The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-03-18
THE MILL-HAND.

Gilbert Falconer sat in his library,
surrounded by all the appurtenances ol
wealth-he was the wealthiest man in
Brinsley-but his attitude YVES listless,
his brows were drawn; a sharp strug-
gle was going on between his heart and
pride.
"What has come over mep" he NUT
tered. 81 am as infatuated as any old
fool, thinking, worrying, fretting, and
for whatp A beggar maid with a pair
of winsome eyes beggar. low-born
most likely. What am thinking of u
starting up vehemently-"I Gilbert
Faconer, who could mate with the
proudest in the county, to have fallen so
sayP How naughty Beatrix Lenox
would sneer! I'll crush it out will!
I'm no love-sick boy"
But some things are easier said than
done, and this was one of them, as Mr..
Falconer found to his cost, though she
was only an operator in one of his mills
"A slender, dark-eyed maiden, who,
though "beggar maid" carried her
small head with the grace and pride of
queen.
He could never forget the first time lie
saw her. Some orders had been dis
obeyed, but the consequences were
scarcely serious enough to deserve the
sharp rebuke the irate master gave; and,
upon an attempt at defense, Mr.. Falco-
ner laid his riding-whip several times
over the mans shoulders.
Cop he shouted, with an oath,
land never show your face in this yard
again"
1t was hard sentence, for the man
had wife and children, and the master
never broke his word or commuted a
sentence.
AS Mr.. Falconer turned away, still
flushed with anger, a slender figure
passed him, a pair of dark eyes gazed
full into his-eyes that were posi-
lively blazing with anger; rapid glance
at the unfortunate culprit sku!king out
of the gates, then at him, showed which
way her sympathy lay.
DO you know" she cried, suddenly
pausing, THAT that man has wife and
five children, all dependent on what he
earns hereP Surely you did not mean
what you said. The offense scarcely
deserved such severe punishment"
MIR. Falconer was fairly aghast at
his life had any one dared to call him to
account for any of his actions. "
/" am not in the habit of consulting
the opinions of my employees when /
punish impertinence," he said, sharply.
The small head went up in the air
with a gesture that would have done
credit to Miss Lenox.
mo" she answered, proudly; "but
Mr.. Falconer may have something to
say about it when he learns what des-
titute condition that man is in"
Il am Mr.. Falconer," he answered.
81 am master of this mill, and punish
as l please"
"You-Mr. Falconer." Anger, sur
prise and contempt were pictured on
her face as plainly as on a mirror.
Then | have nothing more to say"
And, with a slight inclination of the
head, she passed OF her way, Gilbert
noting vaguely that her dress was of
the humblesG make.
who was she! Such impertinence /!
bending his brows at the recollection
that she had not asked his pardon for
her first hasty word.
A mill-hand with that naughty
style! BAIL" he cried, striding into his
office; "she is not worth noticing.
She may be thankful l don't send her
away"
For several days it happened that
Mr.. Falconer was in his Office when the
big bell sounded release for, all the tired
souls and bodies in his employ, and he
caught himself looking for slender
figure in worn dress; them meeting
her one morning coming in the gate,
was enraged at himself for having
bowed, particularly as the dark eyes
were Immediately averted. He angrfly
asked the manager who she was.
Eleanor Eliot is the name she gave"
was the answer. "She seems above
her position, however, and she does her
work very WELL"
Mr.; Falconer almost said, 81 don't
wish WISH her here any longer;" then some
the words on his 1ins iSfeiibngdHcheckea Se bsgd
his weird" -D " oio'
After while he took to coming TO
the mill every day, and occasionally
walked through the long rooms full Of
Once he stopped at Eleanor Eliot's side.
and gravely discussed some fabric with
the manager, noticing absently tiie