The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-09

The first object that met her startled
gaze was Effie standing in the middle
of the room, her face as pale as death,
and her eyes wearing a wild, scared
look
why, Effie, child, what is the mat
ter2' demanded Daisy, in alarm.
"What made you scream so?'
"I-I couldn't help it," gasped the
child, with an expression of intense ag
ong. "Oh, sister, what shall l do? l
have ruined it,"
''Ruined whatin
1.-THE Dress and she pointed to
where Mrs. Hapworth's pearl silk lay
in shining.billows Oh a couple of chairs.
Daisy needed no further explanation.
A sudden choking sensation, and her
heart seemed to stand still. From
cheeks and lips every visage of color
fed, and for a single moment she felt
as if he, senses were deserting her.
Sue w what hao happened, Effie had
risen early, happy in the thought that
she would make the fire and prepare
the simple breakfast, while her tired
sister slept. The dress had been left
OIL the table; Effie had removed it in
order to prepare the morning meal,
placing it carefully on the chairs. A
live spark, leaping from the cracking
fire had fallen upon it burning large
hole through and through it's rich
folds, and ruined it utterly,
"Ohl Effie-Effie" broke from
Daisy's white lips.
And then she saw Effie down on her
knees by the bedside, sobbing as if her
heart would break, and begging pit
eously to be forgiven. The sight
aroused ber. She choBed down her
feelings, and, though the pallor of her
face betrayed her, she said quite
calmly.
There Effie; don't cry SO. What
can't be cured must be endured, you
know, and tears won't help us out of
our trouble. Besides. iJ was not your
fsu /. at al. >m don't feel SO badly
about il. | aiD ~nre W. can do w.;li
| out New Years diuLer 10 day, and a
just heaven will not let us suffer for
food to eat. Cheer up, darling"
But Effie continued to cry and wiring
her hands. Il can't cheer up" she
walled, Il wanted you to be happy
to day and now you will be SO sad and
pale; and Miss Stark will be awful
angry. and Mrs. Hapworth will send
us to Jail .
By this time Daisy had risen and
hastily dressed herself. She turned
and caught her little sister in her arms.
"Don't Efie," she pleaded. ''It is
your distress that grieves me more
than anything else. l shall not wait
for Miss Stark to come, but will take
the ruined dress to Mrs. Hapworih
myself, and tell her the whole truth.
By that means Miss Stark will be ex-
onerated f:om all blame, and perhaps
the rich lady will not have us arrested"
Daisy had made up her mind, and
she gave her resolution 10 time to
cool. Hurriedly donning her cloak
and hood, and wrapping the ruined
dress in an old newspaper, she kissed
Efie's wet cheek, and bravely set ou,
to perform her unpleasant duty.
1t was hard task and Daisy felt q
frightened chill creep into her very
heart at the very thought of encoun
tering Mrs Harpworth's wrath; yet she
did not falter or turn back, but hurried
breathlessly on, half fearful that hel
courage would fail her before her mis-
sion was performed. 1t was a gloriou.
New Years's day. The sun shone from
a cloudless sky; the bells in all the
neighboring steeples pealed forth theil
glad chimes; and the people passing
to and fro, all wore bright Cheerful
faces. 1t seemed to Daisy that every
body was happy but her, and that no
body in the wide world cared to trou
BILE themselves about that miserable
aching pain away down in her unlov
ed heart.
She was all out of breath when q
last she stood on the wide marble step
of the Hapworth mansion and RAM
the door bell.
81 want to see Mrs. Hapworth," ;" sh,
said to the servant who opened tn,
door, and she brushed past him with
out waiting TO be refused admittance
She was ushered into the Rrant
drawing room, where the arrange
/ ments had all been completed for tn,
reception of New Years callers. Sh,
sank down on one end of a luxuriou
: sofa, and waited in trembling an1iet,
for the mistress Of the mansion to an
pear.
. In few moments a rustling of sill
, heralded the coming of the expected
terror, and u tall, handsome lady, in ,
trailing white wrapper, entered tn
drawing room Her fine dark eye
evinced considerable surprise a. sb,