The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-11-29
A Poor Relation.
How Kindness is Rewarded-in Stories.

How Kindness is Rewarded-in Stories.
Eveleen Blake was a school teacher.
Rather a laborious and ill.paid life
1t was for girl of nineteen; but the
little heroine knew she had her living
TO earn somehow. There wasn't an
inkling of romance in her life, except
what she had unccnsclously absorbed
out of novels In the circulating library.
Her two sisters were both married
Mrs. Simon Sykes and Mrs. John Smith
and each of them looked out indus
triously for Number One.
"Eveleen has had an education" said
Mrs. Sykes. "Let her take care of her
self. OF course one wants to be ssterly,
and all that sort of thing, but when
dear Simon married me, he did not in
tend to marry the whole family"
"Of course not" said Mrs. Smith,
"She can't expect us to support her."
Eveleen was mending pair of gloves
one October afternoon, by the window,
when Mrs. Simon Sykes walked in with
great rustling and smell of patchouli.
Mrs. Simon Sykes-nee Blake-was tall,
large and rosy. Eveleen was on the
petite scale, with large, limpid gray
eyes, very little color, and straight
brown hair, which shone like satin, in
the level rays of the setting sun.
"Dear me-" said Mrs. Sykes, chow
good that teapot smells, and Pm tired
out with my walk"
"Would you like cup of tea" said
Eveleen.
"Well, don't mind" said Mrs. Sykes,
unpinning her shawl, "that is, ifyou've
bun or biscuit or something to nibble
with it. Tea, alone, gives me the heart
burn"
SO Eveleen went industrlously to
work and brewed cup of tea, and
brought out plate of rusks, which
were to have made her own frugal eve
ming meal.
"But l can eat a biscuit or two,"
thought self denying little Eveleen, as
she watched the rusks disappear before
Mrs. Simon Sykes appetite,
"l've had such a turn" said Mrs.
Sykes as she held out her cup for Sec
Ond replenishing.
ga turn?" said Eveleen inquirlngly.
eyes," nodded Mrs. Sykes; ga visit
frnvn ro1offAn I pho
will be here next, but advise you to
send her about her business, as did?"
"Who is it," asked Eveleen, in sur
prise.
otis Mary Anne Blake. Wasnts
something to do. Expects me to take
her in, and give her home until she
can obtain situation"
"There's the little hall bedroom that
you don't use," hinted Eveleen, who
had a sort of instlctive sympathy for the
houseless and homeless.
81 want that for Mr.. Sykes relatives
when they come to town." said Mrs,
Sykes. "He's got single brother with
property, and married sister, with no
children, who is very well off indeed;
and If don't want 1t, | don't propose to
open free asylum for every old maid
that comes along"
"But what will she dO?"
"Dol Why, do as other folks do, l
suppose. Go to lodging house. There's
plenty of them, Pm sure"
"But If she hasen't got any money!"
"Then she has no business here"
said autocratic Mrs. Sykes. "Why
didn't she stay where her friends could
take care of herP"
"Perhaps she hasn't any friends"
"Then she certainly must be an un-
deserving character" said Mrs. Sykes,
shaking thecrumbs down upon Eveleen's
neatly swept carpet. "Oh, here's Sc
lima Smith, as true as the world"
Mrs. John Smith came nuttering in
thin, sharp. featured little woman,
with swapping black eyes, and a new
hat, all a-quiver with artificial asters.
"Oh," said Mrs. Smith, "yOu're here,
are you, DebbyH How do. EveleenH ?
Well, since you're taking tea, I'll have
a cup. Heard the newsP" as she sat
herself down.
"About Mary Anne BlakeH Yes, of
course" answered Mrs. Sykes, with a
toss of the head. "She's been to see us
but sent her about her business"
"Well, she certainly can't expect us
TO provide for her." said Mrs. Smith,
beginning to crumble up the reserve of
biscuits that Eveleen had brought out
with sigh. "Smlth's salary amt
large, and I've good-slzed family of
my own. told her pretty plainly that
as far rs | am concerned, she needn't
expect anything. do hate these gen.
teel beggarsi And If she should come
here, Eveleen, hope you will give her
the cold shoulder. Hush there's
knock now. If 1t should be her !"
"It's good thing we're here to ad-
wise her." said Mrs. Sykes as Eveleen
went to the door. "Eveleen is go un-
suspectingl Anybody could impose
upon her."
eyes, to be sure" SAID Mrs. Smith