Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-04

by storm, as she always has done thai
of the rest OF the world, and at the
months end You couldn't have hired
old Hannah 10 leave the child. o
Well, sir, she grew up as tall as q
reed, and as pretty as IA posy, sent
her to Madam Aimard's fashionable
French boarding school, for was not
going to have my Maggie a whit be-
hind any ones else girl, 1 can tell you
My sister SimplSlns objected. You
see, with those nine daughters.of hens
she grudged every penny of my
money that was spent ON any one else
f@You are putting silly notions in the
child's head" said she. "A girl that
will have her own living to earn,
ought. not to mingle with. Madam
Aimard's young ladies"
4 should like t'' know why p says l.
Because she is in no way their
equal" said Sister Simpkins.
~Fiddlesticks!" says |. my Maggie
is good and pretty, and il that don't
constitute equality with any girl alive,
III own up that we don't live in re-
publican country As for earning
her own living, why its my business to
look after that and no one. else need
trouble their heads about itr 1.s
Mrs. Sinpkins pursed up her lips
and looked unutterrble things, but she
did not dare to say anything more.
She knew of old that wasn't to be
disputed. when my will waslu But
Isent the nine Miss ,Simpkinses nine
coral necklaces the next Christmas,
and that kept the peace for awhile. :.
When she came home from the
broading-school, she was prettier than
eyer-tall, as said before, with yellow
silky hair, great shady-looking blue
eyes, with lashes that curled up at the
ends, and cheeks. as fresh and pink as
Iremember the inside of two big
shells that used to stand on my grand
fathers best room mantel fifty good
years ago. -
So cast about in my mind to find
some new plan for making the old
house lively for my little. girl. Il knew
she couldn't thrive without her inno-i
cent gayeties, any more than bird
could without free air Sstnd sunshine;
so Invited company, and made up
little. ifnpronlptu parties and frolics
aud beat my brains for something to
keep her amused And believe i
succeeded too, for her step waslas light
us feather, and you could hear her
sing all over the house, when she
thought she was alone.
And one day old Hannah came in,
dusting chairs, and .prying about for
on the paint, IN her odd,
near-sighted way.
s&Mr. Pelham" says she, rubbing
away at a do5r knob that wis as bright
before as hands could make it, "what
would you say if we were to have "A
wedding in the old house p 80
ga weddingl" | droppend my pen
so that it made a big round blot on
the paper and stared. "Why, YOU'RE
not gong to be married, Hanii;lh,
after all these years ?"
"Do look like it?' shifted Hannah,
contemptuously-aand.t to tellthe truth,
she didn't very much "No, indeed
sir; I hope know my place better
than that. It's Miss Maggie I'm think
ing of, sir"
| sat as If had been stricken with
a par.dytic shock. Maggie to be mar
riedi Strange that / had never
thought OF that, as a natural con~e-
quence of parties, companies, evening
concerts and summer picnics ! And
somehow a desolate chill crept down
my veins as | thought how lonesome
and dreary the old house would seem
without Maggie. r
"What makes you think so, Han
nah I? | asked rather dolorously, and
the old woman lowered her voice mys-
teriorisly as she answered:
Ats that Mr.. Carlisle-he keeps on
coming all the time, and it's my hon
est belief he just worships the ground
my young lady walks on. He Is very
too, and folks tell me hes
worth money"
Mr.. Carlislel Well, old Hannah
was right. He was a fne-looking fel-
low, and well-to.do in this worlds
goods; but-who was there after all,
worthy of my tall, golden-haired
princess with dewy blue eyes and
lips like scarlet coral newly plucked
out of the sea :? Why couldn't Carlisle
90 of and marry one of the wise Miss
whose mother was on the
lookout for husbands rs an ogress
watches for eatable young travellers? ? |
began to hate Carlisle. .isa
~Pooh !" said |, upsetting my waste
basket of papers over the hoor with
an unwary fling of my feet. IL don't
think she cares for Carlisle.
sJust YOU watch her then and see
for yourself" said old Hannah, wisely
wagging her cap border. Il never did
set up for q prophet, Mr.. Pelham, but
them as isn't blind can't help seeing,
and our eyes is given to US touse."
So old Hannah went her way. leav-
ing me about as uncomfortable aus
man has any business to be. Ny Mag
gle to be married. Ny pretty blossom
TO be plucked just as soon as it began
TO shed fragrance round my door stone.
| ielt as monarch may whose do
mains are invaded by an audacious
foe. Should II write Carlisle note
and tell him to go about his business,
Or should / simply convey to him by
my manners the hint that his presence
was no longer especially desirable, or
but old Hannah's words REQUIRED
to my inind--should
at first find out whether Maggie. really
did care Tor the young upstart
My head dropped on my hands
my heart sunk somewhere below zero
At the ideal wondered il all fathers
felt so when gay young cavaliers came
wooing at their gates And, after all,
Maggie wasn't my real child, dearly as
| loved and tenderly as Lhad cherish
ed her 80 s. sa sg1r zil
I think'I hardly. slept AL that night,
I tossed to and fro on my pillow,
the CHIMES OF the old cloelg
as one by one it told The hours, think
ing about Maggie and Curlisle. aud
If the .tardy daybreak
would never redden over the hill-tops.
I By thlt time my mind was made
up. iwonId repress ali these selfish
IDEAS and only think of my girls alti-
mate happiness /, If she liked Carlisle,
why Carlisle shaaid have her, \,
rose. dressed and went down 70
my study. The Hrsf thing I saw WAS
II note lying on my library table.