The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-20
DESTINY.

On a stormy March day fresh-face {
young gill was am tempted to sa,
''manfully'O womanfully" making
her way along the main street of a New
England factory village. A bright
daring f!ce was hers-one that said as
plainly as brown eyes, red lips
and piquant features could say:
Here I am. Let Fate send her worst,
shall fight the good fight" The very
curls on her temples, blowing this way
ana that, under her simple straw turban,
-iopEei fearless, almost saucy, yet with.
ont sny suggestion of that hideous,
straight hanging, modern crank OF
fashion termed chang" She wore q
neat waterproof suit, sensible in length,
aud pepper.and dsalt of hue, though O
shrewd phYsioqnomist might have been
willing to wager that somewhere among
her feminine adcrning would be found
vivit dash Of scarlet. She carried
her cotton umbrella without endangerino
peoples ewes, and appeared altogether
busiucss-like aud self.sustained. A
passing stranger, tlancing at her eager
tsce and quick gait, would think,
"That girl is in dead earnest"
She looked occasionally at the pic
tureF, vases and other pretty trihes ir
the shop windows but without twingc
of envy il her healthful soul. She was
wont 10 sag That she copld enjoy then
tonr tunes 2 DAY (eycept when she car
rled her dlnner) without the trouble OF
taking care OF them. In short, sn,
seemed fully equipped FOR possessing
IN tho very best sense. She did stop
however, before confectioner's win
dow where some tempting oranges
were displayed, counted the contents O,
shabby little purse, then snapped the
steel clasp with determined shake o,
the head. "Nettie Randall you're 8
selfish coward" was her mental com.
ment as Sue walked resolutely on.
Turning into q q0ieter street, vet not
too far from the business part Of the
village. she entered small frame
house by the door Of which was tackled
modest tin sign, lettered, Ladies'
Trimming Store. F. & A. Randall )
In the front windows hung q few rih-
bons, cheap laces, Hamburg edgings,
etc.-a most unpretending establish
ment. As Nellie closed the door upop
her dripping umbrella and the general
discomfort nf storm and st-thicke kening |
darkness outside, CHEEKY warmth and |
light greeted her, and another fresh |
faced, brown-eyed girl, year or two |
younger, looked up with 4 lrisht smile
from her seat behind the counter, where
she was swiftly and dextrouslv drawing |
the bristEes through those indispensa- |
bic aids to civiliza ion. tooth brushes. |
"How's 'DestinyY" " asked Nettie,
Ia q taatteT OF course way, as she hung |
up her waterproof and pushed her over, |
shoes under the stove to dry.
In cXol9natiop, let il be here state,7 |
that these two We're once singing that
beautiful poem which begins
" Though the day OF nay destinv's over
Ana the star of my fate hath declined :"
q tiny, lisping cousin caught the mel
ody, and piped out: Though the day
Of my destiny's 'clined." "Destinyis
'cilAel" became thereafter, a most ap-
proprjaia expression, when the best
laid schemes" seemed obstinately bent
on hanging agloy.D
The answer to .,ottte's question came
promptly:
"Awful Just fifteen cents in the
cash drawer! I haven't sold ANYTHING
to day but paper Of needles and q
yard of elastic"
+" That means oatmeal for supper
again, | suppose" said Nettie. "I
hate it," she added. savagely, her coed
humor oozing away at the uninvitinp 8
prospect. She had been working ali
day, for "cut down" wages, in wooden
factory, and was wet, tired and most :
unsentimentally hungry.
" That's because Jon haven't got far
enough in 'EpictetAs,'" said her sister,
serenely.
Nettie glanced around at the hang !
ing shelf of carefully selected volumes, {
ancient and modern, gathered for these :
two, inyears past, by studious fathers {
loving hand and iudicious brain. ;
" We can't eat Greek philosophy. If
We had the original manuscripts, We !
n ght make papyrus soup. I'll tell 5
you what it is, Flo," she continued de- {
'ldedly,. as she put up her feet to warm, 6
Something must happen pretty soon. !
NY pay won't amount to much this
month, and the next installment to Mr.. $
stone falls due on the 17th, you know /
Besides, the coal is nearly gone" q
Oh, dear Those payments to Mr.. :
stone What do you suppose ever he. y
'ame OF that money, Nettie ?" (;
We have asked ourselves that nues, =
ion for the last two years, Flo, and we
ion't come any nearer to the solution 4
u the riddle-whatever we accom-. ;
'Iisi toward the solution of the debt" s
"Ia it debt, l WONDER" said Flo b