Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-03-21
fried and Tempted.

Five o'clock of a piercing February
night, and so dark already that the
wearied young workwomen in Madam
Tourany's Fashionable Dress Making
Establishment" moved more closely to
the window to catch the last fading
beams of light. 1t was q small, ILL
ventilated apartment, shabbily furnished
and overcrowded with pale, tiledloOk-
ing eirls-but what then ? Madam her
self rolled in Claret colored coupe, and
kept livered servants to wait upon her
door and who paused to think hOt0 her
money was made
30 dear % said Grace Hooper, with &
sigh "this Greek pattern is 50 puzzling,
and my head does ache so hard. | don't
see why Mrs. Wharton wants dress
altered that she has worn but once. Fine
ladies are full OF caprlces."
"Glve it to me, Grace" said Kate Sci
wyn, authoritatively an finish it and
you go home to bed, unless you want
to be laid up with brain fever"
"But what is to become Of your work
Katie 2"
"Oh, I'll take care Of that-it's but an
hour or two's extra work, when ALPS
said and DONE"
Grace Hooper hesitated moment
she knew from sad experience how try
ing was Gan hour or two's extra work"
when brain, back and fingers were alike
'Wearied out. But the pain in her cad
was increasing too rapidly for much re-
monstrance.
OTIS very good of you. Katie" she
said, meekly, "and perhaps I had better
go home"
Kate Selwyn nodded a pleasant good
bye" to the pale sewing girl, and be-
gan to work on Mrs. Wharton's wine
colored silk dress with busy, busy skill
full fingers.
She was tall, slightly made young
woman Of two or three-and twenty
with rich brown hair, wound round and
round the back Of her head in leavy
lustrous coils, and large black eyes.
There was but little color in her cheek !;
Madam Tourauys work-room had
stolen the roses away long ago, bit her
lips We're red as cut coral, and there
was an srch dimple In her rounded chin
that spoke of mirthful temperament and
unwearying cheerfulness. Poor Katie
it needed all her courage to meet the
stern realities of life, for even now she
pondered within herself how it might
be possible to meet the landlords de-
mand tor rent overdue.
II cannot pay him anyway in the
world" thought poor Katie "but oh, it
would be very hard to be turned out of
doors in such weather as this. Why,
what makes the pocket so full Mrs.
Wheaton must have left something in it,.
Kate SelWyn drew from the pocket OF
the wine-celored silk dress an en-
broidered handkerchief, and there was
something still remaining-a ten dollar
bill
The room was comparatively dark
no one was observing the young seam
stress, and it was the instinct Of q mo-
ment to slip the money into her bosom,
while her cheeks burned and her heart
throbbed with quick, irregular pulls
ings.
"Some kind fate has sent it to me, "
thought Kate Selwyn. "Mrs. Wharton
will never miss the money--she has an
abundance without 1t, and to me it is
| home-bread-she !"
So Kate Selwyn worked away with
feverish color, and hands that would
tremble, in spite of herself.
"Why Kate, how soon you have
finished it ~ said one Of her compan.
ions, as she hurriedly folded 1t no, and
laid it on the pile Of completed dlessey.
"Grace Hooper would have oeen TWO
hours about it -
1t was late when Kate tied on her
worsted hood and went home, though
the chill and rozen streets, the ten. dol.
lar bill still hidden away in her bosom !
HoiHe-it was but narrow room with
out fire OF light, but it was all Katie
| had
She undreseed hurridly, and crept iuto
her little hed--somehew, she could not
say her prayers that night. Was it the
$40 bill that stood between her ard the
gates of heaven?
Ten dOllars--it was years since Katie
Selwyn had possessed so much money at
one time. To her it seemed almost IN.
told wealth--and several times during
the night, she started up, half faDcyipg
that burglars were in the room, trying
to abstrsct the precious prize Such q
long, troubled, fever stricken night
And. when at length she rose, unrested
and unrefreshed, the gray dawn was
peepipg through the one window of her
room.