Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-09
FlOra'S Fortune.

W." oasuuS'
marrow blue velvet ribbon, ma am
Yes. ma am. in half minute. Velvet
ribbons, Miss Darcy, and look sharp
abont it
Flora Darcy dropped the elaborate
strip Of scarlet worsted upon which she
was at work. and hurried forward to
her place behind the counter-fOr
Screw 4 Pinch made it rule never to
allow ally time to be wasted in their es
Enlistment. When she saw the faces
of her customers she was to serve she
dropped the box OF velvet ribbons, and
EXCHANGED
Aunt Juliet ?-and Clara J"
The words broke almost unconscious
" from her lips ; the next minute she
checked herself cbashed
Dear me, Clara" faltered the elder
lady, half angry, half confused, " this
is very embarrassing to -
do hush, mamma! What a fool
you are !" said MISS Clara Darcy, in n
not very tilial strain. "Of course we
aren't obliged to recognize any relation
ship with this-this young woman.
Let us go and they went.
Flora Darcy had had hard day of it
at Screw & Pinch's and it was not
until they were closing ny for the night
that she had an opportunity to clear
the heaped-up counter which WAS her
special charge. A pasteboard box cover
lay ON the floor, partly under the couu-
ter, and AS Flora stopped To pick it up,
something ehttered beneath it-a gill;
clasped portemonnaie
"Some lady has left her por' m onn lie
on the counter, and it has got brushed
off with the trimmings" was the girls
first thought as she opened it. "Ani
it's full of bank-notes, too! 1 never
saw 50 much money at one time in all
my life before
At the same instant perfumed card
dropped from the inner compartment =
q card engraved in fashionable " old
English characters -
MRS. DEvEREUX DARCY"
The blood instlnctively rushed in to
Flora's pale and wearied cheek.
g 1t is Aunt Juliet's parse-and the
money is hers--no, ours. Did not her
husband meanly deprive nv mother of
her poor little fortune? Does he not
live in luxury while We are starving ?
But it is not mine. will take it to
Aunt Darcy at once"
She turned resolutely toward the
aristocratic part of the city in which
dwelt Mrs. Devereux Darcy. It was a
long walk, but Flora scarcely needed it.
30 eager was she to rid herself of the
tiny burden that was momentarily
growing heavier in her heart and hand.
Mrs. Darcy was at dinner "she
could see no one, was the answer which
Flora received when she requested a
brief interview with her aunt-nor was
she blind to the footman's i1solent and
supercllious stare as he delivered his
stereotyped answer.
You will give her this parcel, if
you please" she said, little annoyed.
Yes, miss. I'll give it to her. was
Mercury's reply, as he yawued visibly,
and shut the door after her D.; while
Flora, infinitely relieved, tripped away
with heart many degrees lighter than
it had been.
81 shall soon be at home, now, :"
thought Flora. 81 hope mamma is
not alarmed at my unusual delay"
Alas poor Flora how little did she
anticipate how many long days and
weeks would elapse before she would
be "at home" again
Il
Miss Clara Darcy had sat whole
hour IN full dress, white kid gloves,
silver bouquet holder and all, and was
beginning to wax exceedingly impatient,
when at length DIR. Philipson was
announced "a frank andss handsome
young man, with thoughtful gray eyes
AMI port erect as that of Hyperion
You must excuse my delay, Miss
Darcy We professional men are not
always masters of our own time, and /
was detained by street accident-a
broken arm"
"Ah, indeed ?"
:" Yes-a pretty little sewing girl,
should judge-sent to the hospital.
And, by the way, it's curious coinci-
dence-but her name is Darcy"
Darcy?" echoed Clara.
Yes-tlora Darcy"
=" How strange! l thought" added
Clara, with the glib readiness of the
habitual falsehood-monger, "that we
were the only family Of the name in
the city Papa-ahem-hes no rela-
tions living"
The intense glow of the August sun
shine quivered titfully on the floor OF
the "convalescent ward" as Dr.. Pail
lpsons footsteps rung strong. nervous
anu Inspiring upon its threshold.
There was many heart leaped up at
the familiar sound, but most of ali the
heart OF poor Flora Darcy, Who was sit
ting up for the first time since tue Il. ~,
wearlsome fever that had followed on
the pain and inflammation of her broken
arm.
All the morning she had been think
ing OF DIR. Philipson-but scarcely
more than DR.. Philipson had been
thinking OF her. What should he do
with this fair, fragile convaIescent who
was Just emerging from the valley of
the shadow of desth7