The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-10-02
ris the viper that Turks in the glass.
HOW sly FORTUNE CAME To ME.

| had always been poor aud | hat
always been a dreamer. The frs
fact was patent to any and every one
the last | did as carefully as
could.
One of my favorite dreams ha'
been that Of suddenly finding mysel
a rich woman. | thought about it a,
| followed my daily duties; l dream
ed of it as | taught Mrs Brown
four little daughters. When | did {
sum in interest for them, it was sim
ply calculating my own profits ant
when drew maps it was only Il
mark cut my future travels.
o, yes, | was a dreamer. And We
| worked and worked, as we'll as
could, for my dreams we're nv solac,
and strength.
1t is said that only the unexpected
happens. This is mistake. | sud.
denly found myself q rich woman
and, though l had confidently expec,
ed one day to be rich, | will confess
to little feeling of surprise that wa:
almost awe upon finding tny silent
convictions verified.
had often fancied how | should
feel when this delightful state o.
things should be attained. Truth
compels me to say that my emotions
were by no means of an exalted char.
acter. When 1t was borne in upon
my mind, my first thought was that
now | need not wear that rusty alpa
ca any longer, nor provide kindlings
for the morning fire. | hated rusty
alpaca, hated to think about the
morning FIRE. And | had always had
to think about such things. As q
child had dimly realized that We
were to make the wood and coal, the
bread and butter, go as far as posi-
BILE and as woman | had realized
it as only q woman can who has t(
put ell her strength of body and mint
int the effort to obtain the where
withal TO be fed and clothed.
And, being dreamer, | worked
with disadvantage. | was moi
skilled, not thoroughly skilled, in any
kind of work. | taught, but | an
sure i did not teach well. Not lha
did not know enough, for was wei
educated, after the way of my own
but | had no systematic training TO
that vocation | doubt greatly if
could have been Systematically train
ed. | could play and sing, but coult
not teach music Still managed
for two or three years to pass the ne
cessary examinations, and get ny
certificate, and position in the pub
lie schools And as | see now wha
teaching is, and what it should be
and bow important the work of
teacher, | anu ready to beg pardon O
the boys aud girls, now men and wo
men, upon whom | inflicted my crud
tiles in those days. Sewing | deies,
ed, that is, the part OF it that requir
ed thought If | sewed, wanted
long seam that would need no specia
attention, ana 50 leave me free i
mind TO sit and dream my dreams
! | will say, however, that | have gain
ed in this. Long practice has mad,
me perfect, and | can make over
twist and turn. and give my old gar
ments quite the air of new ones.
Blessed be the latitude that th
fashions give, 1t has, however, de
veloped suspicion in the female breast
! aud all my sisters know that ih
long overskir,s and polonaises cove
shan" skirts, and bows are put OF
to cover seams or if they do not, ",
think they do. Housework | did q
arms length, and il | did not stud,
French while mixing bread. as on,
of the Bronte sisters did, | woy,
many romance while engaged il
kitchen warfare. As a Consequence
both suffered; the romances wer,
nipped in the bud. and the bread Wal
the worse for being seasoned will
poetry.
Sitting to-day, removed by man,
years and the blessedness of plenty
from that time, / look back, and S
myself, poor, plain, hungering with d
mighty hunger for that which l coul,
not have, aud from the standpoint o
to-day | pity the girl and woman o
that by-gone time. see the room
empty of ornament, and my eye
aehed for beauty see ,he thousant
and one market bills, whereby tn
ends were made to meet, and didn'
always meet at that. ! remembe
the time when the want of fresl
frill for my neck or q bow for my hai
was . serious want. And yet, al
forced to say, in spite of all this
that | was not a very unhappy wo
man.
They said | was happily constitut
ed. think l was, but in differen
way from what they meant.
My father left me his books, and.
better legacy still, bis love for them
and | had never seen o day, eve
when the meal sack was empty, an
the fire on the hearth low, but wha