The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-10
ADOPTING AN AUTHORIZES.

"The girl has talent" said DR.. Duns-
combe, with some heat, "and she ought
to have opportunity"
"Bah!'' calculated voice from the
duskiness of a near corner, where the
glow of his. pipe-bowl alone betrayed
the owners proximity. "You are
always finding sea-serpents, Duns-
combe, that turn out very ordinary
water-snakes after all"
All but Dunscombe laughed
cit is just as well, all the same" he
said, a little irritably, apparently seeing
nothing funny in the matter, ''to make
sure that they are water-snakes first;
and not run the risk of leaving a sea-
serpent to die unnoticed and unappre-
ciated for the lack of little encourage
ment."
cit has been my experience that when
a sea-serpent is the veritable article, he
or she would be better in this case, |
suppose the power of command
ing notice and appreciation from even
the most unwilling public"
'Granted; but the appreciation comes
in nine cases out of ten, when the sea-
serpent is past encouragement"
all CliC pCbuCl III ullC BbtDlICs UlCus
r,s.s-aaaa~ tie-e,~s'sa ---yesiee---ssIt has the
pleasure and f-gloritication of the
discovery without the expense of the
encouragement"
"You are more than usually antago-
nistic tonight, Bruce" observed q
quiet little man on the other side of the
store. 'DO stop arguing the matter
and let us hear where Dunscombe ran
across his last rdr0 0UiS."
''She isn't rdr0 dUjS, rising to his
feet in an offended manner and begin
ming to button his coat. 81 don't lay
claim to any startling brilliancy on her
part She is simply ambitious and tai
ented, and her writings are entirely
too good for the little one-horse country
newspaper which is her only medium
for publication. l thought some of you
fellows might be generous and chival-
rous enough to join me in assisting her
to something better didn't introduce
the subject with the intention of having
her laughed at.
Nonsense, Dunscombe-nobody has
laughed at her nor intended tO!' cried
several voices, while friendly hand
stretched itself out from the dark cor
ner and pulled him down into his chair
again.
Bruce was only chatting. OF course
we will assist you in helping her if we
can; but you haven't told US yet what S
her name an where's her home, "
again put in a small quiet man, whom,
to save further inconvenience, we will
at once introduce as Garry De Whit.
''Her name is Stratton-Edwina
Stratton, answered the doctor, tipping
his chair comfortably back on its hind
legs and speaking in somewhat mol
lifted tone; ''and she lives in one of
those bare-looking little cottages down
on River street. | was called chere q
couple of weeks ago to prescribe for
her mother, who is down with rheumatic
fever There are only two of them,
and the daughter supports them both
by teaching through the day and
writing at night. should never have
found it out from Miss Stratton,. who is
rather reserved and stand-ollish in her
manner, but her mother proved more
communicative one morning when |
was alone with her for few min
utes."
"A hint to you to be moderate in
your charges, probably" put in Bruce.
POSSIBLY; but she is very anxious,
too, about her daughters health. |
think she is overworking herself, and
all that sort of thing, and yet can do
nothing to relieve her. | can tell you,
boys, it was quite q pitiful story-the
way she told it.
you're too soft-hearted for the pro-
fession, Doc.," criticised Hal Mclean,
noting mentally, the while, the heads
of d vigorous editorial in favor of an in
creased rate of payment for female
labor, which he meant to write up for
the morning Coa'Tcr.
80, it's very well for you to guy, but
any one of you would have been as bad
as |, if you had been there. To make
matters worse, now, the girl had been
out of school during her mothers
illness, thereby losing a part of her
salary, and, of course, the writing has
had to be stopped. They must have hard
times getting along, should think"
All the men were silent for q time,
apparently resolving the last knotty
point.
What do you propose doingP" at
last inquired Harry Swift, the energetic
surate of st. GATHERINGS, who, having