Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-02-19
TRIED AND TEMPTED.

ed young Workmen lfT DAauane lOurhdy
Fashionable Dress Making Establish
ment" moved more closely to the window
to catch the last fading beams of light. 1t
was small, i'll ventilated apartment, shah
billy furnished and over-crowded with pale,
tired-looking girls-bnt what then /? Mad
anne her>lf rolled in claret-colored coupe,
and kept Iiveried servants TO wait upon her
door and who never paused to think how
her money was made.
"Oh DEAR" said Grace Hooper, with a
sigh, this Greek pattern is so pnzzing,
and my head does ache so hard. don't
see why Mrs. Wharton wants a dress al
tered that she has worn but once. Fine
ladies are full Of caprices."
"Give it to me, Grace" said Kate Sell
wyn authoritatively g I'll finish it, and
you 90 home to bed, unless you want to
be laid up with a brain fever"
Bat what is to become Of your work,
Katie?"
"Oh, I'll take care of that--it's but an
hour or twu's extra work, when ellis said
and done"
Grace Hooper hesitated mOment-sh
knew from sad experience how trying was
an " hour or two's extra work" when brain,
back and fingers were alike wearied ont.
But the pain in her head was increasing
too rapidly Tor much remonstrance
It's very good tor you, Katie" she said
m"ekly, "aud perhaps | had better go
home"
Kate Selwyn nodded pleasant good
bye 10 the pale sewing girl, and began to
work on Mrs. Wharfon's wine-colored silk
dress with busy, skiIlful fingers. p.
She was a tall, slightly made Young wo-
man of two or three and twenty, with ric b
brown hair, wound round aud round the
back of her head in heavy lustrous coils,
and large black eyes. There was but little
color in her red cheek Madame Tournay's
work room had stolen her roses away long
ago. but her lips were red as cut coral, and
there was an arch dimple III her rounded
chin that spike of mlrlhiul temperament
and unwearying cheerfulness. Poor Katie !.
it needed all her courage to meet'the stern
realities Of life, for even now she was pom
d,,ring within herself how it might be pos
sihIe to meet the landlords demaud for
rent, already overdue.
q cannot pay him any way in the
world" thought poor Katie but oh, it
would be very hard TO be turned out OF
doors such weather as this. Why, what
makes the pocket so full Surely Mrs.
Wharton must have left something in it,"
Kate Srlwyn drew from the pocket of
the winc-coIored silk dress an embroidered
handkerchief; but there was something
still rcma'ning-a ten dollar bill
The room was comparatively dark-no
one was observing the young seamstress,
and it was the instinct of a moment to slip
the money into her bosom. while her
cheeks burned and her heart throbbed with
quick irregular puISings.
"Some kind fate has sent 1t to me-
thought Kate Sclwvn, Mrs. Wharton will
never miss the money-she has an abund-
ance without it. and to me it is home
bread--sheltcr
So Kate Selwyn worked away with fe!
ver.sh color, and hands thai, would tremble,
in spite Of herself.
W@y, Kate, how soon You have finish
ed it" said one of her companions, as she
hurriedly folded it up, and laid 1T on pile
of completed dresses. Grace Hooper
would have been two hours about it J.
1t was late when Katie tied on her
worstcd hood and went home, through the
chill and frozen streets, the ten-doIlar bill
hidden away in her bosom HoME--it
was but a narrow room without tlre or
LIGHT. but it was all Katie had !
She undresscd hurriedly ana crept into
her little bed--somehow she could not say
her prayers that night. Was it the ten
dollar bill that stood between her and the
gates of Heaven
Ten dOIlars--t was year since Katie
Selwyn had possessed so much money at
one time, To her it seemed almost untold
wealth--and several times during the night
she started up half fancying burglars in
the room, trying to abstract the precious
prize. Such long, troubled, fever stricken
ninht And when at length she arose, un-
rested and unrefreshed, the gray dawn was
peeping through the one window of the
room
Il can endure it no longer" thought
Katie Selwsn. al would rather beg my
bread from door to door, and sleep upon a
bench in the market place, than bear the
brand of a thief upon my own conscience !!
| will take the money back as soon as pos
sible, and try to forget last night, as we
forget hidcous dreams"
She fitted through the streets, shivering,
as the chill breath OF early dawn smote up
on her forehead, and ncrvously avoiding
the passing footsteps of the few pedestri-
aus who were abroad at so unusual an
hour
Madame Tnurnay's sleepy footman came
to the work bell ina red worsted jacket and
dinyy cotton handkerchief tied around
his ambrosial curls.
"Pears to me you're uncommon early
this morning, young woman" said he dis
cOntentrdly
yes" said Kate, trembling les: John
should read the secret of her mission. 81
want to finish something that should have
been done last night"
"Tnere's no fire in the work room yet.
No matter--it will soon be lighted"
And Katie ran up stairs to the chilly,