The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1882-06-29

And she would not have been COM
PEELED to leave it had it not been for that
unfortunate mirror, and the unceasing
complaints of the old bachelor. Old
bachelor! Why, he couldn't be so very
old, after all, for he was only one-and-
twenty (she was then between five and
six) when he gave her the ribbons and
books and silver pieces, and she gave
him the kisses.
But the sound of closing shutters
broke in on her reverie, and reminded
her that her departure was waited for,
and taking her bundle in her hand, she
ran quickly and lightly down the stairs
to the parlor, where the maiden ladies
sat erect and stern, their bonnets already
on in readiness for the lecture.
I'm going now" said Molly, stand
ing in the doorway, her sweet, pathetic
face, with its pleading gray eyes and
quivering lips, in no way touching what
her nnstresses were pleased to call their
hearts. "Good-by, mas Good-by,
Miss Georgette. IT. o !"
But the only reply she got was: s'Bear
in mind that you are still indebted to us
eight-and-twenty dollars. If, however,
you should prefer to purchase mirror
yourself in place of the one broken by
you, we will consent to receive it, pro-
vided it is in every way as good as that
left us by our grandmother. And in
that case we will agree to refund the
eight dollars, your last months wages,
which we have retained as the first in
stallment of your debt; which is really
much more than could have been ex-
pected of u.s."
"Oh yes, indeed, very much more
than could have been expected of us"
murmured Miss Georgette.
For such gross carelessness-" Miss
Cameron went on
Indeed, ma am" interrupted Mol
ly, her cheeks flaming and her eyes
sparkling, Gas have told you I never
was sweeping the other side OF the parlor
when it fell, and the cord it hung by was
all moth-eaten, and had parted just in
the middle, as showed you at the time.
should be punished" continued
Miss Cameron, not paying the slightest
attention to the girl. land one word
more. Please to remember that we
have your signature to an acknowledge
ment that you consider yourselfresponsi-
BILE for the breakage."
"You frightened me so that l scarce
ly knew what 1 was signing said
Molly. "But as l have promised, I
will pay you, for it shall never be said
that my fathers daughter broke her
word. I'd give you the few dollars 1
have saved, if had not to keep them
for my own support until l get another
place. Poor Aunt Nanny can only give
me shelter, for, as you know, she has de-
pended almost entirely on me for food
and clothes ever since my father died"
eyes, and very ridiculous thing for
both of you," snapped Miss Cameron,
with cold snap. "She might much
better sell the hut she lives in for
kindling- wood, and 60 to the poor-house,
and you might much better save your
wages to pay for the things you break.
For break you will to the end of your
days. never saw a person with such
fly-away hair as yours that was not
vain, careless and frivolous. You may
60"
:" Yes, indeed, you may CO." added
Miss Georgette.
And the poor child went out into the
road, homeless and almost friendless,
with shadow on her fair young face
and pain in her young heart. But
she had only turned into the long lane
that led to old Nanny's cottage, when
some one came quickly to her side, and
said, in kindly voice: "Molly! poor
little Molly'' and there was Mi. NAL
colin. And Molly, in her grief, think
ing only of him as the friend of her
childhood, who had known her as the
darling of the kindest of fathers, flung
her bundle down, and burst into pas
sionate flood of tears.
"They were hard on me, your sisters,
Mr.. Malcolm" she sobbed-'very hard
on me. l did my best for them. |
worked-and l am not very strong,
though l am a blacksmth's daughter
from morning till night, and yet
could not please them. And it was not
my fault about the mirror. 1t was not
it was MOTT was not. Though Miss
Cameron insists that | stopped sweep
ing to look at my curly hair-I can't
help its curling; / did everything to
make it straight; tied it back so tight,
over and over again, that my head
ached awful and knocked it with the
broom. She was little better before
you came; but after you came, and
complained so much about the tea, and
the coffee, and your shirts, and-and ev-
erything -"
Il complaint exclaimed her listener,
breaking in upon her rather confused
narration of her wrongs. "Why, I
never complained Of anything. How
could l? there was nothing to be COM
planned Of
"She said you did. But beg par
don, sir suddenly remembering the
difference between the candy-and- kisses
time and the present. "She is your
sister, and-and my troubles are moth
ing to YOU"
"She is my sister an extremely long
step off," he replied, gravely, "and
your troubles are great deal to me;
and furthermore, l think 1 see way
"a pleasant way-out of them. Let
me walk with you to your Aunt Nanny's,
and there, with her to advise us. wen
talk matters OVER
''Oh, it, such poor place, Mr.. NAL
WILL. hlSo SttilClol CtllCu u HUI,
and said it was only fit for kindling-
wood"
Eve been in much poorer places,
Molly, said he, and picking up her
bundle, he walked by her side to the old
woman's cottage.
Two weeks passed by. Apoor drudge
from the work-house, whose chief Gin
fact whose sole) recommendation was
"no wages had taken Molly's place in
the Misses Cameron's kitchen. Mr..
Malcolm had gone away on business
directly after her coming, and on the even
ing appointed for his return, the two
sisters, attired in dresses of dull gray,
unrelieved by single touch of color,
sat everything in the house being in
heart-chilling, dreadful stony order),
one at each parlor window, awaiting his
arrival
HE must be coming; think I hear
Wheels said the elder, in her usual
precise tones.
"Wheels." repeated the sister.
And ''wheels'' they were. but not the