Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-11-09
Aists!laasoas.
Destiny

On a stormy March ia, a fresh-faced
Young girl vas Il am tempted to say man
iuiiy''l "womsnly' making her way along
the main street of Ne~ England factor,
Village A bright daring face ~as hers
one that said, as plainly brown eyes. red
lip, and piqusnt features could say Here
! am. Let fate send her worst. shall
fight the good hsht" The yer, curls ON her
temples blowing this Nay and that, under
her simple straw turbsn. looked fearless.
almost saucy, vet without any suggestion of
that hideous, straight hanging. modern
crank Of fashion termed bang" She ~Orv
a neat water proof suit, sensible IN length.
and pepper-and-salt Of hue. though shr, ~d
phl slognomIst might have been willing to
ager that somes here among her feminine
adornings would be found VIVID dash Of
scarlet. She carried her cotton umbrella
without endangering peoples eyes. and ap-
pearrd altogether husIness-iike and seif-sus-
tanned. A passing stranger. glanCing at her
eager face and quick gait, would think
That gih is in dead earnest"
She looked occasionally at the pictures,
vases and other pretty ;rities in the shop
windows, bat without twinge Of envy IN
her healthful soul. She was vont 10 say
that she could enjoy them four times day
teXeept shen she carried her dinuer) with
out the trouble OF taking care Of them. In
short. she seemed fully equipped for pos
sessing' in the very best sense. She did
stop, however. before a confectIoners ~In-
dow where some tempting oranges were dis
played, counting the contents Of a shabby
little purse. then snapped the steel clasp With
a determined shake OF the head. "\ettie
Randall, you're a selfish coward, vas her
mental comment As she walked resolutely
on.
Turning into a quiet street, vet not too
far fIom the business center Of the village,
she entered a small frame house by the door
Of which MAS tackled a modest TN sign let
tered, Ladies Trimming Store, +. 4 A..
Randall" In the front windows hung a
few ribbons, cheap laces, Hamburg edgings.
etc.-a most unpretending establishment.
A. Netue closed the door upon her dripping
umbrella and the general discomfort Of a
storm and fast thickening darkness outside.
a CHEEKY warmth aud light greeted her, and
another fresh-faeed, brown-eyed girl a year
OF two younger, looked up with bright
smile from her seat behind the counter,
where she vas swiftly and dexterously draw
ing the bris,les through those indispensable
aids TO ciyiliZaiion-tooth brushes.
"How's destiny ?" asked Nette. in a
maiter-of-course way. as she hung up her
under the stove TO dry.
In explanation, let il be here stated that
/ these two were once singing that beautiful
| poem. which begins -
Though he day of my destiny. over,
And The star Of my fs,e has deeiined;'
a tiny, lisping cousin caught the melody, and
| piped out Though the day Of my destIny's
'clined." "Destiny's 'elined" became there
after most appropriate expression, when
the ..best laid schemes" seemed obstinately
bent on "ganging agley."
The answer to Netties question came
promptly:
awful, Just Is cents in the cash draw
er, haven't sold anything to-day but a
paper Of needles and yard of elastic"
THAT means oatmeal for supper again, ]
suppose" said Nettie. ii hate it," she ad-
ded savagely, her good humor oozing away
at the uninyiting prospect She had been
working all day for "cut-down" wages, in q
wooden factory. and was wet, tired and most
unsentimentally hungry.
THAT'S because you haven't got far
enough in 'EPictetus,' said her sister, Sc
renely.
Nettie glanced around at the hanging shelf
of carefully selected volumes, ancient and
modern. gathered for these two, in wears
past. BY studious fathers loving hand and
| judieious brain.
I'VE can't eat Greek philosophy. If We
had the original manuscripts, We might
make papyrus soup. III tell you what it is,
FIo," she continued decidedly, as she put
ber feet up to warm, something must hap
pen pretty soon. NV pay wont amount TO
much this month, and the next installment
| to Mr.. Stone falls due on the 18th, you
know. Besides. the coal is nearly all gone. v
"Oh. dear. Those payments to Mr.. Stone
What do YOU suppose ever became OF that
money. Netiie ?"
| I'VE have asked ourselves that question
for the last two years, Flo, and We don't
come an, nearer to the solution of the riddle
whatever We accomplish toward the solu-
ton Of the debt"
ais it a debt. l wonder" said Flo-"a le-
| gal one, mean? know it is moral one.
| and shall not give up trying TO pay it as
| long as l can gill brush or-mop kitchen
| floor, If it comes to that. Our literary ven-
lures don't amount to anything. ! should
rather write stories and paint pictures than
make brushes, I'm sure, and you would
| rather give dramatic readings than be tiS 4
dawn 70 . factory bell-but Ne ere evidently