Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-01-26
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND, FRIDAY MORNING. 26,

and eanai if did not hope for something
better"
Hush y said Ruth, ''therc is Mrs
Wickes, the forewoman, calling us"
"How | hate the old vixen p Rachel
calculated, slowly following Ruth into
the store
Really, Miss Rachel Duor, you must
be little more punctual," said Mrs.
Wickes, pursuing up her mouth primly.
"You are full five minutes behind time,
and it was just so yesterday"
Rachel pouted, and went to work
labelling a box of ncwly-arrived ribbons.
She and Mrs Wickes had never agreed
very tremendously, nor did she affiliate
with the shop-girls. "a stuck-up, i'm
pertinent thing" they called her; while
she, from the serene heights of the pos
sibiity of her one day becoming Mrs.
Harry Meredith, treated them with dis
dain which was anything in the world but
agreeable.
In vain were Ruth's circumstances.
Rachel had always been willful and in
clined to supcrciliousness, nor would she
listen to her cousins mildly -proifered ado
vice now
Its all very well for you, Ruth
you've got to spend all your days here"
she said, curling her pretty lip; "but |
shall soon be lifted out of this grovcing
atmosphere"
ut is by no means a certainty"
Eyes, it is" laughingly answered
Rachel blushing like damask rose.
And Ruth would sigh softly, and think
how brightly the future was unrolling its
vast map before her pretty little cousin.
Rachel Duer waited rather languidly
upon one or two customers that morning.
Evidently her heart was not in her work,
and Mrs. Wickes, from her lurking place
behind the cash-box, cast several enven-
omcd glances toward her, premonitory
of a coming storm.
Presently a new customer hobbled in,
bent and crooked, and made his way di-
rectly to the counter where Rachel and
Ruth were standing. A huge cotton
umbrella protruded in warlike manner
from beneath his arm, and mended cot
ton gloves covered his hands, while
rusty red wig was half-concealcd by his
bent and battered lat.
"My goodness! Ruth, what figure ~
calculated Rachel, in very audible sotto
Uoce. "What can that old bundle of
secondhand clothes want here p
Hush !" said Ruth, almost sternly ;
che will hear you"
"And what if he does 4? What do |
care ?"
"Hc is old and infrm, Rachel, and
his age should render him sacred in your
eyes"
Rachel tossed her head sneeringly.
Ruth, you are too absurd for any
thing. | won't wait on him"
But the old man steered resolutely for
Rachel herself.
II want to buy some gloves, miss"
he said, in feeble, croaking voice.
You'd better go somewhere else,"
said the young lady, superciliously -
our store doesn't keep cheap goods
"Please to let me see the articles"
Rachel tossed box down on the coun-
ter; the old man bent his specialized eyes
down to survey the goods
GLOW much are these 2"
"a dollar pair"
"But | am poor man, miss; have
you nothing cbcaperY
"No?' snapped Rachel II told you
to go elsewhere. I've no patience with
paupers."
II beg your pardon. MISS" said the
old man; 81 am not pauper."
"Well." observed the girl, scornfully,
"you like one !"
appearances are often deceitful
Did you tell me you had cheaper gloves p
II didn't tell you any such thing p
"Racbel Rachel !" demonstrated her
cousin. "Lct me show you what you
want, SIR" she said, softly turning to
the old customer. owe have some very
nice gloves at seventy-fve cents"
"Sevcnty-fve cents is a great deal of
money to pay for pair Of gloves" said
the old man, looking sorrowfuly down
on the mended fingers Of those he wore
"but the weather is getting frosty, and
Pm not 50 young as ! was.
II should think that was quite cvi-
dent" said Rachel with heartless litter
Ruth bont toward the old man, say
ing, in low, sweet voice:
Take the warm worsted gloves, sir
The price is scventy-fve cents, but you
shall have them for fifty. | myself will
make up the difference to the store. You
are an old gentleman, and | am young
and able to work"
But | am nothing to you, miss"
Ruth folded the gloves neatly in
piece of paper, and handed them to him.
"For the sake Of the dear father who
died year ago, old age can never be
nothing to me, sir Please don't thank
me; inded deserve no gratitude"
And Ruth drew blushingly back,
while Rachel burst into laugh.
Upon my word, Ruth you are the
greatest fool | ever saw p she cried. while
the old gentleman hobbled out Of the
store. Il would have seen the old beg
gar in Jericho before | would have given
him anything! Why doesn't he go to
the poor-bouse p
The days crept on, and one day Mr.
Harry Meredith astonsbcd little Ruth
Duer very mnch by asking her to be bis
wife.
II was as if the gates Of Paradise had
been suddenly opened to her--tbe modest
lhtle girl, secretly worshiping Harry
Meredith 10 her heart Of hearts, bad
never dreamed Of the possibility Of such
onnd luck heinz IN store for her.