Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-06
Gales AND Sketfbts.
NINA'S TRIAL.
By FRANCES c. sPARHAwK.
CONTINUED from Yesterday. J

she was often obliged to go TO the open
window near the loom allotted to her, and
stand few moments to keep from turning
faint. But she fortified herself with the
passage about the worthlessness of one
who puts his hand to the pillow and looks
back, and went on trying earnestly to
learn her work The girl appointed 10
teach her was very quiet and understood
her task so well that she easily made it
plain TO her apt pupil. Nina wondered
as she watched her steathily. how long it
would be before her own face would grow
so devoid OF Joy or hope. But some word
of sy mpaihy from her brought out little
of the girls history, and disclosed trials
in comparison with which factory work
seemed light, even to Nina. She began
to believe that this life would not take
away her bloom at once, and that her
father would come back before long. He
had not deserted his family, he had only
gone away to make money for them
But release was no more than possibility.
hope. For the present she had her loom
She soon became skilful and earned
good wages. and the touch of her earnings
on her palm wa, pleasant in spite of the
way they came. Many of her old associ-
ates dropped her and she had little time
to visit those who were true, for she was
generally too tired to 90 out in the even
iDgs. and when no one called would sit at
home r, aiding books that her former social
engagements had crowded out. So she
grew better informed.
But these things were only alleviations :;
Nina was by no means becoming fitted to
her present environments. The noise OF
the machinery still troubled her, the heat
and air Of the room, The roughness and
coarseness about her, although no uncivil
word was ever spoken to her, gave her at
times loathng that she could scarcely
conceal. She saw suffering about her,
also, knew that il was hidden under light
words, and saw it look out from heavy
eyes. 1t impressed her. She tried to
put away the memory of it, but it chung
to her through life and softened her heart
when the days Of prosperity returned.
Worst of all. however, after she had
been in the factory week, her present.
ment came true, the thing that she had
dreaded most happened. She heard
around her talk of Mr.. Longley. the new
agent. He had been in town only few
days. and had been over the other factor
les he must come to that one soon. 1t
was rumored that he would be there that
very day, would go through the rooms
carefully inspecting everything and every
body.
How does he look ?" she inquired of
her next neighbor, and though she thought
that she made her tone Indifferent, the
hea"er glanced at her sharply before an
swering.
They say he's good lookn' Teller,
tall and dark Completed"
Nina went on with her work in silence,
but it was in vain she told herself that
there were many Mr.. Longleys in the
world. and that more than one of them
must be tall. dark and good looking. Sus-
pense made her pale and cold all day.
Late in the afternoon the door in front
of her opened. and the overseer and the
new agent came in.
They were almost the length of the
room away, and after a swift glance
Nina's face was bent lower while her quick
flush died out into paleness. She no long
err saw about her the heavy looms or the
untidy operatives. 1t was spring, and she
was again visiting n friend IN the suburbs
Of Il distant city. The whirr and clank of
machinery gave place to exquisite strains
of dance music; dresses of which Worth
might have been proud, since his ambi-
ton builds in gauze, brushed her as their
wearers passed. Men and women IN the
charm of youth and graceful manners,
their attractions heightened by fashion
filled the ball room which memory
brought before her. She had not been
the least attractive or the least admired OF
the throng, and TIE man that at the mo-
mcnt her memory held the picture was
sweeping her along to the music of the
waltz. now stood taking to her overseer,
and might the next instant recognize her
in one of his operatives.
No. he should not. She tried to keep
the loom between them she bent low
that he might not see her at all. As il
that dainty golden head could help shin
ing out from all the others.
Then she began to long for one glance
at him to see if his eyes would have the
brightness that they had in the lighted
room four months ago. But she would
not look up. As he came nearer she
heard his voice above the noise of the
room. How foolish in her to have sup
posed that its intonations would be the
same here that they had been in the gar.
den whore he had walked with her that
May night. stepping down from the ter
race because the moonlight was so beauti-
full on the trees in bio )m. Once he had
brushed eff the petal of a peach blossom
that had fallen on her hair: he had scarce
ly touched the soft waves; she felt some
how as if he reverenced them. That
evening was their first meeting. some
thing had made Nina feel that Mr. Long
ley did not mean it to he their last. But
the next day, a telegram announcing her
mothers Illness, summoned her home
She learned later that he had seemed to
regret having missed seeing her again.
and had made inquiries about her possible
return and her address. But nothing fol-
lowed these and she had come to believe
that he had forgotten his sudden fancy,
when the news that Mr.. Longley was
agent OF the Nantuck Mills set her heart
throbbing with strange suggestion.
But whatever his reason, he was here.
and she was one of his ''hands;" he had a
right to comment on her work. in a sense
to command her. where formerly he would
have been too glad to obey her lightest
wish. He should not recognize her. He
was close to her. if she turned only her
eyes she could see him again, could see
t.
.Oh. take care" said voice at her
Il L n