The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-08-13
THE FACTORY GIRL.


OF the house. Upon the easel that oc.
cupied the post Of honor in the middle
OF the room was piece Of canvas glow
ing with soft tints Of spring landscape,
and Frank Seymour stood before it,
palette in hand, his large brown eyes
dreamy with sort Of inspiration.
In comfortable easy chair by the
door sat plump, rosy little female, in a
lace cap with plenty Of narrow white
satin ribbon huttering from it, and a
silver gray poplin dress-Mrs. Seymour,
in fact, our artists mother, who had
just come up from the very basement,
"to zee hew Frank was getting along"
"Here, mother" said the young man,
with an enthusiastic sparkle in his eye,
Gust see the way that sunset light
touches the topmost branches Of the old
apple trees. ] like the brown subdued
gold at that tint; it somehow reminds
me Of Grace Tellcr's hair"
Mrs. Seymour moved little uneasily
In her chair.
"It's very pretty, but it strikes me,
Frank, you are lately discovering good
many similitudes between Miss Teller
and your pictures"
Frank laughed good.humorcdly.
"Well, mother, she is pretty
eyes, don't deny that she's pretty
enough"
"Now, mother, what's the meaning Of
that ambiguous tone?' demanded the
young artist pleasantly. What have
you discovered about Miss Teller that
isn't charming and womanly and loy.
able2"
Crank, do you know who she il p
ayes, ] know that she is remark
ably pretty girl, with voice that sounds
exactly like the low, soft riyulct where !
used to play when was a boy"
Nonsense, said Mrs. Seymour sharp
ly.
"Well, then, if you are not satisfied
with my description Of her as she is,
would you Like to know what she will
be?"
Mrs Seymour look puzzled.
"Mother, think one day she will be
my wife,
Crank Frank are you crazy?"
"Not that know Of, said Mr.. Scy-
mour, composedly, squeezing a little
deep blue on his palette from dainty
tin tube and mixing it thoughtiulIy.
eve know 30 little about her. %
thought Mrs. Seymour. "To be sure,
she is visiting Mary Elton, and Mary
belongs TO very good family, II she
does live in half house and takes III
fine embroidery for n living But then
she has no style IA compared with
Cynthia Parker, and Cynthia always did
fancy our Frank, Then, moreover, she
has five or six thousand dollars Of her
own. But, dear me young man in
love is the most hcadstrong creature
alive p
Mrs. Seymour unused n while longer,
and then put on her mOusc-colorcd silk
bonnet and gray shawl and set out on a
tour Of investigation.
"lll find out about Miss Teller, or
I'll know the reason Why" thought the
indefatigable widow.
Miss Grace Teller twas at home,
helping Mary Elton on an elaborate
piece of embroidery. The room where
the two girls sat was very plain, carpcted
with the cheapest ingram, and crntaincd
with very ordinary pink and white chlnt2,
yet it looked snug and CHEEKY, for the
fat blackbrd was chipping in the win
dow, and stand Of mig onottc and vel
vet.blossomed pansies rave a delicate
refinement TO the deta. Of everyday
life.
Mary Elton was pale, thin, and not
at all pretty, though there was trcm.
ulous sweetness about her mouth that
seemed to whisper that she might have
been very different under different cir
cumstances. Grace Teller was lively
blonde, with large blue eyes, rose leaf
skin, and hair whose luminous gold fell
over her forehead like an aureola.
AS Mrs. Seymour entered deeper
shade of pink stole over Graccs beau.
tiful checks, but otherwise she was
calm and sclI-posscsscd, and really par
ried the old lady's heterogeneous.
every warm this morning." said the
old lady, tanning herself. "Do they
have warm weather where you come
from, MISS lellcr
~ believe it's very sultry in Factory
ville," said Grace, composedly, taking
another needleful Of white silk.
"Factoryville is that your native
placo2 Perhaps, then, you know Mr..
Parker-Cynthia Parker's father-who
is superintendent of the great calico
mills there2"
Every WE'LL have seen him.
care you acquainted with Cyntia p
'No, l believe Miss Parker spends
most of her time in tho city,"
"That's very true" said Mrs. Sey-
mour, eagerly.
Cynthia often says there's no society
worth having in Factoryville, only the
girls that work in the factory, and
Cynthia is very genteel. But, excuse
my curiosity, Miss Teller, how did you
become acquainted with Mr.. Parker aud
not his daughterp"
Grace colored.
business brought mo In contact ire.
quently with the gentleman OF whom
you speak, but ! never happened to
meet Miss Parker"
Mrs. Seymour gave q little start II
her chair. She WINS beginning to sec
through the mystery.
"Perhaps you have something TO d,
with the calico factory?"
81 have" said Grace, with calm dig
nifty.
"a factory girl p gaspod Mrs. Sey
mour, growing red and white.
us there any disgrace In the title p
quietly asked Grace, although her owi
cheeks were dyeing crimson.
"DlsgraceP Oh, uncertainty not;
there's no harm in earning ones living
in an honest way," returned Mrs. Scy.
mour, absently. The fact was she was