The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-08-05

boast OF II; they tell my other custo M
ers that | swindle them, all, that is the
word, swindle"
1T was all that they would consent
to pay, madame" explained poor Mar
garet, "and my sick child was suffering
for food and medicine. and"
'.But Madame Rapp with n sweeping
gesture Of dismissal, sailed out Of the
room like tragedy queen.
Elsie was eagerly waiting for her
mother when slN returned.
"Well. mamma" said the child, CLEO
fully. "where Is the money! told Mrs.
Cashley to DO here at four o'clock. and
the grocer is"
IL have not got it, Elsie," said she.
"Mrs. Sutherland had gone out and
forgotten to leave any word for mo.
and Mrs. Peterson declared that she
was not accustomed to be dunned by
tradespeoplc in that sort of way. am
to call next week. And. oh, Elsie!
Madame Rapp has refused to receive
me back again!'
mamma, what are We TO do?" cried
the poor girl, turning white rs ashes.
"lIeaven only kn0ws!" the mother
murmured, with her face buried in her
hands.
At this moment o gruff, not unpleas-
ant voice, was heard on the stairs.
''Ain't this the place? Mother and
daughter advertised for general work,
No. =. Tredegar road, l. eckham-rye.
My wife said it would be the very couple
we wanted; and if their references are
good Ehp whatp Got u place this
morning. and went awayp Well, now,
il this amt too bad, and mo como all
the way from Berkshire arter 'emr'
Through the half-open door Margar-
ct could see the brown face, grizzled
whiskers, and shaggy coat of the old
farmer, who was in vain search of help.
With a sudden impulse she rose up and
confronted him.
Mrs. Hillyard and her daughter
have gone" said she. 81 am dress
maker by trade; but if could suit you
l should be very thankful, for am out
of employment at present, and have q
young daughter depending on me.
am quite strong, though | do not look
so, and l shall only be too glad and
grateful to learn all that any Kind lady
will teach me-"
Sand | can recommend her us honest
and steady as the daylight. sir" said
good Mrs. Cashley. the landlady, who
had come up the stairs.
swell, l declare, | don't know"
said Farmer Bates, turning his hat med
itativcly round and round in his hand.
MY wife told me to bring home q wo-
man and her daughter, to help with
farm and dairy work"
Il should SO like to 60 to the coun-
try" whispered Elsie, pressing closer
to her mothers side.
49," went on the good old man,
"lf l can't get one, must cen take
another. How soon can you be ready?"
so Mrs. Wharton let her few articles
of furniture in payment Of her rent,
and took the train for Oakleigh Farm
that very evening, where she fOund"my
wife" to be II mild-faced, sweet-cyed
old lady, full of Christian kindness,
and universal good will to all the world.
"Well, wife," said tho farmer, that
night; show do you like our new
housekeeper and her girlP'
They're rather delicate-lOOking.
joshua" said Mrs. Bates, ''but n little
of our new milk and hearty country
fare will soon set them up; and they
seem SO anxious to please, and the
little girl has the sweetest face l ever
saw"
Fate had dealt kindly with Margaret
Wharton and her fatherless child when
it sent Farmer Bates to Peckham. She
became like a daughter to the elderly
couple; and Elsie blOomed into sweet
girlish health and loveliness in the
air and breezy meadows.
And the fevered dream Of Chicago
life seemed like forgotten relic Of the
past.
While Mrs. Peterson and Mrs. Suth-
erland (whO never settled their little
bills, by-the-way, although repeatedly
reminded OF them. through the post
Oflice) declared that they always
thought there was something wrong
about that Wharton woman.
"Going off in that sudden, stealthy
sort of way" they said. REALLY one
can't be too careful whom one patron
ICES nowadays"