Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-04-17
JUDGE NOT.

young, some pretty all dressed neatly
though all wore ill-chosen and unbecom
| ing finery. One of these who had a colo
chain and bracelets, and a cheap sill
dress, spoke very emphatically: Itis tn,
stingiest proceeding | ever heard Off
| What are you all so excited about?
asked . pretty little blonde, coming il
from the loom room.
| ELLEN Churchill
Dear me! What has she been doing
now? You are always discussing some
dreadful deed of Ellen's. | like her nv.
self.
| Yes, we all know that, said the frs,
speaker; you will defend anything Ellen
does.
| But what has she done?'
Refused to sign the subscription list
for the tankard to be presented to Mr.
Rodman
| And Mr.. Rodman has been such :
| good friend to her!' said third voice
| The little blonde, Susie Whiting by
name, looked rather staggered at the
new accusation against her friend. Mr.
Rodman, manager for Meredith & Son
for nearly fifty years, was about to retire
OH account of the infrmities of age. and
the persons engaged in the great factory
were collecting money to buy silver
tankard to present to him. He was a
kindly old man, and always ready to
lend helping hand to the small army
of work people under his control; SO
that the presentation was really gift
of love.
| Ellen Churchill had come to the great
factory two years previous to the date
of the INDIGNATION meeting in the ante
room and had risen to the position of
fore-woman in one of the loom rooms.
She Was handsome girl of about 20
when she applied for work, and by every
action and word betrayed the fact that
she had stepped from life of refine
ment to the drudgery of factory hand.
Her low, even tone betrayed the lady in
its well-chosen words; and her slim.
white hands bore no trace of toll upon
their smooth skin. She was courteous
to all who came into intercourse with
her, but intimate with nome. She had
nursed Susy Whiting through long
period of contagious fever, winning the
devotion of that little maiden. and the
manager soon put her into positions of
trust till she became forewoman. Here
her education enabled her to keep the
books required in the room, thus doub
ling her salary,
And here was the ground of complaint
by her companinns 1t was well known
that the salary of Ellen Churchill was
sufficient to warrant good style of liv-
ing and dressing. In the great boarding
house, where 40 of the girls had rooms
she could well afford to pay for the best,
to contribute to the amusement of the
house, and dress well. Instead of all
this, she lived in the attic poorly fur
nished, with tiny stove. where she
cooked the cheapest Of food. Her dress
wds Of the 6oarsest description, made by
her own hands, and NO ornament broke
its severe simplicity. She never spent
money in any pleasure seeking, nor
joined in any of the quiet merriinent in
the house. But the browning enormity
was the refusal to contribute to the sill
yer tankard. The excited group in the
ante-room dispersed for the day, walking
home in the twilight of September eve
ming, and still they talked of the young
forewoman
The question is said Mary Leigh,
who had been foremost in the ante-room
discussion, what does she do with her
money? She never puts any in the saw
ing bank; she certainly spends nothing
on her dress. Where is it all, them?
Perhaps she supports her parents.
Both deadl / have heard her saw
So
Well, / daresay Mr.. Rodman won't
think her such paragon as he has done.
when he misses her name from the sub
scription list.
And Walter Rodman will probably
resent the insult to his father
There was an exultation in the tone
Of the last remark, but ill-concealed.
Walter Rodman The only child of the
elder manager, was in the counting room
of the factory, with every prospect of
soon becoming partner. 4 man past
30, he had risen in the employ of Mere
dith d Son from lad of IA. and had
saved money from handsome salary.
with the avowed purpose of purchasing
place in the firm, upon the anticipated
retirement of old Meredith. who was
known to favor his intention. Among
the clerks and workmen in the great
factory there We're none so handsome as
Walter Rodman, none 50 quietly refined
IN manner none so great favorite with
ALL. But he had gone through 80 years
OF life fancy free, until Ellen Churchill
came to the factory.
There was something in the noble, re-
fined face Of the young girl that attracted
Walter Rodman from the first. That
there was some heavy trouble broodinc
IN the sadness Of her dark eyes he never
doubted; but if ever purity and goodness
was pictured in human countenance thew
were in Ellen's From. his father he
learned much of the new conner. of the
quick adaptability she showed for her
work evidently new to her, of the almost
masculine brain that fitted her so soon
to take control of the loom room, where
over hundred girls were at work.
Of her antecedents he knew only that
she brought letter from the clergyman
of her parish, in small town Of New
York state. That she was woman of
culture and refinement they could see
for themselves.
But Walter Rodman, by nature frank
and true, as his heart more and more ac-
knowledged Ellen for its queen, grieved
over the evident mystery in her life.
While In her conversation she advanced
noble and generous views, her whole
style of living was penurious to an ex-
tent rarely seen in woman of her age.
when living upon a much smaller salary
than she commanded 1t was not merely
economy, but saving pushed to ex-
tremitv.
There was a struggle between his
love and his fear of repentance. if he
urged his suit. 1t was revolving to him
to think of his wife conducting his