The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-19
a STORY FOR GIRLS.

Flora?"
"Ot course / would! What would this
world be without luXuries? And how
can enc get luXuries without money?
Dear knows, love goes soon enough when
you have TO scrimp and scrape Tor the
next slice of bread you are going to
eat"
"If you should marry wealthy man,
and reverses come upon you-as they
often do-then what would you dO?"
| "Carrie, dear, never allow myself to
think of anything so very disagreeable,
so, il you please, we will drop the sub
ject."
"That is what you always say, Flora,
when you can not answer a question.
Now ] will give you my idea of u per-
fectly happy married life. Will you lis
ten, and be patient till finIsh"
"Yes-that is, Will try to be. Only
| don't bore me with sermon; 1t is too
warm. this afternoon, to have ones
nerves tried" And Flora Harbeck, with
her lovely form and classical lace, look
| ing the personitication of Tennyson's
line,-
IA daughter Of the gods: divinely TALL
And most divinely far,"
leaned back in her satin, easy chair, and
crossed her soft, handsome, idle hands
| up over her head, closed her eyes wearily,
and prepared herself for what she thought
would be a sermon.
Carrie Dean, her companion and friend,
looked sadly ut her, then let her eyes
wander to the shaded window, where the
pertumed summer air came putting in,
| lifting the white hapcries with gentle
hand, and blowing the light, wavy hair
| from off the brow OF the blue-eyed girl
| ho was trying to frame her ideas into
| 4. :.l. ha,, tix,sn
| well as interesting.
She gave her head little impatient
| toss, and it was not until Fora opened
her great black eyes inquiribgly, Sliat
she could commence her sermon.
ain the first place, Flora, you and
have lived two different lives. You,
from childhood, have known nothing but
ease and comfort, and all the pleasures
that wealth can bestow upon her OIL
spring. You are an only child, beautiful
and gifted, whilst well, il is only
! within two years that l could even know
what comfort meant! You know, of
course, how fathers ship was lost that
dreadful night. At his death, every
firmed invalid, and two little brothers
to support. i had nothing but this to
help me-these two to help me-tor with
out one the other would have been use-
less"
Flora opened her eyes wide enough to
see IN Carries hand small Bible, and
running through one of the pages was a
fine cambric needle.
Il have put the roedle through this
verse, for to me, it is more than true.
See: in the day when l cried thou an
sweredst me,and strengthenedstm me with
strength in my soul.' All! l came near
lainting on the way many time, but
this little book taught me courage, and
30 kept the wolf from the door.
"You remember when was introduced
into society as the niece of Mr., Charles
Dean? How when the report flew around
of my uncle's great wealth. l was re-
ceiyed with open arms, my beauty ex-
tolled my conversational powers lauded
to the skies? Bah! it nauseates me
when | think of it. Where would l have
been if my uncle had never left India to
LOOK lor his sister he had not seen for
sixteen years? In The poor house, if not
the grave.
"sSIlch is liie.'. When I entered your
world as the adopted daughter OF my
uncle, an heiress, became the welcome
guest OF every wealthy family; and as
for the offers of marriage l have received
the stars in the sky are almost as quick
| ly counted"
Both girls laughed merrily ait this, and
Flora, now wide awake, waited with an
animated face to hear Carries idea
about marriage.
SHOW Flora, / know what il is to be
yery poor, and l know what it is to be
yery rich, Had my uncle remained in
India, my mother, l doubt not, would
have been dead, for she could not have
lived without proper nourishment. Now,
she is almost we'll. So bless the money
as well as the Giver of all things, for our
lite of ease and comfort.
ut is getting late, so l must hurry
through this conversation. We will pro.
| long Ii another time. However, mar.
riage, as we both know, is lottery;
would not care to marry wealthy man.
Let him be clerk behind counter; il
he is anxious to 60 ahead, sober. never
taking anything stronger than water,
honest and wide awake, will take hin
tomorrow, if love him. A cottage, foul
willing hands, white curtains, and 8
rose-bush, would be paradise to me
And now, darling, there Is the carriage
and must go." i.
Ten years went by. Night had thrown
her mantle over the earth, and the stars
with their watchtul eyes looked dowr
covered trees and house tops, street
and by-ways. The jingle of bells as 6
cutter dashed through the streets made
the air musical, and deafened the sound
of a carriage as it drove slowly down 6
quiet neighborhood, with its driver peer
ing from Side to side Tor "No. 1927
SThis is the house, l reckon" he NUT
tered, as he drove up to an old-fashionet
dwelling, from whose crimsoned covered
windows came the murmur of childish
laughter and the faint far-of sound o
music. '"It says No. 80 on this bit of pa.
per that the poor critter gave me wha
lives in the next TO me own. 30 there IL
No. 81 on the door. Pll gist be ringing
the bell"
Ding! one long, loud peal, which made
the children, three in number, stop theil
play, and caused the lady sitting at thu
piano to bring her hands down upon iti
Ivory keys with bang that sounded
like faint echo OF the dOor-bell. "Pleat
70 and see who 1t is, John; surely 1t cal
not be callers, for this is Saturda!
nighty
| ] handsens looking gentleman ros'