Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-09-04

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mouth was as pure and clean AS a
child; and her firm cheeks show
ed a healthy. even color of pink.
Her hair was so tidy, so shining,
her calico gown and check apron
so perfectly neat that she seemed
somehow as If she wss just new
everyway. I Gid not say any
thing at once, for / felt so dirty
and so bad the minute l looked at
her.
"Well," she said in a cool sort
of voice lido you want anybody -
81 want something to ca ) sal,
/ gruffly.
1--WE ever give to tramps " she
answered without any change OF
tone.
1--we got to hive it," said /, as
Grossly as / could.
I'VE have nothing for you,"
she said, quite unmoved.
Come, hurry up! I've got to
have my dinner and you'd better
get it for me pretty quick" | call
ed out with an oath taxing out my
pistol and handling it as threat.
Her eyes grew little darker at
that, and she smiled; she was not
scared mite; she only said,
quietly:
"If any man shall not work
neither shall he eat.'
"That may be your opinion,
miss. but it isn't mine. The world
owes meIa living and Pm bound
to have it, / growled back.
"How SOP" she answered.
"What have you done tor the
world that put it in your debt p
/ couldn't answer this question;
1t was like a blow in the face; so |
swore again and demanded some
dinner.
II shall not give you any," she
said, quite as calmly as ever. "If
you were sick or feeble, or Grip
Piled, helpless In any way, it would
be different; you are a strong, like
ly man, and you can earn your
living just as we'll as l cam"
/ looked at her light straight
figure. ~
ado you work for living?" i
asked. Il5
"Yes; / have worked since l
was six years old. / was bound
out then, and I worked at whip
braidlng. / haven't any relations
-apy near ones / mean; there is
no body to take care of me. l
have to work, and / am glad l
can"
Iswore very common oath,
calling on God to punish me Ii l
could stand that if l were she.
Her face flushed.
Don't do that again." she said.
''If you want to be lost call on
Satan; he hears all such requests
gladly. God is your father; He
does not like to punish you even
if you ask him to; He'd ever so
much rather forgive you."
I never was so taken aback.
Look here" / said after a mo-
ment, don't you think it's out
rageous that a pretty-behaved girl
like you should be working for
living, when there's thousands Of
women mo better than you be
rolling in their carriages ?p
mo. God put me here and
them there. God knows best"
"Well, you seem to think God
knows a good deal. I claim to
know some things myself; and /
believe folks all have equal
rights"
"Do you ?" she said; $50 do 1;
some rights. Right to get ready
to die. and to serve God while we
live"
She stepped out of the door and
picked up a red leaf from the
grass. uI
"Can you make such leaf as
that ?" she asked, holding it out
to me.
Why. l knew l couldn't and so
did she.
"Till you can, 1 expect you had
better believe God knows more
than you do"
turned and went out into the
yard. / couldn't stand her talk,
but / couldn't get away from 1t.
/ never seemed 80 mean to N.Y.
self before. Here was /, strong,
healthy, even skilled workma o,
tramping about the country beg
ging! / never had called 1t beg
cling before, but / knew now what
II was. for l seemed to look out of
her eyes.
About God; we'll If there was a
God, he must know more than /
did, or he couldn't be God. Per-
haps / had made mistake after
all.
Jim Lawrence must be a rich
man, because he had more brains
than I, with the same chances;