The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-11

You never had any aristocratic pride,
Emily. You would be willing to slave
yourself to death for five shillings."
"Five shillings is very handy sum
now, Kate" said Emily, as she went pa
tiently down ON her knees to pick up the
scattered rolls of work.
flushed and indignant, "that /, who was
born to better things"
She paused, with the hot current of
words yet on her tongue, as knock came
to the door.
cts only Mr.. Harley, in the next
ROOM" said Emily, as she rose to her
feet. 81 know his knock"
Mr.. Harley was tall, fresh-loobing
young man, with bright hazel eyes and a
smooth, broad forehead, who had re-
Gently engaged the one vacant apartment
on the fourth story of the house in Bland
street. GA literary gentleman" Mrs.
Farley had called him; while Mr.. John
son asserted, with less elegance, that he
was "owl-editor of one of them papers
that never tells the truth"
Poor people assimilate more readily
than those who surround themselves with
the barriers of form and ceremony; and,
in one week of their neighborly prox-
unity, Mr.. Harley and the Miss Ellers-
lies had become the best of friends.
"The loop has come off my necktie
again." Mr.. Harley began, apologetic-
ally. "Dare / venture to ask you to sew
it on a second time, Miss Emilyl'
Emily smiled and nodded as she
threaded her needle with black silk, and
put on n thrifty-lool1ing thimble.
is anything the matter, Miss Kate?'
asked Harley as he observed the elder
sisters flushed cheeks and discounted
mood.
"Nothing," she answered, petulantly,
"but the old story-poverty and humil-
iation. Oh, L wish L were dead or,
better STILL" she went on, with increas-
ing energy, 81 wish the villain who
cheats us out of all our money were
dead |"
Mr.. Harley WINGED little, and no
wonder, Emily thought; her sister had
spoken with unrestrained vehemence.
4" Kate, Kate ~ she said softly, "you
don't consider. He is not to blame be-
cause the law has given him what was
rightfully his own"
"He is, I say p burst out Kate, but
then she repressed herself. "Give me
the shirts, Emily" she said, resignedly.
eve can't starve. Now the footstool
and the work-basket. And just draw that
curtain the sun is shining i'll enough to
dazzle forty pairs of eyes.
Patiently Emily trudged hither and
thither for her sister, only too glad that
the storm of Rates temper was tempo
rarily averted by Mr.. Harley's presence.
The young man, quietly observant of all
that transpired around him, began to
think that, after all, Kate was not SO
beautiful as he had at first supposed.
Emily had the sweeter, more Madonna
like face. Then she was so gentle, SO
quietly resigned.
emily always was a drudge" said
Miss Ellerslie, contemptuously. "She
never had any more spirit than canary
bird"
So Emily did the work of the contract
ed little room, washed and ironed Hates
laces, arranged her sisters luxuriant dark
hair, sat up at night to finish the sewing
that Kate had thrown aside "because it
made her nervous" hours before, and
was sunny and happy through it all,
while Kate sighed over her fate, and per-
suaded herself that she was the most
wretched of created beings.
And one day Mr.. Harley astonished
her out of her equanimity by proposing
to marry her.
"Upon-my-word ~ calculated she !;
"the young man must have very good
opinion of himself OF course you said
No I"
Emily hung her head until she looked
like a sweet-pea vine that has been ex-
posed to the July sunshine.
Elm afraid 1 said yes" she fall
tered.
"What on earth could have induced
you to accept him." demanded Kate,
with both hands imploringly uplifted.
because l love him - said Emily,
plucking up courage.
"The selfishness of some people :"
sobbed Kate, burying her face in her
pocket handkerchief. CT suppose you
never once thought what was to become
of me y
Innocent Emily felt that she had in
deed been a monster OF ingratitude and
egotism.
"We must provide for our sister Kate,
in some way or other, said Mr.. Harley,
when Emily timidly confessed her tribu-
lation to him.
"Wait and see, little girl.
Kate Ellerslie gave her brother-in-law
elect rather cool greeting that evening
when he dropped in, as usual, about 8
o'clock.
81 hope you congratulate us ?" he
said, cheerily.
"Of course you have my best wishes,
she answered with some little acerbity.
cit will be your turn next, Kate.
She tossed her head haughtily.
CT am in no particular hurry"
Wouldn't it be nice chapter OF ro-
nance in real life," he added, smiling,
50 if Murray Lennox, to whom the law
has awarded property that was once
yours, should come and marry your"
"Nonsense !" said Kate, sharply.
80 Such things don't happen in real life. "
EDO they not? But Just let me sup
pose it only for once. What would you
,ay?"
"No, of course"
"And you, Emily"
ry,x-o., ou,ot, - |