Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-26

KIM. am not, ISOlena. would gladly
serve you, gladly take you away from such
a life, gladly offer
A knock at tie door interrupted him.
1t was the postman. He counted out a
large bundled of letters and said pleasantly
''Biz is a-looking up, mam'selle. Six
ty-two letters is big haul"
She bowed the man out, and then, with
the bunch of letters still in her hand, she
said slowly;
'sThank you, Mr.. Van Stupen. You
are very kind, l need no help. | have
created a good business, and have more
than a hundred dollars in the savings
bank, and as soon as the fall trade opens
shall take more comfortable quarters. L
am doing well, and [ want for nothing,
save-'
She paused. The door slowly opened
without warning, and stumbling figure
crept in unbidden. 1t startled them both
with drunken laugh.
"Say-'Solena, gimme ten-won't
you? I've had hard lines-l have"
What do you mean, sir, by this inso-
lence?" cried Mr.. Van Stupen. "Take
yourself OFF,
" Mr.. Van Stupen," cried the sister, in
terposing between the men, che is my
brother. Edward, there is the money;
now please go away. Come again another
day"
Eyes, demme fly don't! Ten dollars!
Here's wealth for your'
Stumbling down the stairs, he crept
away, and the two were left alone.
"That was not wise, Miss Van Rens-
! selaer. He will trouble you again"
He is my brother, sir" she said with
dignity. eve will not speak of him
more''
Mr.. Van Stupen was in a measure de-
| feated. He had not accomplished his
mission, and after few commonplaces he
| withdrew, and without an invitation to re-
| new his CALL
Now was her life clear before her. She
must give her whole heart to her business.
There was naught else to feed on, and it
| must take that or starve. The one friend
she had retained had proved unfriendly
| How had he dared to come to her since his
engagement to Amy Ramsey? She had
seen the engagement in some gossips
letter in a newspaper many weeks before.
BY ten the next morning she had two
| advertisements in the Herald one for
! better room, and one for female book
| keeper. At night she glanced over the
| paper to see if her advertisements had re-
ceived attention. Her eye fell on the
marriages.: ..
RAMSEY - COURTLAND = Amy Ramsey,
| daughter of Theodore Ramsey, of this city, to
Allen CORTLAND, of Stamford, Conn, etc.
The paper slipped from her hand, and
for an hour or more she dreamed of the
| happy mighthave- been. How she had
misjudged him! And he was gone -''
Three hundred and thirty-one girls and
women presented themselves at her room
during the next four days. Ten per cent.
of them knew their business fairly well;
80 per cent. were totally ignorant of the
whole subject. After much discussion
girl who had frst-class talent for doing
exactly as she was told was selected, and
Il
the two set up larger and more conven-
lent establishment. The girl kept the
books and the mistress shopped for pro-
tession. The weeks grew to months and
the winter came. Mdlle. Isolena con-
stantly spread her advertisement before
the rural public and the fame of her bar
gains filled the feminine mind with adj
miration. She slowly and surely pros
pered and tried to think herself happy, and
failed.
In all this neither father nor sister nor
brothers ever visited her She worked for
a living. They never could forgive that.
Madison Square concluded she must have
died, and nobody ever contradicted the ru-
NOR. Mdile. Isolena was often r9e-
full to Madison Square, but none knew
her. She had changed somewhat, grown
more placid and quiet, and her face had
put on womanly beauty the Isolena of
Madison Square had never known
Suddenly the clerk gave notice that she
must leave. All, yes! going to be married.
That was it. Her work was only make
| Sn11G I'LL Il HAL COulu- De 1OuQO TO SuDDOrt
| her. After some delay Isolena found her
| father and he called to see her. Would
he keep her books for her? "Never!
She was an ungrateful girl thus to blast
the family name. Julia never did, nor
Edward, nor Thomas" Could he support
her? Well, no, not very conveniently
He was busy on the street and it took all
he could pick up to pay his board and the
boys board. By the way, he was just
little short. Could she lend him twenty
dollars for a day or two? In silence she
gave him ten dollars and he went away
without even thanking her
She sat down indignant and heart-sore,
and would have cried for shame and
misery had not a visitor knocked. Patty
Van Stupen.
"Isolena Can l believe myself?"
Yes, Patty, it is l. Can l be of serv-
iceg
"Servicel Isolena Van Rensselaer,! One
would think you were mademoiselle."
$50 | am"
T. L - LI