Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-07-21
GRAcE's DESK.

UflEVl - UE0Ns
Margaret looked up from her sewing
machine for minute to glance across
the room at the quiet little figure sit
ting at the window-a round, graceful
little figure, whose attitude of thought
full gravity was full of suggestion.
And then Margaret, always more OF
less crusty, but kind-hearted, gave an
impatient sigh and increased the speed
of her machine by savage motion OF
her slippered feet, and compressed her
lips and puckered her forehead all up
in a perfect nest Of wrinkles while
Grace, unconscious of it, sat looking
out of the window at the gloomy pros.
pect-half-melted, dirty, slushy- brown
snow that was rapidly growing slushiei
and more melted under the drizzline
rain that was falling and, of course,
thinking about Laurie Marcellus.
For several months Grace had not
thought of much else but him, and yet
there had not been an hour or a mo
ment of that time that she had not tried
not to think of him and grieve for him.
1t had been very similar to the same
old story. Laurie Marcellus, handsome,
elegant, aristocratic, fairly well-to-do in
the worlds estimation of riches, had
been Grace Warrener's most devoted fol
several months, until by one of those
venomous waves of fortunes wand social
position and wealth had suddenly van
'ished, and the Warrener girls found
themselves obliged to take in dress
making for living.
Friends who had always been friends,
who redeemed the dear name, who knew
them for what they were worth, did moi
desert them but first and foremost in
the ranks of those who so conveniently
preferred to dispense with the society
of the two dressmakers who lived In
Appledore row was Mr.. Laurie Marcel.
lus.
He had dropped out of Grace's life as
q brilliant comet disappears from the
sky. He had called one evening, the
same as ever, with the sweet, caressine
tenderness in his voice-the glad, eager
light in his handsome eyes-that made
the girls heart spring within her; and
she had never seen him since mol
heard from him.
That very next day the crash came,
through which the great spice house oI
Warrener & Gray suspended; and a
month later Caleb Warrener died with
apoplexy, and as soon as decency per-
mitted the splendid mansion and furni.
ture, the horses and carriages, the sill.
yer and Jewels, all were sold under the
red flag.
Margaret came grandly to the fore in
those dark days, when her keenest griei
was to witness little Grace's dismay and
establishment and suffering at Laurie
Marcellus' detection; and yet her words
were usually more bitter and sarcastic
than gentle-it was Margaret Warren.
er's way to use heroic treatment.
"He's not worth the everlasting fuss
you make about him, Grace. I'm
ashamed of you-downright ashamed;
and he not your betrothed, eitherl'
That was true, so far as formal words
went. Laurie Marcellus had never
asked Grace Warrener. to be his wife;
he had never in SO many words told hel
he loved her; but he had known just as
well as he had known he was alive how
the girls heart was all his own-hoT
she loved him dearly and truly, for all
her sweet reserve.
Grace smiled family when Margaret
spoke of the "fuss" she made about
him. She knew we'll enough that the
6 fuss" was only her grave, sad face,
her quiet ways, her listless manner
that she tried desperately hard to con,
quer, and in all the months that had
passed had not succeeded, and seemed
no nearer succeeding than in the be.
ginning-so nearly hopeless task is il
for woman to Conquer thoughts and
heartsick longings for the man she
-foYes. Pride and shame may do valiant
battle for the victory, but pride and
shame are baby foes In comparison with
the giant they oppose-woman's strong,
enduring love for her chosen beloved.
And SO the dreary time went on fol
Grace, and by steady, persistent effort
she disallowed herself to be dull OF
complaining, sor a kill-joy. She reso
lutely determined to at least be cheer.
full and patient outwardly, no matter
what the inward commotion. And to.
day-this cheerless January day-she
had only given momentary rein to hel
thoughts, enough to make her lay down
her sewing and lean her head against
the window, and wish she might never
have known the sweetness of Laurie
Marcellus' love.
Until the unusual whirring of the
sewing machine wheel made her aware
that Margaret had observed her and was
displeased. So, with little, desperate
effort, she forced herself back to the
hasting of the satin fold in her work.
81 was thinking about that auction
sale at Dempsey's tonight" Margaret
said, almost Grossly. sYou want 6
desk, you said, and Maggie Rich says
there's very good one to be sold there
I'll go and bid on it for you, / think, i
ever under the sun get these bands
stitched ohl It seems to me that those
Rich girls are not happy unless theil
dresses are absolutely loaded with trim
ming"
Grace looked up, with such sweet
sweet eyes il was no wonder handsome