The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-15
BY MARGARET X. sANGsTRR.

BY MARGARET 4. sANGsTER
The Carterets were conspicuous for their
pretty names, which they always wrote
in full, even before q revolution in taste
bad put Bessie, Nellie and Madge out Of
fashion everywhere, eccept as pet names
to be used At home. There were Clemen-
tina, Gladys, Marguerite and Lillian among
the girls, and Theodore, Reginald, Maxi
milan and Francis Felix among the bows.
and then came No. 8, with Francis Felix
out of kits, and Clementina beginning
to 60 into society. Mrs. Carteret had
always had the naming of her brood, but
MIR. Carteret, holding the blanketed bun
die in his arms and surveying the
wrinkled, rosy face, declared that It was
his turn at last.
II shall call this daughter plain Mary
Jane, after her grandmother Jenkins" :"
he declared, "and, my dear, If we have
another son, his name shall be John, YOU
may make up your mind to that"
They never did have another son, how
ever, and Mrs. Carteret was.spared the hu-
initiation of hearing boy Of hers saluted
as Jack on the street or recorded as John
ny on the baseball score of his comrades
Mary Jane was a round roly-poly child,
sturdy and strong, and as different from
her brothers and sisters as if she were no
relation to them. Her mother, lying
languid on the sofa with q novel in her
hand, was distressed at the air of rude
health which distinguished her youngest,
and wondered why 80 great an affection
should have come to her, when Mary
Jane declared that she preferred making
puddings to practicing her scales, and
wonld rather mend the stockings than
paint cups and saucers for the decorative
art store. 1t had come to pass, by the
time Mary Jane was sixteen that the fam
lily circumstances were not what they had
been when Gladys and Marguerite were
growing up. How it had happened Mr.
Carteret could not explain, but year by
year his law business had lessened and his
income dwindled. With expensive tastes,
which none of the family felt like deny
ing, with little outside the Office to de-
pend upon, except some unproductive
land in New Jersey, which had never
paid enough to defray the taxes, Mr..
Carteret's household was often in straits
which would have astonished the neigh
bors, had they dreamed of their possibil-
ity. The boys were nice fellows, we'll
bred and agreeable, but without par
ticle of push the girls were elegant and
accomplished, judging by q finishing
school standard; yet Clementina's piano,
Lilian's embroidery, Gladys water-colors
and Marguerite's French and German were
each and all sources of expense, and not
one, had either young lady chosen to use
her skill, would have brought in enough
to pay for decent gowns and gloves. LII
ian only patiently tried the decorative
art, once in a whirl selling cushion or a
card case, on which occasion hot house
flowers in profusion always adorned the
mothers table and the family had ice
cream for desert.
Meanwhile Mrs Carteret grew more
and more fretful, languid and depressed,
and Mr.. Carteret's face took on hunted,
anxious look, which if it troubled nobody
else distressed the heart of bis daughter
Mary Jane.
"Papa's little girl =" she had called her
self as soon as she could speak plainly,
and "papa's little girl " she remained
when her brown hair was brushed
smoothly back from compact, sensible
forehead, and her gray eyes looked
straight on the world with the courage
of q young woman who meant to make
her way, asking no odds on account Of
youth or sex.
"Who is that happy-faced girl who 20
often walks down the street with old Car
teret said merchant one day, standing
in his door and watching the progress OF
the two towards Mr.. Carteret's Office.
"That," said the person addressed, ais
his daughter-plain Mary Jane they call
her. believe. She has taken the place
of Office boy for the old gentleman just
at present, and its no doubt great re-
lief, for even that expense is burden
when q mans funds are as low - Carter
cts chronically are"
aWhew l" said the merchant with a
long whistle. didn't know that Carteret
had daughter who knew enough to play
the part OF Office boy"
Had curiosity led the critic to follow
the pair he would have seen Mary Jane
her stiff dress covered with . brown
linen wrap, her hair enveloped in cap,
long loose gloves protesting her hands
and srms-sweeping, busting, setting
things 70 rights, singing . merry tune
the while; then later. copying legal dec
uments and looking up references for her
father, serving him, indeed, with . quick
nesa, Intelligence and interest unknown
| 20 The tribe q oboe boys =.
~I honn ma t,ne among our friends Will