Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-06-14
heights that overlooked the valley

UClOWs
AS he stood there rustling sound
in the bushes and the dark-browed
gyspy sprang up the hillside.
"4ou have a fine place here, Miss
Monteagle," he said by way of making
himself agreeable.
81 hate it." said Mary darkly.
'I-beg your pardon !" said Mr..
Crofton in amazement.
81 do" flashed the girl 81 hate it
all. The learning and the poverty,
and the grand pretenses and the mis-
cradle make-shifts."
"But-"
"Ahw said Mary Monteagle, "you
don't know it all. You never heard
the tradesmen bowling at the back
doors like pack of bowling wolves;
you don't know that the house is ad-
vertised for sale for tax arrears. How
should you? How should you be
aware that the very clothes we wear
are not paid for, nor the Goals that
cook our dinner? Papa smokes his
cigars and talks about the Mexican
war and mamma poses in the great
chair and dreams of embroidery work
and tapestry stitch; and II am ex-
pected to learn Arabic and Sanscrit,
and nobody knows what else, and 1g-
more our wretched poverty. But l
can't. Who could?"
Mr.. Crofton looked pityingly at
the girls sparkling eyes, and pale,
excited face.
81 am sorry to hear this" said he.
Scan nothing be done ?"
eyes," said Miss Monteagle
brusquely, "something can be done
and | am doing it, in so far as l can.
But papa and mamma must not be
allowed to suspect it. | am-learn-
ing trade"
"You!' he echoed, ga trade!'
"There's a factory near by here"
she said, calmly. The country girls
earn little pocket money there sew
ing on shirts. | am to have Il ma
chine as soon as | have learned to
manage it. | go every evening while
papa fancies | am at the Greek and
Latin, to farmer Pelham's. whose wife
teaches me the use of the machine.
| am learning house work, too. l
made the mayonnaise for your salad
to-day, and [ baked the bread. Our
servant can do nothing Of the sort.
But it would kill mamma to think
that | had stopped, as she would call
it, to menial labor"
"You are quite right" said Mr..
Crofton.
"That is what | wanted to know"
said Mary hastily. Because, living
here all by myself, in such strange,
unnatural atmosphere, | sometimes
get confused, and scarcely know
right from wrong"
"But they will have to know it,
when"
"When | really go into the factory" ;"
said Mary. eyes, | know that. But
until then would fain spare them
the pang, | am to have a dollar day,
Mrs. Pelham says, if | operatess the
machine skillfully. And o dollar a
day will buy mamma many little
luxury, and go toward paying the
grocer and baker,"
"You are a noble girl" said Mr..
Crofton, warmly; and in his eye, at
that moment, Mary Monteagle was
glorified with rare beauty, as she
stood there, the fresh wind blowing
her jetty curls about, the reflection
Of orange sunset deepening the color
on her cheek, and the grave, far away
sparkle of her eyes half veiled be-
meath the long lashes. And if l
could be Of any assistance to you in
this task"
"You cam" said she, abruptly,
"You can stay here and amuse papa
so that he shall not suspect what oc-
cupies my time. You can divert his
attention from Sanscrit and Arabic
and all these mysteries"
And for the first time in his ex-
perience of her, Mary Monteagle
laughed-a mellow, birdlike laugh.
81 WILL" said Mr.. Crofton, heartily.
And so the compact was sealed be-
tween them.
Instead of the week he had
promised his father to spend with old
Col. 1onteagle, the sojourn Was ex-
tended to three.
AT the end Of that period, he grave