The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-18
BOB'S MARRIAGE.

III OllC SONCIOu CPG&SS
beyond, was giving several premon-
itorv sIIrieks as signal that it was
ready to start; there was an in
evitable rush of people inperil of be-
ing too late, the commotion of check
ing baggage and lifting toddling little
children ON board, and still the ':young
person" SO anxiously expected by
Robert Morrison did not arrive.
He walked hurriedly up and down
the floor ever and anon comparing
his watch with the clock on the wall,
and eagerly scanning the faces of all
the new corners, but in vain.
"Please buy a bouquet, sir? Only
five cents"
The voice was sweet; the face that
belonged to it sweeter yet. But Mr..
Morrison was too much perturbed to
heed them.
"No, no-don't bother me" " hesaid,
petulantly. conductor, is this the
last train that stops at Olive Hill?'
s"The last train, sir. Anything wrong,
sir?"
"Confound it-yes-everything is
wrong! was to bring up a waitress
girl for my sister, and the creature
hasn't come"
"She was to have met you here,
sir?"
"Yes-at quarter to five"
"Happens very often, SIR said the
conductor. "You can't put any de-
pendence at all on that class OF wom-
en-"
And away he bristled. Mr.. Morrison
was about to follow, ,muttering discon-
tentedly to himself, when a light hand
fell on his arm. He turned around,
and, to his surprise, encountered the
timid blue eyes of the bouquet-seller.
Pardon me, SIR" she said. in an
accent unmistakable foreign, "but the
domestic you expected has disap-
pointed you?"
"Yes."
eff you would take mel can wait
well at table; I would make myself
generally useful to madam, your sis
ter. Oh, sir, I am so tired oftryingto
sell flowers"
"But you have no recommends
tion."
"How should I, sir? I am astranger
in your country. My name is Desiree
Fontaine."
Mr.. Morrison was sorely puzzled how
to act. This little Desirees face was
not only pretty, but it was good and
true. To be sure, it was rather an un-
precedented manner of engaging girl,
but what was he to do? Mrs. Ferrars
expected him to bring her waitress,
fhopa + hn CT 4n ort,
on the morrow, and he scarcely knew
what was best to do.
As he meditated, tugging at his mus
tache, the train gaveits parting shrek.
There was no time for further delibera-
ton.
"Come on, then," making rush for
the hindermost car. "pll risk it, by
Jupiter!"
Desiree followed him, light and swift
as a young fawn, and the next minute
they were in motion. There was no
receding now.
"Well, I've been and gone and done
it," said Mr.. Morrison to himself, as
he glanced furtively at the girl who sat
beside him. What will Lizzie say?
But what was fellow to do under all
the circumstances? Besides, if she is
half SO smart as she is pretty, she'll
do well enough. AS for making off
with the spoons and the cake baskets,
she hasn't got that kind of face. We
can but give the poor thing a trial at
all events"
Mr.. Morrison, blundering masculine
creature though he was, was quite
right about Desiree Fontaine's face.
1t was pure and innocent as child's,
shadowed with crisp little rings of
golden brown hair, and dimpled round
the mouth; while the blue eyes, large
and soft, and shy, were modestly
averted. Her dress was plain, to
shabbiness, and in one hand, we'll
shaped though sun-browned, she held
the two little bouquets she had been
unable to dispose of in the depot.
"What wages doyou want, Desiree?"
said Mr.. Morrison, abruptly breaking
the silence that was beginning to be
little awkard.
Desiree grew scarlet as the carnation
in the center of her biggest bouquet.
81 never took wages before" she
said, little impulsively.
'But you will have to now, I sup
poser"
What you choose to give me-"
'Twelve dollars month";"
"Yes-anything!"
Bob felt little awkward. Desiree
Fontaine was not in the least like the
Hibernian damsels he had that morn
ing haggled with at the crowded intelli-
gence Office.
~ don't want to be inquisitive," he
said, "but-"
'tYou want to know who I am," in
terrupted Desiree. 81 am French; I
came to this country because my rela-
tives were all dead. I have an uncle
here to whom 1 wrote that I would
come to this country. I hoped that
he would meet me at the landing of the
steamer, but he was not there. I have
sought for him in vain. I can only
fear that he is dead"
"But you speak English WELL"
t'Do T." Desiree's face frightened.
81 was at an English school near Par
is for four years"
81 should think you might get
olace as teacher" i