Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-17
GaIes arlo Sketfbes.
LIKE NAN. LIKE HUSBAND.
Continued from yesterday

JSDulc. tE0 OlQ GcutltIOdu dSkcu-
Yes. sir. He said he had no time to
hear any whining. The agent will be
here at Il. and if the money is not paid
he will putsus out"
"May Isn whispered Mile.
s.Just as you please my dear. Perhaps
this dying woman or child will drink up
your charity"
Flush, hush ~
So tenderly, so delicately Millie gave
her charity, that there was only deepest
gratitude awakened without the CALLING
sense of some obligation. She left more
than sufficient for some weeks, and prom
ised to send delicacies for the invalid.
No word of herself passed her lips until
they were once more in the narrow street.
..Oh, uncle Mare" she said, lean it be
true that he is so hard, 50 false to me?"
Walt" was the brief reply.
They went into the wide courtyard. in
whose space stood the four great factories,
the joint property Of Marcus Wilkinson
and Cyril Ormsby, long before divided by
the entirely opposite management of these
two into distinct partments-one entirely
under the elder the other of the younger
man.
.Wilkinson's absurd soft -heartedDess. y
as Cyril mentally characterized it. had
made this division absolutely necessary
But il was not into his own kindly-gov-
erned. well-ordered department that Mar
Gus Wilkinson led his ward. He turned
into a small room. where a pale man was
busily writing, and at the same time over
looking long room, where about 20 girls
were at work before busyily whirling ma
chinery.
Good morning Watkins" the old gen.
tleman said Il was in hopes that you
were taking a holiday"
Thank you, sir" was the reply in a
detected tone. II can't well quit work.
sir There's the wife and six little ones,
you see"
"Have you told DR.. Ormsby the doctor
says your life depends upon few weeks
of rest and pure air ?'
Yes, sir. He's not keeping me but
ne saws if go he must fill my place-and
that means starvation for my family. |
could never get a new situation as feeble
rs am now"
How long have you been here, Mr..
Watkins ?"
Seventeen years, sir. was with old
Mr.. Ormsby before you came sir"
"A faithful servant seventeen years -
said Mr. Wilkinson. in low tone; land
few weeks rest may save his life
At this moment Mile shrank a little
nearer to her guardian. Through the
window, from which Mr.. Watkins over
looked the long room. she could see Cyril
Ormsby walking briskly about, his voice
harsh and imperative, finding fault here
and there, and keenly scrutInizing every
;..n, ,T tho ,vorE Not faoa in, ba lopr
room was frightened by the presence of
the master. Fingers worked more rap
idly, eyes were fastened persistently upon
the looms. and every one seemed aware
of a stern masters gaze. But Mr., Will
kinson obeyed the mute petition expressed
in the looks of his ward, and led Mile
out into the wide passage again, to anoth-
er work room.
1t were too tedious task to follow ev-
cry step of these two as they passed from
room to room, everywhere meeting some
assurance of Mr.. Wilkinson's own hold
upon the hearts of the ''hands" and their
terror of Cyril Ormsby's harshness.
Out again among the squaid homes,
where her guardian had no control but be-
slowed his kindly charity without ostenta-
ton; and here, more eloquently than ever,
Mile heard how cruel a mockery were
the schemes OF charity and philanthropy
that had been poured into her ear 1t need
ed no spoken words from her guardian to
tell her that the noble words uttered to
win her were but those of hypocrisy.
which knew how it could best plead its
cause with her.
One and another, turning to Mr.. Will
kinson as to friend. unaware of the tor
ture of their words to the kindly lady be.
side him, told of the cruel exertions OF
work in sickness or trouble. of closest
calculation OF time, of small wages and
heavy rents.
"lf we won't live here and pay. we get
no work in the factories" one said. when
asked why he did not seek more healthy
quarter.
81 am doing overtime to pay for my
chid's funeral" one said, "for lost the
wages for the three days l stayed by to
see her die. and to bury her."
I'm uneasy about the rent" another
said. for | lost week by fall upon the
ice. and it's hard making it up again"
Not one word of kindly sympathy, OF
help. in trouble or sickness. The .hands''
under Cyril Ormsby were simply human
machines to do so muck work, sick OF
we'll, or pay the price of an hour or day
of idleness, no matter how necessary.
There was no word spoken as Mr.. Viii.
kinson and Mile walked to the office
again. Once there. the old gentleman
spoke very gravely. "As your guardian.
Mile. can speak to you no word against
Cyril Ormsby. He is u rich man, of good
social position. of irreproachable moral
reputation, and man whose standing
in business circles is the highest. 4
man who is a match in every worldly
sense. So much tor your guardian. As
your friend. my pearl. who loves you as
your own dead father might have loved
you. who knows every noble impulse oil
your pure soul--as that friend, l tell YOU
would rather see you lying beside your
mother than the broken hearted wife OF
such a man rs Cyril Ormsby"
II came to you as friend. as almost a
father" sand Millie. land thank you for
keeping me from lite long misery. To
know my husband such a man as now
know Cyril Ormsby to be, would, as you
say, break my heart
Il would not tell you." said her guar.
dian. for you know l dislike him, and
might have thought that dislike preludiced
me. But, Mile. tell me you will not lie,
Al \ Il