Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-01
RHODA,S PRINCE.

1t was little low room, In the high
est story of lonesome old lodging
house, for all there were so many peo-
pie in it, to which Rhoda Alstyne
climbed that winter afternoon. She
was tired with walking up and down
the streets since eight o'clock that
morning in search of needle-work, when
there was no work to be found; and
the long, creaking old stairs seemed
longer than ever before she reached
the top of them. Rhoda was pretty
girl; but she had a sorrowful, weary
look in her face this afternoon that
blotted out the bright and happy beau
ty that ought to have been there.
No work to be had," she said, with
a great sigh of disappointment. "No
work-and what am [ to do?-'
Sure enough, Rhoda, what are you to
do? Winter is coming-is here all
ready, in factor outside the air is
keen and cold, and there must be a
fire within to keep the frost out. There
must be warm clothes and food. How
are you to get these things?
Rhoda had puzzled her wise little
head over this question SO long that she
could scarcely think of anything else.
IF there had been no one but herself,
she could have got on some way; but
there was Susie. Susie must be taken
care of, come what might. When
their mother had died, two years be-
fore, she had promised never to forsake
the child; and she never would. She
would cling to her sister, and trust that
some good luck would turn up in their
favor She had been looking for work
for three or four days past; but some
how there was either nothing to be
dene, or so many to work that there
was not enough to supply ali. She had
tried the shops; had applied for family
needle-work; had solicited a position as
saleswoman, but in vain. There was no
position that she could secure that
would enable her to get her living and
Susie's, to say nothing Of the clothes
that they must have.
1t isn't any wonder, then, that Rhoda
felt discouraged as she climbed the old
stairs. She had just five shillings in
the little black pocket-book she carried
SO carefully, for fear she should loose
it, That would buy food and fuel for
few days to come. But where was
the money for the rent to come from
She had asked herself such pulling
questions over and over SO many
times in the last few days, that
her head was all in confusion. She
was never very good at answering
conundrums. Such conundrums as
these, which puzzled her, were the
worst kind of ones. She began to
think there was no answer to them. IF
there were, she could not find it, and
she tried hard enough.
There was swift patter of little feet
inside the little, low room, as Rhodas
steps creaked on the last stair, and a
child came running to meet her-a
pretty child of five or six, with sunny,
faxen hair and blue eyes, like dewy
violets.
''pm so glad you've come, Rhoda,' y
she cried, and put up her plump lips
for a kiss.
ave you lonesome, Susie?' asked
Rhoda, as she entered the room, and
dropped YEARLY into chair.
ooh, very" answered Susie untying
her sisters bonnet, and unpinning the
chin, worn shawl. Every lonesome,
Rhoda.
elias any one been here since 1 went
away~ asked Rhoda.
ayes" answered Susie; that tall,
dark man that comes SO often. He
came to see you, he said. )"
"Mr. Field p gasped Rhoda. ooh,
dear he couldn't have come to see
about the rent yet; for it won't be due
for two weeks, and he told me last
quarter that he wouldn't be hard on
me, | wonder what he wanted ?"
81 don't know" answered Susie
"Ee said he'd come again this even
ing"
"This evening! Y cried Rhoda in dis
may. ~ wonder what for"
And then she began to put the room
TO rights. That wasn't difficult mat
ter, however, because there was SO little
IN it to put to rights. But what there
was, was clean and neat, if it was worn
and DID,