The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-16
May Perrian.
'T am sure 1 could do that" said May

81 am sure could do that" said May
Perrian.
She was sitting on an inverted starch
box in the middle of the kitchen floor,
her round chin in her hands, her dotted
cambria dress turned deftly up to pro-
tect it from all possible contact with
dust and dirt; for Miss Perrian spent
most of her time in that identical
kitchen.
Mark Perrian had been a well-to-do
merchant once, but he unWarily allowed
himself to be persuaded into endorsing
for plausible villain. He sank almost
as if by magic into the slough of des-
pond which men call poverty. He was
not man of much courage or endur-
ance, and consequently gave up almost
without a struggle, took his bed and
sent for a doctor. And May, his eldest
daughter, was left in entire charge of
battalion of younger children.
Servants had been discharged, the
big house was exchanged for a shabby
little tenement in a side street, and all
expenses were curtailed as much as DOS
sible. But May had all the spirit and
energy that her father lacked, and this
she could have borne bravely enough,
had it not been for the ever Increasing
heritage of petty debt that seemed to
weigh her down.
She was sitting on a starch box with
a grocer's bill in her hand, her pretty
brows knitted and her lips pursed up in
mute perplexity, when Annie Smith
came in. Annie had been seamstress
in the family when they lived in the
big house, and she had now been pro-
NOTED to the position of general assist
ant in a fashionable millinery. She
was taking home an order, and could
not resist stopping to exchange a greet
ing with her young mistress as she
came by the door.
''It is for Miss st. James," said she.
"Just look, Miss-such love of a hat.n
Miss Perrian turned the hat around
and around on her hand, eyed the bunch
of crushed roses, the cloudy folds of
tulle, and the crystal butterfly that
quivered on a spiral wire on the top.
81 am sure l could do that" she
cried.
"Deed, miss, and wish you had the
chance" uttered sympathetic Annie.
''For Miss Halwan is ill-the best trim
mer madame has-and we're dreadfully
hurried"
"pll try, miss" said Annie.
And the next night she came at dusk,
with mysterious paper box under her
arm, her face wreatbed with smiles.
'There's two of 'em, miss" said she;
"one chip and one lace, with the flowers
and the trimmings in paper. And if
they suit, you can have plenty more to
do.n
May trimmed the hats to the best of
her ability, studying over them as if
they had been prize essays, or cabinet
paintings, or anything else that re-
quired the deepest thought and most
careful manipulation, and Madame
Denise went into ecstasies over them,
'She shall trim Miss Laplace's hat,
Smith," said she to the pleased little
assistant. "And tell her to do her very
best.u
1t was piece of pale pink Grape, with
ribbons of the sunset hue, and a cluster
of delicate spring honeysuckles, that
Annie Smith brought round that night
to Miss Perrian.
"Miss Laplace is madame's best Gus
TONER" said she, with a pleasant air of
Importance.
May Perrian waited until DIR. Linds-
ley had left her fathers sick-room-Dr.
Lindsey, whose gentle patience and
uniform Kindness filled her heart with
the deepest gratitude. He lookeI in as
he passed the open sitting-room door.
"Your father seems brighter this
morning, Miss Perrian," said he.
Nays soft brown eyes sparkled.
81 am so glad" said she. "And
hope, doctor, in q few days, to be able
to pay you at least portion Of"
"Oh, there's no hurry about that"
interrupted the doctor. "Time enough
time enough"
And the next instant May Perrian
could hear his carriage wheels rattling
'iown the street. With a sigh she went
20 the cupboard where she had placed
the half-trimmed hat. But as she did
80 pallor spread over her face.
Little Miriam, the eight-year-old girl,
bad chanced to ind her younger sisters