The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-01-07
The Workingman's Wife.

Don't fall in love with her, Junius."
"Your caution comes too late, old
man. I'm in love with her already"
Franklin BARLEY looked solemnly at
DR.. Junius Dale; shook his head as if
to say, "'Tis true, it's pity; pity tits,
It's true"
"My dear fellow" said BARLEY, the
aged mentor of the pair, "you cannot
more afford such a wife than you can
afford steam yacht OF an ivory
mounted billiard table"
"There's no occasion to tell me
that" mournfully replied DR.. Dale.
"rm quite aware of it already. If
was rich I'd marry Miss Clarke to-
morrow-always providing that she
thought me worthy of acceptance; but
as 1 am only struggling young doc
tor. I'll do my best to keep away from
her fascinations in the future"
ga sensible decision" observed
BARLEY.
"But she is so pretty" yearningly
remarked DR.. Dale.
"Granted."
"And she sings like nightingale"
"She ought to, with all the cultiva-
tion that her voice has received"
"And she has such winning way
with her."
"What difference does that make to
you?" said BARLEY. Haven't you re-
solved that hereafter she is to be moth.
ing to you?"
"Y-yes; but"
''Stick to your colors then, man.
cried BARLEY. "Clissy Clarke is'noth-
ing on earth but society belle. What
you want is helpful, willing. work
ing bee of wife-one who can aid
you with heart and hand to climb life's
hill. You saw Miss Clarke at the
Winfield masquerade last night, ir
white satin and pearls?"
"And very beautiful she looked
cried the young physician, firing sud
denly up at the recollection of Miss
| Clarke's auburn hair, all twisted with
ropes of seed-pearl, and violet blue
eyes, sparkling with girlish animation
"Did she look like a poor mans
wife,"
"Not bit of it."
"Then be warned" said BARLEY
shortly. "Remember the old story O.
the moth scorching its wings III tn,
candle fame"
DR.. Dale was silent. He had prom
ised himself the pleasure of call OF
Clarissa Clarke that very afternoon.
There was something about the CIR
that attracted him with almost mag
netic force. The tender light of hel
eyes, the sweet intonation of her voice
the rosy flushes of color that over
spread her cheek when he talked t,
her. were all separate attractions; ant
yet he knew that he, like the hero O
French romance, was "a poor youn,
man."
He recollected, now, that he ha,
en- said something to Clissy abou
going to the Clarke cottage that day.
"It won't do" he said to himself
81 had better keep away"
And SO, instead Of following tn
dearest inclination of his heart, h
betook himself with Spartan resolve
to the public library.
"Ill read up that case on the inves
tigation of cholera microbes" h
thought. "lf man expects to max
any mark in his profession, he mus
keep posted up in these modern dis
coveries Of science"
So he disappeared into one of th
alcoves of the library, with his medi
cal quarto and his memorandum boob
and set to work in good earnest.
But he had not fairly entered int
the merits of the microbe questio
when the twitter of sweet girl voice
from the adjoining alcove struck upo
his ear.
"Oh, Clissy Clarkel" said one. &
called for her, and she wouldn't com
It was baking day, and there wa
Clissy up to her elbows in flour an
spices
"Well, IneverT said the other, wit
giggle
"Oh, she does all the housework
said the first speaker, scornfully, "lil
any hired servant. Even the fiji
washington they only keep one lit
bound -girl--and Mr.. Clarke won
wear shirt unless Clissy has iront
it."
"How does she find time for h
music and oil painting?" asked Il
i second.