The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-07-04
The Questionable Furs.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

NOW, Iatner, III tnank you Iot .iiat h'e
pndred dollars; you promised 20 give 1t to
De this morning." OF -f4
"Yes, child, but have not SO much here
pw; ride down to my Office at twelve and
u. shall have the money; | expect some
nants to pay their quarters rent to-day,
sd can make up the sum for you by that
me" .ra
~" Five hundred, and not dollar less, and
lou may as well say six hundred" said the
&y. laughing girl; she knew her fathers
fSnd indulgence. @
E"Oh extravaganza" exclaimed he, but
vhatever of reproof the remark implied, it
vas completely nullified by the caress given
q the same time.
4" Five hundred dollars too much for set
q furs! No, indeed. Why, Carlo Nor
9n's cost eight hundred, and mother thinks
toese she selected for me very cheap"
The man of business smiled upon his dar-
ling daughter, then left his elegant and COM
Portable house, for the cherries office IN
Wall street. At noon, Alace was Il ere too.
Springing lightly from the carriage, she
tripped lightly up stairs and was at Mr. Du-
rand's desk just as young female turned
from it to 60 out Having received the SIX
hundred dollars, Alice left Immediately, and
was seen soon at Smiths BaZor, chatting
gaily with young friend whom she met
there. Both were locking at the handsome
cape and muff which Mrs. Durand had fixed
upon for her daughter the day before. They
were beautiful indeed, and the young ladies
having exhausted the usual vocabulary in
praising them, turned to look at others.
Just then hollow, suppressed cough close
by her, caused Alice to turn as young girl
passed on her way to the sewing ROOM
Thither, too. few moments after, she went
also, to see if dress she had making there
was finished. The superintendent Of work
had it in her hand, and was rsprimanding
some one for coming so late.
81 am sorry to disappoint you Miss Du-
rand" she said, seeing that young lady ap-
proach "But Jane Lester who is embro-
dering your dress, did not get here until just
now, and it is not yet finished Then turn
ing, she said, "here Jane, you must work
fast, and make up for lost time"
As the sewing girl took the garment, she
coughed again. Oh, that dismal sound, Ii
touched the heart of Alice, for she recog
rzed in Jane Lester the one that passed
her in the Office and and showroom. She
looked at her a moment, and thought, IL is
by the labor Of such as she that my fathers
rents are paid and obtain the money TO
lavish on costly clothes. She went up to
the girl, who by this time was diligently at
work, and said in kind, low tone
Don't hurry at all !; ! am not the least
in need Of the dress.
THANK yau, ma am, but will soon have
it done. II am not at work on this, it viii
be on something else"
but why do you work at all? With
that cough you ought not to come out in
such weather as this"
wv hat would become of us-of father,
mean, and the children-if | were idle"
DO you have to support ;hem:" asked
Alice with eager curiosity.
- Not when father Is well bat he has been
sick all winter. and paid out the last OF his
saving this morning; 80 mus. Try and earn
more than ever again, that cough.
"Well, if that is the case, you must con-
suit n doctor, and do something for yourself.
or you viii soon be unable to work at all"
Jane shook her head sadly. Eo, indeed
We cannot atflrd doctor for father, and
couldn't think Of such a thing for myself"
! -->------nt'< IanSs s-;Ll.,.- -A!ie~
spoke. S"trive me your address and | viii
send a kind physician there, who will not
charge you anything. Bat he must pr, scribe
for both, and you must follow his directions"
Never mind me, Miss, I'm not so bad as
you think, and shall be better in little
while. cough more than usual this morn
ing, from having walked so fast"
Miss Durand returned to the store more
thoughtful than when she entered il. She
did not 60 near the five hundred dollar furs,
but took set at one-ffth of that price, and
departed-leaving her friend and the clerk
astonished at her sudden change of taste.
Great was the indignation OF her fashion
able mother, when she learned the result o!
her daughters shopping.
why, that is not the set | chose." said
she, when the boxes were opened.
- know it, mother, but then preferred
these"
You have strange taste, must con-
fess. Anybody can get stone-martin.'
Then | shall be a Ia mode" replied her
daughter, with smile
Yes, with the vulgar herd said the Ia
dy, scornfully.
These are pretty, equally comfortable,
and did not cost near as much as the sable,
answered Alice in extenuaton. But her
mother was not to be modified.
What have you to do with the cost?
Didn't your father give you enough to-day
for the others?"
Yes mama, and more too"
"How Clara Morgan will laugh when she
sees those old fashion things; and well she
may"
II care not for that; and shall enjoy
mine none the less for seeing her with more
costly ones"
To avoid further remonstrances, Alice re-
tired to the library, and addressed note to
/ DR.. Weston, the family physician. She beg
ged him to call that evening at No. IA Ann
street, and prescribe for the two individuals
there. Enclosed was 4 hundred dollar bill,
from which she wished him to deduct his
fee, and appropriate the remainder to the
necessaries of the family.
There was also request for him to keep
the matter a secret He understood and ap-
preciated this, for more than once he had
been the almoner of Miss Durand's bounty,
and he would not abuse her confidence.
A few days afterwards the dress came
home 1t was neatly made, and beautifully
embroidered. As Alice examined the grace
ful design and elaborate needlework, she
tho't of the trembling fingers that wrought
it.
Yielding to the impulse of her heart, she
set out Immediately for the residence of Mr..
Lester. Something told her that she would
find Jane at home; and sure enough, she
had become so much worse, that it was i'm
possible for her to leave the house, yet she
was trying to sew, that the family might not
starye. The doctor had found Jane and
her father exceedingly i'll; but as they were
in comfortable house, barely furnished
with necessaries, it is true for not super
| tiuous article was there, he feared to wound
their pride by offering more than his profess
sional services. 1t is needless to say he re-
turned the money sent by Alice on the first
opportunity. Alice to whom the contrast
/ between her own luxurious home and the
cheerless apartment she was in, suggested
real poverty, while the feeble efforts of Jane
to continue to work, confirmed that some
thing more was needed. i ia .}fE sal
This, surely is disobedience to the doc
tors orders;" she said, gently taking the