The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-06-21

own child, out of my house and home"
said Mrs. Eversley, the next day, when
Teresa had unfolded her plans more in
detail
mo, you can not" said Teresa,
quietly. Because, as the law stands,
and poor papa's will, I have Just as
much right in it as you have. And I
don't believe you wish to do so,"
But 1 can tell you what I think of
a person who goes deliberately to work
to spoil her sisters prospects," said
Mrs. Eversley, now with more temper
than tears, as she put her little gray
curls out of her eyes. "Do you sup
pose that Harold Van Duysen will aver
think of offering his hand to Laura
now?"
81 don't know hat he ever did think
of it," said Teresa, with a color swim
ming up the olive of her cheek.
"This," said her mother, with SOL
emn dignity, " has settled the matter
now. He will never choose his wife
among trades-people. Or'-with a
shudder, and barying her face in her
fancy-work, which elegant fiction she
usually kept beside her-"rm thank
full you are not a child of minei I al
ways know that 'p' in your mothers
name would bear its fruits. Thompson
with a 'p'r"
eff any letter in my mothers maiden
NAME" said the step-daughter, with a
laugh, ''has cabalistic power enough to
make me ashamed of waiting for a dead
mans shoes, it is a spell much needed
in this family" And Teresa went about
her business with a light heart. feeling
thatthe worst was overin having broken
her intention to the household, and
all Trevor's subsequent and naughty
silence toward her, as if she were un-
worthy of a word from the future head
of the house she so dishonored, did not
weaken her determination.
Of cours her long-occupied social
position brought her at once a clientele,
these in approval and those in curiosity.
But having a finished taste, and know
ing exactly what was wanted by the
people with whom she had associated,
she kept them all aseustomers and soon
enlarged her borders. That, as she
soon felt, she was no longer one of nous
autres did not affect her much; she was
pretty well tired of nous autres. But
that any of such feeling should be re-
fiected in her half-sister Laura was a
matter of regret. ssNever mind, Laura
DEAR" she said. when 1 have made
my fortune-andI shall make it; Ipaid
Uncle Trevor up to-day-we will go
away and see the world; we will live in
Europe, see the midnight sun, float on
the lagoons of Venice, go up the Nile,
battle in Jordon, take a look at Japan.
And when we come back people will
have forgotten all about the shop"
"You needn't think 1 feel badly,
Tara" said Laura, her sweet blue eyes
ing it all over and I can't see anything
improper, or unladylike, or derogatory
in your showing lovely pieces of silk
and lace and velvet to ladies, and en-
ploying girls to make themu up for them.
If they are going to cut you for that,
they may cut me, too. l am going to
keep your books"
Laura dear!"
"Yes, really. I've been learning all
by myself. I tried to have Trevor help
me, but he gave me a terrible talking to
for such a vulgar wish"
81 don't think mamma can bear it."
''Sorry. For she'll have to-"
eShe will say 1 have depraved you"
"Well-poor mamma!-she can't say
you've depraved Trevor"
"He says"-and Teresa's great eyes
gloomed-'that [ have injured him ir-
retrievably, and that when people ask
who he is now, the answer comes: %,
his sister keeps a shopr"
$50 his little cane and his little boots
and his big manners are of no use to
him. Perhaps it will drive him into
doing something useful!"
"Well, it's too bad. He used to be
do this, Laura. You-you are too
pretty"
Laura shook her curly head; it GER
tainly was pretty. Gas if that wa any
argument when Teresa Eversley uses it. "
And she pulled her sister to the mirror
and pointed silently. But Tara turned
away. The tall and stately shape,
wrapped in its sombre d~raperies, the
faultless face, dark and clear, with
shadowy eyes, the black and silken
locks of hair-they seemed to belong to
another person, and not to the one
whom Harold Van Duysen had looked
on with eyes of tenderness. She turned
away, a bitterness of soul suffusing her
eyes with deeper shadow. If Harold
Van Duysen's love had been so slight
a thing as to be unable to bear the blow
of her having gone to work-if this
were work-it was as well she knew it
early. There was a gulf between them
then, in their least emotion, one never
to be crossed, and the sooner she let the
place that he had filled become a void
the better.
But she did not suffer Laura to take
charge of the books. 81 can't see
why" Laura urged, pouting her pretty
lips. eff you don't let me, it only
shows that you don't believe what you
say, and that you think work is de-
grading and won't let me be degraded"
at is not that at ALL" said Teresa.
sit is because you are her own daughter,
and whether I think it right on her part
or not, l don't want to pain mamma so
much as I know it will pain her. And
then she would really be too lonesome
at home without YOU"
So the months wore away, and Teresa
sent her forewoman to Paris for fabrics
and fashions, and began her third year,
feeling a new interest in her business,
which was taking an artistic character
in her mind, and giving her, so far as
successful, an artists satisfaction.
Trevor, meanwhile, still kept his
place in the counting-room, more from
the good nature of the employer than
because he filed any requirement. '.It's
abominable," he said to his mother,
''that, taking the place 1 could in So
ciety, 1 should be hampered in this way
by Tara's low-bred tastes and by the
want of Uncle Trevor's money. When
1 see the other fellows with their drags
and t~ally-hoes, having the freedom of
their clubs, with their opera-boxes,
marrying the daughters of millionaires
by George! it's enough to make a
fellow take his own life!!n
And this awful threat overwhelmed
Mrs. Eversley, who wrung her hands,
and cried, and begged her darling to
remember he wa her only son, his
fathers image, all the joy she had, the
hone of her exiStence. and IN snare her