The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-06-28

| AUNT Dorcas," she said, as she en-
countered that lady frying ham and eggs
over the kitchen fire, "What is there IN
this neighborhood for woman to do?"
"Eh?" said Mrs. Torrance, in some
surprise.
''To earn my own living, I mean!" ex-
claimed Emily sis the district school
supplied with teacher?"
| Mrs. Torrance nodded as she placed
the slices of frizzled ham on a blue
edged plate, and arranged the eggs in
golden spheres above.
els there factory hereabouts?" pur.
sued Emily.
"Used to be- said Mrs Torrance, but
they failed, and it's been shut up for ten
months"
'Do you know any one who wants a
grip" continued the city cousin.
Mrs. Torrance set the coffee-pot on the
table, blew the horn for Job and then re-
| sponded to her niece's query by coun-
ter question.
'Why don't you stay here?"
because" said Emily, with consid.
cradle spirit, 81 want to earn my own
iiving?"
well, you can earn it here, can't you?
I was calculating to hire girl this sea-
son, and if you'll work honestly for it
| I'll give you the Sc month I was going
to pay for hired help"
Emlly's pale face frightened.
II should like that" she said. And
then job came in, tall, handsome and
| flushed, his curls yet wet from the
spring into which he had dipped them,
and a sprig of trailing arbutus pinned
onto his coat, and spoke a frank well
come to the young girl whom he never
had seen before.
$50, cousin Shadrach Seeley is dead, !"
he said.
Eyes, said Emily, quietly.
Ibid you like him?"
NO." confessed the girl. "He was
with any body. But tried to be kind
he died, and said that had been u good
girl"
"And then went and left his money TO
to the refuge for Baptist widows and
orphans!" said Mrs. Tarance. "That's
cousin Shadrach all over"
"He had right to do as he pleased
with his money" said Emily, a faint
glow rising to her checks.
"Well, it's all over and gone. There's
no use of talking any more about it."
And she sighed softly to think how
many of life's hard angles might have
been avoided in the future, if only cous-
in Shadrach had been little less
interested in the Baptist widows and or.
phans.
At the end of a month, Mrs. Torrance
was forced to acknowledge that Emily
had we'll earned her So per month and
board. The girl had about her that won
derful magnetic power which philoso-
pliers dub Executive ability" and New
England house keepers call faculty"
She was natural cook, and did all
things without seeming to take any trou.
BILE at all.
II don't understand it," said Mrs.
Torrance. "a little dark. slim thing
that was always brought up to sit with
her hands folded"
And one sultry day in July, when Job
and, Emily came in from strawberrying
with crimsoned fingers, laughing faces
and baskets heaped high with the fra
grant fruit, Mrs. Torrance started in the
solitude of her dairy, where she was
| making cottage cheese"
81 declare" she cried, II wonder 1
never thought of that before. Oh dear!
oh dear! never can consent to it in the
living world"
Job came to her the same evening.
Mother" said he, Emily has prom
ised to be my wife,"
Mrs. Torrance burst into tears
You are only 26 years old, Job, che
faltered.
"Just two years older than when my
father married you, mother. Now, don't
turn your face away, but tell me plainly
have you any fault to find with my
choice?"
mo, no." confessed Mrs. Torrance.
did you think could possibly win q
sweeter girl than Emily Alden?"
mo, don't suppose you could" an
,, swer.d the mother-in.law elect; "but
it's natural, Job, to feel little jealous
| when you see some one else taking the
first place in our child's heart"
But when Bob brought Emily in to re.
ceive her kiss of greeting, Mrs. Torrance
| had sufficiently conquered herself to bid
her new daughter welcome.
Though s'posed, Emily" said she
little bitterly, that you looked higher
| than farmer once"
II never looked higher than one of
natures noblemen," said Emily with a
smile that fairly won the old ladys
heart.
That same evening, as they all sat to-
cether in tho orange twilight, with the
scent OF tall white lilies in the air, Emily
Al