South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-30
Cousin Shadrach's viii.

Are you my aunt Dorcas2'
sSakes alivev said Mrs. Torran ce
who be your
Pm Emily said the girl. please
let me in for l am tired and cold.-
I've walked all the way from the sta
ton, and I've had nothing to eat since
noon.'
well, l.never! said Mrs. Tor.
rance. YOU'RE the city schoolma m
Amt you, as went out to live with cous.
in Shadrach2 And he's dead and the
money all gone TO the Baptist widow
and orphan fund. You didn't make
much by that move did you? And
now you've come back to us, though
we wasn't stylish enough for you be-
fore. Well, come in, come in
Cousin Shadrach had been the
family apple of discord ever since they
could remember. He was rich, he
was eccentric, he was Grabbed. He
had shut the door in the face of al! his
relatives until, toward the last, sick
aud feeble, he had signified his desire
that Emily Arden should come and
take care of him. And Emily had
gone. There had been a spice OF jeal-
ousy in the family as regarded Emily
tor long time. Emily had Lcen
looked upon as proud and Stuck up
because, instead Of entering a factory
or learning the dressmaker's trade,
she had chose to be Il teacher. She
had never visited Job Torrance 8
family until now, now that cousin
Shadrach had willed his money to the
Baptist widows and orphans, her own
mother was dead and her step
father, q pompous old wholesale gro
Ger, objected to step-children, go that
there seemed TO be no other haven of
refuge left to her.
Who could blame Mrs, Torrance
fer q momentary feeling of triumph
when Emily Arden came thus to her
doorstone in the twilight of that April
day?
But she helped her off with her
things, made cup OF tea for her, and
hnally escorted her to q little room
under the roof-tree, where the floor
was covered with homemade rag
carpet, and the bed was decorated
with rainbow Jobs troubles quilt,
and you could look out the window
into n greening meadows where a
whippoorwill Planted its melancholy
refrain.
Il hope you will sleep WELL said
Mrs. Torrance. We eat breakfast at
5 o'clock
What is she like, mother?' SAID
Job, Jr., who was milking.
90, she looks we'll enough Mrs.
Torrance carelcssly replied. Little
and dark, with big, shady eyes, and a
real Torrance mouth; doesn't talk
much, aud dresses shabby, as one
might expect
Poor thing said job, pityingly.
Well said Mrs. Torrance, sharply.
Il can't say but what she deserves all
she got. Them Ardens were always
as proud rs Lucifer.'
You'll keep her, mother, Of
course2'
81 suppose So SAID Mrs. Torrance
4 don't SUI pose she's got anywhere
else to CO.
Emily arose, dressed herself and
came down stairs.
Aunt Dorcas,' she said az she ell.
tered and found that lady frying ham
and eggs over the Kitchen fire, 'what
is there in this neighborhood for a
woman to do?'
'Eh?' said Mrs. Torrance in sur
prize.
TO earn my living / mean. Is the
district school supplied with a teach.
err
Mrs. Torrance nodded as she plac-
cd tho slice Of frizzing ham on a blue
edged plate and arranged the golden
spheres above.
is there a factory hereabouts pur-
sued Emily.
Used to be- answered Mrs. Tor
romeo, 'but they failed, aud its been
shut up for ten years
DO you know any one who wants
a grip psrsued the city cousin.
Mrs. Torrance Get the coffee rot on
the table, blew the horn for JOB, and
then responded to her niccc's query
by a counter question.
why don't you stay here?'
'BecaLse,' said Emily with spirit, |
want to earn my own living
well, you can earn it here, can't
you? l WIS calculating TO hire a girl
this spring, and if you will work hon.
estly for 1t I'll give you the elk dollars
a month | was going to pay the hired
hep.'
Emily's face frightened.
Il should like that, she said. And
then Job came in, tall, handsome and
flushed, his curls yet wet from the
spring into which he had dipped them
and q sprig of trailing arbut US PIN
ned on 20 his coat, and spoke n frank
welcome to the fair young girl whom
me had never seen before.