Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-08-27
CHAPTER VIII.
FROM WEEPING TO LAUGHTER


The Hardwares kept no regular servant.
An old charwoman was engaged to do the
housework and the cooking, coming in at
seven in the morning and leaving punctually
at one At five she returned, and did such
further turns as were needful; and at eight
she left for the night. OF old Mr.. Hardware
this woman saw little or nothing. He never
came down to breakfast, and he would not
suffer her to enter any room where he might
Happen to be- She had the strictest orders
from Miss Vanity never to speak to him un-
less he first spoke to her. .
(Which" the old lady said, ''no one would
want to, neither. Catch I speaking to he!
But Miss Vanity do run after un upstairs
and down, morning till night
Cross-examined, the old lady declared that
no visitor ever came near the house. Fur
ther oss-examined concerning the strange
man whom had seen with Miss Hardware,
she alleged that she knew nothing of him. 1t
was impossible he could be often at the Farm
without her knowledge. Did Miss Vanity
write many letters2 No. Nor receive manya
No. Miss Vanity read deal, and would sing
as she went about the house for all the world
| like thrush. Volunteered by witness.) Was
the old gentleman kind father9 She dared
say; it was all coughing, and wheeling and
groaning morning, noon and night. Did the
old gentleman drink? Poor old soul! not a
drop-lived on gruel and dry toast Did
Miss Vanity seem happyl Well sometimes
she was all for laughing, and sometimes all
for crying, and more times she neither laughed
nor cried, and there you werel So the old
lady's evidence did not go for much. We
o,,1
lage tradespeople, and paid their bills regu-
larly, which is the best safeguard against
| SANDER know Of! And when Miss Vanity
took the fancy of having the garden done
up, Billy Ditcher, who had the job, de-
clared that gentry were all very well, but
give him the folk that could hand you half a
crown where two shillings were due, and tell
you to keep the change.
At last the lovers met again. One even
ing, as Willie looked, with scarcely-hopeful
eyes, across their favorite field, he saw Van
Iity standing at the gate, waiting, as she had
SO often waited before. She was gazing
pensively at the distant hills, and did not
see Willie until he was at her side He
touched her gently on the arm. .l s'
''What brings you here this eveningm
Vanity fixed her eyes upon him.
stFatem she answered, in composed
voice, as if she had prepared the reply a
week before.
This was a grave beginning, but suited
Willies mood better than the cheeriest
| greeting. He took up the thread of their
4 former conversation just where Vanity had
SO abruptly broken it.
''The last time we met you said you loved
me-did you notT
II did" HE"' i'.r
"Vanity," Willie cried, II want nothing
more in all the world" Gr -i v,fsu1
She looked up. r, sf,ag,- s,.,.t
I Nothing more in all the worldg' she said
turning his words into a question: nothing
moreF' ''l'
Willie felt thankful for the blunderinf
speech in which her wit found for him 81
graceful an olening. ''""
Vi ''One thing luorer' he cried; "guess wha'
it is. i5raitid ~ ozr "a t
willie, she .aid, looking at him gravely
81 have told you we can never marry" 7
In his excitement he had forgotten all sh,
said when they last met. Now her manner
recalled that scene to his mind, and con
vinced him afresh that real bar lay be
tween them.
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