The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-07-08
A No, 1; but il seems yery strange that they


pay her lust half what they would pay a
man to do the same work. She conducts
all the foreign correspondence, and speaks
live languages fluently, while poor me can
hardly get along with little French and
German, though study hard"
And | can't get along with English, my
dear. But that isn't what meant, Clarry
/ mean, what is she to Stanley? Are they
engaged, or what2"
Il guess, what papa. But I'll tell yot
all about it, as far as I've heard"
And then she told Septimus all that she
knew about Stanley and Miss Delorme, fol
Clarry was accustomed to more condolences
with her father than with her mother,
strange to say, and up to this time she had
never spoken to her mother about Stanley,
except in casual way, as one whom she
! had met as she had met a hundred others;
| but she had never invited Stanley to her
home, nor given her mother the least cause
to suspect, in any of her acquaintance, that
| she would take the serious part, being the
matrimonial, when it came to that, OFF heI
hands.
And now, after she had told Septimus MI
she had to tell about Stanley and Miss De-
lorme, he smiled grim smile Of satisfac
ton, and Clarry had hope that he would
question her further. But, no; the ole
dolt, absorbed that moment In paint oil
and putty-and Miss Delorme-eould no
see love peeping through the whole revela.
ton.
ut seems to me, Clarry," said Septimus,
thoughtfully, that this Stanley lives rather
expensively for well-fora young painter. ="
Il don't know, papa, as he does. He
can make money very fast when he chooses,
but he cares more for reputation than
money. Why, you have just paid him five
thousand dollals for picture, and look on
1t as favor at that. while he values it so
little that he gives it to Miss Delorme as d
marriage dover.
How do you know that?" snapped Sep
timus, suddenly.
Never mind, pa; woman can find out
what man can't, sometimes. It's true,
though. Moreover. YOU know, papa, Mr.,
Stanley was brought up with different
his struggling days, have heard, and had
has got through THAI and now he takes his
reward, for, though he works very hard, as
| am told, he enjoys himself"
"Hem!" coughed Septimus, II should
think SO. His studio, as they call it, is fur
nished handsomer than our parlor, and, if
I'm to judge by the price paid for the
De Soto picture, he's got fortune there
in pictures alone. Then that piano, a
grand, you know, must have cost him a
thousand dollars at least"
Il hope you don't begrudge it to him,
papa, do you?" said Clarry in an upbrad-
ing tone.
"Begrudge it! Why, how silly you talk,
child. It's none of my business, and yet
can't help noticing it, don't you see, though
as you say, it's all a matter of taste and
habit" And with this sage remark Septi-
mus dropped Stanley and went to Miss De-
lorme. Shes fine girl, Clarry, and it
won't do you any harm to, as your mother
calls it, cultivate her. She'll improve you,
Clarry."
And how about Mr.. Stanley, papa? Do
you think he'll improve me if cultivate
him2" asked Clary, laughing.
"Um! that's something can't tell you
anything about, my child" said Septimus,
gravely "lfs something don't pretend to
understand, and so leave it all to your
All And still the dolrInat walKea DesIue nurIe
Clarry did not zee the love beamipg in her
eyes-the love that had prompted her to
dy SO quickly to the defense of its object.
That evening, again. under the care Of
Jimmy Marks, Fitz made his appearance at
the Dufrom mansion, the landlady being as
deeply interested in the progress of the af-
fair as Miss Delorme The latter had an
nounced to her friend, the landlady, that
Fitz was coming again en- grande seiJneur,
and Jimmy Marks had told her that his
friend Fitz James was struck,
"Very much struck, Mrs. Dufrom, as
sure you, madam. I never saw SO total a
crush in all my life. The poor fellow Is
perfectly imbecile on account of it. He
can talk of nothing but Miss Delorme. You
see, Mrs. Dufrom, his family, that is, his
mother, who is terribly aristocmtic. noble
family. don't you see. says Fitz James must
marry for money, but Fitz, with that no.
bility which he inherits from the mother 5
side, says, No; if see the woman l love
will have her, though she be not worth a
penny and he loves Miss De1orme madly.
After this call, Mrs. Dufrom. shall leave
Fitz to get along by himself and ! suggest
to you that it is Just as well to leave the
young couple by themselves as much as
possible. / only come this time by particu-
lar request.
Mrs Dufrom entirely agreed with every
thing that Mr.. Marks said, and went imme-
diately to report it, word for word, to Ma
rion, who laughed heartily.
Poor fellow!" she said She had al
ready told Mrs Dufrom about the acci-
dental making acquaintance with Fits
father and sister, but charged her to say
nothing to Mr.. Marks about it. I'm really
sorry for him, but somehow, Amely" Mrs.
Dufrom's name was Amelia, Mr.. Marks
account don't agree with Mr.. Smiths, Sc
nior. l noticed that, when the old gentle
man gave way to what Percy calls a blast
about his son, Clarry took up the cudgels,
and, though it was labor Of love. it was q
very weakly performed one. Now, l have
better opinion of young Smith than his
father has, and even his father cannot say
that there's anything vicious about him.
feel sure that there can't be anything radi.
cally wrong in q man who is loved and ad-
mired by sister, and am sure that Fitz,
as Mr.. Marks calls him, only wants strong
! and interested hand to guide him, and make
q useful man of him. He is no fool, in
reality, Amely, only aging the fool. In
going to reform him.
IF you're in earnest, my DEAR" said Mrs
Dufrom, doubtingly. "and you know Mr.
Stanley says that one can never tell whether
! you are in earnest or in fun, I'm afrai(
you'll have hard task. Men, when they
| get past heing boys, don't easily reform
I've had some experience, my dear, will
men. I've had two husbands, and at leas
/, hundred single gentlemen boarders in m,
time, and l wonder I'm alive to tell it. It!
been terrible life, my dear, and, if your,
going to marry this young man, and yot
know you can if you want to, why, I'd ad.
wise. as widow and re of experience, (,
marry him for his money alone, and moi
'ook at anything else."
But he hasn't got any money, my dear
| and, as far as | can understand, isn't likely
! to have from his father. The old gentle
man is willing to help him earn living
| but he won't give him money to squandel
| in idleness, and l think he's right. IL
marry him, the first thing I'll do will be tc
make him go to work.
| This will be a new thing in my expert
! ence, Marion, though l thought in love af-
| fairs and matrimonial matters. was like
the man who said he had read every book
that ever was written and had every disease
that ever was known, I've kept boarders
| for twenty years, my dear, and that oughi
to be worth something. But you know hin
best, my dear, that's all. I"
"Know him2 Why, Amely, / know him as
well now as if | had lived in the houst
with him hundred years. l knew hin
before / saw him, by Percys description
of him. Didn't tell you, beforehand