Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-20
DORA'S TRIAL,

WISH you could see your way clear to marrying
seth Hallett. He wants you the the worst kind,
and he'd be such good provider.''
But don't like him we'll enough. Prudy:
AMI want something besides meat and drink
and two calico dresses a year"
Mrs. Prudence Hall had sprained her ankle.
and was forced, Orely against her viii. to sit
day after day in an upper chamber, with ter
ribe consciousness that every thing about the
farm was relapsing into chaos and old night for
want of her oversight. Her pretty sister Dora
had come to stay with her; but she twas only q
child, you know" There are two kinds of love
in this world, said Mrs. Hall, after pause i'm
which she had been taking counsel with herself
whether Dora was old enough to be talked to on
such matters at all. and it flashed upon her that
the child" was nearly twenty years old. ''Per-
haps you like Seth we'll enough to marry him
On'y YOU don't know it"
Tell me about the two kinds of love-" said
Dora, innOcently. - thought love was love
the world over"
8 have never known but one kind. think,
Dora When married David Hail. he was the
most well-tO-dO young man i'm these parts and
we never had quarrel while he lived. He was
a good. practical sort of man. and never asked
me To do anything unrea sOnabie"
What if he had?" asked Dora
We'll. 1 guess should have argued him out
of it. But there is Kind of love that will draw
women through fire and water. 1t makes them
throw themselves away on poor shftless men
their
children, and they know it as well as ANYBODY
else does. 1t is the greatest wonder to me
why such useless feeling should ever have been
created"
Dora had bent low over her work to hide her
rbgush smiles at her sisters discourse: but at
this point she fixed her deep gray eyes on Pru-
dence. not smiling but simply earnest. "Such
love brings happiness sometimes, suppose"
said Dora.
Next to never" said Prudence. with great
decision We amt made to be happy, and
anything that's too good always leaves bad
taste in the mouth. Comfort is a bird in the
hand. and you don't gain any thing by letting it
fly on the chance of happiness"
Did yOa ever know any one about here
Prudence, that threw herself away for love? 1t
seems to me they won't look at a man unless
he has house and farm all ready for Them
That's where they're right" said Prudence
~ GU are rather given to bigh-fiyinm notions
and It's time you found out that bread don't
grow ready buttered. Yes. did know one girl
who was pretty and smart and had no end of
chances to get married q think my David court
ed her a spell. but he never would own it, and
she would have that shftless critter, Joe Ray
mond who never could make one hand wash
the other. Even when she was a-dying she pre-
tended that she had been happy and wouldn't
have done no other way if she had it to do over
again"
Was she Joe's mOther?- asked Dora. quickly.
les, to be sure: and when she died we took
him to bring up and work on the farm. He's
more than paid his way but he's a rolling stone
like his father, and won't never come to any
thing, j forgot to tell you-he's going to-
morrow"
Going tomorrow" cried Dora. with great
start Il Thought his time wasn't out for an
other month";"
"Well. it amt rightly out till he's 81, but he
was In such hurry to be off that gave him the
last month"
Then silence fell upon them.
These two women had the same father and
mother. though score of years lay between
them. Prudence had been born in the early
married life of her parents when they were
struggling with stony New England farm. and
There was work for even baby hands, The lines
OF duty-and patience were deep-graved in her
rugged face. which yet beamed with kindly
Common sense. But Dora had come to her
mother late in lite, as an old tree sometimes
blossoms into loneliness after every one has for
gotten it. Her little feet had walked in easy
paths. and Prudence yearned over her like a
mother.
She sat now by the open fire. bending her
graceful head over some delicate work that Pru-
dence would never have found time for; her red
dress aud the pickering freight made her pic
ture too lovely for that dull ROOM 'Pru-
dence," she said suddenly, '.as this is Joe's last
night, think I'll go down and say good bye to
him"
You might call him up here"
NO; think will go myself"
Il believe haven't ever told you, Dora, how
much you pleased me by giving up that childish
way OF going on with him that you used to rave
1t did very well for you to be fond of each other
when You We're little but OF course it is out of
the question now"
1t might have been the red dress and the fire.
light that brought such vivid flush to Doras
cheek as she listened and turned away. She ran
lightly down stairs and opened the door of the
great farm kitchen
A l,-%l G.
IL as one does into the eyes OF an enemy before
the nght.-an Overgrown farmer hoy i'm home
made clothes. with nothing about him to fall in
love with. least of all for the brilliant little
figure that stood waiting for him to look I'D.
He was too intent on his own thoughts to
notice her, till she went swiftly across the room.
and, taking his head between her soft hands,
turned his face up to hers. Joe bad boy.
know"
The hard lines of his face softened and
Frightened under her gaze till one would not
have known him for the same man. 81
thought l should not see you, tonight" he
said.
''Yon know better: you know l would have
crept through the keyhole for one last little
minute with you"
How long will You wait for me Dora2"
It'll you come back"
IF it were seven years, think how long it
would be-"
II you loved me as you make me believe"
said Dora, you would not go away at all. but
work here until you could build little house,
and then We would rough it together"
NO. little Dora. that is not my kind of love:
my mother tried that and she lived slaves
life"
Dora, Dora!" called Prudence from up
stairs, what on earth are you doing down
there"
IL must go now; must. truly" said Dora, as
she felt herself locked in arms that would not
give way. IF / live without you for seven
years shall be homely old maid and you will
not thank me for waiting for you"
He put her away then ard looked at her
curiously. as if he had never thought of her
prettiness before. DO you know what your
name means ?" he asked earnestly. 81 saw it i'm
the paper that Theodore means Gift of Cod
and you have been just that TO me. If / had
never seen you. should never have had notion
about a days work or nights sleep will
write whenever have any luck and come home
on New Years eve, when do come, and if YOU
wear this red dress shall know you have waited
for me.''
Il think I shall live to wear it when you come
home. if it is seven times seven years. Joe, for
women are very hard to KILL" said Dora slowly
disappearing from the kitchen.
What have YOU been doing all this timer"
said Prudence severely
IL nnI,- To-