The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-12-02
30 oe\
|! A REALIZED AMBITION. !
4 BY Theodosia Pickering.
s~o~e~e~s0~o~O~O~S

ABOUT ner uDueT the portrait OF
her grandfather the governor, had shut
Lord Bateman in the hall closet, where
his barks, that usually adorned any
exciting conversation, We're unheard,
and for more than an hour had been
holding forth finely, with a decided
rurve in her red lips.
There's no use in your saying any
thing more about tive made up my
mind, and all the talking in the world
won't make me take it to pieces again"
she said. Tin tired TO death of do
ing nothing but frivol and dawdle, and
tomorrow I'm going to find a situation
aud 90 to work.
Martha groaned. She was Nancy's
sister, and a winter spent in the breezy
and hilarious occupation of chaperOn-
ing Nancy and keeping the two-year-old
twins in the paths of law and order
had drawn several lines about the cor
ners of her mouth. "There's one salts
faction, at any rate" she said. Having
had charge of you since you wore pima
fores and had long braids, | am pre-
pared for any caprice, even such an alb
surd one as this, and | know you Will
tire of it in a week May inquire what
you intend to do?"
This is not caprice" said Nancy,
land [ intend to do-why, as everyone
does at first, of course What are you
laughing at Bob? The next time I
select a brother-in-law | shall use
little more discrimination. Why don't
you help me along a trifle? What did
you do when you went to work the very
first time?"
81 swept out the Offices" said her
brother-in-law. "and-"
And what?" said Nancy.
And cleaned the cuspidors, my dear"
said Bob.
"Oh. nonsense" said Nancy. in deep
disgust. "You know very well what
mean. I took a complete course of
bookkeeping when I was at school, and
YOU said yourself, Bob, a dozen times,
that was very good at it,"
Martha rose hurriedly as a faint wall
from the nursery struck her ear. 4
don't know what the Van Couyers and
the Delormes will think, l am sure
she said dismally, as she paused a mo-
ment by the door. land your first win
ter out, too, Nancy. daresay they will
imagine that Bob and | starye you.
If there was any earthly necessity for it
l shouldn't mind so much. but if ever
girl had everything she wanted z"
Nancy came to where her sister stood,
and put both her arms about her plump
shoulders.
BE a dear old girl and don't scold, -
she pleaded, and let me have my way
just this once, and you may call it
caprice. or starvation, or anything you
please
"There's another name | might give
it that begins with "F." said Martha
severely; but she gave the pretty sin
ncr motherly kiss. and vanished.
with a worried little smile on her face
Nancy followed her brother-in-law to
the hall and handed him his hat and
gloves, meel>ly,
"You haven't said as much as you
might, Bob. one way or the other" she
said. Am I to have the supreme bliss
of believing that you approve?'
Bob laughed and drew on his gloves.
Nancy" he said during the last three
months I have noticed with deep con-
Germ, the rise and fall of your interest
in that cunning little sewiugschool in
River street. in your beloved ibsen
class, and-incidentally-in Jerry Den
nison, the only one of the three, by the
way. that regret"
Here's your hat" said Nancy, abrupt
ly.
"Ahem' yes. of course Good-morn-
ing, my dear" said Bob
Nancy let Lord Bateman out of the
closet, from whence he emerged with
an expression at once injured and digni-
fed. Then she went back to the library
and took up the daily paper with an air
of resolutions: but Bobs last words
seemed to dance before her in its print,
and a face came suddenly between her
and the Help Wanted-Female" col
umn-a homely. good-natured face.
with a vigorous chin, honest eyes. and
little tilt in the corner of the mouth.
Nancy put down the paper and picked
up Lord Bateman.
In this very room, two months be-
fore, she had broken her engagement
with Jerry Dennison. 1t had been a
tiny engagement, to be sure, only three
months old, and, not being seasoned by
time, hardly staunch enough to bear
the weight of angry words heaped upon
1T by two hOt-headed young people,
whose hearts belied the words their
lips uttered. 81 shall dance with whom
| please. and as many as | please, -
Nancy had said, with her blue eyes
ablaze. and her pretty head in the air;
land | shall never marry man who
would make my life miserable by his
jealouses and suspicions!" And Jerry
had held his head very high, and said:
r'As you please. of course" and had
left her, with a very white face, and
"a look in his eyes his erstwhile sweet
heart had never seen there before; and
Nancy had locked the door and gone up
stairs, and taken his picture in its sill
yer frame from her dressing-case. and
cried her heart out all night long, and in
the morning had come down with an
Iexpressionless countenance, and only
a minute dash of powder on her nose