St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-12

She felt justified in weeping, because
she had to work hard in a factory alls
day, besides doing all the h0uSewOrk
for Uncle Joshua. Just an hour ago
he had been complaining about the
moths getting into his clothes, and re-
marked that he guessed he would have
to write to his cousin, Mrs. Ieaman, to
come and keep house for him, since
Mamie was SO incompetent.
Mamie was not sorry to leave her
uncle as she was the old Woodburn
farm, where every stone and tree was
dear to her. That was why she wept.
Mark Dantorth. the young engineer of
the neighbOring factory, stopped at the
sight of Mamie and whistled.
Your uncle'S been Scolding you
again?" he asked.
"Well, YOU SeeN-She Stammered.
''0h, know he has, the old villain!
Oh, mean it, What does he make you
cry for?n little savagely.
Hes going to send me away and
get Mrs. Leaman for u hOuSekeeper,"
sobbed the girl. He hasn't any conf
dence in me"
Mamie" said he, 1--WE got conf
dence in YOU. If Mrs. Leaman comes
to keep house for him, suppose you
come and keep house for me? I've
wanted to ask you TO marry me this
long time. Win you, Mamie? You
don't know what good husband Ill be
to yOu!'
Mamie looked up with a startled face.
She was only seventeen. Her first in
stinct was to run away and hide, her
second to put her hand into Mark Dan
forth's and say:
yes"
In the meantime, however old Mr..
WOODBURY. had brushed and beaten his
Sunday clothes until it was 4 marvel
that the seams did not part company,
and started to hang them out of the
south garnet window, muttering Grossly
to himself as he did so. And Mis-.
BigSbee, Jogging down the road with
butter, eggs and dressed poultry,
Glanced to look up:
Good heavens - cried she. dropping
her whip in horror and amazement, III
Joshua WOODBURY. hain't gone and
hanged himself! And Mamie at the
mill! I'd better go for Squire Noting
right off,
And in half an hour the neighborhood
was aroused.
Mamie was getting supper ready that
evening, and Uncle Joshua was stand
ing on a chair in the buttery putting
some particular fine Cochin-china eggs
into an especial basket to send to mar
ket on the next mornings carrier cart,
when the door flew open as if a cannon
had exploded on the other side of it, and
the Widow Leaman bounded breath
lessly into the room, with her rusty
Grape veil flying behind her like a me-
teor. and a perceptible odor of pepper
| mint accompanying her footsteps.
'.Well," said she, $50 the mean old
| miSer'S gone at last"
Gone? Where?" said Mamie.
Hes dead, amt he?" said Mrs. Lea
man. Hasn't he hung himself?"
| "Me?" said bass voice from the but
| terry, as Uncle Joshua carefully de-
scended from the chair and walked into
| his cousins presence. dead? Not
| called me, Lucella? A mean old miser.
eh? Well, there's nothin' like speakin'
| the plain truth, Cousin Leaman!'
| Mrs. Leaman turned as many col0rS
as the proverbial dying dolphin.
"Me?" said the old man; chung my
self? Be | likely subject tor that sort
O. thing?"
Mamie began to laugh-a soft, rip
pling little laugh that seemed to bubble
out of the very fullness of her Ieart.
Il heard the same thing" said she,
| aC the factory. Uncle JOSHUA. 1t
seems old Mrs. Bigsbee saw your best
suit hanging out OF the garnet window
to air, and she thought it was you.'
Uncle Joshua burst out laughing, too
He could not help it.
Not yet. anyhow" said he. 1.-The
mean old miSer'S too sensible for that.
You amt going, Cousin Leaman?
VIZ Mt We sit down and take bite of
supper with us? Do"
But the Widow Leaman excused her.
self.
Il guess, Nannie," said the old man,
you can still be hOusekeeper here"
Thank YOU, Uncle Joshua" said
Mamie, reddening like rose: but
but Eve got a situation somewhere else
as hOuSe-keeper."
"Eh?" said Uncle Joshua, peering
over the rims of his SpectacleS.
Pm going to marry Mark Danferth, -
said the little maid with downcast
eyes.
Uncle Joshua was silent for a second
or two.
Then he took his niece's face between
his two hands and kissed it.
I'm glad ont said he, ''even
though [ shall miss you. It's grand
thing for a girl to get good husband.
And you may go to Millville and pick
out wedding gown, and hev it charged
to my account. And don't spare no ex-
pense, because YOU We deserved it,