Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-08
WHY I PAY BILLS WHEN DUE

desperate hurry to send in her bill 70
embroidery. Twenty dollars Just wha
l had saved to pay for the bonnet an,
gloves which l must have if l 90 to Mrs
Lorrimer's reception. I did not expec
this bill until / had my next month
allowance. Well, she must wait, that
all.
81 would not make her wait, if 1 wer
you, Rose, said Miss Grace Rowan, look
ing up from her sewing.
"Why, it is only ten days" said Rose
Papa always gives me my allowance ol
the first day of the month, and to-day i
the twenty first"
Nevertheless l would pay her bill to
day." said Miss Rowan, earnestly. 81
it will be Of any use to you would mucl
rather lend you the money. l can proba
bly, do without it better than she can.
"Thank you, Aunt Grace, but tina
would not Go at all, said Rose. "Whel
papa consented to give me a regular allow
ance it was on condition that l shoulc
never borrow a penny of any one. Blu
why are you so anxious that the bill
should be paid at once? Do you know
anything about this girl that you are 81
sure she is in need of the money"
"No," said Miss Rowan, ~ know moth
ing about her. 1t is only on general prin
ciples that l am speaking. Net exactly
either. Il you choose l will tell you why
never delay day in paying bill sent
in by poor person, above all, by pool
young girl"
"A story" said Rose, gayly. "Oh
that is delightful. l am as fond of stories
now as I was at 10 years old. 1t comes
just at the right time, too, for mamma
wants me to finish this table-cloth, and
do get 30 tired of these conventional Dor
ders, just the same thing over and over,
that story will make me forget it. Do &C
on, aunty."
Rose settled herself comfortably in her
low sewing chair and dropped her dark
lsshes over her pretty blue eyes. Aunt
Oracle smiled little at her eagerness, then
sighed family and began her tale.
Sc 1t is q 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 remember those flower
paintings which you have 90 often admired
at my home, ROse?"
Remember them? or course l do.
Those great velvety pansies with the dew
drops standing upon their purple petals.
And the sweet peas, with rings of dainty
flush over treE,ulous white, looking as if a
breath would blow them away. Aud, oh,
aunty those exquisite maple buds and
catkins, the soft, furry, white 'pussies,
mingled with the bright scarlet OF the
bursting buds. It ia like dream of early
spring. But how do they come into your
story, aunty?' asked Rose, lifting wide
eyes of interest to her aunt's face.
"Only because the painter of those pict.
ures is the heroine of it." said Aunt Grace
"Cara Hastings was her name. She was
much younger than |, an orphan, fighting
her way single handed with the world.
Pretty! Well, rather pretty, not very.
She had a slight, graceful figure, dark,
wistful eyes, set in a small, pale face, hexi-
BILE, tremulous lips, and a profusion Of
soft, dark, wavy hair, which framed her
broad forehead like cloud.
81 met her first at the studio of a 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
studio, poor little bare place that it was
One room served for everything Kitchen,
psrlor, studio, bedroom, yes, and recep-
served for her bed by night, and one corner
of the room was ourtained 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 l 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 Y. l knew
the name well, for the father of this Maud
was one of the most prominent clergymen
in the city where we both lived. Every
one respected him, irrespective of denomi
nation. He was not only an eloquent
preacher and profound scholar, of fervid
piety and blameless life, he was also phil
anthropist, a reformer, prominent in the
temperance cause, in the society for the
suppression Of vice, in everything that was
good and noble. Cara often spoke of him
with enthusiasm.
"'It is not only that Maud is such darl.
ing, she said, but feel it such an honor
TO be associated in any way with the family
of such a man.
"All this was in the winter. Spring
came, and everybody was leaving town. l
did not go, although all my family did,
simply because l did not care to. There is
such pleasant feeling and sense of soli-
tude in a large city through July and Au-
gust that meant to put off my outing
until late in September. Cara did not 90
away either, and we saw good deal of
each other. 1t Was not an unalloyed Joy
to me, though, for, watching her, l saw
that day by day her cheek grew psier and
thinner, her step slower, her eye more fe-
verishly bright.
a. What is the matter with you, Cara ?
l 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.
al urged her to go ont of town, or at
least to come and stay for while with me
in our large, empty house, but no."
go must work, you know, said Cara,
must work harder than ever now, that my
pupils have left me for the summer. l
could not work With you. My mind would
be continually disturbed, and-no, no my
studio is much the best place for ne.
s. But why work SO hard !? said 1.
why not take holiday! Your Lessons
of last winter surely brought you enough
to enable you to rest now. There were
Maud KS lessons, which alone would bring
you in small fortune, you said.
A small fortune? Yes, but small
fortunes will not last forever, said Cara.
slowly. How do l know that l shall have
any pupils next year? How do know ?
"There was short, sharp knock at the
studio door and letter fell through the
slit, upon the A0or. Cara sprang to pick
it up, glanced at the address, which l saw
was in a masculine hand, and faint flush
tinged her pale cheeks. turned away to
look at a picture, while che tore open the
envelope. When turned back the flush
had faded, and left her paler than before,
her lips were quiveriDg little. and her
eyes had a dim, hopeless look, which
moved me sorely.
"'Cara. you are not we'll. cried.
Dear child, you must come with me. You
shall do exactly as you plsase. You shall
have room with norsh light, and be
alone when you ike, and no one shall ask
you question. We will make excursions
INTO the country, and you shall sketch !
while read, and
+" But Cara stopped me with motion of
ner hand. NO, no, she said. l cannot |
come. Do not make it harder for me to |
-efuse by urging me. l must stay here