Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-12

GOLD BEADS.
NO. SO.


night wondering how she could possibly
come honestly by such an adornment. Now
Lizzie was sewing girl at dollar day,
and gold beads do not grow on every tree
She paid half her weeks wages for board,
and the other three dollars bought her
clothes. paid tor washing, and the fuel she
burned evenings; for she always loft
Madame Bias ut seven o'clock. In truth
there didn't seem much surplus with which
to purchase gold beads, for somehow or
other money always dribbled away in Liz
zie's hands like water through sieve for
! one must have underclothes and stout
shoes, and best gown for Sunday, though
it could be only black alpaca, and . hat in
the fashion, and a shawl for every day to
save the best cloak, and waterproof and
| umbrella and rubbers; and there were car
fares in bad weather, and medicines, and
something for her seat In church, and the
mission-box; and, oh dear six dollars
seemed like such a fortune when she held
it in her hand on Saturday night, but, Ike
fairy gold, it W ent such . little way! Any
one who has to pay in hard-earned cash
for every needlefull of thread and every
button will readily understand why Lizzie
was in despair before the question Of gold
beads. And somehow gold beads she
must have; it seemed absolutely impera-
tive. She had seen others resplendent In
ear and finger rings without sigh; it
was reserved for Jane Ford's gold beads
to give Lizzie pang of desire. How be-
coming they were! M 38
How they would set off her rich color. and
lend sparkle to her hazel eyes. and make
the white column of her throat moro ap-
parent. and-and-perhaps If she looked
her best, if anything should give hcr IN
air Of prosperity and fashion, Lon Lowell
might prefer her to Jane after all, As he
had once seemed to do. All, what heart
ache his detection had given her! And she
fondly fancied that u string Of gold beads
would set all right again. would serve a. .
talisman, would give to her glance the fas-
cination of James. At least II Lon were to
be lost it should be through no fault Of hers
she wished to eclipse Jane. Her mirror
told her she only needed James luck in
wages, that fine feathers make fine birds
never once guessing, in her narrow ex-
perience. that Lon wasn't worth the trouble
she was taking for him: that q heart 30
tickle could never yield the repose and re-
lance that she craved. The very first
morning she had seen Lon walking to
church with Jane Ford gave her such =
|
like one in trance. with curl wound
call the thoughts that possessed her during
that time she only knew that it was like
a bleak frost falling in early spring, when
buds begin to start, and blighting all the
promise of the year, making q famine in
the land. Ever since that time she had
lived under cloud, as it were, trembling
at every unwonted sound, at every knock
or footstep, daily expecting some explain
alton, some overture toward recOncilia-
| ton on Ions part, utterly unable to ac-
cept the fact Of his abandonment, till it
became like an ache which, from being
long borne, seems to be . part Of ones ex-
istence, and in no wise alien.
But sunrises and sunsets had multiplied,
and Lon had failed to appear with any
peace Offering Of tender apologies; he
had simply behaved as if it were the most
ordinary thing in the world to be on with
the new love before he was of with the
old, as hearts like footballs, were elastic.
and did not mind hard knocks. When
Lizzie put her needle aside and folded
Madame Bias work away, it was with an
infinite sense of loneliness, thinking that
another day had vanished. and nothing
had happened to mark it as sweeter than
the rest.
Lon had always been used to meet her
on the way home, usually under the old
stone archway at the foot of the street,
and now she never passed beneath it with.
out trembling certainty that he would
Join her there. without starting At every
shadowy outline, sand yet pursuing her
way on the other side more lonely, more
desolate than before, from the fading
away of a precious hope.
Once, indeed, when the twilight deep.
ened and few faint stars leaned out OF
heaven, she really did meet him under the
old stone archway. There he was wait,
ING for her How her heart bounded and
reioiced. Oh why had she ever upbraid-
ed him ? why had she not been patients
she might have known that God would
not leave her comfortless, that He was
more kind to her than she could compre.
hend, that he had only deprived her Of
Lon for little while that she might more
perfectly appreciate the sacred sweetness
of love, its ineffable satisfaction, its depth
and breadth! Words of welcome were
shaping themselves on her lips; all her
pulses throbbed to the tune; in fact, she
had for the moment quite forgotten that
he had ever been to blame, that he had
neglected her at all! All at once the half.
uttered words gasped and died in her
throat-he passed her without look. and
t was Jane Ford whose arm he drew with
in his own, and to whom he murmured
some halftender nothing. The revulsion
of feeling was SO intense that for the in-
stant Lizzie fancied she was dying; she
reeled and leaned on the masonry for sup
port, till one Of madame's girls overlook
her.
"How you frightened me" said this
Samaritan. ''Are you sick ?"
IL had a faint turn. that was AL; give
me your arm, if you please" ~.
"Madame's work room is 70 soning.
and She is so cross, said the other. that
7 tboucht nv own head would split.
had to lake Mrs. Serge's Aounce o. twice.
Madame says you're falling on in year
work. Liz; you'd better look 0at. o. IL
will be pretty how dye do. Did yoa
see Jane Ford's gold beads? Iwish I had
a string; don't you? They're 80 dressy.
and make folks think you had grand
mother. ! heard that she and Lon Lowell