Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-05-29
agencies do pay she answered
though;fully.
sour thinking and surmisiug grew
finally into . determination to fnd

OuT tuluAiuS auu oui III ioAu SiS'
finally into . determination to fin
out about it; and, without taking sn
other memb bers of the family into ou
council, Lizzie set out on a tour o
inspection the next morning. Sh
came back with brighter face thai
she had worn for weeks.
81 believe there is somthiog in il
some good for US, mean, she said
drawing me into the little back kitch
en-, that we had plsyfully christenet
our private Office. ats new kind o
indelible ink, Lois, and new way o
marking. You know SO much tha
has been for sale is poor, but this
seems really nice. The man that has
it told me all about it, tried it for me
and showed me how to use it. BE
thinks it will be sure to sell we'll, be,
cause the making is SO simple and
easy, and the whole costs so little
that people wouldn't be likely to kesi.
tate on that account. He is very anx-
ious | should take it, and says |
should be certain to succeed"
"Well?' questioned.
"Well, I think I'll try it, if the
others don't object. | can be spared
better than you, Lois. don't sup
pose it will be very pleasant going
about from house to house so, among
strangers" she added, hesitatiug a
little, and with a faint color rising
to her cheeks; "but then I'd do a
great deal more than that for the sake
of helping Bert, and Frightening up
poor father and mother"
"She was leaning against the old
pine table, with the sunlight that
shone through the little window fall
ing around her. The surroundings
were meagre and homely enough,
yet she made a fair picture for me
that day, with her earnest, loving
face, and her brave, sweet eyes.
Bert had little time to examine
into the matter, it panied him to
think of such an enterprise for Liz
rie, knew, but he could not deny
its necessity. Father and mother con-
sented, though far less sanguine than
we had been.
"Itis possible that she may make some
thing of it; don't know that it will
do any harm to try" father said, with
a halfsuppressed sigh, as he glanced
at his crippled arm and helpless
limbs.
Il watched her until she was out
of sight the first morning, and turned
back to NY work with secret thought
that she looked every inch a lady,
even in her plain gray dress and bon
net, aud with the light basket hang
ing on her arm. | built up some
vague, bright expectations upon her
blithe, winning way, that would be
sure to make people listen to her;
and when it drew near the time for
her return, | was restlessly impatient
for her comming. All welll" Aunt
Lois'S eyes turned drearily to the
glowing Goals again Il suppose not
one Of all the homes where the quiet
little figure stopped that day, ever
dreamed ofthe waiting group, the sick
ones and the anxious ones, to whom
her success or failure meant 10 much
(which was it,? asked Marion soft
ly, breaking in at last upon the long
reverie iu which the story seemed to
have ended.
"Success or failure, do you mean2
She did tolerably well that first day,
aud was so hopeful and merry all
the evening that the others caught
the infection, and even father talked
and laughed quite cheerily. Yes; she
had succeeded almost too well; for
disposing SO readily of the small
amount she had at first taken, in
duced her to purchase a much larger
supply, and she found but little sale
for it afterward. 1t was weary work,
going out day after day, and she grew
sad and dispirited BY the time a week
had passed She said but little abont
it; she tried not to show it, aud per-
severed bravely, for there was sore
need of at least regaining the money
expended; but | could see that she
had grown fairly to dread starting
forth on her daily round.
80 few people buy; and, of cource,
they have the rightto do as they think
best about it; | can not blame them
| if do ut offer any thing they want,
she said, one night, with the sudden
tears starting to her eyes under my
questioning. But they might at
least be civil; they needn't treat me
as if were oeggar. No one has a
right to treat beggars Sc, indeed.
W by, Lois, I've had the door slam
med in my face again and sgain, and
people have answered. mo, We don't
want to be cheated; We don't want to
buy any humbugs," without waiting
to hear what | had to say. Yester-
day woman called from an up
per window, "You needn't come in
here" before had fairly got the
gate open; and today one interrup-
ted me in the middle of a sentence to
say" Don't want any Of it; and il
you'll take ny advice, young woman,
you'll stop this miserable peddling,
and 90 to work at something honest.
She did not condescend to tell N
what, though | asked her,, added
Lizzie, bitterly.
| Some rough, course creature!" |
exclaimed, Indignantly.
She was dressed like lady; ]
presume she thinks she is one,7 Liz
zie said, more quietly. But she wa:
very unjust. Isouldn't have had
any thing to do With thi. if | hadn'