Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-03-08
LIBBY'S AMBITIONS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

minute; I'm going your way, and I'll
walk home with you"
'Tm in hurry, Job" stammered the
tall young girl whom Job Lindley had
addressed
"But won't detain you a second %
catching up the change and the parcel
from the counter of the little general
shop which served for grocery, dry
goods emporium, four-mill and postof-
fee for the jewellers in Succothville.
I'm ready now"
Libby Morse was a slender, bright
eyed girl of eighteen. Job Lindley was
the village druggist, quick, keen faced
young follow, with healthy glow on
his cheeks
They walked briskly along over the
hard-frozen winter roads, in the gray
twilight.
''Were you getting anything at the
store" Job asked. ''Have you any
bundles for me to carry2
libby laughed bitterly.
81 was asking for letters" said she.
''There were none forme Ididn't much
expect there would be. Luck don't
come to mep'
'Luck2" Job looked at her in a per-
picked way. II hope, Libby-I do
hope you haven't been persuaded into
buying tickets in the Breezetown Lot
terry"
''Nonsense :" retorted Libby.
"Your uncle gives you all the spend
ing money you want, don't he?"
''He gives me all l ask for" Libby
answered-adding, within herself:
And little enough that isr'
"You're not discontinued at living
with him2"
''Eot especially"
Because. Libby, if you don't like it
where you are"
sob, Job, there comes Alice Mark
ham p hastily interrupted the girl. "T've
got message for Alice You'll excuse
me, won't you2 Good by !"
Job Lindley stood puzzled, in the
middle of the road, watching Libby's
figure vanish against the yellow bar that
still marked the spot where the sun
had gone down, half an hour ago.
otis queer" said he. 'I'm hanged if
understand it! Every time get any
where near that subject she sli ps away
from me. exactly as if she understood
what l was going to say. It's like try
ing to catch the waters of a running
brook in cne's hand To me there's no
girl in all Succothville like Libby Morse,
and yet I can't for the life of me tell
whether she cares for me or not"
In the meanwhile Libbie had joined
Alice Markham, the young district school
teacher, whose week it was in "boarding
around" to go to Mr.. Morse's.
ooh, Alice" said she, breathless with
the haste she had made, 'pve had such
an escaped"
"Child, what on earth do you mean2"
said Miss Markham, who, though she
was scarcely month older than Libby
In actual time, had the dignity of at
least thirty summers.
Perhaps it was as much owing to the
responsibilities of her position as to
natural temperament, but still it was
there-the sober, charming sedateness of
young queen.
81 think, Alice" said Libby, in
mysterious whisper, ''that Job Lindley
wants to ask me to marry him. I've just
been walking with him"
''Well-and if he does2"
'1t's such nonsense, said Libby,
slightly acceleratng her swift, elastic
pace.
81 don't see that at all, " said composed
Alice. every girl is the better for
gOOu, S0uS1Ulc uUSDduu.
"Fiddlesticks % cried Libby. GAS if
q girl with an ambition like me wanted
to be tied down to life in the back par
lor behind druggists countsrp'
can ambition2" repeated Miss Mark
ham.
"Ah, 1 haven't told you'll" cried exult-
ant Libby, dancing up and down until
her feet sounded like tiny castanets
against the frozen ground. ''But have
an ambition-two or three of them.
Shall tell you what they are, Alice9"
IF you can leave off fitting along
like will-o'the- wisp, certainly" said
Alice, twining one arm around Libby's
slender young waist.
"Well, you see, explained Libby, low
ering her voice to a confidential mystery,
although there were only the frost
frightened stars and the yellow rim of
light above the western woods to over
hear her communication, "Uncle
Thomas hasn't been very successful with
his farm, of late, and as he has nine
children of his own, he naturally feels
as if | were a burden to him. And he
hints that ought to be doing something
for myself. Now what can girl do for
herself in Succothville but go out to
service, or enter the factory, or take in
plain sewing7"
''Not much else, must confess" said
Miss Markham.
"Well," pursued Libby, 81 don't fancy
any of these three roads to livelihood.
So I've picked out three other paths for
myself. I've been studying up the
papers, Alice. and I've written love =
story, in competition for the hundred