Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-07

4
; temperament. and she thinks she coulo
endure anything better than the petty
| Sights and sneers to which she Is daliy
subjected in her uncle's house
| She takes a small room and obtains some
/ sewing; the remuneration IS very slght'
| but as nothing else offers she Is giau 70
| get anything by which she can earn
enough to get food for herself ana Harry.
/ But soon her rent falls due ana she mas
no means to meet it. She IS wondering
what she shall do: she has just hnlshed
some sewing for Mrs. Lawrence, but IL is
| Saturday night, and 8 o'clock, too tate
/ for her TO take it home, so she aoandons
/ the thought of dinner TO morrow, ana
/ thinks Monday morning she Will give all
her earnings to the landlord, which Will
! fall short of what she owes, but may
perhaps give her respite. AS she takes
up Harry's little torn trousers to mend,
her eyes fall upon a neatly tied package,
marked 'Mrs Lawrence" and that
name sends her thoughts adrift, away
| back to another Saturday when she had
| watched and waited in vain, for the
| coming of one of that name.
! Presently she hears mans step COM
| ing up stairs; her heart beats faster and
she holds her breath as it pauses before
| the door; a second passes and then
comes a knock she is timid about open
| inc the door. She half rises, then sinks
lack into her seat. The knock is re-
peatcd Shall she open the door2 Who
can it be- The landlord perhaps. With
this thought she rises just as the knock
is again repeated With a trembling hand
and scared face she opens the door.
Her nerves are unstrung, and she al
most screams aloud, as she beholds Eu-
gene Lawrence.
II have come for some sewing of my
mothers, " he begins, stepping across the
threshold; the light is in his face, and
he has not recognized her.
She closes the door without turning
around, trying to keep her face from him,
but as she has eaten nothing since the
day before. her step Is rather uncer-
tain and she staggers forward as her
hand leaves the knob; he springs to-
ward her and catches heraFm.
Rose Lagrange! Isit possible? ne
exclaims in CONSERVATION.
SAT your service, ;" she returns, trying
to speak lightly, but sinking weaIily in
chSir
elias it come to this y he asks, looking
around the room
'I am not ashamed tosworky she says,
proudly
NO, nog no! ashamed to- Oh, but
that you should be obligedl Win you
tell me about yourself and how you came
here2r'
"Be.seatetf, please If yodcare to hear,
I will tell you" and she resurses her
mendiag invDEuntarily. "There1 is not
much so'tell, y she begins, siIe has been
sewing a. button on Harry's trousers;
something drops out of ths pocket and
falls on'the floor, and as she discovers
hole liz che pScket she emptiesit, inordcr
to mend}it. She takes out some Irvine,
marbles, am odd key, nails and many
other old. traps; and at the very boston.
a. bit OF crumpied dirty paper, she lays
them ortthe tSble, snd resumes her sew
ing and her story
He picks it up mechanically amos abb
sently sNoothes 1t out 1t is a Letter
sealed and stamped. Suddenly he be-
comes aware that he is reading the nanse
of miss Ross, Lagrange, ms his own
handwriting. He hastily tears it open
and reads his OWE letter to her written
over year agoa
She is surprised ut his behavior. ''Mr.
Lawrence, you forget yourselfp' she says
''Will YOU be kind enough to read! thut
letter. he exoaiEs, excitedIy, cit is
evident it never reached you"
She takes it wonderingly, reads it slow
ly, then looks-inqUringly into his eager
face.
"DcNou underst and y he asksimpi0G-
ingly.
''Hmdry,' she returns; then reads it
over, light seems to break upon. her,
for the teH-tale color rushes irto ,herface
and botrays her.
g Fad yoUreceived it when il wassdue,
what would you have said?"
Come. y she whispers.
my darling my darling," he ex
claims, catching her in his arms.
She falls limp upon his breast.
What have | done! have I killed
her2' he cries, irR alarm.
mo, !" she answers family. g am only
faink and weak, 1t will pass presently"
'CW hat is.itt what is the matter?"
Nothing. nothing! have had moth
ing to eat since yesterday, and have been
working all day, and / am aslittfs, dizzy,
thak is aaI''
ssGreats heavens! that is enough. you
shall goto my mother to-nighf, will
not leave.yon again alone. oh, that you
should have come to tins through me.
Fool that was not to have spoken when
l{saw you, not TO have Trusted to luckr'
She, smiled at mis- vehemence.
4 Ill