The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-06-14
LITERARY
HOW NELLIE BROWN BECAME A PRIN.
TER,

TER.
s'I'm in a pretty scrape now y said
Harry Brown, throwing himself on to
a lounge in his sisters parlor.
''What is it," asked Nellie, quietly,
looking up from her book.
''Why Smith says he must leave me,
and will go tomorrow; and how l can
ever manage to be editor, type-setter
and devil, / can't imagine, though /
feel able to play the part Of the latter
individual we'll enough and he
sprang up and paced the room.
sHow shameful!s exclaimed Nell;
what is his excused
''He won't give the reason though,
by-the-way, Nell, he said you could
tell;' and Harry turned inquiringly
to his sister.
The color deepened on her face, but
she drew herself up haughtily.
He was impudent to me last night,
down in the hall, and L
'sImpudentr' broke in Harry.
What did he do? WHAT
II don't suppose he would call it by
that name" said Nellie; 1.-The fact is,
he-he-tried to make love to me
the idiot y
Harry laughed.
''You haven't lived long enough on
the praries, sis, to know that every
clodhopper considers himself good
enough to marry any lady in the
world
NO" said Nellie, with flashing
eyes, Il haven't got accustomed to
that yet. But don't worry about his
leaving you. I'll help you out. The
stupid y
You y exclaimed Harry, pausing
in his walk.
eyes, l. You've no idea what can
do when | get reused.
Il know you can help me in my
editorial work for you do that now,
but you know have only set type
myself a few weeks, and can't begin
to get out that paper alone.
Cant you get other help?'
mo, I've canvassed this blessed
town. Not a human soul in it who
can set type, or will try to learn
"Well, l will!' said Nell, decidedly
land know we can get that paper
out
"Well, | know you are plucky, Nell,
and | declare | believe you can. I'll
snap my fingers in the rascal's face"
''Let him go tonight, said Nell,
land I'll come down in the morning.
And in the morning she did 90 down,
The office was in the basement of the
hotel where they boarded, and was
intended for a store. It's front was
entirely occupied, with show-windows
u IL. l.. 1 t.,
tleness of glass, and the propensity OF
boys to throw stones, it was now
merely sash, with boards nailed over
it, to keep out the light. | supposed
kept out nothing else. The windows
were elegantly draped with old news
papers. and festooned with spiders
webs. 1t faced the west, and had the
full benefit of the bowling prairie
winds which sweep over those
northern wilds with demoniacal fury.
Winter had already set in. Min
nesOta Winter, too. which is cole
enough to freeze the very ideas il
ones head: where the snow is SO dry
it can be used for kindling-at leas
I've heard so; where heavy sheets
hung on lines to dry. will snap like
pipe-stems, and split into ribbons in /;
moment.
Every individual in that amiabl,
village had been careful to provide
himselflwith dry wood-the only fue
and equally careful not to have ;
stick to spare. so Harry could ge
nothing but the greenest Of wood t,
burn. to warm this airy room.
1t did not look very inviting Il,
dainty Nellie Brown stepped into it
that freezing morning.
Harry was on his knees at the stow
trying to coax the kissing wood t
burn.
SITS enough to make a man swear 7
was his salute; this outrageou
town
s'There, Henry! pass over the har
words, said Nellie; 'slet's burn up
stack of these papers. l think tina
will start the thing = and she seize
bundle from the window-sill. al
Piled a match. and thrust them befor
the draft. The wood consented to b
burnt as long as the paper kept up tn
blaze: so at last, by timely replenisf
ing of the outside fire, they succeede
in moderating the frosty air.
s'Now Harry, let's goto work. Ho
do you begins" and Nell laid off he
hat.
Really, Nell, it looks like putin