The Washington critic., 1886-02-25
SERVED HIM RIGHT.


ears, flguratively speaking, as the above
words reached him, Lawyer Harklcy
having unconsciously raised his voice
q little as he pronounced the words.
Martin was busy tying up package
of tea for old Mrs. Doolittle: but, In
spite Of the excitement caused by the
words, he did not forget to give the
old lady a little short weight In her
tea. "a penny saved is penny
gained" was his motto, which he did
not fail to put into practice with such
OF his customers as were not In posi-
tion to resent the imposition.
Martin Satterthwaite had embarked
in the dry goods and grocery business
few months before ON money grudg.
ingly lent him by rich uncle, with the
parting injunction:
Don't come to me for another red
cent If you lose every dollar you've
gotl If you'd stuck to the farm I'd
see you through; but this here store
keepin don't suit my notions. I'd
rather see stout young fellow like you
swingin' an AK or q mowin' -scythe than
standin' behind counter mcasurin'
tape and blue ribbon"
But swinging an ax or q moving
scythe" did not suit Martin avaricious
nature. 1t was too slow way of
making money, and he was ambitious
to be rich as soon as possible.
The words he had overheard that
morning awakened new scheme In
his fertile brain. .a.r ~.
1.-TWO thousand dollars!" he repeated
to himself, enviously, II could double
my stock with that and have something
to go on. And know the girl, too.
II would be good speculation to marry
her before she knows she's an heiress.
/ believe l will. But pretty Bessie
Moore! I'll have to give her up" he
added, gloomily.
Pretty Bessie Moore had hard time
of 1t living at Mr.. Doubleday's. There
| were so many mouths to cook for; so
| many floors to sweep and scrub; so
many dishes to wash, and pots and
pans to scour, and so much milk to
skim and to churn. There was bread
| to make, and the cows TO milk, the
chickens to feed, and the pigs to "slop,"
and the berries to pick and make up
into ''jell," or jam or preserves. And
only one pair Of hands to do 1t all, for
Mother Doubleday was crippled with
the rheumatism SO she could do moth.
ing but sit in her easy-chair and knit;
and Farmer Doubleday and his two
stalwart sons had their hands full with
the sheep, and the teams and the thirty
acres of field and meadows TO culu-
vate.
To be sure, Tom, the youngest son,
did what he could to help Bessie. He
carried in the wood for her, brought
her bucket Of fresh water from the
old well in the back yard as often as
possible, and helped her drive up the
cows from the back pasture, where
they delighted to stray at milking time;
but with all his endeavors Tom could
not do great deal, and Bessie was Of
ten tired enough when she crept up
stairs to her little room at night, to find
the only rest she knew out Of the TWEEN
ty-four hours.
She kept up q cheerful heart, how
ever, and even dared to think, secretly
of the time when she would have q
home of her own, with only two to "do
for" For Bessie and Martin Satter-
thwaite were keeping company" and,
though he had not actually proposed
to her, they were looked upon by the
Satterthwaite family and the village
folks generally as an engaged couple
too," sighed Mother Doubleday, half
regretfully; "but | dunno what we'll
do without her. sich another gal amt
to be had, for love nor money"
"She's too good for Mart Satter-
thwaite, 'grumbled Tom. cts a-throw-
ing herself away to marry mullet-
head like him."
But nobody minded what Tom said,
and Bessie's market was looked upon
as already made.
Maria! MariaW
| The click of the sewing. machine
suddenly stopped, and sourfaced
girl looked up GROSSLY from her work.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
81 never got chance"
maria. Martin Satterthwaite $ down
stairs askin' fur you! Hurry an so
down"
| Maria Bogwood started up eagerly at
her sister-in.law' announcement.
Martin Satterthwaite! What do
you reckon he wants?" she cried, turn
ing to asquare- framed looking glass on
the mantel-shelf.
"To see you, he said; an he's all
spruced up, like he'd come ACQUIRING.
Mebbe he's fell in love with you"
Maria smiled complacently as she
smoothed her straight black locks and
carefully adjusted staring red bow al
her throat and went down to receive heI
visitor.
Martin stayed some time, and when
he left he was engaged to Miss Maria
Bogwood, who triumphantly announced
the fact to her sister-in-law.
IL said sop' cried little Mrs
Thatcher, delighted. 81 said he looked
like he'd come ACQUIRING, and 50 ho
did. He's mighty well to.do, an
you're lucky to get him, Maria"
"Oh, of course you re glad to be rid
Of mep' retorted Maria, ll-naturedly
But l wouldn't have him, anyway,
only to spite Bess Moore. She's been
trying to ketch him all summer, an
she hain't got him after ally
y
keeping company with Maria Bog,
wood? Oh, Tom, it can't be true p'
"l'm afraid it is,' returned Tom
gravely; ''and-and, Bessie, they say
he's engaged to her. Don't cry
Bessie y he added, gravely. "Martin
Satterthwaite amt worth a tear from
you"
81 amt crying !" declared Bessie
though the tears were slowly drop
ping from her downcast eyes. But
Tom, don't--dont tell anybody / fell
bad about 1t - she urged beseech
ingly
"Tell anybody What do you take
me for?' asked Tom, with an indig
nant flush on his handsome face. u
brought you tho news myself on pur
nose 10 keen ANYBODY from KNOWING