Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-10-09
Brave In AdVersity.

At Mr.. Lonsdale's aristocratic mansion
the ealiest letters were brought in with
the rolls and coffee, so that Mrs. Ions
dale was languldly eating orange mar
malade when her husband read out the
contents of the letter with the black
edge which had just come from Moon
Mountain.
LEFT widoww echoes Mrs. Lonsdale,
"and with six daughters. What very
unpleasant circumstance"
''She was my favorite cousin" said
MIR. Lonsdale, "as bright a girl as l ever
saw. | suppose, Naomi, with a lit
tie hesitation-"we could take her In
here?"
"Tske her in here" repeated Mrs
Lonsdale almost in a scream. "Why,
where could we put a widow and SIX
young women? We actually haven't
space enough to accommodate our
selves"
"Well, well, I'm sorry for poor Mary"
said Mr. Lonsdale, Il think she had the
bluest eyes / ever saw. Six daughters,
Naomi, with the same old hesitating
formula-"you wouldn't like to adopt
one?"
Thank you," satirically observed his
wife. "When do receive an adopted
child into my house, it will not be the
country article"
At the solitary little farm on Moon
Mountain, DO Sever, the same topic was
being discussed while Mrs. Dirk was sew
ing on the simple mourning which the
bereaved family could afford.
Helen was washing the dishes, Rosie
was darning the carpet with piece Of
wooden yarn of the same color, and Liz
zie was trimming seven plain straw hats
with bands of Grape as inexpensive as
possible. Susy was picking over a shin
ing tinpan of dandelion green's for din
ner. Esther, the youngest and rosiest of
all. was feeding little flock of downy
chickens, and Sarah, the eldest, was alb
sent at a neighbors helping to make the
Spring outfits for half a dozen boys.
Sarah was always so handy with the
needle" said Mrs Dirk, with pardonable
pride.
"But, mother" said Rosie, looking up
from her work with troubled counten-
ance, "what are we to dor"
Mother" said Lizzie, "our Lonsdale
cousins are rich. Couldn't We go to
them?"
Certainly not" said Mrs. Dirk, with a
sparkle of the eyes which had not yet
lost their forget-me-not blue. wrote to
them, telling them of our affection, and
they sent back letter full of common
places, without even offering to help
u.s."
"But they are rich, and We are poor"
eyes, and they live in splendid style,
Hattie Cooley says" added Susy.
"Very likely" said Mrs. Dirk. "But
as long as there ire seven pairs of hands
in this family, and God spares us our
health, l do not propose to turn genteel
beggar"
"But mother" began Rosa, who was
the caretaking member Of the family, 81
think"
give settled it all in my own mind"
said Mrs. Dirk, stitching away until her
needles looked like CLEAN of steel
lightning. "The house is large, although
it isn't built after the latest fashion. The
air is wholesome, and there is the Black
Spring. where people come to get the
water for ten miles around. l intend to
keep boarders"
"Hurrah for the little mother" cried
Essie, clapping her plump hands "And
1 may help you to make custards and do
up preserves, mayn't /, mammal"
"Susy and Esther shall help me-" de-
clared Mrs. Dirk. Sarah can always
earn her living at tailoring work. Helen
shall 60 to the glove factory; I'm told
they need new hands there. Lizzie can
help Mrs. Dart, the milliner. and Rosa is
to be nursery governess at Mrs. Milling
hams. And if between us We can't earn
q decent livelihood, it will be very
strange"
Susy and Essie were delighted. Rosie
naturally regarded her position as a pro-
motion. Helen, however, dropped a tear