She
had her own ideas of what was due
from and to girl, and to her heulovt
for John Gordon was all the world
She could not have been made to aban
don her thoughts, even though the MAJ
had not spoken to her. She knew sh'
loved him-even though a time nigh
come when she should cease to do so
that time had not comeyet She vacil
lubcu u6bWcCll COluoLljldulOu vi bllC Clu
city OF Mr.. Whittlestaff and of her owl
weakness. And then, too, there wa
some feeling Of the hardship inflicted
upon her by John Gordon. He ha,
certainly said that which had justife,
her in believing that she possessed hi
heart. But yet there had been no wor,
on which she could fall back and re
gard it as promise. ga
1t might, perhaps, be better that sh,
should marry Mr.. Whittlestaff. All he
friends would think it to be infnitel,
better. Could there be anything NOR
smoonstruck than for penniless girl t
indulge in dreams of an impossibl
dover, when such tower of strengt
presented itself as Mr.. WhittlestaA
She had consented to eat his bread
and all her friends had declared hoy
lucky she had been to find a man s.
willing and so able to maintain her
And now this man did undoubtedly lov
her very dearly, and there would be
las she was well aware, no peril i
marrying him. Was she to refuse hir
because Of q soft word once spoken t
her by o young man who had since dis
appeared altogether from her know
edgep And she had already accepte
him on that very day! And there wa
no longer q hope for escape, even If ei
:. eape were desirable. What a fool mui
2 Eshe be to sit there, still dreaming he
impossible dream, instead Of thinsln