The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-11-27
BIDDEFoRD, Me-, FRIDAY

fancy, but whose exterior had correspond
cd SO little with his heart. Poor Mabel
she had learned early, what we must nj
learn sometime, that Il is dangerous 4
trust wholly. to appearances. ....
Mabel took great deal Of pains Will
the task that had been assigned her, ant
which she was some hours In accomplish
Ing. The number Of pages thrown aside
after being partially written over, testlfi
ed not only to her anxiety to please, buI
to her knowledge Of how critical would
be the eye by which 1t was to be inspect.
ed.
At last II was completed, and with
beating heart, she carried It out and laid
II upon Mr.. Dayton's desk. ---......-.-
She stood very timidly, until his gentle
but cold'.you need not walt, Mrs. Glynn,"
sent her blushins back to her desk, OPP
pressed by the vague consciousness that
she had committed some breach Of pro-
priiy.
In few minutes Mr.. Dayton entered
saying:
Il regret to state. Mrs. Glynn, that your
hand writing lacks dlstlnctness,a very I'M
portant requisite; but think you will
improve by practice. Here Is q good
model for you to follow he added, plac-
Ing before her some of the handiwork Of
her predecessors.
Mabel looked In dismay ut the clear
round characters. ...
Il shall never be able to write like
that she said desponcsngly. ....
we none Of us know what we can do
until we try
Mabel felt the rcproof- conveyed by
these words, and, looking like . chldden
child. Immediately addressed herself to
what seemed to her to be hopeless task
she became so much absorbed rs to be
quite unmlndful OF the lateness Of the
hour, until Mr.. Dayton came In to tell her
that her days work was over.
That Is rather better he said, as he
carefully examined the last page she had
written, but you make your MS and o's
too much alike; also your e's and i's.'
Like most sclf.madc men, Mr.. Dayton
was model Of punctuallty aud though
otherwise kind and indulgent. tolerated
no omission of 1t In any of hif dependents.
That Mabel so differently educated, should
consider few minutes, more or less, to-
be Of small importonce, was not strange;
but II annoyed her precise, methodlcal
employer to have her come to her duties
ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes behind
time, rs was his general custom, especial
" as he took deep interest In her, and
considered himself responsible, In a meas
ure, for the new life she had just entered
upon, and which was to be one of labor
aud self dependence.
You are half an hour too latc,' he said
to her one morning, rs she passed through
his room to her desk. Not that care
anything about the loss Of time, but the
habit of punctuality Is n very important
one, without which, success Is impossi.
bic.
Mabel blushed deeply at this grave re-
buke.
II am very sorry, Mr.. Dayton; VIII
try to be more punctual In future
Ifthc words had been less gentle-if
there had been any fash to the eye, or
even of pride. or lmpatiencc to the lips;
instead Of this grlcred. troubled look,
Mr.. Dayton would not have felt SO UNI
comfortable.
Imcant 1t for her good, he said to him
self, as he turned The papers restlessly
over upon his desk. She will never get
through with the world this way, never.
Then he thought how hard he had
found the world. with mans strength
aud opportunities, and his heart grew
son and pitiinl. How sensitive she was
She colored II he but looked ut her.
How untitled for her place, or for any
other, In fact, save the calm retirement
OF home.
But his very knowledge Of her uniltness
made him anxious to impress upon her
mind the Importance OF forming the haoit
OF punctuality, application and self-reli'
ance, which she so much needed. And II
Mabel had not had the sweetest and sun
nlest disposition In the world, she would
have rebelled at the constant tutoring anu
censorship to which she was subjected.
Not that he was devoid OF considcra-
tion or forbearance in his peculiar way Of
expressing them. lie MADE no aiiusioh
to the pile Of papers waiting TO De cop'ed'
and which daily grew higher, though In
wartlly dlsmaycd as his eye fell upon IT.
and spent hours In rectifying her numer-
ous blunders and omissions. and OF which
she knew nothing. But stu he made II