The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-03-08
Tried and Tempted.


Five o'clock of a piercing February
night, and so dark already that the
wearied young workwomen in Madame
Tournay's Questionable Dress Making
Establishment moved more closely to
the window to catch the last fading
beams Of light. 1t was small, i'll
ventilated apartment, shabbily furn-
ished and overcrowded with pale,
tired-looking grls--but what then !?
Madame herself rolled in claret-col
ored coupe, and kept liveried servants
to wait upon her door; and who
paused to think hoiU her money was
made
20 dear !" said Grace Hooper, with
sigh, this Greek pattern is so puz-
cling, and my head does ache so hard.
l don't see why Mrs. Wharton wants
dress altered that she has worn but
once. Fine ladies are full of capri
ces.
Give it to me, Grace" said Kate
Selwyn, authoritatively; IN finish it
and you go home to bed, unless you
want to be laid mp with brain
fever
But what is to become of your
work, Katie ?"
"Oh, I'll take care Of that-it's but
an hour or two's extra work, Wien ais
said and done
Grace Hooper hesitated a moment
she knew from sad experience how
trying was "an hour or two's extra
work when brain, Lack and fingers
were alike woaried out But the pain
in her head was increasing too rapidly
Tor much remonstrance.
ITS very good of you, Katie, she
said, neekly and perhaps l had bet
ter 80 home.
Kate Selwyn nodded pleasant
goodbye to the pale sewing girl
aud began to work on Mrs. Wharton S
wIne-colored silk dress with busy, skill
ful fingers
She was a 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
heavy lushous coils, and la%ge black
cheek; Madame Journeys work-room
had stolen her roses away long ago
but her lips were red as cut coral, anC
there was an arch dinple in hei
rounded chin that spoke of mirthfu
temperament and unwearying cheer
fulness Poor Katie lit needed al
her courage to meet the stern realities
OF life, for even now she was ponder
ing within herself how it might be
possible to meet the landlords demand
5 Tor rent, already oyeadue
Il cannot pay him, anyway IN tht
world, thought poor Katie; "but oh
it would be very hard to be turneC
out of doors in such weather as this
Z Why, what makes the pocket so full
Surely Mrs. Wharton must have lef
{ something IN it,
Kate Selwyn drew from the poke
of the wine colored silk dress an EN-
broiGered handkerchief; but there wa
: something still remaining "A ten dol
lar bill
The room was comparatively darl
no one was observing the youui
seamstress, and it was the instinct c
moment to slip the money into he
bosom, while her cheeks burned an'
her heart throbbed with quick, irregu
lar pulsings.
Some KIND Fate has sent it to me,
thought Kate Selwyn. Mrs. Whar
ton viii never mss the money-sh
: has an abundance without it, and I,
t me 1t is home -bread-shelt1r T.
SO Kate Selwyn worked away wit
t, feyerish color, and hands that woul
tremble, in spite OF herself.
"Why, Kate, how soon you hay
! finished it p said one of her compan
ions, as she-hurriedly folded it up. an
laid it on the pile OF completed dresse:
: "Grace Hooper would have been tw
hours about 1t !"
1t was late when Kate tied on he
worsted hood and went home, thong
the chill and frozen streets, ten-dolla
bill still hidden away IN her bosom
Home-it was but narrow roor
without fire or light, but it was a
Katie had
She undressed hulTiedly, and creI
, into her little bed somehow, sh
could not say her prayers that nigh
Was it the ten-dollar bill that stoo
: between her and the gates of Heaven
Ten dollars--it was years sine
Katie Selwyn had possessed SO niue
money at one time, TO her it SCENE
almost untold wealth and seyerl
> times during the night she started VI
! half fancyng that burglars were in tn
: room, trying to distract the preciou
prize Such long, troubled, fever
stricken night And when at lengt
she rose, unrested and unreireshe,
the gray dawn was peeping throug
the one window of the room.
y Il can endure it no longer, though
Katie Selwyn 81 would rather be
9 my bread from door to door, and slice
'e upon bench in the market plac
than bear the brand Of a thief upo
II my own conscience / will take IL
money back as soon as possible, an
try to forget last night, as we forg
- hideous dreams
- She fitted through the streets, shi
ering, us the chill breath of early daw
smote upon her forehead, and ner
a. ouusly avoiding the passing footstel