The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-07


il was; so / said, "Do you wear it to remen'
Der somebody by 2" and she said, ayes. Then
/ said ''It's so handsome" and she told
me that the gentleman to whom 1t beionged
was dead, and she would never part with il
Her mother is dead too, Miss Dolores; she
dropped down right in the street with heart
disease. That is what first gave Miss Nettie
the headache. When her mother died, then
all their money stopped, 80 Miss Nettie had
to teach school. 1t was in some big insti-
tute where there are soldiers orphans. and
there was lady manager who was dread
fully bossy, and when Miss Nettie was done
teaching the lady thought she ought to
spend her evenings in the sewing-room. She
did it till st last the pain in her head that
blinds her sometimes got so bad that she
had 20 give it up. Then there was another
rich lady who was kind to her; and had her
for companion, but she went away TO Eu-
rope. Did you know that Miss Nettie was
educated in q convent schoolT
'Ah, thought, that accounts for the
tone and manner that reminds me so much
OF the Sisters."
"'Yss, and Miss Dolores, her father put
her there to keep her from her mother; but
she loved her mother and would not live
away from her. Then, her father died, and
she ran away from school to her mother,
and now she has no one in the world, which
ia a bowling wilderness, L think
"E1genie impaired these email conf
deDees on the evenings when che went
home with me for treat, and it took but
moment to tell me what she had been for
months piercing together In her wise little
head, She had taken great fancy to Net
tie, in whose life, you see, there was no
mystery except thst of an inscrutsole Prov
idence dealing out TO her sorrow upon sor-
row. As the winter wore away, she became
not only expert but quite perfect at her
work, 1 hoped that once out OF debt there
were better days in store for her.
''The last time that | ever saw her in the
work room was at the close of one Of those
bleak March days which preceded Easter.
We had been so busy that some must be
detained at night to finish the orders, but
Nettie was free to 60. / saw her pause on
her way cut beside q girl who had still an
hours work before her. Gould L help you
If staid7' she said. You can never real
lie the graciousness of that offer. A whole
day out of your life, Felicia, could not out
weigh it. How the wheels can fly SO fast,
and the hands of tue clock creep go slowly,
is one of the mysteries and agonies of life
in factory. It is sacrifice to remain an
instant longer than duty demands.
''This was on Friday, and next day Net
tie Was absent. She had that pain in her
head all week, and said she felt so stupid;
still it is 3 wonder she did not try to come
on pay. day, for she will need her money
"Eugenie knew the needs of every girl in
the room, and many q favor her quick sym-
psthy obtained for them when she impaired
to me, in her Judische Deutsche, the trou-
bles which for myself would never have
found out. During the day received e
note from Nettie saying she was i'll, would
be better by Monday, and would please
send the money by bearer, a delicate-losk-
ing boy.
Monday csme-no Nettie. The week
rolled round until Friday, and still no Net
tie. We missed her, and so one of her
three companions at the window where she
sat volunteered to 60 and see her. The
smallpox had been raging during the win
ter, and the girls were often scared by the
horrors of contsgion. Il meant so much to
u, so much more than death, which WAS
scarcely dreaded In comparison to the hos
pital. I'm not so much AFRAID of taking it
while I'm doing my duty as am when Pm
running away from duty, so I'll go to-
night said this brave Irish less, who had
also been drawn to Nettie.
Next day she came to me and said: 1T
is only her head, Mis- Dolores; but she is
quite cut of her mind, and recognizes no
one. think we ought to do something for
her, as you can see the widow woman she
lodges with is poor, and has that delicate
boy with heart disease to look after. Net
tie Cannot help herself at all, and indeed it
is all they can do to keep her in bed. She
gets up in her delirium and tries to go to
work. Tue woman Eeemed quite out OF
patience last night
"'Do you think, if we sent Nettie some
money and KEEP. her way paid, that this
woman would take care of herr"
al don't know, am cure; but I'll 60
again tonight and see. If Nettie were
only just sick, do not think there would
be any trouble; but the deIirium makes II
impossible 10 keep her in bed.'
1--WE come from all parts of the world 70
this work-room. and are as well assorted in
nationality As in religion, bat when help fol
a suffering companion is asked, you see only
common sisterhood A girl who gives away
twenty-five cents has had twenty-five differ.
ent calls for her mony, and answering one
the other twenty four must GO unheeded
No one who can part with dollar and new
er miss il can realize what it is to be poor FL
week by giving away quarter. KNOWING
this, would allow no strain on the slender
purses beyond the triae that would make W
Nettie's wages, ard this, with some crackers
and oranges, we sent to her by Mary.
1T was relief to hear that she was bet
ter, much better she said, and conscious
and so grateful for the help that she strov,
10 rise in bed and kiss the hand that slipped
tie little gift into hers. 1t Was not possible
for Mary TO go every night, but she would
call at the door on Tuesday morning; and
so bidding Nettie keep good heart, they
parted. Tuesday morning my first inquiry
was for Nettie, and / shall never forget how
Mary rose up in her place and said, They
have tsken her swayr'
"'Where2'
"Aud then with face like driven SNOW
TO the almshousep
"Oh, impossiblel Cold horror seized u
every one. Now, Oh, heaven, for just I'VE
If tbose precious hours which l had sold IL
lsbor's markell For me they were not oh
tsinable at any price. We could only hop
it WAS a cruel mistake, for Mary had cslleG
at the door in the bleak dawn, and some on
had answered her from q window, and sh
could learn no psrticulars-did not even So
her informant.
zone hour at least remained to US, on
dinner-time. and Eugene few to tn
house from which they had takeI