Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-08-10
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The acquaintance did not end
here. Amy Billings painted little
pictures for an art store. They
showed no great taste or talent,yet
they sold, as such things do sell,
in a way thatSeems unaccOuntable.
Dong fancy work besides, she
managed to supply her simple daily
wants. The poor woman with
whom she boarded took a great
interest In the desolate chi d,
be'rlending her in many ways.
Very soon Bert did what young
men who are in no position to
marry ale almost certain to do. lie
fell in love, and with little Amy. Ii
must have been from pure pity in
the first place, for the girl was
neither pretty nor especially at
tractive. Constant care and anx-
iety had taken the color from her
check anu the glad brightness from
her eyes. Bat the expression of
her face was s Seet and gentle, and
her smile was little Sunshine, the
NOR charming, perhaps, on ac.
count of its parity, for she was
usually grave, even to sadness.
Bert was always delighted if be
succeeded in bringing a merry look
into her flce for e7en a moment.
"Yon poor little thing" he ex.
claimed one day. 81 would like to
take you in ny arms aud carry yOu
off whore you would alwaya dress
in satin and live on nightlngale'S
tongues
You are dear, good Bert
she said, "but | would rather have
muslinS to wear sometimes, and l
shoulA prefer generous slice of
roast beef to the nghtingales'
t0ngueS.n Ald 1t made his heart
fairy dance to hear genuine
laugh ripple from her lips.
y short time after this Bert
made a sudden declaration of his
love, with all his natural impct.
uoSity and eagerness. b 1t Amy
looked SO astOnished and startled
that his conscience smote him and
he cried:
IL am a brute, Amy dear, to
frghtel you so. You reed not
marry me if you do not want to-.
take 1t all back, every bit of It,"
Then, wOmanlke, she looked so
sadly disappointed thai he COM
menced dellghtedly at the very
beginning and said each word
over again, even more earnestly
and imptuouslY than before. Bat
by this time Amy had become
quite reconciled to the impISsion.
ed phrases, and was neither sur
prised nor frightened. Indeed,
she seemed 10 consider them very
satisfactory. OF coarse they were
engaged, and gradually the pretty
color returned to the young girls
cheek and the light to her eyes.
Tue kind widow rejOiced In these
evidences of happiness, and in the
prospect Ofa brighter future fol
her gentle fdYorite.
Yet Bert, although at times be
could not resist buying a pretty
inexpensive trinket for the gill he
loved, still put aside money every
year toward the debt he hal sol
emnly promised to pay.
When lie and Amy became en-
gagged he had six hundred dollars
in the bank; and soon afterward hit
weekly salary was raised from
twelve to fifteen dollars. Amy
clapped her hands in delight wher
she heard the welcome news, br
she would not listen TO BerI1
proposal that they should be mar
ried right away.
"NO, no!' she said. "YOu mus
pay that debt b fore we can think o
mar: iage. Your mother wOlld moi
smile upon me from above if | con
Seutcd to add anOt er burden t
one YOU already have to bear"
You would not be burden
Amy" he cried. "You are tn
dearest, sweetest"
He finished the sentence In the
way thatIs usually very convinc
ing, 1t did not convince little Amy
f however, for she could be yer.
firm at times.
1t took more than year to NIX
up the necessary amount, bat oh
how happy they were when it wa
accomplished!
Now your mother will smile il
heaven Amy said, tenderly, t
her lover.
"And | have taught you, m
darling he replied, "to smile o.