The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-10-25

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sy lips compressed to frmuess far be-
yond her years. For after all she was
scarcely seventeen, and so Deacon Gray
was telling her, as he sat by the fire
| spreading his huge hands over the tardy
blaze, and asked:
But what are you goin' to do to 'arn
your bread and butter, child?"
! don't know = / haven't thought -
Mamma had an uncle in New York who
Yes, yes-I've been told about him
he was mad cause your mother didn't
marry just to suit him, wasn't he?"
Marian was silent. Deacon Gray
waited few minutes, hoping she would
admit him into her secret meditations !;
but she did not, and the Deacon went
away home, to tell his wife that "that
Harlan gal was the very queerest crea-
ture that he had ever come across?"
In the meanwhile Marian was very bu-
sy packing her few scanty things into a
little carpet bag, by the weird fickering
light of the dying wood fire.
81 will go to New York." said she to
herself, setting her small pearly teeth
firmly together. "My mothers uncle
shall hear my cause pleaded through my
own lips. Oh, 1 wish, my heart would
not throb so wildly! [ am no longer
meek Minnie Harlan; am an orphan all
alone in the world who must fight lifes
battles with my own single hands,"
Lower Broadway at seven o'clock, p. NJ
What babel of crashing wheels, hurry
ing humanity, and conglomerate noise it
was! Minnie Harlan sat in the corner of
an express Office, under the fare of gas
lights, surrounded by boxes, and wonder
ing whether the people ever went crazed
in this perpetual din and tumult. Her
dress was plain-gray poplin, with shah
by old fashioned little straw bonnet tied
with black ribbons, and blue veil, while
her article of baggage, the carpet bag, lay
in her lap. She had sat there two hours,
and was very, very tired.
Poor little thing" thought the dark
haired clerk near her, who inhabited
sort Of wire cage under circlet Of gas
lights. And then he took up his pen and
plunged into perfect Atlantic Ocean of
accounts.
Mr.. Evans?"
Sirw
The dark haired clerk emerged from
his cage with his pen behind his ear, in
obedience to the beckoning finger of his
superior.
have noticed that young woman sit
ting there for some time-how came she
herei"
Expressed on, sir, from Millington,
Iowa-arriyed this afternoon"
As though Minnie Harlan were box
or paper parcel.
" Who for?"
I" Consigned to Walter Harrington,
Esq"
" And why hasn't she been called for?"
sent up to Mr.. Harrington's address
to notify him some time ago; [ expect an
answer every moment"
Very odd," said the gray headed
gentleman, taking up his newspaper"
{" Yes, sir, rather"
Some three quarters of an hour after
wards, Frank Evans came to the pale girls
side with an indescribable pity in his ha-
eel eyes.
{" Miss Harlan, we have sent to Mr..
Harrington's residence"
Minnie looked up with feverish red
upon her cheek, and her hands clasped
tightly on the handle of the faded carpet
bag.
And we regret to inform you that
he sailed for Europe at twelve o'clock
this day"
"A sudden blur came over Minnie's
eyes = she trembled like leaf. In all
her calculations, she made no allowance
for an exigency like this.
{" Can we do anything further for you 2"
questioned the young clerk politely.
Z" Nothing : no one can do any thing
no,cw
Frank Evans had been turning away,
but something in the piteous tone of her
voice appealed to every manly instinct
within him.
Shall | send you to any other of your
frieuds?"
" have no friends"
" Perhaps l can have your things sent
to some quiet family hotel?"
Minnie opened her little leather purse
and showed him two ten cent pieces, with
a smile that was almost tear
This is all the money | have in the
world, sir"
So young, so beautiful, and so desolate
Frank Evans had been a New Yorker all
his life, but he had never met with an
exactly parallel case to this. He bit the
end Of his pen in dire perplexity
" But what are you going to DOR
90 / don't know, sir Isn't there work
house, or some such place, | could go to,
until could find something to doF
" Hardly" Frank Evans could scarce
ly help smiling atpoor Minnie's simplicity.
They are putting out the lights, and
preparing to close the Office" said Min
ME, starting to her feet. l must go
comawbora ,,