The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-02-10
JUDGE NOT.

group of girls were standing engage'
in an animated discussion. They wer
all young, some pretty, all dresse'
neatly, though many wore ill-chOsel
and unbecoming finery. One of these
who had a mock gold chain and brace
lets, and a profusion Of jet trimming
upon a cheap silk dress, she spoke yer!
emphaticallY-"It is the stingiest pro
ceeding l ever heard of /"
''What are you all so excited about"
asked a pretty little blonde, coming II
from the looming room.
"Ellen Churchill"
"Dear me What has she been do
ing now? You are always discussing
some dredful deed of Ellen's. l like
her myself"
Yes, we all know that" said the
first speaker; you will defend anything
Ellen does"
"But what has she done7"
Refused to sign the subscription
list for the tankard to be presented tt
Mr.. Rodman."
"And Mr.. Rodman has been such q
good friend to her!" said third voice.
The little blonde, Susy Whiting by
name, looked rather staggered at the
new accusation against her friend. Mr..
RUdman manager for Meredith & Son
for nearly fifty years, was about to re-
tire on account of the infirmities of age,
and the persons engaged in the great
factory were collecting money to buy
silver tankard to present to him. He
was u kindly old man, and always
ready to lend helping hand to the
small army of work-people under his
control; so that the presentation was
really gift of love
Ellen Churchill came to the great fac
tory two years previous to the date of
3Ae Indignation meeting in the ante~
room, and had risen to the position of
forewoMan in one of the loom-roOm.
She was a handsome girl of about
twenty when she applied for work, and
by every action and word betrayed the
fact that she had stepped from life of
refinement to the drudgery of factory
hand. Her low, even tone betrayed the
lady in its well-chosen words; and her
slim, white hands bore no trace of toll
upon their smooth skin. She was courte-
Gus to all who came into intercourse
with her, but intimate with none. She
had nursed Susy Whiting through a
long period of contagious fever, winning
the devotion of that little maiden, and
the manager soon put her in positions
of trust till she became forewoman.
Here her education enabled her to keep
the books required in the room, thus
her salary
And here was tho great ground of
by her companions. 1t was
well known that the salary of Ellen
Churchill was sufficient to warrant
good style of living and dressing. In
the great boarding. house, where seven.
ty OF the girls had rooms, she could well
afford to pay for the best, to contribute
to the amusement of the house, and
dress well. Instead of all this, she
lived in the attic, poorly furnished,
with tiny stove, where she cooked the
cheapest of food. Her dress was of the
cOarsest description, made Dy her own
hands, and no ornament broke its severe
simplicity. She never spent money in
any pleasure'seekiDg, nor joined in any
of the quiet merriment iu the house.
But the crowning enormity was the re-
fusal to contribute to the silver tankard.
The excited group in the ante-room
dispersed for the day, walking home in
the twilight of September evening, and
still they talked of the young forewo-
man.
"The question ls," said Mary Leigh,
who had been foremost in the ante
room discussion "what does she do with
her money ? She never puts any in the
factory savings bank; she certainly
spends nothing on her dress. Where Is
i all then?"
perhaps she supports her parents?"
"Both dead l have heard her say
80 %
"Well, dare say Mr.. Rodman won't
.hlnk her such paragon as he has
lone, when he misses her name from
.he subscription list"
"And Walter Rodman will probably
resent the insult to his father.'
The was an exultation in the tone of
he last remark, but III. concealed. Wal.
.er Rodman, the only child of tie old
manager, was the couDting-house of
he factory, with every prospect of soon
becoming a partner. A man past thirty,
ne had risen in the employ of Meredith
md Son, rom lad of fourteen, and
lad saved money from a handsome
'alary, with the avowei intention of
a place in the firm, upon
he anticipated retirement of old Mr..
Meredith, who was known to favor tine
Intention. Among ali the clerks ard
workman in the great factory, there
was no one so handsome as Walter
Rodman, none so quietly refined in
manner, none so great a favorite with
al. But he had gone through thirty
years of life, fancy free, until Ellen
Churchill came to the factory.
There was something in the noble,
refined face of the young girl that at
.Iaeted Walter Rodman from the first.
That there was some heavy trouble
lroOdlng IN the sadness of her great
lark eyes he never doubted, but If ever
purity and goodness were pictured in
human countenance, they were in
Ellen's. From his father he learned
much Of the newcomer, of the quick
she showed for work evil
1ently new to her, of the almost mascu-
line brain that fitted her SO soon to take
control of the lOOm-TOOm where over O
hundred girls were al work