Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-12-25

a Truo and Romantic story Told
of "A Cincinnati Lady.

Tho Wt.trr e thisartirlo Wa as cucd
10 thr task "i lu'tRtng "a 'hr' tma'
story. aud. u. thr..ima~ i- tho same -
an, other H., &" the ht'k rcparlrr, and
a. lhr reporter conllu't think ct any
thin, about Christmas that would i"
worth reading h",ourludci &" demand
the nd II on, II tho-" PERSONS " Il" az"
nlmn,. nadrd with fund Of stories
relative to the private li"of rr"mincn,
people
tom with me -iid he. a. soon ~
he learned what Wu- tui"d and !
vii CIV, ,ou thee material "i story
that vii not uult hc Interesting. but
sirictlN lrur.
lie lrd the va, to n large and hand
some dW Yelling on "A street d'N uird Ia
residence. uccuplrd ~ ,uld merchant,
and their familir- The guide aud re-
pnrtrr werr admitted hN a neat looking
servant. aud were u.hcrrd into parlur
furnished elegantly Within live min
ute lady. TASTEFUL, Int richly attirrd
entered the room and graciously greet
rd the student ~ secret history, whom
she welcomed IN most cordial but
lndNhkr manner After the reporter
had been introduced the guide had a
few mnmrnis conversation relative Ia "a
piece uf propcri, the ladN va. about 10
sell. and thu. matter disposed of a gen
orai conversation on the topic oi the
day followed Ia which the hnstc~- took
part with Vi,ecty ntd grace at once
charming and unaffected The lady
I'm,
arts Her iamilarii, with books and
authors aud men oi the times showed
that she had improved her mind To "a
high degree. The paintings IN the par
lnrs were all admirnil, selected. The
lady. the reporter learned. had travelled
extensively Ia this country and abroad.
She spoke frrn,h llurntly. aud had ac-
duir'd considerable 81 the poli,cncss for
which the French people are celebrated.
Al, the end uf hall an hour chat the
reporter and his friend took their de-
partnrc.
You have Just left the heroine Of
Your Christina story. -aid the guide.
~ the two str"llcd down the street.
II supposed ~ much. said the re-
porter. and now Tor the story itself ="
And now ior the story itself" re-
peatcd III. guide "Iou shalt have IT,
III. w"mnn you inst saw WI, once u
country girl rcading on u farm thirty
miles from Milwaukee. Wis. At the
ar. of fourteen years she was "A loving,
conililng. ingenious child. the perfect
picture IL the ideal. rosy checked coun-
try maid. One day. when she was in
her fifteenth year. - mildlc-agcd bach
elor. who was IN business in Milwaukee,
called nj her fathers house Ia buy some
horses or something I've forgotten
lust what lie saw the little country
maiden and was struck by her marvel
Gus beauty. ~ well rs her childish sim
plicity ~ manner and sensible micn.
lie took occasion Ia converse with the
little lass and asked her II she would
not like to marry him. The child real
" did not know the full import II his
meaning. hut she innoccntly replied
that III, would be delighted To marry
him. He then told her Ia be good
girl. and that some day he would come
aud make her his wife The gentleman
went back to his home In Milwaukee,
and the country girl resumed her life
of humdrum country existence. Christ
mas time approached. and ON Christ
mas eve our country maiden proposed
10 hang up stocking In anticipation
of present. She was blessed with Il
st.p-mothcr. u woman of vicious tenn
permanent and deep hatred for
the little beauty. who was so UNI
fortunate ~ To be- under the same
roof with her. The stcp-mothcr.
always on the lookout for an excuse
to have row. seized upon the simple
q 4 81.
mas eve 10 frame an excuse to treat the
poor girl To "A most violent whipping.
The bright antlcipatlons uf the happy
Christmas entertained by the girl were
thus swept away. aud she retired that
night with her busy brain on fire. as she
immediately determined that she would
no longer submit tn the cructics Of hcI
brutal step-mothcr Suddenly she
thought ~ the gentleman ut Milwaukee,
who had said he would marry her. and
instantly she made mp her mind To "a
90 him. She had no money. and could
not get any hut that did not stand in
her way. Al four O'Clock ON Christmas
morning she packed "A few articles OF
clothing In u handkerchief and set out
ON foot for Milwaukee. IL was Il fright.
ful undertaking for u young and tcndc,
girl, but she bravely pushed ON. and
that night she reached the city Sh,
was footsorc. cold and tired. but moi
discouraged. for she never dreamed
hat she was In danger Of being disap
pointed. Her faith In human nature
was something sublime. and her conf
dencc In the gentleman who had said
he would marry her was as great as
though she had known and trusted him
all her life
. The bachelor sat In his cosy private
parlor ut his boarding house. which
Wa the best place ~ the kind in Mil
waukec. on the Christmas evening.
when his landlady made her appear
nnce leading our little heroine by the
hand.
AS soon ~ the gentleman could re-
cover from hi, astonl>hmcni at the sight
81 ih" suffering child before him. he cx-
claimed.
why. wha, in the world are YOU
herr Tor ~ strh sad plight?'
" i have come Ia br married." was
the rcply. ~ III" child conlidingly ap-
proachrd her lover
60 Ia get married
'frs. ~ir. 20 marry YOU
wei wen, wen, nus''d the bach
rlor' n lac bel the little wandrrcr to the
nre hnd ~irukcd her beautiful hair.
ih'n turning - the wondering
lnndlahy he commanded her To take
the "hild under her protection and
make her comfortable.
= Yes. rome. sissy said the land
iady' You ARE almost persisted with
cold and hunger
Her shoes were worn through and
her feet were covered with blisters.
Yet her cheeks were like peach and
her eyes sparklcd with brilliancy She