Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-01-27
SENT By EXPRESS.

y
She was a beautiful, brown-haired
girl, with soft, shy eyes of velvet
gray, and rosy lips compressed to
firmness far beyond her years. For
after all she was scarcely IL, and
so Deacon Gray was telling her as
he sat by the fire spreading his huge
hands over the blaze, and asked alb
ruptly:
''But what are you going to do to
earn your bread and butter, child?"
ST don't KNOW have thought
mamma had an uncle living in New
York, who"
eyes, yes-I've heard about him
he was mad cause your mother
didn't marry just exactly to suit
him, wasn't he ?'
Minnie was silent. Deacon Gray
waited few minutes, hoping she
would admit him to her secret med
itations but she did not, and the
deacon went away home, TO tell his
wife "that Harlan gal was the
queerest .creetur he had ever come
across"
In the meantime Minnie was
busy packing her scanty things into
her carpet bag by the weird, flick
ering light of the dying wood fire.
81 will go to New York." she
said to herself, setting her pearly
teeth together.
my mothers uncle shall hear
my cause pleaded through my own
lips. Oh, l wish my heart would
not throb so wildly! / am an or
phan all alone in the world, who
must fight LIES battles with her
own single hands,"
Lower Broadway a. o'clock in
the evening"! What a babel of
crashing wheels, hurrying human
ity, and cOnglOmerate noises it was!
Minnie Harlan sat in the corner of
an express Office, under the fare Of
gas light, surrounded by boxes, and
wondering whether people ever
went craZed in this perpetual din
and tumult.
She had sat there two hours and
was very tired.
"Poor little thingv ~ thought the
dark-haired young clerk nearest
her, who inhabited sort of wire
cage under a circlet of gas lights,
and then took up his pen and plum
ged into perfect Atlantic Ocean of
accounts.
"Mr. Evans"
"Sir."
The dark-haired clerk emerged
from his cage with his pen behind
his ear, in obedience to the beckon-
ing finger of his superior.
81 have noticed that young w0-
man sitting here for some time-hOw
came she here ?'
Expressed on from Millington,
Ia, arrived this afternoon"
"Who fOr?"
Consigned to Walter Harrington,
Esq"
"And why hasn't she been called
for?"
81 sent up to Mr.. HarringtOn's
address to notify him some time
ago, and am expecting an answer
every moment"
Every odd" said the gray-haired
gentleman again taking up his
newspaper.
Eyes, sir, rather"
Some three-quarters of an hour
afterward, Frank Evans came to
the pale girls side with indescriba-
BILE pirty in his hazel eyes.
Miss Harlan, we have sent to
Mr.. Harrington's residence and we
regret to inform you that he sailed
for Europe at twelve O'Clock this
day"
a sudden blur came over Min
MES eyes-she trembled like Il leaf.
In all her calculations she had
made no allowance for such an ext
gency as this.
"Can we do anything further for
you ?'' questioned the young clerk,
politely.
Minnie opened her little leather
purse and showed MIN two ten-cent
pieces, with a smile that was almost
a tear.
"This is all the money have in
the world, SIR"
"Miss Harlan" said Frank, "my
home is very poor One-l am on
ly five hundred dollar clerk-but
/ am sure my mother will receive
you under her roof for day or two,
if you can trust me-"
"Trust your" Minnie looked at
him through her violet eyes OBJ
scured with tears. so, sir, | shall
be so thankful :"
elbow late you are, Frank!
Here-give me your overcoat-it
is all powdered with snow, and"
"Hush, mother; there is young
lady down stairs"
"a young lady, Frank ?'
eyes, mother; expressed on from
Iowa to old Harrington, the rich
merchant. He sailed for Europe
this morning, and she is left entire
ly alone. Mother, she looks like
poor Blanche, and | know you
wouldn't refuse her corner until
she could find something to do"
Mrs. Evans went to the door and
called cheerfully out:
"COme up stairs, my dear you're
as welcome rs the flowers in May!
Frank, you did right; you always
do"
The days and weeks passed on,
and still Minnie Harlan remained
an inmate of Mrs. Evans humble
dwelling.
at seems as though she had ia
ken our dead Ranches place"
said the cozy little widow; land
she is so useful about the house.
don't know how l ever managed
without her. Now, Minnie, you
are not in earnest about leaving us
tomorrow ?''
81 must, dear Mrs. Evans. Only
think-I have been here almost
two months tomorrow, and the
situation of governess is advantage
ous."
Every well. l shall tell Frank
how obstinate you are"
dearest Mrs. Evans, please don't.
Please keep my secret"
"What secret is it that is to be so
reIigiously kept ?" asked Mr.. Frank
Evans, coolly walking into the
midst of the discussion, with his
dark hair tossed about by the wind,
and his hazel brown eyes sparkling
archly.
"Secretl' repeated Mrs. Evars,
energetically wiping her dim spec
tacle glasses. "Why, Minnie is de-
termined to leave US tomorrow.
minnie %
al must, Frank. 4 have 40
right further to trespass on your
kindness"
"No right, Ell? Minnie, do you
know that the old house has been
a different house since you came
into il Do you suppose we want to
lose our little sunbeam?''
Minnie smiled sadly, but her