2 Gfljc imc5, Nou- Bloomftclir, pa.
11 OS IT A FAIRFAX.
A ND BOSITA, mother; what has
xV. become of her ?"
Allan Fairfax asked the question- with
apcrccptablo heightening of the color in
hia brown check, bringing it in -, as it
were, carelessly, although it was the one
question that had been in his mind all
this first day of his return from along
Eeast Indian absence.
''Oh, she married some- fanner fellow
or other, and let mc see- I believe she
is dead !"
"You speak vaguely, mother, of your
own neicc," Allan commented, a little re
proachfully. " Well, really, you know that Glenn
Fairfax's family never seemed like our
own, and llosita was always full of some
whim or other."
Mrs. Fairfax adjusted the coiffure of
point lace and cherry ribbon on her head
as she spoke, with white ring-gemmed
fingers, thinking to herself how fortunato
it was that llosita was out of. her sou's
way.
"Allan would have been just absurd
enough to renew the old engagement, if
he had had the ghost of an opportunity,
and now that Helen Farquharson, with
all that propcrty)of here, fancies him suon
piece of chivalrous romance would have
been simply absurd. I do think Provi
dence is watching, over our interests."
There are more people in this world
than Mrs. Fairfax who weave around their
selfish plots and plans the glamour of that
Providence which is most aggrieved and
defied.
Allan Fairfax, learning thoughtfully
against the mantel, with his arms folded
and bis eyes fixed on the roses of the car
pet, was a singularly handsome young
fellow. He was very dark with brilliant
black eyes, luxuriant wavy hair, and lea
tares like a chiselled Apollo It was the
birthright of the Fairfaxes to be hand
some nor had Allau fallen short of the
traditional standard.
lie started from his reverie, as his
mother's voice sounded again,
" 1 beg your pardon, mother; . did you
speak to me? 1 was thinking of some
thing else."
" I was only asking if you would drive
out with me, this morning."
" I believe not, if you will excuse mc.
I have not entirely finished uiv uupac
ing." Mrs. Fairfax sailed out of the room
with the port of on orient queen, and
Allen was left alone. 13ut he did not go
up to his trunks.
" Married I", he murmured to himself.
" Oh, llosita, how could you have so
soon forgotten 1 . Yet it is the way of
the world, and I have no right to expect
a .different fato from my feilow-nien."
" I Jcnmo I could do it,mamma."
" But, llosita, only think of it," cried
the poor little widow, wringing her help
less hands. "You, Glenn Fairfax's
daughter, stooping, to such a menial oc
cupation as that !"
" Not so very menial after all. Y'ou
wouldn't be at all horrified if I took in
fine sewitfg or embroidery, for the where
withal to satisfy this relentless landlord
of ours; and what difference does it make,
whether I help dress a lady's shoulders
or her head."
Rosita Fairfax was a beautiful girl,
after the blonde, gold-haired type, with
sunny blue eyes, checks like a velvet rose
petal, and a graceful undulating figure
such a girl as seems to bo born to wear
pearls and satin, and blossom, liko a tall
white lilly, in tho very garden of life.
Yet she was not out of place in the dusty
thoroughfares, where work is thciulo and
pleasure the exception. Jler chintz cal
ioo dress, belted at tho round waist, and
relieved by narrow strips of snow-whito
linen at' throat and wrists, fitted her as
perfectly as the costliest silk could have
done; and tho bright hair that fell in
loose burnished rings over her shoulders,
needed no wreath of artificial flowers or
glimmer of jewels to give greater bril
liaucy to its shine.
" But a hair-dresser, llosita a com
mon hair-dresser."
"No, mamma," interrupted llosita,
laughing. " Give it the full French
grace of significations-gay coiffeure."
" What difference can the name
nuke ?"
" Much, mamma, in spite of Shak
spoare's celebrated query. And Minnie
Dow earns her dollar a day, and it is so
kind of her to obtain this vacant situa
tion at Madame Prenneror's for me."
" Minnie Dow is a carpenter's daugh
ter." V And I ana descended in a direct line
from one Adam, a gardener. Comoj
niaiiima, darling, Jet us look this matter
fairly in the lace. We are very poor,
and society will neither feed nor clothe
us; let us defer no matter how meekly,
to her whims. I might take in needle
work, provided I could get any to do ;
but I should waste my life away, and
have the paltriest pitances to show for it.
I might give musio Jessons if I were
content to wait a year for each separate pu
pil. I might go out-as a governess, if I
could have sacrificed all individuality and
independence for a hundred dollars a
year. Put as this opportunity for earn
ing a little something presents itself,
and you know that 1 had always had a
regular Parisian- knack for twisting tho
hair up, and looping it into all manner
of waves and knots and puffs, 1 think it's
a grand opening. That's right, mamma,
look up and smile"
For Mrs. Fairlax had smiled, though
faintly enough, at llosita's resume of their
situation.
" How can you be so light-hearted, my
child ?"
" Why, what's the use of being heavy1
hearted ( 1 am young and strong,
and if I can't earn my living ono way i
am determined to do it another. Now
will you 1)0 a good little mamma, and rest
contentedly ci the sofa until I come
baok T'
" You are -not going to "
"To Madame Prenneror's? Yes I
am."
" So soon ?"
" The sooner the better ; and there's
one characteristic about this French-Madame
Minnie says she always settles up
with the girls every Saturday night,
mamma, when I shall come homo with
seven dollars in my pocket?"
Put the landlord says he must have his
rent to-morrow. It is twelve dollars,
now, llosita."
" Oh, I'll coax him to wait."
And lliisita went out with a light clas
tic step, and a smile that seemed to turn
her whole bright face into sunshine.
Mr.s Fairfax, in spite of herself, caught
the infection, and smiled back at her
beautiful young daughter.
" She is fit to be a princess," thought
the mother, with a longing, lingering
thrill of. tenderness : "and, oh, to think
that she should be reduced to this 1"
Mrs. Fairfax's heart would have been
sadder still, if she could have seen how
quickly the smile faded away from llosita's
preseuce. She went swiftly down the
street turned on Proadway, and went to a
jeweler's store.
" How much will you givo mo for this
gold cross?" she questioned the clerk
abruptly, as she drew from her bosom
a cross of chased gold, with a topaz burn
ing, like a spot of sunshine in its ccntroi
" Do you wish to leave it iu trust, or
sell it'!"'
"To sell it."
The clerk examined it critically.
" I cau give vou twenty dollars for it."
" It cost fifty !"
The clerk shrugged his shoulders.
" Of course you can't expect first cost;
but we are not anxious to buy."
llosita laid down the cross.
"Givo me tho money," she said quietly.
The clerk counted out the twenty dol
lars, and Miss Fairfax left the store.
" At least the rent is provided for, and
the grocer's bill," she said to herself,
" and now wo can make a fair start in
tho world. Poor papa! how little ho
thought what wo were coming to when
he gave me that glittering toy on my
sixteenth birthday !"
Madame Luuile do Prennoror received
her new work woman very graciously.
" Y'ou ara just in time my dear," she
said ; " ma Jul, the orders that I have
roceived to day ! If I had had a hun
dred hands, they would all have been bu
sy. Let mo see what are we to call
you?" :
" My name is llo "
" Oh, true, true; but it was not of
that I was thinking. I liko my 'girls to
adopt Frcr.eh names. Miss Minnio Dow
is called here Nannette Dupont, -and you
you aro henceforward Mario Pelotte.
You do not object? It give3 us- style
character-r-Parisian ton."
" I do not object ma'nm," said llosita,
smiling at the oddity of the Madamc's
whim.
" Well, Marie Pelotte, it sounds for
eign, does it not,' my. child? you shall
go out to-day. I havo three orders two
dinner parties and a ball. Here are my
plates do mode; study them well, and re
produce them on the heads of -Mesdamos
my patronesses. Do you think :you can
meet tho emergency ?"
" Certainly, ma'am."
" You will find tho numbers of the
streets, and the hour of the appointment,
on this card. Y'ou will charge five dol
lars a head ; more, if gold or diamond
powder be required and I look to you,
Marie Pelotte, to sustain the well-known
honor of tho Prenneror establishment.
Stay, it is early still ; you may dress Nan
nett's hair to prove to mc that you thor
oughly comprehend your great position.
Madame Prenneror was in ccstacies at her
new employee's taste and skill, as demon-1
strated on the shiny brown head of Miss
Minnie Dow, uius Nannette Dupont;
and llosita went out at the appointed
hour, her heart beating rather tumultous
ly, but nevertheless quite prepared to
meet the oucrous duties before her.
The first candidate a little bewigged
female, who was scarcely visible through
the paint and powder on her face, was
easily disposed of, and was highly grati
fied at the amount of puff and bandeaux
and bows of hair that llosita arrayed
around her face.
" 1 like you Pelotte," said this eccen
tric lady of fashion. " 'Jell Prenneror
always to send you to mo! Why you
have twice the taste of Mauon. my French
maid."
The second place, No. 18 Ves.semcr
street, was a stately mansion, with brown
stone steps and violet velvet window dra
peries, fringed with gold. Mademoiselle
Pelotte was shown into a boudoir whose
elegance reminded her of other days by
some strange hidden link of association.
Presently a pert-looking soubrctte came to
her.
" My mistress will sec you in her dressing-room."
llosita followed her into a room where
a lady sat iu a loose frilled dressing wrap
per of white cambric, and heavy black
hair falling down her back a lady whose
haughty glance towards her, as she beck
oned h.r approach) filled her with name
less terror.
It was her aunt, Mrs. John Fairfax!
Evidently, however, she wtis herself
unrecognized, and gathering new courage
from this fact, she glided round to the
back of the chair, and commenced her
operations, secretly thanking her kindly
planets for Mrs. Fairfax's fashionable
near-sightedness.
" You may arrange it al a Marie An
toinette, young woman," said Mrs. Fairfax
languidly, opeuing a book and beginning
to read, while llosita with trembling
hands proceeded to brush and arrange
the heavy hair of the woman who hud
turned coldly from them in tho hour of
need who had denied their bond of re
lationship. " How slow you are !" exclaimed Mrs.
Fairfax, impatiently, after she had read a
few pages. " Y'ou will never be through!
Who is that at the door ? Open it !"
Put llosita did not stir ; and the lady,
concluding the young Frenchwoman did
not understand English readily, called
out, " come in !"
The door opened, and Allen Fairfax en
tered looking rather surprised as ho did
so.
" You are busy ?" he said, and I will
not"
The half-completed sentences died away
on his tongue, ns he stood gazing at the
golden-haired girl who was behind his
mother's chair, with down-cast eyes and
cheeks heightened into vivid crimson
bloom trying vainly to prosecute her work
while her hands trembled, and a white
mist seemed to blue her eyesight.
" llosita Fairfax !" be exclaimed.
" My-llosita!"
Mrs. Fairfax sprang up and applied
her gold eyc-gluss to the hard black eyes
that had played horso false.
" What does this mean?" she cried,
growing pale beneath the rouge that
glowed on the cheeks. Put tho girl re
plied to Allan- alone.
" Not your llosita !" she answered,
with spirit. "I uin one of Madame Pren
neror's employee, dressing your mother's
hair, as part of my daily work. -1 do not
scorn to earn my bread and that of my
mother, whom yonder woman turned
from her doors a year ago. Why did
you. not speak a word fur us then, Allau
Fairfax ?"
" I have been in India for two years.
But I wrote to you."
" I never received your letters I see
how it is," said llosita, coldly. " 1 was
foolish enouirh to eutrust them to 'your
mother's care."
" Mother," said Allan, sternly, " will
you give mo an explanation of this?"
Put Mrs. Fairfax, exposed and morti
fied had sunk into a chair, covering her
face with her hands.
" I I thought it was only a - boy and
girl engagement, Allant and- that you
would both repent afterward. I thought
I was acting for the best."
" You told me that llosita was married
that she was dead !"
Mrs. Fairfax- replied only by hysteri
cal sobs. Allan went to llosita and took
both her hands in his.
" After what you have heard here, llo
sita, do you blame mc ?"
" I do not."
" I havo loved you, and been true to
you, llosita ; will you give me another
chanoe yet to win the jewel of my life?"
She looked up into her face, her eyes
swimming in tears.
"'I will, Allan."
Mrs. Fairfax knew that her wiles and
schemes had all been vain that llosita
had conquered ; and inwardly she le
solved to ' make the best of it.'
And Madame Prenneror lost " Maria
Pelotte," the best of all her coiffnncx.
" It is always thus," sighed the mad
atne. taking snuff. " ' I never had a dear
gazelle,' says the poet; but, after all, true
love is satisfied, and 1 ought not to com
plain." Ups anil Downs iu Life
Mr. John Hart is creating a great fu
rore in a minstrel hall in New York by
his perfect delineations of negro character,
lie was once a millionaire. When the
oil fever broke out in Pennsylvania, Mr.
Hart owned a hundred acres of wild land
near Tideouto, Pa., worth about sixteen
cents an acre. lie was tb.cn running a
canal boat on the Delaware and Hudson
Canal. In the fall of 18(5-1,. several im
mense oil wells were discovered on Mr.
Hart's land. Stock companies were for
med iu which he was a prominent share
holder, and at one time ho was offered
.)U0,OU0 for bis interest. This was re
fused, lie left the canal, built a most
magnificent private residence, wore dia
monds of almost fabulous value, and
seemed made of money. At one time he
was a prominent caudidato for congress,
but failed tj secure a nomination through
the inertness of a trusted friend. For
tune's wheel suddenly turned backward
Mr. Hart was inveigled into more oil
speculations, aud within three years was
without a penny. Ho then turned his
attention to negro minstrelsy, and is said
to be superior to either Pan Bryant, T. D.
Uice, or Cau Emmit iu his delineations of
negro character. He speaks four differ
ent languages, and has travelled in Eu
rope and Australia. He was once wrecked
in the Straits of Magellau, and spent two
months iu destitution on the Island of
Terra del Fuego. He is now playing
au engagement at asalary of 100 a week.
A lct Decided.
Not many years since there lived in
the " moral" city of Boston, two young
bucks, rather waggish iu their ways, and
who were in the habit of patronizing
rather extensively, a tailor by the name
of Smith. Well, one day, into Smith's
hop these young gents-strolled " Smith,
we've been making a bet : now we want
you to make each of us--' a suit of clothes
wait'till the bet is decided, and then
tho one who loses will pay the whole."
" Certainly, gentlemen : i shall bo most
happy to serve you," says Smith and
forthwith their measures-were taken aud
iu due course of time tho clothes were
sent homo. A month or two passed by,
and yet our friend, the tailor, saw nothing
of his two customers. One day, however,
he met them in Washington Street, and
thinking it almost time the bet was de
cided, he made up to them, and asked
how their clothes fitted.
" Oh ! excellently," says one ; by the
way, Smith, our bet isn't decided yet."
"Ah!" says Smith, what is it '("
" Why" said one, " 1 bet that the first
day in the year 1010 would be rainy; Bill
here took mc up, and when the bet is de
cided, we'll call and pay that little bill."
After au OOlce.
A fellow afflicted like many others wo
know, with a desire for au office, sends us
the following touching appeal :
Could you get a good oilieo for an or
phan of some twenty-five summers, who
can givo first-class reference as to moral
character, and who wouldn't mind swear
ing to anything reasonable that might be
proposed ?
1 am not particular about the sort of
offico it might be. All I ask is a good
place, witli. enough salary lor board and
billiards and some etceteras, and a couple
of able, industrious -young men to do tho
work.
If you should hear of anything of that
sort, and let. mo know,-1 should really
look on you in tho light of a friend.
JJQSf Don't bo anxious to solve aconun
drum. Wo know a man who got two
black eyes in eudeavoring to find out the
difference between a man and a woman
who were fighting.
A Clerical Joke.
OLD Doctos Strong, of Hartford,
Conn., was not often outwitted by
his people. On one occasion, he invited
a young minister to preach for him, who
proved rather a dull speaker, nnd whose
sermon was unusually long. 'The people
became wearied, and as Doctor Strong
lived near tho bridge, near the com
mencement of the afternoon service he
saw his people flocking across the river to
the other clutch, lie readily understood
that they feared they should have to hear
the same young man in the afternoon.
(lathering up his wits, which general
ly came at his bidding, he said to the
young minister :
'' My brother across the river is rather
feeble, and 1 know ho will take it kindly
to have you preach to his people, and if
you will consent to do so, 1 will give
you a note to him, and will be as
much obliged to you as 1 would to have
you preach for me ; and I want you to
preach the same sermon that you preach
ed to my people this morning '
The young minister, supposing this to
be a commendation of his sermon started
off in good spirits, delivered his note, and
was invited to preach most cordially. He
saw before him one-half of Dr. Strong's
people, and they had to listen one hour
and a half, to the same dull humdrum
sermon that they heard in the morning.
They understood the joke, however, aud
they said they would never undertake to
run away from Strong again.
" Terrible Deaf."
IN olden times, before Maine laws were
invented, Hall kept the hotel at Ir
vington,N. J., and furnished accommoda
tion to man and beast. He was a good
landlord, but terrible deaf. The village
painter was afflicted in some way. One
day they were sitting by themselves itr
the bar-room. Hall was sitting behind
the counter waiting for the next custom
er, while the village painter was lounging
before the fire with a thirsty look-, casting
sheep's eyes occasionally at Hall's decan
ters, and wishing most devoutly that some
one would come in and treat. A traveler
ou his way to Braudon stepped iu to in
quire the distance..
" Can you tell mc, sir, how far it is to
Brandon ?"
" Brandy," says tho ready landlord,
jumping up ; " yes, sir, I have some," at
the same time handing down a decanter
of tho precious liquor.
" You misunderstand me," says the
traveller ; " I asked how far it was to
Brandon."
"They call it pretty good brandy'snys
Hall. " Will you take sugar with it?"
reaching as he spoke for the bowl and
stirring stick.
The despairing traveler turned to the
village painter. " The landlord," said
he, " appears to be deaf. Will you tell me
how far it is to Brandon ?"
"Thank yen," ta!d the painter,'' I don't
care if 1 do drink with you.
The traveler treated aud fled.
The "Fat "sheep."
Some twenty five years ago, when' I
was living in tho town of 1 took
occasion ono evening to attend a social
meeting hi the church tit that place. As is
their custom on such occasions, ono after
another rose and gave his or her expe
rience. After a time, a man in humble
circumstances, small in stature, and with
a vory effeminate, squeaking voice, rose
to give iu a piece of his experience, which
was dune in the following manner.
" Brethren, I have been a member' of
this church for many years ; I havo seen
hard times; my family has been much
afflicted ; but I havo for the first time in
my life to see my pastor or any of the
ti ustees of this church cross tho tiresh
hold of my door."
No sooner had he uttered this parf of
his experience, than he was suddenly in
terrupted by one of the trustees, au aged
man, who ross and said in a firm, loud
voice : " My dear brother, you must put
tho devil behind you." On his tak
his seat the pustor iu charge quietly roso
ing and al.w replied to tho lit
tle man, as follows: " My dear brother
you must remember that wo shepcrds are
sent to the lost sheep of tho house of
Israel." Whereupon the little man rose
agaiiij and in answer, said, in a very loud
tone: "Yes, -aud if I had been a, fat
one, you would havo found mo long
ago."
The effect upon the audience can - be
better imagined than expressed. -Lutheran
Observer.-
Jerome Bonaparte is said to be
much interested in the obituaries of him
published last week, Monday.