The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-08-24

Ermina rose and went timidly
toward the red-faced, good-naturet
looking man.
"Sir," said she, "you spoke of EN-
ploying girls as walters. need work
1 will come and work faithfully. VIII
you employ me?'
The observation-disclosures looked be
wildered,
"You are lady, Miss suffered
he.
81 know that" said Erminia, as
if she were making some dangerous
admission, "but ladies must live. Ant
am very poor"
So the next day she came in a frillet
white apron and French print dress
and began her new duties in the "Ea
gle Eating Saloon"
"At least" she told herself, Il an
earning my own livelihood. And whe1
| am busy don't have time to think y
Mr.. Bellairs Belton came in one day
for glass of ale and plate Of oys
terS.
"Bless my soulr' gasped he, as Er.
minia Hall, quick and neat, looking as
if she had been born and bred to the
trade, served him, "this is never
you?"
"Why not?" said Erminia, laughing
in spite of herself.
"My Wife's cousin in cheap res
taurantr' he exclaimed. "Good heav-
ems! what is the world coming to-"
"It's not so disagreeable a business
as you might think it, said Erminia.
And one must live"
"Disgraceful! perfectly disgrace
fulr' said Mr.. Bellairs Belton, as he
bolted out, leaving his oysters un-
tasted.
Mr.. Prince came in for sardine and
cup of coffee-champagne and truf-
ties were out of the question when he
had to settle the bills out of his own
pocket-and he started and grew very
red when he saw Erminia. But he
looked straight into his cup of coffee
and pretended not to know her And
Mr.. Clay stared at her as if she were
some rare curiosity on exhibition,
when he gave his order one day for a
bowl of mock-turtle soup.
$50 it is you, is it" said he.
Yes, sir, it is l." said Erminia.
81 think you might have gone into
some more creditable business" said
he.
"Any business is creditable which
honestly supports girl" retorted
Erminia, land if you can suggest any
improvement I am quite ready to lis
ten.'
Our timid little lassie had grown in
dependent, you see.
Mr.. Clay muttered something about
"distorted IDEAS and burned his
tongue with his hot soup while the
bankers clerk, who came to lunch
every day, and sat opposite, laughed
in his sleeve.
r'l,"4'- +I~ ,>~N++:~--L =,'-r '
saw thought Rudolph Pentield. eff
l could afford to marry, and she were
willing-twO rather essential ifs by
the way-I would make her my wife. l
don't think that l am positively disa-
greeable to her, for gentle and modest
as she is, l can see the color rise to her
cheek when | come in; and / believe
she would be a jewel of great price to
shine on the breast of any man who
wins her"
Three weeks after young Penfield
had waXed more positive on the sub
ject.
81 must have her," said he. "Lit-
tie as the half Of my salary is, it must
be more than she earns here. And if
my uncle looks favorably on the mat
ter of my marriage, he'll be pretty
sure to do something handsome for
us. I'll bring him here to see her.
That will melt him.
And the next day Rudolph Pentield
ordered cold roast lamb for two-him-
self and portly old gentleman with
grizzled hair and beard, and keen blue
eyes like January sky.
"Hal!or' said the old gentleman.
cts Halls daughter"
Its Maj. Miles," thought Erminia.
"Come here, my DEAR" said the Ma
jor; "you're a girl of pluck. l like
you. So does my nephew here. A girl
who isn't afraid to work is the girl fol
my money"
And when few months later, Ru'
dolph Penfield and Erminia Hall wert
married, the Major took them home
to his brown-stone house on Madison
avenue.
Rudolph must keep on working
Just the same" said the Major. 81
can't afford to support him in idle
ness. But l want Erminia in the house
with me. She's pretty, and like tt
look at her; she's smart, and 1 like tt
talk to her."
The Bellairs Beltons left their cards
when they heard that the young
couple had been adopted by the wealthy
Maj. Miles; but Erminia never re
turned the call,
u have worked out the problem O.
my destiny without any help from
them,' she said quietly.
And so she had.