Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-12-03
mIseELlAREoy GUS.
"LIFE'S REVERSES."

~ We got work, mother, darling Oh,
T. how glad am! I've got work at last"
Aud Olive Leslie. flushed. excited, glad
flung her arms around her mothers neck
and kissed her enthusiastically. Mrs Les
lie held the girl away at arms length and
razed anxiousy into her lovely, spark ling
face
Work 2" she repeated. "What work i?
Fl as Mrs Smith. returned, then? Or what
do you mean my love 2"
Olive, laying aside her hat aud shawl, be-
gan to sober down a little
''Mrs. Smith will no, return for a whole
month vt, mamma; and Mr. Brown, at the
store, took care to tell me that he only cent
these handkerchieis to be embroidered be-
cause he liked your work and was willing to
keep you going through the slack season, If
he could. You needn't hurry with them. he
said Then Mrs Gray has changed her mind
about Clara's music lessons, and won't let
her take any until winter so you see. moth>
er, dear, oar prospects were terribly discour
aging no wny at all to make living. il
seemed to nle, aud could scarcely keep from
crying as l walked along, thinking what
bad news | was bringing you, when, all at
once / noticed a sien-'Girls wanted to work
on perfumcry. Amply up stairs So took
courage There happened TO be n very nice
young woman jnss coming out of the place
and spoke to her She was kind ennngh
to turn hsck with me aud take nee 10 tho
proprietor, Mr.. Benton. and am engaged!'
with delightful triumph Il tried the
work then and there 1t is quite easy and
rather nice requires nimble fingers and
some taste, that's all I'm tn have four dol
lars week to begin with and Lizzie Winters
that's the young woman, you knnw-ssys
shall soon earn five or six So wc certainly
shan't starve mother. Oh dear sweet moth
er !" Dropping on her knees again and en-
bracing her tenderly '.Indeed it is nothing
to grieve about me! Don't cry-don't look
so sad -
But Mrs Leslies tears fell fast upon the
young face that lay upon her bosom.
'Oh. my darling My bright, beautiful
girl! So>lately the idol of a wealthy home,
the hope and treasure of your poor fathers
heart-hs heiress, whose future was so clear
and fair we never dresmed that a cloud could
shadow it Is this the end of all our fond
ambitious hopes for you? Oh, Olive, my
heart will break ~
But theEe.Was really little danger of that,
with Olive there to console her. The girl
was so braye,.sO patient uuder their reverse
of fortune, so ignorant yet of the exigences
OF lie, so hopeful OF the future ana so SELF
reliant, that she a vertable suobesm in
the house She looked on the bright side
always-before her mother at least-and had
a merry way of painting the advantages of
their poverty that, from her, was irresistible
why, only see what I gain By the loss of
my fortune ?" she would cry "Heiresses
are always married for their money, l have
heard-a, any rate, they can't be certain Of
Al = 7
shall have the satisfaction of knowing that l
am loved for myself alone; a psecarious SAL
airy of tour dollars week won't be much of
an inducemeut to any man. And if | had
been fashionable bride, and married some
body grand, wouldn't he have carried me off
to Europe away from you. little mother =
Whilst now | can msTry some splendid Young
hero, such we read of, who'll achieve fame
and fortune for all three of us; and while
he's doing it you can live with Us and be our
household angel. Though, indeed. if you
prefer rich bridegroom for me perhaps he
may appear life has its pleasant reverses as
well as its sad ones. Everybody called me
pretty when we were rich, and my face can't
have altered, whatever my fortune may have
done. What's so appropriate. so altogether
charming. as for some great millionaire to
fall in love with the poor working girl and
marry her 2" she laughed merrilv. ''They
do in stories, you know. The trouble is,
how is the millionaire to see me? Or stay