Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-12-22
The Buried Secret.

Old Jasper Flint had been stricken with
paralyis. and was now lying 81 the point
of death. From his troubled expression it
was evident that he most earnestly desired
10 communicate something to his children
before he died. Laura, the eldest, was
seventeen, while the other two, Maggie and
Tommy, were of the respectives ages of
thirteen and nine.
For thirty years Jasper Flint had been a
dealer in secondhand clothing, and al
though very penurious and trickery, and
driving an extensive trade in cast-off gar
ments, he pIofessed to be very poor-al-
wsys crying up poverty to the last. He
had never employed servant or housekeep-
er. for the ostensible reason that he was
very poor, so that Laura, from the age OF
twelve. had been a perfect little family
drudge.
Everybody said that old Jasper was a
miser. He was near fifty years of age be-
foe he ever thought OF marrying: and with
his disposition and habits, it was wonder
ful that he ever thought of it ST all.
The wife he married was twenty years
Younger than himself; but he starved and
broke her heart by his meanness in ten
wears time. She was delicate, sensitive,
and refined woman, and could not adapt
herself to his miserly manner OF thinking
and acting. She died, as We have said, in
ten years after this ill-assorted marriage,
leaving three pretty children with a fair
prospect Of starving after her.
\ careful investigation intothe old cloth
ier's affairs showed but a few pounds of
ready money-scarcely more than enough
10 defTay the funeral expenses ; and what
rendered matters still worse was, his stock
in made was destroyed by fire three days
after: and having been too stingy in his
lifetime TO pay for an insurance policy, the
poor children lost everything excepting
the roof that sheltered them. But Laura
was q Iesolute, self-reliant young girl. and
proved herself, in every respect, equal TO
the equivocsl situation.
She put out a small signboard, and took
in washing and ironing. Maggie, who was
stout and healthy, assisted her in her
labOrs; and Tommy, at her suggestion,
though he was but nine years old, launched
out manfully as a newsboy.
With all hands thus occupied, the mis-
tt NG-t eOOu ldA AuOiC
comfortably than they had ever done while
their father was alive. They were able to
supply themselves with more wholesome
food, and in sufficient quantity to appease
their hunger; to clothe themselves better,
and to appear better and more weli-to-do
generally.
Laura was very pretty and neat and af-
fable. and this secure: her plenty Of work OF
the lightest and most desirable description,
and the young clerks and gentlemen OF
leisure, who chiefly employed her, declar-
ed that they could see their faces in their
shirtbosoms after they had passed through
the artistic ordeal of her polishing irons.
She was subject, of course, to a good
deal of annoyance from her genteel patrons
in the way of fattery and compliments,
but she conducted herself always with the
stuctest prOpIiety whenever they were
present, which soon won from them general
respect and friendship. Her practical
little head was too strong to be turned from
the p1aisewoIthy current of her purpose by
any mans flattery. But there was one
young man who had insensibly won his
way into her good graces-a clerk OF
twenty.
Laura, with her practical eye, could
read his pure and unseltish nature at a
glance, ana she liked him; but she under
stood life better than he, and when he urged
an early marriage she reasoned
.'You are just in the beginning of the
struggle" d" she would say, and with talent
and the good principles you possess to re-
commend you, you are sure to rise, If you
DO not rush blIndly into responsibilities
that are sure to cramp you in the future. "
To these arguments Fred Allston would
always reply:
Now, Laura, darling, this may appear
very rational to you, and might to me, If L
did not feel that in your great anxiety Tor
my future success, you are too apt to un-
derrate my capabilIty of coping with the
world. Now, if we married, should
feel content, and struggle like a lion to
place you in that more exalted
social position for which you are 50
well fitted. You can go right On
with your washing and ironing
just the same, if you choose to, till my
salary is increased, or get into business
o. my own account; and can pound out the
clothes and do all the heavy work for you
when am alone at the Office. You see,
my darling, / can calculate in my own
fashion, if am not quite as wise and prac-
teal as yourself"
To all of this Laura would shake her
young head gravely, and maintain her
right to differ.
IF everything was sure OF being just as
you paint it, ''she would answer. negatively,
''the venture might be safe enough, per
haps. But | am endowed with greater de-
gree of caution than you, and can form
cooler estimate of the after probabilities
in the event of my permitting you 10
take this uncertain step.
''LoOk, as an illustration, at Nancy ful-
some. She is only year older than l,
been married trItie over two years, anu
has three babies-the first Two being twlns,
and hardly able TO toddle alone Instead
of being able to assist Charley, as she did,
fer the first few months after their mar
riage, she has to have hired girl, ana is
slaIternly at that, although she was as lriili
and neat girl as you could see anywhere
before she was married.
The first year of their marriage they
lived in a neat, well-furnished cottage, snd
they held their heads as high as anybody;
and well they might, for Charles salary
was hundred and sixty pounds year,
and is no more now; but Nancy added
nearly fifty to their income the hrst year,
but not shilling since. What has been