River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-08-16
Why | Pay Bills When Due.


a desperate hurry to send in her bin for
embroidery. Twenty dollars! Just what
! had saved to pay for the bonnet and
gloves which I must have if go to Mrs.
Lorimer's reception. 1 did not expect
this bin until had my next months al
lowance. Well, she must wait, that's
ALL"
81 would not make her wait, if l were
you, Rose" said Miss Grace Rowan,
looking up from her sewing.
why, it is only ten days" said Rose.
"Papa always gives me my allowance
on the first day of the month, and to-
day is the twenty-frst."
Nevertheless | would pay her bill to-
day." said Miss Rowan, earnestly. "If
it will be of any use to you / would
much rather lend you the money.
can probably do without it better than
she can"
Thank you, Aunt Grace, but that
would not do at all, said Rose. "When
papa consented to give me regular al
lowance it was on condition that should
never borrow penny of any one. But
why are you so anxious that the bill
should be paid at once? Do You
know any thing about this girl that
yeu are so sure she is in need of the
money!"
'No," said Miss Rowan, al know
nothing about her. 1t is only on general
principles that / am speaking. Not ex
actly either. If you choose | will tell
YOU why never delay a day in
paving q bill sent in by poor
person, above all by poor young
girl"
"A story" said Rose, gayly. ooh,
that is delightful, am as fond of stories
now as | was at 10 years old. 1t just
comes at the right time, too, for mamma
wants me to finish this table cloth and |
do get so tired of these conventional
borders, Just the same thing over and
over, but story will make me forget it.
Do 90 on aunty."
Rose settled herself comfortably in
her low sewing chair and dropped her
dark lashes over her pretty blue eyes.
Aunt Oracle smiled little at her eager
ness, then sighed family and began her
tale.
st is a story of the days when was
an elderly young girl. living at home
with my parents" she said. "And
the heroine of the story-you remem-
Der those flower paintings which
Won have so often admired at my home,
Rose?"
Remember them? OF course / do.
Those great velvety pansies with the
dewdrops standing upon their purple
petals. And the sweet peas, with rings
Of dainty flush over tremulous white
looking as If breath would blow them
away. And, oh aunty! those exquisite
maple buds and catkins, the soft, furry
white PUSHES mingled with the bright
scarlet af the bursting buds. 1t is like
dream of early spring. But how do they
come into your story. aunty" asked Rose
lifting her wide eyes of interest to her
aunt's face.
''Only because the painter of those
pictures is the heroine of it," said Aunt
Grace Cara Hastings was her name.
She was much younger than I, an or
phan, fighting her way single handed
with the world. Pretty? Well, rather
pretty, not very. She had slight,
graceful figure, dark wistful eyes set in
small, pale face. flexible, tremulous
lips and profusion of soft, dark, wavy
hair, which framed her broad forehead
like a cloud.
81 met her first at the studio of
friend, and, in spite of the two years
difference in our ages, we took a mutual
fancy to each other. After that | was
often at her stndio, poor little bare place
that it was! One room served for ev-
rything-kitchen parlor, studio, bed
room, yes, and reception room for her
pupils. A broad lounge served for her
bed by night, and one corner of the
room was curtained off TO conceal her
toilet apparatus. Her cooking, such as
it was, was accomplished upon a small
kerosene stove, which when not in use,
she kept in her closet. A poor little
place, as ! said, but Cara was very happy
in it. She loved her work, and she had
one of those bright, happy dispositions
which make their own sunshine. She
often talked to me of her pupils, but the
one of whom she spoke oftenest was
Maud X. / knew the name well, fer
the father of this Maud was one of the
most prominent clergymen in the city
where we both lived. Every one re-
spected him, irrespective of denOmina-
ton. He was not only an eloquent
preacher and profound scholar, of fer
vid piety and blameless life, he was also
a philanthropist, a reformer, prominent
for the suppression of vice, in every
thing that was good and noble. Cara
often spoke of him with enthusiasm.
sit is not only that Maud is such
darling" she said, "but l feel it an hon
or to be associated in any way with the
family of such a man."
"All this was in the winter. Spring
came, and every body was leaving town.
did not go though all my family did,
simply because l did not caretc. There
is such pleasant feeling and sense of
solitude in a large city through July and
August that | meant 10 put off my ,'out-
ing" until late September. Cara did not
90 away, either, and we saw good deal
of each other. 1t was not unalloyed Joy
to me, though, for. watching her, l saw
that day by day her cheek grew paler
and thinner, her step slower, her eye
more feverishly bright.
FWhat is the matter with you, Cara"
often asked, anxiously, but she only
smiled and protested that nothing allied
her, that she was only little tired with
the hot weather; when fall came she
would be herself again.
81 urged her to 90 out of town, or at
least to come and stay for while with
me in our large, empty house, but no.
81 must work, yod know" said Cara,
"must work harder than ever now, that
my pupils have all left me for the sum
mer. / could not work with you. My
mind would be continually disturbed,
and-No, no, my studio is much the best
place for me-"
But why work so hard?" | said,
why not take q holiday? Your les
sons of last winter surely brought you
in enough to enable you to rest awhile
now. There were Maud KS lessons
which alone would bring you in small
fortune, you said.
"a small fortune? Yes, but small for
tunes will not last forever" said Cara,
slowly. "How do know that L shall
have any pupils next Year, How do l
know"
''There was short, sharp, knock at
the studio door and letter fell trough
the slit, upon the floor. Cara sprang to
pick it up, glanced at the address which
saw was in a masculine hand, and
faint flush tinged her pale cheeks, |
turned away to look at a picture, while
she tore open the envelope. When |
turned back the flush had faded, and
left her paler than before, her lips were
ouivering little, and her eyes had a
dim, no ,leless look, which moved me
sorely
Dear cllld YOU must come with me.
Won Shall do exactly as you please. You
Shall have a room with north light and
he alone when you like, and no one
shall ask YOU questian. We will make
excursions into the country, and you
shall sketch while | read, and