Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-03-22
DoILIE.


steady whir of hundred sewing machines
could not wholly drown. Where the pres
ence feminine can be found, be sure the
tongue feminine will be heard.
The superintendent of the room, under
standing this, did not attempt to enforce
silence, so pretty Dollie Wynn and May
Bruton talked very confldentially in their
corner of the great room; and no one in
terfereL, so long rs fingers were busy rs
well as tongues.
And this was what May said, Dollic's
blue eyes being riveted upon the quilting
on which she was at work:
81 saw her yesterday when was going
out to dinner. She was just stepping INTO
her carriage, and Mr.. Edgar himself hand
ing her in. She looks old-nearly forty,
l should say; but they say she is imme nse-
ly rich, and her dress was splendid. So l
suppose her money goes against her age"
s'Did you hear thoy were to be married
soon?"
"Bless me +. didn't tell you that? My
brother is In the stationer's where tho
wedding-cards are being printed. They
are to be married on the 27th. Mr.. and
Mrs. Edgar cambridge, and the card Of
the brides mother, Mrs. William Wilson.
TwelveI Come; we will go for walk"
"No, am tired" Dollie pleaded.
And her friend left her, never needing
the sudden pallor of the sweet young face,
the dumb agony in the great blue eyes.
When she was alone, Dollie stole away
to the littlo room where the cloaks, shawls
and hats of the girls were kept, and there,
crouching in corner, hidden entirely by
huge waterproof, she tried TO think it
all out.
What had it meant? What did Edgar
Bainbridge mean in the long year he had
tried by every masculine device to win
her love!
She had not boen unmadenly; heart
and conscience fully acquitted her.
She had given her love, pure, truc and
faithful, to the son of her employer; but
he had sought 1t, delicately and persist
emily, before he knew that it was given
him.
The young girl, now sewing for liv-
ing, had been daintily bred and thorough
ly educated, her father having been man
drawing a salary sufficient to give his
only child every advantage. But when
he died, and his wife in a few months fol-
lowed him, Dollie had chosen life of
honorable labor in preference to one of
idle dependence upon wealthy relatives.
And yet i'm the social gatherings Of
these relatives and the friends Of summer
days, Dollie was still welcome guest.
1t was at her Uncle Lawrence's subur-
ban villa she had been introduced to Ed
gar Bainhridge. After this she met him
frequently, and in her simple dress, with
her sweet, pure face, had won marked at.
tention from him. Hs
With the frankness that was one Of her
greatest charms the young girl had let her
aGmirer know that, though she was Law
renee Wynn's niece, she worked for
living in the drcssmaking department Of
Baihbridge & Son. t."-'
Then he had made her heart bound with
sudden grateful joy, by telling her he had
seen her leave the ''shop" night after
night, but would not join her for fear of
giving annoyance by exposing her TO the
remarks of her companions.
After this, however, she often found
him waiting for her at some point further
from the establishment, and always so re-
spectful and courteous that she was glad
OF his protection in her long walk.
But he was going TO marry an heiress
on the 27th, only week away, and so he
had but trified with her, after all.
Poor little Dollie, crouching among the
shawls and cIoaks, felt rs if all sunshine
was gone from her life forever, as If her
cup of humiliation and agony was full to
overfowing. ,..... -..
But the dinner-h0ur Was over, the girls
coming in or sauntering from resting
places in the work-room, and tho hum Of
work commenced again. M it must, what
ever achiug hearts or weary hands crave
rest. .-. -... t........s .,5. %.
Dollic worked with the rest, her feel
ings so numbed by the sudden blow that
she scarcely heard Mays lamentations
over sudden food of order-work that
would keep many of them in the room
until midnight. ..,m. s
"we'll have all day tomorrow If we
can finish these dresses Tonight" said
one Of the small squad Of girls told of for
the extra work. 'Miss Brown says so.
But these must be ready to deliver in the
,.1
Talk, talk, talk. Whir, whir, whir,
Dollie folded and bastell, working with
rapid, mechanical precision, hearing the
noise of voices and machines, feeling the
dull, heavy beating Of her own heart and
the thiobs Of pain in her weary head, but
speaking no word OF ,repiping, excusing
her pallid face by the plea Of headache.
1t was after IL o'elock. when the last
stitch was get in the hurried work and the
girls ran down the long lights of stairs to
plod home through a drizzIing rain, fol-
lowing the late snow storm. ~.
AS Dollie passed down the staircase she
saw in the counting-house. he recreaat
lover, busy over some account-books.
! But for the heavy news she had heard
that morning She would have felt sure
that this sudden spasin of industry was 70
.z---.sSi'. ?.