Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-05-28

-Oou speak OF H. Gear mDtner5 NW0S tor Ia
,her's good. | shall not feel the coldl Besides,
i is not iar shan't be gone twenty minutesl
IL father wakes, tell him shall return soonl"
"But tn
"Don'I say u word, dear mother" persevered
the beautiful embroidery girl. al will return
with blessings! and New Years present for you
and himi"
With these cheerful words the young girl gil
ded from the room and out Of the entry into the
cold, clear air Of the night. As she closed the
outer door Of the old house and stopped upon the
sidewalk, she had for a moment 10 catch her
breath, the atmosphere was SO sharp and frosty.
/ The cold penetrated through her shawl, and chill
/ led her in an instant. But her brave heart was
warml 1t was warm with flial love and heaven
4 ly charity. Il was warm with gratitude to God
that he had given her health and time TO labor at
her task and complete it. Three dollars! How
those magic words filled her thoughts! They
seemed to combine and enfold all the worlds
happiness. She trpped along wrapping tightly
about her graceful figure the coarse blanket
shawl, and drawing closely over her eyes the
front Of her hood.
She turned into Washington street. She pass
ed Two or three persons wrapped in furs, who
turned and looked after her, wondering what 50
genteel young girl could be out for on such a
night, and wondering how she could keep from
perishing, SC thinly cladl They did not know
that her good heart kept her warm.
She glided past the frosted windows Of the few
lighted shops, and reached, al length, the fancy
store. Itwas open. height shone dmthrough
the iced windows as through ground glass. She
lifted the latch 10 enter. Her thumb adhered tc
the frosted brass, and was taken away again only
with pain.
A middle aged man in spectacles, pert-lookinl
and self-imporlant, in white cravat, tied behinC
his neck, and his hair brushed with great care Il
one side. stood behind the counter folding vi
fringe on cards. Not far from him was short
dumpy woman with red fat cheeks, like thost
Of rich andlady, a turn-up nose, and two very
hard, cold, money-begeting eyes. She wa
looking through her spectacles at an accoun
book, of which she seemed TO be the keeper
Further on sat young girl in red hair with I
boule-nose and waist drawn into the symmetry
/, of an hour-glass.
Mary closed the door, and with an air of doub
and trembling, as if she knew whom she had tt
f deal with, advanced to the counter where th
young lady stood. She drew from beneath he
shawl her bundle to hand it to her, but her fin
' gers being numb with the cold, she let it sli
1 from them to the floor. She Instantly picked
up, and said
i. "Here is the screen, Mrs. Curtis. shouI
l have completed it before, but my father has bee
;. very ill for some weeks and have had TO tai
:, care of him."
Il "Uh! yoa have kept it long enough, Miss.
was thinking to-day that you might conclude
T. keep it altogether, and if you had not brought
d tonight should have sent Ophelia Ann Eliz,
IS beth after it; for there is seven dollars and
ninepence worth of worsted in it. | hope ii
done well-but it has done it no good to drop
: as see."
r Mary made no reply.
e She then unfoded it and began to examine i
: It was evident from the sparkling of her eyes th
she thought it admirably executed. Mr.. Curt
v and Miss Ophela Ann Elizabeth Curtis approach
ed and each took a shoulder to look over at ii
J work-that work which had wrought into it S
e much of the life of the trembling young girl WI
n stood by the stove trying TO warm her perishir
d feet.
u at is pretty fair" said Mr.. Curtis, "but hay
/! seen better work!'
. alt looks as if it had been slighted, mothc
u particular that lotus leaf, and the stem of Il
~ moss rosebud" said, with a turn of her turn.l
nose, Miss Ophelia Ann Elizabeth, who bell
H. herself very gly, 1--WE apply the term in both
IN uses) hated every body that was handsome; al
Id Mary Redfeld being unusually handsome, W
~ hated by her proportionably.
IN 81 have done it quite as we'll as my form
e. pieces" answered Mary firmly, but respec
m fully.
ed "Yes, dare say but as it is to order, ha
oil TO be particular" said Mrs. Curtis.
eyes, Miss Redfeld is very particular indeed
II said Mr. Curtis, sand as she is q rich heire
she must be humored."
to Mary started al the name. Had she then be
'st working this fresc for her rich cousin?
p- How strange that it should be so! "Oh! ifs
IN knew how-But | will not murmur an
Curtis" she continued, going to the count
e. "will you have The goodness 10 let me have /
ch three dollars, as wish TO hasten home to my
IT. ther!"
ed "Three dolIars!" repeated the lady, openi
,d her eyes, 'did promise you three dollars?
oi. must be mistake, Miss, what's your name,
it is TOO high for such piece of work. lsa
. do you recolectl"
ry al am sure you didn't promise so much,"
ss- swered her husband in the thin, wiry, suivel
- tone that might be expected of man who weis
nd ed every piece of money that he took, from
dollar to four pence halfpenny. and refu'
to receive any grain less than due weig
he but who never let a piece of money 60 fl
af. him so heavy, by a few grains, as it came i
ess his hands. The "clippings" paid his expens
md "You couldn't have promised, mother," ch
ed in Ophelia Ann.
ly. "Indeed you did, Mrs. Curtis" answered
ry, with feeling of indignation, but fearing
an show it, lest she should loose Der hard ear
the wages.
81 don't remember it! I'll pay you two {
oor lars and q half, and not a cent more Perhs
out if you had got it done three weeks ago, J
h;e o,;nht houa not throa dollars Mice Redfield