The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-09-14
FOUND WANTING.

with this fair-haired liter shop girl?'
Mr.. Meredith, tall, noble featured man
of fifty, looked rather sadly at his enthusias.
tic young nephew.
"Fancy, uncle? That is hardly an appro-
pirate word to use. l am quite certain of
that fact"
" consider you will think me a very bad
judge of the human character, if tell you
that like her little cousins demure face
best Believe me, Harry, there is more real
stamina in Ruth Durr than in her pretty
cousin Rachel"
"There, sir" answered Harry, resolutely,
dis where must beg leave to differ with
you"
Well, my boy; you must choose foryour-
SELF Remember, it is no question of part
ner for waltz, CT pair of bright eyes
whose glitter is to amuse you for one or two
evenings. The woman whom you now Sc
lect for your wife must necessarily exert
more or less potent influence over your whole
life"
al know it, sir" and Horry's mirthful
face became for the moment almost grave.
"That she earns her own living behind
the counter of fancy store-that they both
do, is no drawback in my eyes. Indepen-
dence and selfreliance are to me cardinal
virtues, and even though your wife will be
raised into an atmosphere of comparative
wealth, few lessons taken beforehand in
the impartial school of worldly experience
will be of ncalculable use to her."
Harry Meredith sat long, that night, be-
fore the snug bright fire in his snug little
bachelor apartment, musing over his uncles
words.
lie had met the two cousins, Rachel and
Ruth Durr at quiet little birth day gather
ing at the house of friend, and had instan-
taneously felt drawn toward the elder one,
elder by eighteen months She was beau
tiiul blonde, while the other was rather of
the brunette type.
During the three months which had fol-
lowed upon his first introduction, Harry
Meredith had contrived to see the cousins
several times week, and consequently fell
deeper in love with the golden-haired lassie,
even while he was quite conscious of Ruth's
deeper character and stronger intellect.
Sometimes he was almost tempted to
waver in his allegiance toward the older,
and then betook himself with very unne-
cessary sternness 10 talk.
Tonight, however, he passed the whole
of the last few weeks il review before his
memory, and decided that inaction was the
very worst policy in the world.
"Ths suspense must be put an end to, ''ciac-
ulated our hero half aloud, and then he
smiled mischieyously to himself, as an idea
came into his head.
an do it" he Thought, biting his lip. "Of
course it's merely for the fun of the thing.
| have not the shadow Of doubt that she is
all she seems, but still-"
He was silent for few minutes, and then
arose to prepare for slumber.
"They are polite enough to me as the
favored child of luxury. Now I will take
measure to learn whether this courtesy is
genuinely from the heart, or merely born of
empty form an adulation to wealth."
So our hero, laying his head on his pillow,
dreamed of private masquerade parties all
night long.
Rachel Dnrr and her cousin Ruth We're
shop girls in savery and St. Clair's great
fancy store.
ooh, dear!" sighed Rachel, one morning
as she took of her bonnet in the little dress
ing-room at the back Of the store and shook
down her golden shower of curls, 'how tired
am of this horrid drudgery. How l wish
Harry Meredith would propose if he's going
to-"
Ruth laughed as she smoothed down her
satin-brown hair, and tied the bow of Grim
son ribbon at he throat.
" And what do you think ofme, Rachel?"
I, who have no such brilliant hopes of mat
rimony to light upon the monotony of my
daily TOLL"
Rachel shrugged her shoulders.
g don't see how you bear it So patiently,
l should die with vexation and ennui"if
did not hope for something better"
Hush - said Ruth, there is Mrs, Wicls,
the forewoman calling us"
How hate the old vixen !" Rachel ejac-
ulated, slowly following Ruth into the
store.
Really, Miss Rachel Durr, you must bea
little more punctual," ;" said Mrs. Wicks, purs-
ing up her mouth primly. "you are full
five minutes behind time, and it was just so
yesterday"
Rachel pouted, and went to work label
ing box of newly-arrived ribbons. She
and Mrs. Wicks had never agreed very har-
moniously, nor did she affiliate with the
shop girls. a stuck up, impertinent
thing" they called her while she from the
serene heights of the possibility of her one
day becoming Mrs, Harry Meredith, treat
ed them with disdain which was anything
in the world but agreeable.
In vain were Ruth's remonstrancos.
Rachel had always been wilul and inclined