Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-06-22
"sENT BY EXPRESS"
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

with soft, shy eyes of violet gray, and ro-
sy lips compressed to firmness far be-
Sond her years. For after all she was scarce
iy seventeen, and 80 Deacon Gray was tell
Ing 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 earn
your bread and butter, childi
4 don't kDow-I haven't thought.
Mamma had an uncle in New York,
Yes, yes-Ive heern tell about him
he was mad cause your mother didn't mar
~ just exactly to suit him, wasn't hep
Marian was silent. Deacon Gray wait
ed few minutes, hoping she would admit
him into her secret meditations; but she
did not, and tho Deacon went away home,
to tell his wife that "that Harlan gal was
the very quecrest creetur he ever had come
across4
In the meanwhile. Marian was busy pack
Ing her few scanty things into little car
pet bag, by tho weird, Pickering light OF
the dying woodfre.
Tp;ll 60 TO New York, she said to
Herself, settinS he small pearly teeth firm.
together, Ny mGlher;s uncle shall hear
my cause pleaded through my own lips.
Oh, ~isL my heart wou,.l no: throb so
wildly! lam no longer n1Sek Minnie
Harlan; am an orphan all alone in the
world who must fight life's battles With
her own single handsf
Lower broadway at seven o'clock p. NJ!
What Babel of crashing wheels, hurry
ing humanity, and conglomerate noises it
,s7as! Minnie Harlan sat ip the corner of
;an Express Office. under the fare of gas
lights, surrounded by boxes, and wondered
whether people ever went crazed in this
perpetual din and tuualt. Her dress was
very plsin-gray poplin, with shabby
.old-fashioaed little straw bonnet tied with
black ribbons, and blue veil, while her
only article Of baggage tho carpet bag, lay
in her lap. She had sat there two hours,
and was very, very tired.
Poor little thing thought tho dark
ID aired young clerk nearest her, who inhab.
.ited as9rt Of wire cage under crclet Of
gaslights. And then he took up his pen,
and plunged into n perfect Atlantic Ocean
of accounta
Mr.. Evansv
..Sir!
The dark haired clerk emerged from lis
cage with Ills pen behind lis ear, in obedi-
,ence to the beckoning finger of his supe.
:rior.
4 have noticed that young woman s;t-
ting here for some time-how came she
.here2'
tExprcssed on. sir, from Milliugton,
Iowa-arrived this afternoon
AS though poor Minnie Harlan were a
box or paper parcel.
who fora'
:consigned to Walter Harrington, Es-
.quire.'
4 sent up to Mr.. Harrington's address to
notify him come time ago; expect an an.
.swer every moment
Very odd,' said the gray-headed gen.
sleman,'taking up his newspaper.
'Yes, sir, rather
Some three quarters of an hour after
~ards, Frank Evans came to the pale girl's
aide with with an indescribable pity in his
hazel syas.
'Miss Harlan, We have sent to Mr.. Har.
tington's residence'-
Minnie looked up with feverish red
upon her cheek, and her hands elasped
tightly on the handle Of the faded carpet
bsg.
And we regret to inform you that
he called for Europe at twelve o'clock THIS
day. IT,"
eA.spdaeu blur came over Minnies eyes
she tIembled Ike leaf: In all her
cslsRlasip ms, shs had made. no allowance
fqr ap sxigency like this:
Can 10 do anything further for your
questioned .tle young clerk, politely.
tAetbing~ap one can do anything
aoss ~ =. m,-.s
:Fsank Evans bad been tuning away,
ont something in the piteous tone Of her
voice appealed % every manly Instinct with
IN hAs { f}s"~ ~sE =
Shall send to any other Of your
tTieadsP - :. -, :, Il az,
4hays no frisuda,fr =, t