The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-05
stopped very much you know, and carried a

L III SOTTy We ulSdppOlutSu yOut S0PSS-
tations," said their visitor, with just one sly
loving glance at Bessie, now rosy red; and
then he quickly changed the subject, for he
could not bear to see the sweet serenity of
that fair face disturbed.
"Were you reading aloud when came IMP"
he said, turning again to chatterbox Alice.
"Oh, no! we were listening to Katie's
warns. You must know she tells us stories of
an evening-the most delightful stories. better
than any fn books-and we get so interested;
and then she breaks off, just at the incest
bit, when we are dying to know what comes
nextr'
BE looked more earnestly than he had yet
done at the quiet, pale girl at Bessie's side;
be noted the little, thin, nervous hands, the
fragile figure, tremulous, sensitive mouth;
and oh, saddest of all, the great, blue, sight
less eyes!
II should like 10 hear some ofthose stories,
said Phil.
"Well, you shall, some day, when you come
10 see us again-Shan't he Katie dear?"
But Katie would not promise.
Soon after this Phil took his leave, and
Alice stood at the window to watch him
down the street.
$50 that's the drawing-maste at Beech
House Academy! that's the old, old man
who brought you home that rainy day! Oh,
Bessiep' she cried and then she threw her
self upon Mrs. Busby's slippery horse-hair
sofa, and it would have done your heart good
TO hear her ringing laughter. a1s
But Katie put her arms around her sisters
neck and kissed her tenderly. ~ 80 ~
"Bess," she said, "what nice voice lie
has l hope he'll come again. ias1g -
Did Bessie hope SO too, wonder2 Be this
as it may, Katie was not disappointed. He
did come again-no one, but many times !;
| ind hn 20 % r-.l:A l.
in upon the sisters, "between the light;;"
and thus it came about that at last he heard
some of those wonderful yarns the blind
girl was wont to spin, for the gentle narrator
got accustomed to his presence, and forgot
all shyness in the new delight of fresh and
appreciative addition 10 her audience; and
Phil liked the "yarns," and at last suggested
to Bessie ION the occasion of another showery
evening rendering his escort a necessity that
one of these stories should be written out,
and sent to the editor of certain magazine.
"Do you really think they would take it,''
cried Alice, radiant, when the idea was
mooted to her. --
''Yes, | do" replied Phil "Your sisters
ideas are fresh and beautiful; and merit does
make lis way with editors, without interest,
though some people will tell you it Doesn't
How Katie's face lighted up when they
told her about this wonderful plan: she slip
ped her hand into Bessie's, and the brightest,
sweetest smile trembled on her lips.
| III can only help-if I can only be Of
some real use-it will make me happier than
| ever was in my life."
| You will be real spinner now Katie,''
said Alice, taking success for granted with
| her usual buOyancy.
YES" said Katie, "a little blind spinner
| At this they all looked grave, but Katie
could not see them, so the happy smile still
rested on her lips.
| The dictation and writing out of that sto.
/ ry was time full of happy excitement 10
our three sisters, and Phil Lushing ton and
his mother were scarcely less interested. For
Mrs. Washington had called at Paradise Place
soon after PhiPs first unceremonious visit,
and her pleasant, kindly face now seemed
like that Of an old friend to them all. 8&g
At last the precious packet was posted BY
Besse's own careful hands, and then there
was nothing for it but-to wait.
Waiting is hard work enough to all of us,
but our waiting comes to an end some day,
here or hereafter; and at last, one evening
at the time of the last post, as the three sis.
tiers sat round the fire, came the sound of the
postman hurrying up the four steps that led
to Mrs. Busby's door, and then
Its the story come backl-It's something
big and fat; it can hardly get into the box
1t has squeezed itself through and fallen On
the foor!' cried Alice, too wildly excited tC
be able to run out into the passage and see
what the "big fat" thing was like. Even
placid Bess colored up and breathed quickly
as she gave an anxious look at Katie, pale
and with lips apart, her hand grasping the
back of the sofa.
Then Bess and Alice made a rush for the
hall door, but Alice was quickest, and raising
the packet from the floor, with trembling
fingers tore off the covering, and six long
strips Of paper, closely printed, fell futter.
ing on the oil.cloth. With little cry of rap
ture Alice gathered them up helter.skelter
and clasping them against her bosom, fled
back into the parlor.
at isn't returned Oh, Katie, love, it's all
printed, every word! Oh, my darling, if you
gould only see itlp q
But Katie had thrown her arms round Bes.
sizes neck, and her face was hidden on that
loving, tender breast.
4 How Alice read aloud the precious slips
how Katie. dear, sweet spinner of those
pretty yarns, passed her fingers fOndly over
the words she could not see-all this and
much more my readers may imagine fol
themselves. They may fancy, too, the ap
pearance of tine story, and! Phil Lushington
rushing in, waving the yellow-backed maya
zine in his hand, as though it were the title
deeds of some vast estate to be presently
entered into possession of by Katie and her
sisters. But the climax of happiness was
when the editors cheque arrived, and small
| as its amount might have-seemed TO others,
it was to Katie as an El Dorado-the first
| fruits of mine of inexhaustible riches.
And Katie's luck did not desert her, for
| yet another short story came back to No. II,
| in those long closely printed slips that are SO
| welcome sight TO the eyes of all of us
| slaves OF the pen. And at last it was agreed
| upon between the two who worked so dill
| gently together. while Bessie guided awk-
ward fingers over ivory difficulties that a more
ambitious work of fiction should be under
| taken; one that when accepted would feel
like having quite sum of money invested
| in the funds, or the bank, or some such de-
llghtful and secure place.
So the spring weather merged into summer
| heat, and the London streets grew hot and
dusty, the blind spinner .toiled at her loom,
and chapter after chapter was added to a
fast-growing pile of manuscript.
But these country-bred children flor they
were little more, indeed) began to droop for
want OF fresh air and green fields, and Bes-
sizes anxious eyes noted hot flush on Katie's
cheek of an evening, and a strange pallor of
morning, and Alice spoke of her compan-
ions restless sleep and muttered words, that
showed the active brain was sill at work !:
But Katie, for once in her life obstinate, de-
clared there was nothing the matter, and
worked at her story day by day.
30 at last, just as the dry, baking heat grew
most intense, and when the very pavement
seemed hot to your feet, and the long story
was finished-fnished and posted, the dear
blind spinner promised to let the loom stand
still and rest awhile. bEE @
Too late! too late! Some tiny delicate
wheel in the machinery was strained, and SO
H. -