The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1889-03-21
LIBBY'S AMBITIONS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

''But won't detain you 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 dwellers 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 fellow, 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 tho
store2" Job asked. "Have you any
bundles for me to carry2"
Libby laughed bitterly.
81 asking for letters" said she.
"There were none forme. I didn't much
expect there would be. Luck don't
come to mem
"Luckw job looked at her in per.
picked way. 81 hope, Libby-I do
hope you haven't been persuade ed into
buying tickets in the Breezetown Lot
tery!"
"Nonsense :" retorted Libby.
"Your uncle gives you all the spend
ing money you want, don't he2'
"He gives me all l ask for" Libby
answered-adding, within herself;
'And little enough that isl"
"You're not discontented at living
with him2"
"Not especially"
"Becausc. Libby, if you don't like it
where you arc"
ooh, Job, there comes Alice Mark
ham !' hastily interrupted hegrl. 'I've
got message for Alice. You'll excuse
me, won't you2 Good-byw
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.
'Gt's queer" said he. Sim hanged if
I understand it! Every time I get any
where near that subject she slips away
from me, exactly as if she understood
what l was going to say. It's like try.
ing to catch the waters of running
brook in cne's hand. To me there's no
girl in all Succothville like Libby Morse,
and yet 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 scho i
teacher, whose week it was in "bnci ding
around" to 60 to Mr.. Merse1s.
"Oh, Alice, saH she, breathless with
! the haste she had made, "I've had such
an escaped"
"Chiid, what on earth do you meani"
said Miss Markham, who, though she
was scarcely a 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 scdateness Of
young queen.
''T think, Alice" said Libby, in a
mysterious whisper, "that Job Lindley
wants to ask me to marry him. I've just
been walking with him"
"Well-and if he does2"
stIt's such nonsense" said Libby,
slightly accelerating her swift, elastic
pace.
81 don't see that at all, )" said composed
Alice. "Every girl is the better for q
good, sensible husband"
"Fiddlcsticks cried Libby. GAS if
girl with an ambition like me wanted
to be tied down to life in the back par
lor behind druggists counterW
Gan ambitionl" repeated Miss Mark
ham.
"Ah, I haven't told you!' cried exult-
ant Libby, dancing up and down until
her feet sounded like tiny castanets
against the frozen ground. "But have
an ambitjon-two or three of them!
Shall I tell you what they are, Alicel"
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 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 l were burden to him. And he
hints that I ought to be doing something
for myself. Now what can a girl do for
herself in Succothvile but 20 out to
service, or enter the factory, or take in
plain sewing2"
"Not much else, Imust 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 q love =
story, in competition for the hundred
dollar prize offered by the Titus :eld
Literary Clarion"
"Child, child" cried Alice. "What
do you know about love3"
GAS much as other girls, I fancy"
said giddy Alice. 'I've read about
Ophelia and Desdemona, and Lucia de
Lammermoor, and all those classic hero.
ines, and of course one depends a good
deal on ones imagination. 1t wasn't q
bad story, I know. Well, that's one
road. And I read the statement of the
Woman's Barter Establishment, in New
York-how they'll pay you for good
cake or preserves, or anything of tina,
sort, less triting commissioning Isent
box of pl m am to them, a box that
ought to net me ten dollars at least"
"That's Number Two" smiled Alice.
"Excuse me for saying that I have more
faith in Number Two than in Number
One"
"We shall see," nodded Libby. "Ano