Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-12-05
OUR GIRLS.
They Were Only Girls, But They
Achieved Success.

"a fine place you've got here, Des-
mond," said Major Clippett, looking
around with approving eyes upon the
lovely lawn, spotted with leafy walnut
trees. Up on the hillside the haymakers
were at work; down in the valley one
could just catch glimpse of a river that
wound in and out among the green
copses and level pasture lands.
"Yes," said Mr.. Desmond, who,
stretched out upon bamboo reclining
chair, was smoking an Eastern chiboque.
SIT is rather pretty for a man who can't
afford villa on Lake Comor'
81 saw two young gypsies as came up
the HILL" added the Major, cheerily.
"They were good enough to direct me,
or might have taken the wrong path.
One of them was riding a bareback colt
in the pasture, the other was doing bat
tie with blackberry hedge and had
very pretty mouth all besmeared with
STAINS"
Mr.. Desmond shrugged his shoulders.
sour girls" said he. "You needn't go
on to describe them any further, Clip
petit. Every body around here knows
our girls!''
"The poor girls" said Mrs. Desmond,
who sat by, in pale blue muslin, and
eyes to match. ''They are great dis
appointment to my husband"
'Indeed?" uttered Major Clippett, SYM
pathetically. "They seem to be nice
young things"
mice enough" said Mr.. Desmond, APP
athetically. "But girls! And I've al
ways so longed for boy. Some one for
whom you can chalk out a career; some
one who can make name in the world.
Girls!"
Mrs. Desmond, who believed implicit
ly in her husband, drew funereal
sigh; Major Clippett laughed. And Ella
and Essie, who had heard it all in the
shades Of the drawing-room curtains,
looked sorrowfully at each other. Essie,
the youngest and rosiest, had washed
the blackberry stains away from her
cherry lips; Ella, the tall girl, who was
very Rosa Bonheur in respect to colts
and COWS and all the barnyard animals
had put on her white dress and pink
ribbons to do fitting honor to her ia
TIERS guest. And here they stood look
ing sadly into each others eyes. Side
by side ''our girls went noisclessly VI
into the old nursery, where they had
played as children.
81 always knew that papa wasn'tquite
suited with u.s." said Essie.
''But 1 never guessed the reason
whyw said Ella.
"What shall we do?" said Essie.
"What can we do?" pleaded Ella. "Wt
are only girls"
''Yes, know" said brave little Essie
who from the threshold Of her four
teenth year was beginning to TAKE
shy peeps out into the world. ''Bu
things are not as they used to be, Ella
If we could only make papa say; i an
proud of your If we could only induce
him to look at us as If we weren't super
fluities in the world"
'Do you think it is possible?" said Ella
with frightening eyes and carmin'
spots glowing on each cheek.
1--WE can try" said Essie. "Let us g
down by the river and talk about It'll"
"Whatw said Mr.. Desmond, lifting hi
head YEARLY from the pillow of the sofa
where he was composing himself for hi
afternoon siesta. "Our girls again? Cal
they never be contented? Aren't the,
getting along we'll enough with thei
governess?"
"Yes, know, DEAR" said little Mrs
Desmond, meekly. "But they wan
wider advantages than Miss Millson ca
give them. They want music lesson
from Salvini; and course OF trenc
and German at the C0nsercotoire;' an
Major Clippett says that his sister vii
be delighted to receive them for yea
or two, if you don't object"
"object!" repeated Mr.. Desmond
drowsily. ''Oh, don't object! Let Their
do as they please"
And Mrs. Desmond carried this verde
to the girls.
Didn't he say he should miss us?
said Essie, wistfully. .
''Was he glad that we had some ambl
tion?" asked Ella, whose hungry nttl
soul yearned for sympathy as deseI
wanderer signs for a cooling fountain
the arid sands.
mo, children" said Mrs. Desmond
pityingly. sYou know papa never ca
be very enthusiastic about girls! But
II dare say he will miss you when 70
are away"
So the two girls left Desmond Cour
dismissed by their father with col
kisses, like the touch of fish.
Five years had passed away, and "ou
girls" had not returned to the parer
nest. Mrs. Desmond grieved Il
them, but her husband scarcel
seemed to miss the sound of their laugl
ter in the dim old garden alleys, or n
echo of their light footsteps In ID
halls.
IF they had been BOYS, now, said d
at would have been very different.
Until at length he went up to Town
visit his friend Major ClippetE