Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-07-01

yards, interSectlng clotheSlneS, anu Jung.
linen gently waving in the summe
breeze. Views from front windows a lit
tie mixed-small groceries, small boys
and small dogs, principally. Humph!
the young lady's nose grew a triAe more
elevated: "seems to me the place has {
perennial odor of boiled cabbage"
Helen leaned back against the wall
a la Fitz-Jamcs, folded her arms, and re-
sponded simply:
at was the best could do, Nan.
Notwithstanding her resolute air, the
faintest question of a tremor found Its
way into her voice, Mans quick ear de-
tected it, and her generous heart repented
at once
"Well, who said it wasn't better
enough:" she asked, heroically emerging
from the boiler and drawing off her gloves
for work. "OnCc more into the breach,
sweet friends. Those windows will be a
deal more CHEEKY when they re washed
and curtained. The paper isn't very
handsome, that's fact but it will look
better with that hole in the chimney COW
cred Here, I'll hang this picture of
Washington over it. First in war, first
in peace, and frst-rate in covering stove
pipe holes.
"Hooray" burst forth Master Rue,
seized with a sudden and unaccountable
spasm of patriotism, attempting to stand
on his head in the middle OF the mattress,
and coming down with those joys of his
heart, his new boots, full into the basket
of crockery.
30 Ruel" calculated Helen.
Il was maxim purtend it was Fourth
of July" exclaimed the somewhat dis
comftcd young gentleman.
And YOU must send up your heels
| like rockets, and use the dinner plates for
an explosion. He'd have been named
Ruin if appropriateness had been eonsld-
cred" said Nan, mcditatively surveying
the fragments.
The business of unpacking and arrang-
ing. being thus successfully inaugurated'
was carried steadily forward; and, indeed,
though it seemed gigantic in its confused
state in the middle Of the floor, there was
mot so very much furniture to dispose of
after ALL" as Nan remarked in tone
half congratulatory. half pathetic, while
smile and a tear battlcd for the night OF
/ lookout from her brown eyes. Only a
little way back in the past there had been
more, filling larger and pleasanter rooms.
Still, when all was in order, even TO
the old sofa. charitably covering the faded
breadth in the carpet, and the great die
tionary. grayely concealing the ink-Spot
on the tablc-coyer, the place looked neither
uncomfortable nor unhomeike. Two
pairs of hands had wrought wonders,
though Mans plump and dimpled, and
Helens. slender and blue ycined, scarcely
looked the sort to wage any fierce war
fare with opposing forces, and doubled
into fists would have been positively alb
surd.
settled and ready for work" Helen
said slowly. That Was well, since short
counting would suffice for their available
funds, and income and expenditure could
hardly be coaxcd into meeting amicahly,
but were always di>agrceius IN the most
fiat and uncourtcou, manner possible.
The work was making designs for the
print-mills.
Helen always spoke Of it as the work,
not as her work-that expression meant
something more and different to her, and
was sacred TO an old hope laid aside
While the brighter days lastcd-whilc
DR.. eGycd-shc had found abundant
occupation that suited her. She had de
lighted in his books and studies; and the
old physician, proud Of his daughter 5
clear head and quick, intelligent comPre-
hcnsion. had encouraged the taste and
eivcn her every encouragement IN his
power: talking at first laughingly, after
wards more seriously of time when She
should be thoroughly prepared to become
his assistant in his crowded practice. ~,
little hy little, the scheme had grown clear
and well defined, until it became to the
girl cherished purpose, and she looked
forward with many bright plan to the
busy. hopeful future. Then DIR. Mayne
died, dropped suddenly and forever the
countless cares he had not thought he
could rclinquish for day, and the for
tune he was always just going to lay by
was still in embryo.
The few months that followed ended
Helen's dream. No, not quite that, per-
haps; but sent it into an indefinite ban
ishment that was almost worse than ex-
ecution. She learned fact not men,
toned in history nor recorded in the
newspaper stories of "self-made men,
that there may be bravery in surrender
never dreamed of in the stoutest battle,
and that some contemptuously pihed
failures are nobler than any lauded sue
cess.
All of which, however, did not make
her desperately in love with the work of
designing for the print-mills, and her
ewes would wander away from the boxes
of pencils and colors and the blank, star
ing paper to the dear old books beyond.
Many things per force had been parted
with, but Helen had clung to her books.
They must be kept, if only for Rue's
sake; he would want them some day, she
said, though in truth that young gentle
mans talents seemed to tend more directly
in the direction of breaking his own neck,
10 a,,ac,oJ bo,o, ro.