The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-12-02
Cousin sh.araeh's WIN.
"Are you my aunt Dorcas?.

care you my aunt Dorcas?'
Mrs. Torrance had been entertaining g
quilting bee that afternoon, and she had
got the frame ont of tho way, the dishes
washed up. and the apartments generally
| "tidied," when there came meek tap al
the door, and there in the yellow April
twilight stood small figure in gray
travelling shawl and holding bag.
.'Sakes alivep said Mrs. Torrance
"Who are your"
81 am Emily" said the girl. "Please
let me in, for / am tired and cold. I've
walked all the way from the station, and
| I've had nothing To eat since noon.
"Weu. neverl'' said Mrs. Torrance
you're the city schoolma'am amt you
as went out to live with Cousin Shad.
rach? And he's dead, and the money il
| all gone to the BaFsist widow aud or,
phan fund? You didn't make much by
that move, did you? And you've come
back to us now, though we wasn't stylish
enough for you before. Well, come IL
come in"
And Mrs. Torrance, vino was essen
| TALLY kind-hearted woman, albeit she
could not repress the sneer that rose te
her lips, moved the low rocker to the
fire, and flung another log on the and
| irons.
| Cousin Shadrach had been the family
apple of discord ever since they could
remember. He was rich, he was eccen
centric, he was grabbed. He had shut
the door in the face of all his relations
until toward the last, sick and feeble, he
had signifed his desire that Emily Alden
should come aud take care of him. AND
Emily had gone.
There had been spice of jealousy in
the family as regarded Emily for a long
time. Emily had been looked upon as
proud" and ''stuck up" because, in
stead of entering factory, or learning
| the dressmaker's trade, she had elected
to be teacher. She had never visited
Job Torrance's family until now-now
that Cousin Shadrach had willed hii
money to the Baptist widows and or
phans-her own mother was dead, and
her step-father pompous old whole
sale grocer, objected to step-children, Sc
that there seemed to be no other hayeI
of refuge left to her.
Who could blame Mrs. Torrance for ,
momentary feeling of triumph wher
Emily Alden came thus to her door
stone in the twilight of that April day?
But she helped her off with her things
made cup of tea for her, and finally
escorted her to little room under th,
roof-tree, where the floor was coveret
with homemade rag carpet, and th,
bed was decorated with rainbow Job
troubles quilt, and you could look ou
| of the window into greening meadow
where whlp-poorwill planted its mel
ancholy refrain.
| 81 hope you will sleep well," sal,
| Mrs. Torrance We eat breakfast at
o'clock"
| And then she went away.
Early as was the breakfast hour, Emil,
was awake at least an hour before it. A
if the tumultuous glee of the robins AM
blue birds in the old orchard would pei
NIT any one to sleep! And as she la
with her cheek against the pillow, watch
ing the rosy dawn.light creep up th
wall, she heard the sound of voices i
| the meadow below her easement.
what is she like, mother." said Jot
Jr., who was milking.
"Oh, she looks we'll enough" Mrs
| Torrance carelessly responded. "Littl
and dark, with Big shady eyes and q res
Torrance mouth. Doesn't talk grea
deal, and dressed shabby, as one nigh
expect"
Poor thing" said Job, pityingly.
'Well," said Mrs. Torrance, sharply
SCI can't say but what l think she dc
rves all she's got Them Aldens alWay
were as proud as ucifer.
you'll keep her, mother, of course.
81 suppose So" said Mrs. Torrance
IT don't suppose she's got anywhere els
to CO."
/ There was no more delicious dozin
for Emily now. She rose hurriedly
dressed herself and came down stairs.
s'Aunt Dorcas,' she said, as she en-
countered that lady frying ham and egg
over the kitchen fire, ''what is there i
this neighborhood for woman to do?'
/ ''Eh?" said Mrs. Torrance in sui
prise.
'"To earn my living, I mean" e.
claimed Emily. SIS the district schoe
supplied with teacher?"
Mrs. Torrance nodded as she place
the slice of frizzling ham on blu
edged plate, and arranged the eggs !;
golden spheres above.
i "Is there factory hereabout?" pur
sued Emily.
| OSCu W 0Cs 6diu 4uESs 1SIEhuCk
"but they failed, and it's been shut u
l for ten months"
| "Do you know sny one who wants
grip" pursued the city cousin.
| Mrs. Torrance set the coffee pot on th
table, blew the horn for JOB, and the
responded to her niece's query by
counter question.
| why don't you stay here?"
Because" said Emily. with spirit, s.
want to earn my own living"
well, you can earn it here, can
you? was calculating to hire gil
this spring, and if you'll work honestl
for it, I'll give you Sc month / wa
going to pay for hired help"
II should like that" said she. An
then Job came in, tall, handsome an
flushed, his curls still wet from til
spring into which he had dipped then
and sprig of trailing arbutus pinne
onto hrs coat, and spoke frank welcom
to the young girl whom he had neve
seen before"
/ $50, cousin Shadrack Seeley is dead !,
he said.
Yes" said Emily. quietly.
"Did you like him?"
mo-" confessed the girl. He we
cross and surly. and had no sympath
with anybody. But tried to be kind
him, and he kissed me once before b
died, and SAID that had been goo
girl
''And then went and left mis- money
the refuge for Baptist widows and ol
phansr' said Mrs. Torrance. THAT
cousin Shadrach all over"
/ "He had right to do as he please