Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-10-30
NHDING THE NEST.


sum said:
Its not true-not one word of it is
true, and l won't listen to such mean
venomous slanderT
She had sweet, ringing voice. She
was graceful girl.
Her face was joyous and piquant, and
very pretty, with saucy eyes and dim
pied chin; and yet she was nobody but
bliss Josie Gypsum's seamstress for the
time being.
She had been sewing merrily away,
singing little snatches of songs, feeling
40 gay and happy, and thinking with all
heart of Dick Kenneth, when Miss Gyp-
sum came into the room for little chat
with Daisy, that had turned quite natu-
rally on hr. Kenneth, whom Miss Gyp-
sum had dared to asperse to Daisy's face.
"Well, you needn't look as if you was
going to knock me down, Daisy; I'm
sure I've only said what's the truth, and
what everybody knows. Kenneth is a
regular miser."
The crimson frightened on Daisy's
cheeks and she sprang up from the chair.
at is not true-nOt one word Of it is
true, and won't listen to such SANDER"
Miss Gypsum invOluntarily settled
further back in the chair
Dear me! you needn't be so touchy
about it, need your"
"Touchyl am insulted, and you shall
not repeat such cruel gossip to mel"
Miss Gypsum shrugged her shoulders.
"But suppose it's not cruel, but true
kindness to tell oyu? l am considera-
BILE older than you are"
Il should say SOP flushed out Daisy,
sarcastically.
"And have had more experience in the
ways of the world" Miss Gypsum went
on, discreetly ignoring Daisy's caustic
little slashing," and tell you that when
ayoung man of Kenneth's age begins to
be as close and as avaricous as he is-as
everybody sees and knOws-now, Daisy
Il tell you he will end by being too
contemptibly stingy and misery to live
with"
But tell you he is not close and av-
aricions!"
"Well, then," and Miss Gypsum's eyes
twinkled maliciously, "why is it that, on
the salary we all know he gets, he never
spends penny on you? you never get
an invitation to go on an excursion; he
never gives you as much as a ribbon or
a uOhCl, ollO huCIl O1C
house contributed to the monument he
was the only one of hundred who de-
clined to give anything"
THAT was his business, not yours"
blazed out Daisy; "and when frankie
Walland lay dying of diptheria, and his
own mother could not endure his agony,
and everybody else was frightened away,
it was my Dick who watched three
nights by the boy, and held him in his
arms when he died-so there, now."
'Oh, of course, that was very nice, in
deed, of him-very nice; but when it
comes to the money question, you'll find
your Dick will not put his hand in his
pocket. Mark my words, Daisy Drum
mond; you'd better stay as you are, and
earn your own dresses, than to have your
husband refuse to give them to you, and
make you earn them after all"
Daisy swallowed a host of furious
words that came rushing to her trem-
bling lips.
Then she took off her little white
ruffied apron and rolled it up.
Miss Gypsum, you can find some one
else to finish your sewing. When you
insult my betrothed husband you insult
me, and will not stay where you are"
So she went away, trembling with an
ger and pain, leaving Miss Gypsum
dumbfounded, and perhaps justly cha
grined.
DaiSy's cheeks were still crimson
when she went into the tidy little sit
ting room at home, where her mother
sat.
Daisy, what are you doing at home at
this time of day? What is the matter p
THAT horried Miss Gppsuml Such
about Dick as you never heard in your
lifel She dared to speak to me as if she
were privileged friend-the nasty. CEN
serious creature !-and I'll never, never
sew another stitch for her as long as l
liver
Mrs. Drummcnd's thin lips compress
ed themselves into an unpleasant line,
and her forehead puckered itself into a
fretful frown.
"You are such a rash, hot-tempered
child, Daisy; and to think you've lost
such good-paying, steady place as Miss
Josie Gypsum's, all through Kenneth! l
doubt if he's worth it.
Poor Daisy Her heart gave throb
Of discouraged pain.
why l thought you liked Dick so
WE'LL thought you knew l loved him
so dearly; and do you think l will stand
by and hear people talk about him-call
him mean, stingy, avaricious miser-
and not say wOrd?"
Mrs. Drummond gave little sigh, that
somehow made Daisy feel little un-
comfortably vexed.
well, Daisy, l suppose you know
your own business best, but other people
besides Miss Gypsum have noticed how
well, how economical Dick is. On
Christmas day 1 really felt ashamed to
say that he had made you no present"
Bright tears were sparkling on the
girls lashes.
"Dick and 1 perfectly understand each
other, and if l am satisfied | can't see
who else need worry themselves about
it. didn't promise to marry him for
what ne should give me-"
"If YOU had I'm afraid you'd find your
self mistaken. Are you going to stay at
home the rest of the day, or going to
Mrs. King,s?" asked her mother.
81 shall stay at home and make my
black cashmere.
And she was sitting in the sunny Win
dow, busily sewing away, few minutes
before dinner. when her brother came
in and flung himself on the lounge:
"I've Just left Kenneth, Daisy. What
a mean stick he isl l asked him to join
our club and he refused-'Couldn't af-
ford it. he said. Rich, amt it, mother?
only himself to support. Wish you
much 10y of your luck, DaisyP
Daisy rushed out of the room, the hot
tears Of vexation and indignation on her
lashes.
"Hs's.not stfngy-he's not mean! He