Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-09-26

l
himself loving and patient. Olive
the eldest, was twenty; Clarice, TIL
beauty of the family, fourteen; AL
fred and Arthur, twelve.
No sooner was the funeral owe
than the future stared Olive 10 th
face. She was not allowed even /;
brief interval for the luxury of sOr
row. Everything that her fathe
had possessed was invested in hi
book store. lie owned nothing aside
from it, and the whole establish
ment, if sold, wouldn't bring ovel
five thousand dollars, after his debt.
were paid. How was she to educat,
her sisters aud brothers, and prOvid,
her mother with the comforts ant
lux xuries to which she had been ac
customeds There was but one way
and she shrank from that invOlun
tarily. BnJ the more she thought
of it, the more feasible it seemed.
A week after the funeral she broke
the project to her mother. "Mam
ma" she said, "Pve plan in my
head, and I want your approval OF
it. Twas papa's wish, you remem.
Der, to give CIarice musical educa.
tion, and send the boys to college.
1t ought to be done, but how7
might earn a little by sewing or
teaching, but it wouldn't he much,
for Pve no talent that way. Mr..
Hardy has proposed to take charge
of the business, and receive a share
of the profits, but l doubt whether
that would he more advantageous
than selling out at once, and plac-
ing the money at interest. Pve
thought the matter over and over,
and have finally determined with
your permission, to take charge of
it myself, and attend to the book
store personally"
If a thunderbolt had fallen at Mrs.
Wayne's feet, she couldn't have
been more surprised. She looked at
Olive as if she doubted her sanity,
and stammered, "Do you really
mean it ?"
"Certainly. What is there to pre-
vent it? Is there anything in the
book trade repugnant to feminine
instincts !"
"But, Olive" expostulated her
mother, family, "you've always re-
fused to attend the Women's Rights
Convention, and | didn't know you
held any such notions.'
"Mamma, it's not the conventions,
it's necessity impels me to the step.
Pm not bit interested in the suf-
frage question, and don't care to
vote, but here's a business l under
stand partially, for | was papa's con-
fident, and why should | give it up,
and thus lose what might be com
fort and competence to you and the
children It's true, women don't
usually carry on bookstores, and
perhaps it isn't advisable they
should but ours is an exceptional
case, and | really think 'twould be
cowardly to draw back from this
work l feel myself fitted to do. l
may fail, but | think not, for l have
something in me that Mr.. Whipple
would call grit"
"You'll be talked about so," said
her mother queIrousiy "that's the
worst Of it. I'd rather bear any
thing else than ridicule. Couldn't
you invest the money in something
else that would yield as handsome
a profit, but excite less IT,"
"No; I've thought Of that.
'Twould be to much ,isk. The book
trade is the only business l under
stand. AS to feminine employments
in other directions, the avenues are
crowded, and rve not enough apti-
tude for any one of them to insure
success. 1 might earn bare living
nothing more"
"You re so energetic, Olive ~ and
Mrs. Wayne sighed. 'Do talk a
little lower, and remember my
nerves."
"Yes, mamma; but there's the
door-bell, and it's time for the doc
tors visit. He ID scold me roundly
if he knew how I'd worried you.
Please say yes before he comes in"
"Anything for peace" was the
plaintive reply. And Olive, seeing
the weary look that came into her
mothers face, was obliged to be con-
tented, for Mrs. Wayne had always
been an object Of peculier solicitude
to her own household, and it was
for her sake even more than for that
of the children that Olive dreaded
Il, .ts 41,.Aol saaooua0