The Press., 1884-03-13
UNDER FALSE COLORS.

name of all the muses and graces isn't ne $ about his work ?' Little Fernando drew herself up with { some excitement. s'He is having his spring vacation, sad 1 she. 'sHe is resting his over -wearied brain 8 little, before the public shall bscome clamorous for more writings from hls pen.
 'Oh P said Octavia.
 ssYes," nodded her younger sister. "And. oh. Octavia, you can't think how charming he is 1! have always sighed to know an author And he isn't bit con- ceited or set up P
 "Isn't he ?"
 ssNot particle. He has written his autograph in my album, and given me copy of Floating Fances. And Mary Martinez is quite wild about him. And, Octy-"
 "Wel?"
 "Please don't say anything about the store," coaxed Fernando. ''I have gwen him to understand that you are taking course of lessons in music and thorough bass. It isn't genteel to be shop-glrl, you know, and "Hoity toity!' said Octavia, with a toss of her really handsome head. "Thls i pretty state of things, and all about man who writes books. Isn't 1t just as genteel for me to sell buttons and cologne and lace barbas as 1t is for him to sell h1s writings? And haven't right to earn my own living in any way that 1 choose! Fernando, didn't think you were such goose ?'
 ssHe is very particular about such things," said Fernando. ''He didn't want an introduction to Melissa Plumb after he heard that she worked in the factory"
 ''More fool he P said Octavia, crisply.
 ''He is gentleman, you know" pleaded Fernando.
 "Pshaw I" said Octavia.
 "Octy's right-Octy's right, my dear, :" said old Grandfather Glenn, who had been sitting so still in his armchair near by that neither of the girls supposed that the subject of their discourse was known to him. "A true gentleman honors the wo- man as earns her own bread. There's a deal of electroplate in this world, and some of it is laid on so sk1lful you can't distinguish it from real silver. But the silver's silver for all that, and the others only humbug!'
 Having uttered which oracular sentences old Mr. Glenn once more relapsed into si- lence
 "Grandpa is so queer" ]" said Fernando, with an ujured expression of countenanct. ''But you'll promise me, won't you, dear ?''
 But Octayia only laug he'd, and went out into the kitchen to see If the bread was light enough for the oven.
 Mr. Fitz Arragon was certainly rather handsome. He was dressed very elegant ly, also; he wore what was either a dia- mond or very excellent imitation of one on his finger, and his cravats were simply superb. He looked at Octavia Glenn with some interest when they were introduced.
 "You are fond of music?'' he said, in that soft, insinuating way which Fernando found so irresistible.
 II don't object to it," said Octavia bluntly.
 .sIts divine gift" said MT. Fitz Ara gen. "May I ask if you are taking les sons from Ferrani or Agramonte ?"
 "Neither one of 'em," said Octavia.
 And at that juncture Fernando hurried the literary man away to look at beautl full cluster of trailing arbutus which some one had just brought in from the woods.
 "There's no telling what Octy would blurt out if you onoetgave her the chance,
 And she did not breathe freely until Oc tavia had left the old farmhouse and gone back to her duties in the big fancy store on Twenty third street.
 Octavia herself felt as if some disagree able pressure were removed from her exist ence. She was a frank, noble-natured girl who was saving up her earnings to pay of the mortgage on old Grandfather Glenn' farm.
 She delighted in work, not only for it own sake, but for the beneficial results l could produce; and she had sufficient O courage and self denial to live plainly un til her object was attained.
 She occupied freless hall bedroom il
 o1, Ia patronized mostly by the guild of working its scrupulous neatness.
 She wore cotton gloves, dyed-over gown and the plainest of plain bonnets, 'ant through it all she respected herself. Stay, though-we have not told it all There was one extravaganza in which Oc tavia Glenn occasionally indulged herself that of charity. She had class of. inno cent-faced children in the mission school of an evening, and she was diligent work in the ranks of 8 quiet benevolent so ciety, which wrought great deal of goot without any blowing of trumpets. And one day when the feeble old porte at the store fell i'll and his place was va vacant. Octavia Glenn constituted hel self committee of one to inquire into tn matter
 | o1 COuIoS you Cdll OO hS yOu 4iAO, 1u,o Glenn," said MT. Idem, the proprietor c the store. ''But Ferrigan lives in a mos dismal neighborhood, and I'm not sur ' that it is altogether safe for you to ventur ia there after dark"
 y, 'After dark is all the time have, ," sai l. Octavia, brusquely. "And it must be m m great deal worse to live there than to g o. once in awhile. I think I'll risk it" g. So she begged permission from tn to boarding house keeper to make llttl k, farina jelly over the cooking-stove whe se r the heavy, blackberry dumpliugs, whic ' were to regale the boarders for dessert
 were taken up, bought few strawberrie
 and small slice of sponge-cake, and SC = forth to visit old Ferrigan, the porter. D It was dismal neighborhood, indeed :, where the poor old man ived-a neighbol l. hood where piles of ashes in the narro' ,4 street made sort of model on the Rock " mountains, on 8 small scale, and layers C a cabbage-leavts and damaged lettuce feste " ed in the gutter; where rivulets of soal f. studs trickled across the pavement; an
 there appeared to be more feeble grocerie h than there were people. The very ga
 lights sulked behind their cloudy lanterns
 and the occasional passers prowled by lik
 homeless cats.
 t. 'sNumber ninety-nine," said Octavi'
 briskly walking into thread-and-n need