The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-08-07
7 wish I could" said Laura.


that what her daughter wanted was
not only something to do at that mo-
ment, it was permanent occupation
that she had been signing for.
II did speak to Mr.. Andrews about
district for you. love, she said, but
at present all the districts have visi-
tors"
And [ don't like district visiting"
You don'tl" exclaimed Mrs Rich
mond, surprised, and with some re-
proof in her tone.
ut may be very we'll for the dis
trict," said Laura, very well indeed,
if the thing is properly done, but it is
not good for the visitors. Well, mann
ma" she continued, remarking her
mothers air of disapproval," 1T GER
tainly would not be good. for me. l
don't wish to make kind of occupa-
ton of the poor, and go to see them
for my own benefit, because | have
nothing else to do. call that playing
at charity. It's a kind of farming.
Idle men take little land, you know,
and farm it, avowedly for their own
amusement Idle women take little
land (the difference is that on their
land are houses instead of weeds, and
they farm it, only In place of mangel-
wurzel and clover they sow succession
crops of tracts and grocery tickets. !"
Il am surprised to hear you talk in
this way" said Mrs. Richmond, inter-
rupting her.
Il know it is very right, and we
should not deserve the name of Chris
tians if we did not visit the poor and
relieve their necessity. All / say is,
mamma, that it ought to be done for
their sakes, and not because we are
so tired of having nothing to do that
we deliberately undertake to interfere
and advise them in their own affairs
without troubling ourselves to find
out whether or not we are competent
to do So"
Il always did say" observed Har-
riet, land [ always shall say, Laura,
that you are the oldest girl ever met
with" IT,
When Harriet was reused to inter-
est, she was apt to be sententious; but
her mother and sisters listened to her
with pleasure when this was the case,
because it did her good to talk, and
her opinion was not of consequence
enough to hurt their feelings.
Accordingly, Laura replied Ia style
which induced her to enlarge on these
supposed oddities, and so the evening
passed; but Laura did not sigh for
work again for very long time.
Two reasons sprung up to prevent it.
One was small, the other was great
one. The small one came first, indeed
it came the very next morning, in the
shape of letter to Moxon, to inform
her of the death of her stepmother Ga
parsonage with whom she had never
been on good terms,) and to desire
that she would come home immediate
ly to mind the shop and keep house
for her father.
And my blue muslin gown not fin
ished y exclaimed Harriet. Dear
me, what an unfortunate time for this
to happen!'
Harriet" said Josephine, little
shocked, how can you talk of a gown
and death at the same timel"
"Moxon knows what | mean said
Harriet. "She is we'll aware that
whatever takes her away is a misfor-
tune to me-a real one."
u
means hurt at Harriet's way of put
ting things. Her desire was more to
be important in the family than to be
loved. She hoped shortly to come
back. So.she did her best to comfort
Miss Harriet, and would not depart
till the blue muslin gown was entirely
cut out and perhaps in such a manner
that the young ladies could finish it
themselves. It was, however, very
deliberately made. Small hounces
were all the fashion, and the three
sisters did not entirely finish their
task till the morning of the picnic,
when Harriet was arrayed in it, and
looked the youngest and by far the
prettiest of the three.
Harriet was one of those sweet-look-
ing girls whom every one admires at
first sight; but she was SO selfish and
so vapid that she lost her admirers
when she was better known. When
she went into society with her two
younger sisters. who were taller but
far less graceful than herself, she
threw them completely into the shade.
She had that air of fresh and tender
youth which some fair haired women
preserve till youth is really passed,
and her sisters appeared like two
somewhat common place young wo-
men who were with herin order to at
tend to her and take care of her.
Josephine and Laura were quite
conscious Of this fact, but then it was
not unpleasant to go out with Harriet,
because she was always pleased and
happy at "a party, and they received at
tention FOR her sake; moreover, she
was never at Other times so kind and
sisterly in her behavior to them.
Harriet had had three avowed adj
mirers: the first, in the feryour of