Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-07-12
Cousin shadraoh,s Will.
aAre you nov aunt DOrcasf'

MTt. 1OIltuCo uhQ Docn entertaining
0 quilting bee that afternoon, and she
had got the frame out of the way, the
dishes washed up, and the apartments
generally 'fidied,' when there came q
meek tap ,st the door, and there in the
yellow Apriltwiight1 stood q small
figure in gray travelling shawl and
holding bag. fgftfT 0ff
aSakes aliveI' said Mrs. Torrance.
"Who be your"
81 am Emily said the girl.
"Please let me in, for am tired and
cold. I've walked all the way from
the station, and I've had nothing to
eat since noon'i --r-',
"Well, reverl" said Mrs. Tor
rance. You're the city school ma am
amt you, as went out TO live with
cousin Shadrsck2 And he's dead,
and the money has all gone to the
Baptist widow and orphan fund? You
didn't make much by that move, did
you? And you've come back 10 US
now, though we wasn't stylish enough
for you before. Well, come III, come
in" ~ otesat'
And Mrs. Torrance, who was essen
TALLY ind-hearted woman, albeit she
could not repress the sneer that rose
to her lips, moved the low rocker to
the FIRE and flung another log on the
audirons.
Cousin Shadrach had been the fam
lily apple Of discord ever since they
could remember. He was rich, he
was eccentric, he was Grabbed. He
had shut the door in the face of all
relations, until, toward the last, sick
and feeble, he had signifed his desire
that Emily Alden should come and
take care of him. And Emily had
gone. .
There had been a spice of jealousy
in the family as regards Emily for a
long time. Emily had been looked
upon as proud and stuck up be-
cause, instead of entering factory, or
learning the dressmakers trade, she
had elected to be a teacher. She had
never visited Job Torrances family
until now NOV that cousin Shadrach
had willed his money to the Baptist
widows and orphans. Her own moth
er was dead, and her step-father, a
pompous old wholesale grocer, object
ed to step.children, SO that there
seemed to be no other haven OF refuge
left 70 her.
Who could blame Mrs. Torrance for
amomentary feeling Of triumph when
Emily Alden came thus to her door,
stone in the twilight Of that April
day. aa-.es s
But she helped her off with her
things made cup of tea for her. and
finally escorted her to little room un-
der the roof-tree, where the floor was
covered with homemade rag carpet,
and the bed was decorated with d
rainbow aJob's troubles quilt, and
you could look out OF the window into
greening meadow where whip. poor
will planted its melancholy refrain.
~ hope you will sleep well,' said
Mrs. Torrance. 1--WE eat breakfast at
five o'clock. ''l1Jsa
And thenyshe went away.
Early as was the breakfast hour,
Emily was awake at least an hour be-
fore it. AS if the tumultuous glee of
the robins and blue birds in the old
orchard would permit any one to sleep!
And as she lay with her cheek against
the pillow, watching the rosy dawn
light creep up the wall, she heard the
sound of voices in the meadow below
her easement.
%lnWhat is she like, mother?' said
Job, Jr., who was milking.
"Oh, she looks we'll enough Mrs.
Torrance carelessly responded. "Lit-
tie and dark, with big shady eyes and
q real Torrance mouth. Doesn't talk
a great DEAL and dressed shabby, as
one might expect.
t'Poor thing" said Job, pityingly.
"Well, said Mrs. Torrance, sharply.
II can't say but what | think she de.
serves all she's got. Them Aldens al
ways were as proud as Lucifer." !"
"You'll keep her, mother, of course?"
4 Il suppose so, said Mrs. Torrance.
~ don't suppose she's got anywhere
else to co.
There was no delicious doing for
Emily now. I She rose hurredly,
dressed herself and came down stairs.
"Aunt Dorcas," she said, as she en-
countered that lady frying ham and
eggs over the kitchen fire, "what is
there in this neighborhood for q wo.
man to do?"
"Eh?' said Mrs. Torrance In sur.
prise.
ITO earn my living mean2" ex-
claimed Emily. "Is the district school
supplied with a. teacher7"
Mrs. Torrance nodded as she placed
the slice Of frizzling ham on blue.
edged plate, and arranged the eggs in
golden spheres above. 1
as"Is there q factory hereabouts?"
pursued Emily.
"Used to be-" said Mrs. Torrance,
'but they failed, and it's been shut up
Eor ten months.
"Do you know any one who wants a
,irl?" pursued the city cousin.
Mrs. Torrance set the coffee not ON