Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-06-13
SELECTIONS.
THE OLD BACHELOR.

hurry to catch an uptown stage be
fore all those ferry people blocked in
to it, when there she sat on a curb
stone, the wind blowing her yellow
hair about and her poor little hands
blue cold, crying as if her heart
woul break. | didn't think the YER
lest savage could have helped stop
ping to ask her what the matter was,
and don't call myself a savage, if
do happen to have my little crusty
fits now and then. So says Is
Child, what's the matter ~
aI'm lostr' says she.
The poor little elf was fatherless,
motherless, friendless, in all the wide
world! OF course took her home
and you ought to have seen old Han.
nah, my housekeeper, stare when
walked in with the yellow-halred
baby clinging to the little finger OF
my left hand. For she wasn't more
than eight years old, and small at
that.
~ give you months warning,
STRIP says Hannah. But, bless your
soul, she didn't go. Maggie took
her heart by storm, as she always
has done that of the world, and at a
months end You couldn't have hired
Hannah to leave the child.
Well, sir, she grew up as tall as a
reed, and as pretty as a posy.
sent her to Madame Aimard's fash
ionable French boarding school, for
l wasn't going to have my Maggie a
whit behind any one else's girl,
can tell You.
When she came from the board
ing school, she was prettier than
ever-tall, as l said before, with vel.
low hair, great, shady-looking blue
eyes, with lashes that curled up at
the ends, and cheeks as fresh and
pink as / remember the inside of
two big shells that used to stand on
my grand-father's restroom mantle
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. /
knew she couldn't thrive without
her innocent gayeties, any more than
a bird conld without fresh air and
sunshine; so invited company and
made up little impromptu parties
and frolics, and beat my brains for
something to keep her amused. And
| believe l succeeded, too, for her
step was as light as a feather, and
you could hear her sing all over the
house, when she thought she was
alone.
And one day old Hannah came
in, busting chairs and prying about
for finger marks on the paint in her
odd, near-sighted way.
"Mr. Pelham" says she, rubbing
away at door knob that was as
bright before as hands could make
it, "what would you say if we were
to have wedding in the house 2"
g A weddingw / dropped my
pen so that it made a big round blot
on the paper, and stared. "Why,
you're not going to be married, Han
nah, after all these years."
"Do | look like it 20 shifted Han.
nah, contemptuously-and, to tell
the truth, she didn't very much. 'sNo
indeed, sir; 1 hope l know my place
better than that. It's Miss Maggie
I'm thinking of sir.
"What makes you think so Han
nah !" | asked rather dolorously, and
the old woman lowered her voice
mysteriously as she answered:
ats that Mr.. Carlisle-he keeps
coming all the time, and it's my
honest belief he just worships the
ground my young lady walks on.
He is very handsome, too, and folks
tell me he is worth money!
Mr.. Carlisle! Well, old Hannah
was right. He was a fine-looking
fellow, and well.to do in this worlds
goods; but-who was there, after
all, worthy of my tall, gold-haired
princess with the dewy blue eyes
and the lips like scarlet coral newly
plucked out of the seat l began to
hate Carlisle.
"Poohn said I. "I don't think
she cares for CarlisIe.n
."Just you watch her, then, and
see for YOURSELF" said old Hannah,
wisely wagging her cap border. 81
never did set up for prophet, Mr..
Pelham, but them as isn't blind can't
help seeing, and our eyes is given
to us to use.n
So old Hannah went her way,
leaving me about as uncomfortable
as a man has any business to be.
| think hardly slept at all that
night. / tossed to and fro on my
pillow, counting the chimes of the
old clock, as one by one, it told the
hours, thinking about Maggie and