River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-09-22

ROMANCE OF A GLOVE.

"But you have not seen the wine
cellar yet. 1t is treasure of its kind.
Let's go down again"
They went down the stairs together,
he talking gayly, she with a troubled
lock on her face. After duly admiring
| the place she put timid hand on his
arm and said: But, Arthur, dear,
let's have no wine in it."
"Why ?" he asked, in surprise.
Because | have resolved if | am
ever the mistress of house there shall
be no liquors kept in no social
glasses for friends"
/ why, Katy. you are unreasonable.
| did nos know you carried your tenn
perance opinions so far as that. OF
course l shall keep wine in my house,
and entertain my friends with it, too"
She raised her face appealingly.
Arthur !" she said, in tone of voice
which he knew how to interpret.
Arthur's brow grew cloudy.
But you cannot fear for me?" he
said, with half offended pride.
~ must fear for you, Arthur, if you
begin as he did. And fear for others
besides-for the sons and husbands and
fathers who may learn at our cheerful
board to love the poison that shall Stay
them"
They went up the steps again and
sat on sofa in the dining-room for
few moments, while Katy put on her
hat and drew on her gloves.
The argument was kept up. 1t is
! unnecessary that we should repeat all
that was said on both sides. 1t ended
at last as similar discussions have end
ed before. Neither was willing to
yield Katy, because she felt that her
whole future happiness might be in
volved in it; Arthur, because he
thought it would be giving away to
| yoman's whims, and would sacrifice
too much of his popularity with his
friends.
He had bought this house, paid for
and furnished it handsomely, and in
a few weeks was to bring Katy as its
mistress. All the afternoon they had
been looking over it together, happy as
two birds with a newly-fnished nest.
But when Arthur closed the door and
put the key in his pocket, in the chill,
waning light of the December after
noon, and gave Katy his arm to see her
home, it was all 'broken up" between
them, and notice, '"ro Let, was put
over the door of the pretty house the
very next morning.
1t was the most foolish thing to do;
but then lovers can always find some
thing to quarrel about.
They parted with cool 'Good-even-
ing" at the door of Katy's lodging
house. She went up to her room to
cry; he went home hurt and angry, but
secretly resolving to see her again, and
give her chance to say that she was
in the wrong. He would wait a few
days, however; it would not do to let
her see that he was in a hurry to
make it up"
He did wait, nearly q week, and
when he called at the modest lodging
house where he had been wont to visit
so often, he was told that Miss Gardiner
had been gone three days.
"Gone where?" he asked, slow to be-
lieve.
"She did not tell me, sir. She said
she was not coming back. Her aunt
| lives at Bristol"
He then took the next train to Bristol
and investigated; but nei ner there nor
in any other place, though he searched
for months afterward, did he find sign
or trace of Katy Gardiner.
All this happened more than year
before | saw Katy; but we three FAC
tory girls" who lodged at M g. How
ellis with her, of course knew nothing
about it She came to the factory and
applied for work. The superintendent
thought her too delicate for such labor,
but she persisted; and, in fact, she i'm
proved in health, spirits d looks after
she became used to the work and sim
pie fare of the factory girls.
She was a stranger to us all, and it
seemed likely that she would remain so.
But one day Mary Bascorn's dress
caught in part of the machinery, and
before any one else could think what to
do Katy had sprung to her side and
pulled her away by main strength from
the terrible danger that threatened her.
After that Mary and Lizzie Payne and
/, who were her dearest friends, were
Katy's sworn allies,
We all lodged together then in the
big Factory clearinghouse" But
Katy took it into her head that we
! would have so much nicer times in
private lodging to ourselves; and when
she took anything into her head she
| generally carried it through. In less than
| q week she had found the ry place
she wanted, arranged matters with the
superintendent, and had us sheltered
under Mrs. Howell's vine and fig tree.
! We four girls were the proud possessors
of tolerably large, double-bedded APP
artment, with queer little dressing
room attached" land the liberty of
! the parlor to receive callers ina pro-
viso at which we all laughed.
This was "home" to us after the la
Dor of the day. Indeed and in truth, Katy
made the place so cha ming that we
forgot the factory girls" when we got
/ to it. She improvised cunning little
/ things out of trifies that are usually
thrown away as useless, and the flow
ers growing in broken pots in our win
dow were glory to behold. She always
! had fresh book or periodical on our
table; and better than this, she brought
to us the larger cultivation, and the
purer taste, which taught us how to
use opportunities within our reach.
what made you take to our style of
/ life. Katy?" asked Lizzie one evening,
SIS we all sat at the east window watch
ing the out-coming of the stars and
| telling girlish dreams.
Destiny, my child, ," answered Katy,
! stopping to replace the little boot she
had thrown eff to rest her foot.
"But you might have been an author
ess, or a painter, or IA bookkeeper,
/ or"
Lizzie's knowledge of this word was
rather limited; Katy broke in upon
/ her
There, that will do. was not born
a genius, and hate arithmetic"
"But you did not always have to
work for a living Katy" said May
"You are lady, know"
/ Katy laughed queer, short laugh.
"Yes," she said, "and that's why
don't know how TO get my living in
any way but this. So behold me
healthy and honest factory girl. "
She rose, made little bow, and
flourish with her small hands, and we
all laughed, although she had said
nothing funny.
'MilIy," said she, "please light the
lamp and get the magazine, while |
hunt up my thimble and thread. La
dies. | find myself under the necessity
a