The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-04

He gives three dollars q week at first, and
we thought, Bertha and 1, that we could
hire room and get along on that until we
could do better. We used 10 see Mrs.
Howe, you know; she was Marie Illsley.
And Bertha-"
Berths spoke then. She, too, was tall
and slender and dark haired; and she was
Gertrude's junior by three yeara- 81
thought think will try authorship
writing for the papers" sAiS she. "l am
81 hope you may succeed said Miss
Abigail, but with an expression of doubt in
look and tone. She was not interested in
literary pursuits, herself; the school ut
Four Corners would require little beyond q
general knowledge or the ''three Rs"
Then she cleared her throat again. 81 ana
sure we might do very we'll for ourselves, -
said she; shut there are Nan and Bessie
and Jeanette"
There was pause-a painfully long
silence which everything kept but the old
eighs-day clock on the nanIle-piece. jean
nette, poor little psraly zed Jeanette, gazed
up from her resting place on the tpringless,
chintz-covered lounge with great, dePrecat-
ing eyes, out of which sfe seemed 10 look.
being at all Bessie stared at faded por-
tralt of Washington hanging above the
mantei, with a sort of angry defiance, a. II
somehow the Father of his Country were
chargable with all her difficulties; and
Nsnnie-well, Mamie looked into jean
nette's big eyes, and stopping, kissed her
forehead with a great deal Of motherly
tenderness; it was only her way, bat the
l.,hx cfr fohk 20
little heart, carrying with it comfort and
blessing.
ats to be expected that Bessie must give
up her music" said Miss Abigail regret
fully. "Mrs. Davidson wants q girl to. look
sitter her baby, for beard and clothes; and
if Bessie"
"Or she might come with me, I" interposed
Angelina.
"Not for Joseph-Briggs" Bessie flashed
adding the last word hastily as she caught
Nannie's disappearing glance. "There'll
be 30 many, YOU know, Angie. I'd rather
%, desrl I'd rather take care of Mrs
Davidson's baby"
"And we must get Jean.
nette boarded in as pleas
ant and expensive place IS possible" con
tinued Miss Abigail; sand each one Of L;
must put by something for her living. Tue
rent of the cottage can go toward that, too
1t is the only way l see a. present.
haven't thought much about Mamie, be
cause" she turned to her younger sister
81 know she is so willing and capable that
more than one home will be open TO her.
Mamie dropped a smiling little courtesy,
though her eyes were misty with unshed
tears. She was but seventeen years old,
this fifth Miss Pettibone, q plump, brown
eyed girl, with round cheeks, full red lips
and pleasant voice, which her father md
likened to the singing of q brook.
"You might turn story-writer, too" said
Gertrude. Everybody ssid your school
compositions were splendid"
1T isn't 'of course that l could earn my
bread and butter by writing for the story
papers" returned Mamie, brightly. She
paused moment. "Abbie, will you give
the rent of the place for j eannette's board2'
ST would" Nannie's full lips closed de-
terminedly; ''snd 1 will. Poor little Jean;
it would nearly kill her to go away among
strangers And Bessie shall stay too" she
wen. on hastily, as if she feared an oppos-
ing interruption; sand there shall be 4
home here for you all whenever yo9 choose
to come TO il"
|
with sstonishment; but Jesne.te's eyes
shone like very bright stare, and Bessie
was executing q little pirouette in one
corner of the room. Mamie herself looked
every inch capable of bearing up, Atlas
ike, the whole void on her shoulders.
HBut how2" asked Miss Abigsii, recov-
e-ing herself.
"Dr. Greenlan is going abroad" said
Mamie, speaking very distinctly, sand he
wants to sell OF let, his apiary of twenty.
thing. Then shall turn our half-acre OF
land into trawberry-patch-sl but
enough to raise our own vegetables on
that is another thing"
alt is TOO late for strawberries" said An
gelins, sand bees will sting YOU
You're regular Jobs COM
forter," returned Mamie, with a
half hysterical little laugh. IL will
prepare the ground and set my vines this
summer and fall; and DR.. Greenlan says he
will show me about managing the bees. In
the meantime before my income begins to
come in" Mamie laughed, 81 will even bor-
row Mrs. Johnson's sign,
WASHING & IERNING Dun HEAR"
There Was the light Of sn earnest purpose
in Nannie's eyes, and look of determine
ton on her bright face quite at variance
with her playful tone and the badinsge she
uttered.
you're a trump, Mamie Pettibone,' .
said the tall Gertrude with more force than
elegance; sand the rest of US are selfish no
bodies. If that three dollars won't stretch,
I'll pull it in two"
"Dont," said Mamie merrily; but she
presently gave Gertrude's hand loving
at Is only that you didn't see it quite as |
do" said she. al believe I've been think
ing of this ever since papa died-snd even
before; for | asked him one day if l might
not try the strawberries and so perhaps help
him a little, poor papal But he laughed
and kissed me and smoOthed my hair,
Nannie's eyes grew humid, ''snd asked me
if didn't get butter enough on my bread. -
But suppose you fail, " queried Angelina,
returning TO the subject.
"Then shall know tried" said Mamie
briefly. "But shall not fail. | hsven't
very large eyes, Angie; | expec. great
many drawbscks-as first; Dut I have
counted costs many night IS lay think
ing 1t over, and l am very sure we could
live, JEANNE and Bees and /, with economy
and not too much plum pudding, on 500
for year; and DIR. Greenlan tells ms be
received more than twice that sum from the
sale of swarms and honey last yesr."