Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1876-01-07
NELLIE'S EXPERIMENT.
BY IsADoRE ROGERS.

/" MOTHER, [ don't want to ask father
for money to buy me a new shawl this
winter, for know how much his illness
during the summer has interfered with
his calculations and | know that he will
have use for every cent of his money with
out buying it, and since the wheat came
so near being failure | am sure he will
have enough to do to meet necessary ex-
penditures," said Nellie Mills, turning
away from the window, through which
she had been gazing for several minutes.
She was a farmers daughter, a pretty,
sensible girl, with neat, orderly ways,
which her practical mother had trained
to useful purposes, and, contrary to the ac-
cepted understanding that women know
nothing about business, Nellie saw and
understood the exact state of her fathers
affairs
II am going to do without the dress
that had intended to get and your father
will make bis overcoat last another win
ter. and by SO DOM | think we can save
enough TO buy the shawl" replied the
mother.
=" / could not enjoy wearing it if my
parents had to deny themselves to pur-
chase it; and was just thinking that our
sewing was pretty much out of the way
and why could | not go and earn the
money myself? Mr.. Harper wants to
hire a girl and it is a nice, respectable
place, the wages are good and you know
that understand all kinds of homework
and can do any sewing that a farmers
family will be likely to want done" said
Nellie.
81 would have no objections to your
going" answered the mother, were 1t
not that a girl can scarcely go out to work
without forfeiting her responsibility"
"But, mother, Myra Harper and | have
always been friends; we have played to-
gether, studied together and attended the
same social gatherings; my parents are
lust as respectable as hers, and | cannot
see why they should respect me any less
for assisting them in their need when COM
petent assistants are so scarce; and 1t Will
certainly be more creditable in me to earn
something for myself than to allow my
parents to sacrifice their own comforts for
me, or even to go with a rusty looking
shawl or Dress
eve will see what your father says"
replied Mrs. Mills.
90 certainly shall see close times this
fall" said Mr. Mills, when the subject was
mentioned to him, +" and l have regretted
that could not buy as much for Nellie
as she deserves. She is a girl that will
command respect wherever she is, even
if it were not perfectly absurd TO suppose
that there could be anything discredita
BILE in working in such a family as Mr..
Harper's."
Pleased to find that her parents did not
seriously disapprove of her plan, Nellie
lost no time in securing the position. Her
thorough understanding of household mat
tiers, and the conscientious manner in
which she discharge her duties, soon made
her services priced beyond her expecta-
TONS Mr.. Harper declared that the
butter had never found such ready sale
nor brought so high a price. as since
Nellie made it, and when it came to
cream biscuit her equal was not to be
found Nellie had a commendable
degree of pride in her work, and her
success only added to her self-respect;
without which no person will ever ar
rive at any great degree of perfection.
And then she was willing to lay aside her
sewing and read or play for old Mrs. Har-
| per, when requested to do so; and If bust
ness or urgent work happened to detaiD
Mr.. Harper till very late, she did not mind
helping to milk the cows, or any other
1 llLClo service HUI VI Slllo.
| Happy to merit their este. m and receive
their appreciation, Nellie remained sever
al weeks, and it was with feeling of
pride and independence that she laid
away her money, and knew that it was the
result of her own labor. Father and
mother shall never deny themselves for
me, as long as | have health and strength
to work, and such pleasant, homelike
place as Mr.. Harper's," was her satisfied
/ reflection as she stitched away at Myra's
new dress. 'sAnd what nice times we
will have at school this winter after | have
earned everything that need" for Nellie
was only seventeen. and her school days
were not ended But her contentmeni
was destined to receive a sudden check
for some friends from the city, where
Myra Lad spent the previous winter, came
to visit them. This was Myras browning
happiness. Mr.. Jasen Carter, a partner
+ in The firm of Carter & Son, had beer
quite attentive to Myra while she was il
the CITY, and she had so hoped that hs
would come, and now here he was will
his sister. and with Nellie's faultless man
agement and cooking she should have
nothing to do but to enjoy herself for
whole week, and nobody knew wha