The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-07-02
GRACE's DESK.

Margaret looked up from her sewing
machine for a 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 or
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 perfect nest of wrinkles while
Grace, unconscious of it, sat looking
out of the window at the gloomy pros
pect-halfmelted, dirty, slushy-brown
snow that was rapidly growing slushier
and more melted under the drizzling
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 q 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 for
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 not
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
brilliant comet disappears from the
sky. He had called one evening, the
same as ever, with the sweet, caressing
tenderness in his voice-the glad, eager
light in his handsome eyes-that made
the girls heart spring within her; anG
she had never seen him since mol
heard from him.
That very next day the crash came
through which the great spice house o
WalTener & Gray suspended; and ;
month later Caleb Warrener died will
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 th'
red flag.
} Margaret came grandly to the fore il
r those dark days, when her keenest grie
was to witness little Grace's dismay ant
astonishment and suffering at Lauri
: Marcellus' detection; and yet her word
, were usually more bitter and sarcastic
5 than gentle-it was Margaret Warren
er's way to use heroic treatment.
} "He's not worth the everlasting fus
you make about him, Grace. In
ashamed of you--downright ashamed
and he not your betrothed, either!"
r That was true, so far as formal word
Y went. Laurie Marcellus had neve
S asked Grace Warrener to be his wife
: he had never in so many words told he
e he loved her; but he had known just q
s well as he had known he wa IS alive hoy
q the girls heart was all his own-ho'
she loved him dearly and truly, for al
her sweet reserve.
:. Grace smiled family when Margare
a spoke of the "fuss" she made abou
IS him. She knew we'll enough that th
t "fuss" was only her grave, sad face
J. her quiet ways, her listless manne
that she tried desperately hard to col
quer, and in all the months that ha
n passed had not succeeded, and SCENE
1t no nearer succeeding than in the b.
y ginning-so nearly hopeless task is
5. for woman to coLquer thoughts an
. heartsick longings for the man sl
loves. Pride and shame may do yaliaI
d battle for the victory, but pride an
d shame are baby foes in comparison wit
'e the giant they oppose-woman's stroni
enduring love for her chosen belovet
r. And so the dreary time went on f'
v Grace, and by steady, persistent effo
if she disallowed herself to be dull
a. complaining, or kill-joy. She res
z. lutely determined to at least be chee
g. full and patient outwardly, no matt
is what the inward commotion. And t
i day-this cheerless January day-sl
it had only given momentary rein to h
IS. thoughts, enough to make her lay dow
her sewing and lean her head again
IN the window, and wish she might new
have known the sweetness of LauT
i Marcellus' love.
id Until the unusual whirring of Il
ir sewing machine wheel made her ava
rs that Margaret had observed her and W
ir displeased. So, with little, despera
IN effort she forced herself back to &
in basting of the satin fold in her work.
81 was thinking about that aucti