Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-03
dare say l can shop better than you Will you
lend me your shawl, your furs and your over

Before could say word she had them all
On Tn Then she laughed for the first time and
cried in great glee, "our copartnership begins
from to-day / am to be capital and you brains
Little sister goodbye. l shall not be gone
more than quarter Of an hour" / was SO
astonished as to be speechless. In trice she
was back, loaded down with packages. She
had loaf of bread, piece of cheese, pot Of
preserves, breast of smoked goose some
salted cucumbers. 81 have q samOvar, but it
was too heavy for me to carry. The man I
bought 1t of will bring 1t here at once. 1t is q
secondhand, but as good as new. see you
have teapot. My only two extravagances
were some good soap and pound of the best
tea. Come let us eat. l can arrange anything.
l am to wait on you"
and charcoal and she made the fire and prepared
the meal. 1--WE don't drink tea out OF cups
when we belong to the people, and we are of the
people, but swallow it in tumblers." Though
sat down at the little table with her ate spar
1ngiy. was SO much confused. - .
Before conclude my first days lesson Sister
Mary. let me ask you something. Did you ever
read the Arabian Nights?' 1t Is book, sup
pose, all the world has read"
1T ia quite well known In the United States.
All children read it and Robinson Crusoe.'"
so thought"
You want me to remember Aladdin" -
mo, not all. The story wish you, to think
about is not half as pleasant: &. !, ahont Gin
PAD the sa1or, ::iru the old man ape he conld
~. re. rid OF. You are the sailor, sister Mary,
and am the ugly old man ape" and she made
so comlcal grimace that / could not help
smiling.
Il assure you that is my character, and you
never will get rid of me until YOU break NV
head. Sister Mary, will you share your supper
with me, your bed with me tonight, your break
for the next day and the day after that?" She
said this very quietly az she took my hand in
hers. was at a loss how to reply. 1--WE are to
work together for our living-Only Sister Mary,
make me proficient. will be so dnigent."
"But, Madam i. .,
"No--Sister Eliza"
Sister Eliza. how Is 1t possible that lady of
means, whose acquaintance I made but yester-
day, who awed me with her grand manners. her
carriage should wish to become a sewing
woman?''
ASK me no questions. This, however, pro-
mise you. The story of the old man ape is par
TALLY true, but there Is a limit to your endur-
ance In month from now. swear to you
your passage home shall be paid you, and, be-
sides that, there will be given YOU handsome
sum for you to start life with In your own coun-
try; only, for Gods sake, remember that lust as
you threw yourself on my mercy now throw
myself on yours. believe you have character
and courage: No harm will come to you I
want refuge, and have found 1t. Teach me
what you call the tension, how to tighten the
band when 1t slips, how to guage the stitch and
what to do wheC the thread breaks"
=. In day learned to love that woman All
the naughty. proud manner was gone She
waited on me. She was the first up in the
morning. She was always busy. The porter of
the house evidently mistook her for one of the
two girls who had been in the employ of the
sewing machine company. for one or the. other
OF them had often been in my ROOM Some
small extra compensation was given him for the
new ledger She never spoke save in English.
that I felt quite certain the porter was en-
tirely Ignorant of her condition.
Certainly it worried me great deal More
than once ventured to ask for an explanation
. put Eliza would place her hand on my mouth SO
That my speech was interrupted. It distressed
me to see how hard she worked. for l felt sure
that this new life was hurting her I could see
that from her pallor. If anything more than
another made me feel sorry it was for her beau
thu hands. She seemed to take infinite pains
In spelling them. 'They are tilthy-horrible. ="
she would say. land still think care for them
more than should-if only could get q thick
red, rough skin on them"
AS she had said, the owner of the store was
only 100 glad to sell me machine. Eliza fur
nshed the money. Work came to us in a mys-
ferrous WAVELET down stairs with the porter
BY and by fashionable dressmaker, who made
dresses for the court ladies sent for me and
gave me work. AS what We had to do was well
sewed and we were always prompt, in less than
My companion, save for the daily purchases
made In the immediate neighborhood for food.
never went out. No one called on her; she
never received letter. few days over the
running up seam in piece of cloth my needle
struck something. 1t was piece of paper.
'lsit for me, Sister MaryS' said Eliza She took
the bit OF paper, held it to the stove, appeared
to read something, and then opened the stove
door and burned tt. / did not question her.
nm nh fall, ill
Indifferent subjects.
That night when we were In bed, taking me
In her arms, she said: ''POOr Mary. your from
bies, your anxieties are now over. Tomorrow
early apply for your passport. 1t will cost YOU
to go from here to Liverpool, say, 60 and the
passage from Liverpool to the United States as
much more; that makes ESQ and You will have
something to spare. l wish it could have been
more, but you will have altogether f3OO. which
after deducting your travelling expenses, will
again. From me-who have learned to love a
singuiarly honest and supplemented woman
you shall have this ring" and she slipped on nv
finger ring, "but don't wear It, the diamond
might oetray me- So far. Mary, you have run
ever, for you have barbOred-"
was speechless with terror
only woman" she continued, WHOSE own
lfe-Or the life of any one else who stood in her
way,,she would care no more Of taking than
NVUiN tuC CoOA VINO NI1uX6 n CulCkenS neck
Do not be shocked, Mary. shall sleep as sweetly
to-night-as II death did not threaten me. NV
story, as far as relates to you. Is soon told. It
became necessary for me q month ago to dis
appear. The simplest chance in the world threw
you In my way. Had you been of any other
nationality than an American. would never
have trusted you. You might go out now.
Mary and sell me Judas-like for sum of money
which would make you rich for life."
chung convusively to her and babe her be
quiet.
Through my veins. child. there runs the best
blood in Russia; but every drop of it will shed
for the cause. Thank your God for your lovly
estate. You must 60 away tomorrow, and now
good night"
| begged her to come to the United States
with me. She said: ''No, my place is here
1 should be useless there" Then she com.
planned OF lassitude, and presently went to
sleep. l looked Ut her, her face pillowed on
her arm, breathing al calmly AZ an infant and
thought her the loveliest woman had ever
seen.
Next morning out of q package of some
rough material she produced, as II BY magic. q
roll OF notes, which, without counting she
handed to me. Later in the day there ought
to arrive some turs for me, for poor Mary
must not get cold. Now, away with you" Her