Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-09-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
SENT BY BXPREss.

e49ARTAN HARLAN was alone in the
sss world-her mother just buried
She was beautiful, brown haired girl, with
soft, shy eyes of viblet gray, and rosy lips
compressed to frmness far beyond her years
For. after all she was scarcely seventeen, and
so Deacon Gray was telling her as he sat by
the fire spreading his huge hands over the
tardy blaze asked:
"lSut what are you gOin' to do to earn your
bread aud butter 2"
"I don't know-I haven't thought
Mamma had an uncle in New York, who
was"
"Yes, yes-I've heard tell about him-he
was mad cause your mother didn't marry Just
exactly to-suit his taste. Was not that it ?''
Merisn was silent. Deacon Gray waited
few minutes, hoping she would admit him to
her meditations, but she did not, and the
Deacon went nway home to tell his wife "thst
Harlan gal was the very queerest creature he
had ever come across"
In the meantime Marian was busy packing
her few scsuty things into little carpet-bng
by the weird, Pickering light of the dying
wood FIRE.
81 will go to New York." she said to her
self, setting her small pearl teeth together
My mothers uncle shall hear my cause
my heart would not throb SO wildlyI am
no longer meek little Minnie Harlan. am
an orphan, all alone in the world, who must
fight life's battles with her own single hands.
Lower Broadway, at seven o'clock in the
evening! What Babel of crushing wheels,
hurrying humanity. and conglomerate noises
it was! Minnie Harlan sat in the corner of
an express Office, under the fare of gas,ligbt.
Ha1 hu nd
people ever went crazy in this perpetual din
and tumult. Her dress was very piain-gray
popin, with a shabby, oldfashioned little
straw bonnet, tied with black ribbons, and a
blue veil, while her only article of baggage,
the carpet>bag, lay in her lap. She had sat
there two hours, and was very tired.
"Poor little thing ]" thought the darkcved
young clerk nearest her. who inhabited sort
of wire case under a circle of easlinhts. And
then he took up his pen aud plunged into
perfect Atlantic ocean of accounts.
"Mr. Evans"
(, "Sir."
The dark haired clerk emerged from his
cage with his pen behind bis ear, in obedi,
ence to the beckoning finger of his superior:
Il have noticed that young woman sitting
here for some time-how came she here ~
"Expressed on sir"
"From where 7"
"MiIlington, Iowa"
"When did che arrivei
"This afternoon"
AS though poor Minnie Harlan was box
or paper parcel.
''Who for7"
"Consigued TO waltar Harrington. Esq"
fAud why has she not been called for YETI"
81 sent up to Mr.. Harrington's address to
notify him some time age; expect an au-
swer every moment"
Very odd, )" saidtbegray haired gentleman.
''Yes. sir, rather"
Some three-bnsrters of an hour afterward,
Frank Evans came tn the pale girls side with
indiscribahle pity in his hazel eyes.
"Miss Harlan we have sent to Mr.. Harring,
toni residence"
Minnie looked mp with feveTish red upon
her cheek, and her hands cIasped tightly on
the handle of the faded csrpet,bag
And we regret to inform you that he sailed
for Europe at twelve o'clock this day"
A sudden blur came over Minnie's eyes
She trembled like leaf In all her calcula-
tions che made no allowance for an eKigency
ike this.
"Can we do anything for You 2" questioned
the young clerk very politely.
''Nothing-no one can do anything for me
now" .
Frank Evans was about to turn away, bur
something in the piteous tones of her voice
appealed to every manly instinct within him.
"Shall send to any other of your friends2'
''I have 20 friends"
perhaps can have your things sent to
some quiet hotel 2"
Minnie opened her little leather purse and
showed him two ten cent pieces. with smile.
"That is all the money have in the world,
So young, so beautiful, and 80 desolate =
Frank Evans had been a New Y6rker all his
life, but he had never met with an exactly
parallel case to this. He bit the end of his
pen in dire perplezity
''But What are you going to do?"
II don't know, sir. Isn't there work.
house or some place could go TO, until 1
could find something to d."
Hardly"