San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-06-29
Torrance. awe eat breakfast at Ave."

robins and blue.birdsi in the old orchard
would PERM: any one to sleep And as
she lay with her cheek against the pill.
low, watching the rosy dawnlight creep
up the wall, she heard the sound of
voices in the meadow below her case.
ment.
"What is she like, mother ?" said Job,
Junior, who was milking.
"Oh, she looks we'll enough" Mrs.
Torrance carelessly responded. "Lit-
tie and dark, with big shady, eyes, and
real Torrance mouth. Doesn't talk
great deal, and is dressed shabby, as
one might expect"
"Poor thing" said Job, pityingly.
"Well," said Mrs. Torrance, sharply,
Il can't say but what I think she de-
serves all she's got. Them Aldens al
ways were as proud as Lucifer."
you'll keep her, mother, of course?"
II suppose So" said Mrs Torrance.
81 don't suppose she's get anywhere
else to CO." ssb ..tEhs @
There was no more delicious doing
for Emily now. She rose hurriedly,
dressed herself and came down stairs.
"Aunt Dorcas," she said, as she en-
countered that lady frying ham and
eggs over the kitchen fire, "what is
there in this neighborhood for woman
to do?"
"Eh?" said Mrs. Torrance in surprise.
"To earn my living, I meant" ex-
planned Emily. "Is the district school
supplied with a teacher9'
Mrs. Torrance nodded as she placed
the slices of frizzling ham on a blue
edged plate, and arranged the eggs in
golden spheres above.
"Is there factory hereabouts?" pur-
sued Emily.
used to be-" said Mrs. Torrance,
"but they failed, and it's been shut up
for ten months"
"Do you know of any one who wants
a girl? pursued the city cousin.
Mrs. Torrance set the coffee pot on
the table, blew the horn Tor Job, and
then responded TO her aiece's query by
a counter question:
"Why don't you stay here2"
Because" said Emily with spirit, 81
want to earn my own living"
"Well, you can earn it here, can't
you? I was calculating to hire girl
this spring. And if you'll work hon
estly for it, I'll give you the six dollars
a month I was going to pay for hired
help"
Emily's face frightened.
81 should like that" said she.
And then Job came in, tall, handsome
and flushed, his curls yet wet from the
spring into which he had dipped them,
and sprig of trailing arbutus pinned
into his coat, and spoke frank vel
come to the young girl whom he had
never before seen.
So Cousin Shadrack Seely is Dead"
he said.
eyes," said Emily, quietly.
did you like him?"
"No," confessed the girl. "He was
cross and surly, and had no sympathy
with anybody. But tried to be kind
to him, and he kissed me once before
he died, and said I had been good
girl"
"And then went and left his money
to the Refuge for Baptist Widows and
said Mrs. Torrance. "Thats
Cousin Shadrack all over"
"He had right to do as he pleased
with his money" said Emily, faint
glow rising to her cheeks.
swell, it's all over and gone" said
Mrs. Torrance. "There's no use talk
ing about it now"
And she sighed softly to think how
many of life's hard angles might have
been avoided in the future, if only
Cousin Shadrack had been less inter
ested in the Baptist widows and or
ohans.
At the end of month, Mrs. Torrance
vas forced to acknowledge that Emily
lad well earned her six dollars month
ind board. The girl certainly had
.bout her that wonderful magnetic
power which philosophers dub ~execu-