Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-11-07
F0UND---A PLACE.

MdIIOu SAT thinking lntently. with
one finger pressed tightly against her
lips and her eyes cast upon small, very
small parcel in her lap, she might have
set for a picture of Meditation. But
an anxious wrinkle corrogated the fair
brow, showing her cogitations to be of
different order from those usually
INDUCED in by maidens of her tender
age For indeed Marian had been try.
ing with all the wisdom of her twenty
summers-or winters-to solve the
problem of ways and means, and it was
no package of love letters on which she
gazed with such dissatisfaction at its
meager proportions, but a whole years
savings,
by close economy it will pay Elsie's
expenses for the summer and leave me
ten dollars. But no matter; it's blessed
money that will be spent to cure my
darling2"
As if to make the commendation more
decided, she vigorously rolled and slapped
the bills into the smallest compass posi-
BILE. Then she carefully closed the shut
ters-a most unnecessary precaution, for
the room was in wing on the third floor
with vacant lots on both sides. After
that the little hoard was put into knit
purse, the purse insinuated into the foot
OF stocking, the stocking wrapped in an
old dress skirt, and the whole deposited
on shelf in the closet, and everything
done to give it an appearance of unstud
led caselessness calculated to deceive an
ordinary burglar. This sacred and mys-
terious rite fully over, she opened the
shutters and let in the floods of yellow
sunset light to glorify her COW room.
Poor Marian had no trust in banks. and
little wonder Into the "Store House
Deposit, " with its plate glass windows,
Its marble floors, its urbane clerks and
golden promises, her father had placed
with some confidence the honest savings
OF an energetic lifetime, and died calmly
thinking his orphan daug ghter above want.
Ii the blessed dead can be cognizant of
our happenings what were his feelings
when the oily president of the store house
emptied the said store house of its con-
tents and left for Europe2 Marian was
only one of half a thousand suf-
ferers, but it made her neither crazy nor
melancholy, as it did many other unfor
tunates, to be thus rudely iostled out of
the lap OF fortune. Gathering together
all the little mementoes of prosperous
and guarded childhood, she secured a
room for herself and Elsie with Mrs.
Allen, an old friend of her fathers, who
kept few boarders "only for company,
my dear" A class of beginners in music
soon kept her busy, and no head of a
family was ever prouder of his ability to
support them than was Marian of the
talent which earned a home for herself
and the little sister whom her mother
had contided to her care when Marian
herself was only a child. Bravely she
worked on, and was dismayed for the
hrst time mouth before, when the doc
tor gave as his opinion that the SPINAL
disease developing itself in the child
needed for its cure a residence in a
neighboring city, in hospital specially
devoted to such complaints.
After opening the shutters Marian
walked on tiptoe to the alcove, parted
the curtains which hid the bed, care
fully covered the feet of the sleeper who
lay there, and pressed light kiss on the
long curl which rested on the pillow.
Tears were in her eyes when she came
out into the room.
"She must go, she SAID, passionately.
"Only we two in all the world. If
should lose her-but | won't think of
such thing. She'll get well. of course.
You ought to be ashamed of Yourself
Marian Martin, to doubt it or feel blue.
Imagine what it would be if you weren't
able to send her at all. You must find
some work to do, and may it be of the
hardest kind, for you will be o lonely
maid, Marian, without your baby. Come,
now, you're getting doleful again. This
will never do"
Having been accustomed all her life
to treat herself as party much prone to
self.indulgence, and needing rigid dis
cipline, she straightway shook herself
into comparative cheerfulness, and, in
order to waste no time, began to search
the columns of the newspaper for the
one headed "Female Help Wanted.,' II
might give her some hint as to employ
ment until her pupils returned from their
vacations. She found the list and read
with running comments between.
"Wanted-A middle aged lady to act
as housekeeper for widower."
81 might wear spectacles and cap, -
she said disapprovingly to her image in
the mirror opposite where the dimples in
cheek and chin seemed to mock at such
ridiculous idea. Here's another
"Wanted-A young lady stenographer,
must understand the use of calligraph OF
type writer.'
She shook her head at this and set the
loose fluffy curls to dancing.
Il must be dreadfully behind the age.
for haven't the slightest acquaintance
with either of these instruments. And
foolish old Madame Beaudry called m,
Teenished'"
"Wanted-A young, energetic busi
ness woman with $500 to invest in 3
profitable enterprise.
''No, thank you. If had $500 does
anyone suppose that I'd be away from
Elsie moment2 I'll speak to Mrs. All
len about it, she knows so many people
Thank heaven, / have no prestige to lose
and nobody would notice in what way
occupied myself in summer. All, Elsie
dear, awake already9n turning with low
ing smiles to the eight year-old copy ii
miniature of herself who came with pain
full slowness into her arms, "Here'
your old slow-coach of sister doing
nothing, when she ought to be preparing
your supper But never mind, dear,
taking the child's face between her ros,
palms, 81 have news for you better thar
! tray full of the incest things in TIN
world Now, wish for someting splen
! did, the thing you want most.'