The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-24
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She was beautiful brown-haired
girl with soft, shy eyes of violet
gray, and rosy lips compressed TO a
firmness far beyond her years. For
after all she was scarcely seventeen
years, and SO deacon Gray was tell
ing her, as he sat by the fire spread
ing his huge hands over the tardy
blaze, and asked:
"But what are you going to do to
earn your bread and butter, child?'
Il don't know-I haven't thought.
Mamma had an uncle in New York,
who
Yes, yes-l've heard about him
he was mad because your mother
didn't marry just exactly 10 suit
him, wasn't hep"
Minnie was silent. Deacon Gray
waited few minutes, hoping she
would admit him to her secret med
itations. but she did not and the
Deacon went away home to tell his
wife that ''that Harlan girl was the
very queerest creetur he ever come
across"
In the meantime Minnie was busy
packing her few scanty things into
little carpet bag, by the weird,
Pickering light Of the dying wood
fire.
Il will go to New York." she
said to herself, setting her small,
pretty teeth firmly together "My
mothers uncle shall hear my cause
pleaded throught my own lips.
Oh, ! wish my heart would not
throb so wildly / am no longer
Minnie Harlan, / am an orphan, all
alone in the world, who must fight
life's battles with her own single
hands"
Lower Broadway at seven o'clock in
the EVENING" What Babel of
crashing wheels, hurrying humanity
and conglomerated noises it was !
Minnie Harlan sat in the corner of
an express office under the glare of
gaslight surrounded by boxes, and
wondered whether people ever went
crazed in this perpetual din and
tumult. Her dress was very plaid
grey poplin, with a shabby, oln
fashioned little straw bonnet, tied
with black ribbons, and blue veil,
while her only article of baggage,
her carpet bag, lay in her lap. She
had sat there two hours and was
very tired.
Poor little thing" thought the
dark-haired young clerk nearest her,
who inhabited sort of a wire cage
under circlet of gaslights. And
then he took up his pen and plung-
ed into a perfect Atlantic ocean of
accounts.
"Mr. Evans" "
"Sir?"
The dark-haired CLERK emerged
from his cage with his pen behind
his ear, in obedience to the beckon-
ing finger of his superior.
Il have noticed that young lady
sitting here for some t;me-how
came she here?"
Expressed on, sir, from Milling
ton. Iowa-arrived this afternoon"
As though poor Minnie Harlan
were a box or paper parcel.
"Who for ?p
Consigned to Walter Harrington,
ESQ.,"
"And why hasn't she been called
for?"
sent up to Mr.. Harrington's ad-
dress to notify him sometime ago
| expect an answer every moment. "
Every odd,' said the gray-haired
gentleman, taking up his newspa-
per.
"Yes, sir, rather
Some three-quarters of an hour af-
terwards Frank Evans came to the
pale girls side with indescribable
pith in his hazel eyes.
Miss Harlan, we have sent to
Mr.. Harrington's residence
Minnie looked up with feverish
red upon her cheek, and her hands
clasped tightly on the handle of her
faded carpet bag.
"And we regret to inform you
that he sailed for Europe at II
o'clock this day."
A sudden blur came over Min
nie's eyes-she trembled like leaf.
In all her calculations she had made
no allowance for any exigency like
this.
.'Can we do anything further for
you?n questioned the young clerk,
politely.
aNothing-no one can do any
thing now"
Frank Evans had been turning
away but something in the pite-
Gus tones Of her voice appealed to
every manly instinct within him.
1Shall / send you to any other OF
your friends?'
II have no other friend In New
York" she answered ineekly.
Perhaps can have your things
sent TO some quiet family hotel?"
Minnie opened her small leather