The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-19
NEYEyIAH'S PLAN,
And Haw Miss Dean Came to adopt
Ii al Last.


Miss Dean looked doubtfnlly at the combina-
fion OF faded cloth and uncertain bones, then
still more 6oubtfully st the lowering, dripping
sky. and accepted the former as the least OF
two evils. It was a rheumatic, disprilec u,a-
brella wora out by long battling AGAINST the
storms @ The world. ii protested salleniy and
creakipelv against every effort 70 raise ii. and
when protests did not avail, II yielded suddenly
and shot up with & vicions velocity, plnchIng
The fingers aad endangeIIng the eyes ol us
holder. After that one fash Of spirit, bow
ever, il dropped again, and one side Hoped
dejectcdiy.
sOae-si3ed and out Of joint. like most other
things thai fail to my lot" murnared Miss
Dean: and then. with a philosophy she did not
always display concerning the " other thlnss,
she Wl,irie& it aroGnd to the back, Where
il was a. Feast ont OF her sight.
/" All Mis- Deauw Professor Grosbeck Joined
her. ID sag9ceable afternoon, isn't it,
The pro- .ssor was not rs cheering sight as
he might have been had sac not already seen
him q Y u times that day passing IN ana ont
of heg RON, and bestowing sharp gianees
through his ereeB spectaclCs upon her unruly
pupils. But he was just as gallant lie TOOK
her umbrella, and holding II over her head at
precisely the right angle 10 let the ram oTlp
from taat depressed poiut on her neck, diS-
conrsea eiSqnently OF a new writer on geology.
1T is dificgt to grow very enthusiastic over
geological strata with a stream OF cold water
frickling daga ones back but Mss Dean made
the effort even though she reflected that what
ever fhe sc.ion of water on the formation OF
coal its action on her new gray wrap would
probably 10 BE- TO ruin il. Did she not know the
scorn Milh which Professor Gr0sbeck would
contemplate the shallow feminine mind that
could be q .ractea FROM weighty scientific sub
iects by the trivialities OF dress2
\ Z ] y. r-ra-H u ~aan ~
veIlous things under the earth" received but
slight consideration. She studied the surface,
and f0gGd ii dreaTy enough. The duh
school-ro ln. the pr5sy professor, the rainy
dav afd disagreeahle walk were no new
grievances All were common and familiar
only her weariness Of them seemed TO have
eliminated this afternoon. She stood at her
window aaa looked across the wet street to
the row OF buildings opposite. Beyond them
were the sleepy river and the old gray hills,
veiled now by the mist and the smoke from
the tall mill chimneys which the heavy air
beat back TO earth again. She had fancy that
the atmosphere Of the old town beat back every
thing that tried 10 rise; she felt impatient Of
it. fetterel By it, though 1t was her native AIR
Her girlhood had Slipped away through sweet
davs when she was too happy 10 notice, through
busy days 700 full Of care for her TO think how
they sped. and she was twenty-nine n0w,
Was her life settling down like one Of these
gray afternoons that only grew grayer and
dresrier until the night blOttsd them out2 she
wondered.
Was there nothing for her but this dull tire
some round? Out in the great busy world
were grand men and women living beautiful
lives and doing noble work. If she could come
in contact with them If she could escape from
this dwarfel, commonplace existence, and find
for herself the golden opportunity somewhere
She turned from the window with sudden
determination.
"Why should I always stay here, and be
prudent and economical, simply because have
been taught 10 do SO? Meggins," she said,
when the door opened, Il am going away when
vacation comesD
"sskesi" commented Meggins, lueidly.
sMhere2o
81 do not know yet"
Tom would help her to decide that, she re-
fected. Dear old Tom! She did not expect
he would understand her vague unrest. He
was content with his place as 0yerseer in the
mills: with looking after the work people, set
fling accoaats and keeping all the hnmdrun
wheels moving. But whether he understood
or not he would help her as he had always
done. He had never failed her In all the years
since they were children together. His watch
ful glance sought her windows daily as he
passed to and Gro, and his hand was constantly
leaving some token of remembrance IN the
shape ol CHOICE lTu-i OF q C4lotSI ol uCMtFS on
her sill. And Tom did not care for flowers
either or she supposed he did not, because he
never attempted 10 an2lyZe, or classify them
though. indeed. he was not in the habit oi
picking any Of his pleasures to pieces TO see
what they were made Of 1t was enough that
she liked them. She smiled as she remem-
bered what authority her likes and dislikes
bore for Tom. He had even ceased TO trou bic
her with his earnest wish that their cousinly re-
he found how distastefui his plea was TO her
OF course such thing could not be. He was
loyal, true e-hearted, good as gold, but only
Cousin Tom, after all" she assured herself 3
part OF the old life she was eager TO escape
from.
He looked around the pretty room that even.
ing while she told him her purpose and only
his eyes said how pleasant and coy he found
il, or expressed a wonder al her restless wish
tobeaway; but she read the look, and answered
IL half impatiently:
II isn't just question Of a home and pretty
furniture or even Of hard work and small
wages. Tom; II Is something quite different
can't explain; you would not understand i
could"
Iii Won could explain with a slight EN-
phasis on the one word, which she might hav,
resented had she noticed it." might under
stand more than you think. However, an
not saying yoa are not right, MaTgie; il viii b
change, and rest
She s0ltened at the name: there was no on,
else who called her Margie now.
You see ] am growing old 50 fast" she said
N quieter tone, IS that II aIa ever to do an,
good true work in the anything Ngortl
doing, ] meant is time I found itD
sudden suggestion leaped into Toms era,
eyes, but it cid not pass his lips. lie onl,
said:
@Oid, with your face Margiei Nonsense ~
She flushed and laughed, wOman-lilze G
course she liked 70 seem young 10 Tom; but i
o moment she resumed, grayely'
what ] have said is true, nevertheless
want TO go-someYhere ] want TO meet tn
zeal, earnest, helpful lives OF the world-to sc
what they arc doing-and maybe can fnd
niche ior myself. Ii is al vague vet Tom bu
you VIII help me, ] know"
Across TOMS prosaic brain flashed the men
o1y OF q nursery rhyme they had long az
learned together:
weln 10 place q doa't know %herel
To meet somebody lI dent know Who'll
Who told me something q don't know what
And thai Is the reason III never tell you"
BE understood her far too well to quote il. {
70 argue with her. She was one of those nt
uncommon spirits who wish "to follow I'll
Headings Of Providence by going ahead an
showing the way"
Surely. Margie," he answered, sitting
sigh. shall Iniss you, though you mui
remember that"
The trifliHg Circumstance Of her not know
ing exactly what she wanted 10 do made IT
dltheoIt and delicate task TO aid her in doiil
1T But Tom did his best, and by the help ,
railway guides, many discussions, and fe