St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1879-03-22
EARNING A LOVER.

herself on the yinc-sha led piazza
that ran across Tie side If her
fathers house. tie fresh ) ptcnher
wind blowing among her threads of
warm, golden nan. and swaY,nS the
SKIRT OF her sinr.e chiu:z morning
dress.
Sue was a prrttr. girlish-looking
girl, With thua sntiui. broazs brown
eyes, that Were JEST now hidden be-
heath tine blue Nrined, long-lashed
white lids; for Josie WAS trying with
al her m.s4r t. solve a prublcn
which oIder AMI wiser, and far
more ex ,erlrncei, heads than hers
had pazz.ed over, t.Ias cf ctlcu-
latin5 now II make both ends of Il
s;ubuornly short financial circ.e
meet.
ryey d.lp.t appear poor-the
Dudleys--fnr thy lived in nice,
coy little cottage, winch Josie )
mother had owned for years.
Tney-Josie ani ner notLer, and
her one sister b .le--;,!ways dressed
neatly and pretiily. thanks TO Mrs.
Dudley's economy, and Bellies
dress-making tact, that had a knack
of making little SO great way IL
the dry goods line.
Aud yet, especially since Mr.
Duileys long, long Illness -rhu-
matte fever, whirl hal lcf5 him
hopclessly crippled IN his feet
since the time when Dir. Dudley
salary Of a thousand dollars year
bad been cut of, the family had,
among themselves, seen pretty
tough times.
TO be sure, Mr. Dadley earned Il
trifle still, by copying for lawyers,
and Belle. III addition to her home
duties and home sewing, earned IA
little b. !. week assistance, ocaa-
sionally. when Miss Granger, the
village dress-naher was hurried
and required extra assistance; bat,
besides such triflies, there was moth
ing else coming in, while the insur
unce had to be paid, and the taxes,
and the water rent, which, small
though each sam WAS, nevertheless
straitened them sadly.
Josie was thinking over all this
as she sat among the swaying vines
in the lovely September morning,
her share Of the domestic duties
done, her time her own until She
was called to prepare some simple,
cheap dish for dinner.
OF late she had thought very
much ON the same subject. and her
thoughts were taking the same
usual course this time-re2rets that
she was OF 50 little actual, practical
use, while her very bread and salt
were provided by others WHO were
no more able TO earn it than she,
who was yoong and strong and
healthy.
And have decided that I arif
do something, If can find II to Go.
There's no use III my applying Tor
a position in any of the village
stores; the clerks there have been
aud viii be fixtures for years. Papa
aud nI.lmina would never dream OF
letsins me go out TO serv-ce, and
I'm not sure-I'm afraid | ,rould
nate to do that. | cant sew like
Belle, and papa can etsily do all his
copying, ami would be only too 9la,i
to nave ten times us mnch. What
cant do2 For | ri earn some
,a,uey some.iow. II l have 10 shock
everybody, aaI myself TOO. by living
out lor'. seTv,n:l"-
Her hitle feet were tapping the
piazza floor imiatlentiy, and her
brown eyss mere glowing and flash
lag ml;l tie excitement OF her
thoughts. =
.iastInen the side gate opened and
Ann, the stout. soojnatured wash
woman, wiu bad oiIiclated as such
in ,ns Dallpy la!nil.y N the anie-I
harl-tine days, came numbering NJ
In, ,,a.l... nvr sn@wi ali awfy, her
b,,ssE. Ia ..~i ann. ga