The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-01-06
The Buried S Secret.

Old Jasper Flint had been stricken with
paralyis, and was now lying at the point
Of death. From his troubled expression 1t
was evident that he most earnestly desired
to communicate something to his children
before he died. Laura, the eldest, was
seventeen, while the other two, Maggie and
Tommy, were of the respcctives ages of
thirteen and nine. ....,.s,,,,,--.,.,. ,.-.
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, lie protested TO be very poor-al-
ways crying up poverty to the last. He
had never employed servant or housekeep.
er, for the ostensiblc 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-
fole he ever thought of marrying and with
his disposition and habits, it was wonder
tul that lie ever thought of it at all.
The wife he married was twenty years
younger than himself; but he starved and
broke her heart by his meaDncss in ten
years time. She was delicate, sensitive,
and refined woman, and could not adapt
herself to his mserly manner Of thinking
and acting. She died, as we have said, in
ten years after this ill-assortcd marriage,
leaving three pretty children with a fair
prospect Of starving after her.
a careful investigation into the old cloth
ier's affairs showed but few pounds of
ready money-scarcely more than enough
to defray the funeral expenses and what
rendered matters still worse was his stock
In trade 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 resolute, self-reliaht young girl, and
proved herself, in every respect, equal to
the equivocal situation.
She put out u 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-
,er's children were soon living far more
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 Well-to-do
generally. ...
Laura was very pretty and neat and af-
fable, and this secured her plenty Of work of
the lightest and most desirable description,
and the young clerks and gentlemen of
leisure, who chiefly employed her, dcclar-
ed that they could see their faces in their
shirtbosoms after theJ 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 tlattcry and compliments
but she conducted herself always with the
strlctest propricty 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 praiseworthy current Of her purpose by
any mans tlaLtcry. But there was one
young man who had insensiblY won his
way into her good graccs-a clerk of
twenty
Laura, with her practical eye, could
read his pure and unselflsh nature uC a
glance, and she liked him; but she under
stood life better than he, ,nnd when he urged
an early marriage she reasoned
''You are just in tho beginning of the
struggle" she would say, and with talent
and the good principles you possess to re-
commend you, you arc sure to rise, If you
DO not rush blindly into responsibilities
that are sure to cramp you in the future"
10 these arguments Fred AIlston would
always reply. tEt}s5 5Eif5..t Il
Nov, Laura, darling, this may appear
very rational to you, and might to me, if l
dld not teel that In your great anxiety for
my 1uture 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 lion to
place you In that more exalted
social position for which you are 80
well fitted. You can 60 right on
with your washing and ironing
just the same, IL you choose to, till my
salary is increased, or get into business
Oh 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,i if l am not quite as wise and prac-
tical as YOURSELF, r .,e,..r, ..,., ,.l H....
70 oil OF this Laura would shake her
young head gravcy, and maintain her
right to differ. - n. 49, ...
'lf everything was sure of being Just as
you paint it, ''she Would answer, negatively,
"thc venture might be safe enough, per-
haps. But am endowed with a greater de-
gree OF caution than you, and can form a
cooler estimate of the after probabilities,
III the event of my permitting you to
take this uncertain step, n, W, .s,-,- .,. .q
Look, as an illustration, at Nancy Full
some. ehe is only q year older than l,
been married tritic over two years, and
has three babics--the first two being twins,
and hardly able to toddle alone. Instead
OF being able to assist Charley, as she did,