Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-12-05


there amt much to get"
"Wel, began the strange guest, eying Jen
ny closely, "t strikes me now that you would
be just the one to get along first rate in this
business You look real courageous. Aud il
takes courage, ! tell you, to strike of all
alone among strangers. Travelling all alone
is awful disagreeable sometimes for women.
But haven't got into any scrape yet but
what got out OF all right You see when
folks find out that you're in dead earnest, aud
are all right, they always help you along"
"Of course they dol" said Jenny. "I
wouldn't be one mite afraid. But wouldn't
stay eight round here in Ohio. What / want
to do is to travel. l want to 20 to California
and Colorado; but first Of all ! want to see
Niagara"
"Oh myl' said Harriet Williams "you
are courageous, sure enough, talking about
California. You wouldn't really start of for
there alone, would you z"
"Why not 2" said Jenny. "If it's safe to
do 1t for hundred mites, it's safe to do it
for thousand. That's just what do mean
to do II | do it at all! ! mean Just to see
this whole United States. I've sat thinking,
thinking, by the halliday at a time, how I'd
ever get a chance to see anything of the
world, and | didn't see any loophols of
chance but as soon as you began to talk
JUST itll Ilkub AWAY NOW u'Ttb something
could do" Now you just tell me every
thing you can think Of. How do you man
age about getting the right things2 You
don't have to keep going 10 New York AZ un-
Gle does, do your [ expect he could get
things for me; they'd Trust him ; he's been
buying in New York for years aud years"
Harriet gazsd admirngly at the girls face,
then sighiug she said You've got It ia you,
no mistake Now that's been the trouble
with NE. I've never bad courage to strike
out that way I've just trotted right round
and round in a kind OF circle. This is the
ir.t time I',e been 20 far west as this. But
I've always known the West was the place
to go to- | wish I'd had your grit The
trouble with me is / get lonesome and home
sick. Don't you suppose you'd get homesiok
sometimes 2"
Not if l was making money and seeing
new places replied Jenny; 'I'd be perfect
y happy. They're the two things / want to
do II you laid up three hundred dollars in
one year, in ten you'd have three thousand.
You could 60 to Europe for that aud stay
whole year"
"Oh Europe!" calculated Harriet. "You
wouldn't go as far rs that alone p
"If l could talk their languages, wouldn't
mind, said Jenny. I'D do anything under
heaven to get there
"Well you are the beat of all the girls /
ever saw ~ said the astOnished Harriet. 81
shouldn't think you'd ever want to leave such
piazza as this.
"Why, you said you W nted to travel your
self, " said Jenny. You weren't contented
to stay at home and not do anything"
Hsrriet's face clouded. 'Oh, WE'LL" she
said, II was situated very different from you,
aud her lip quivered. Il can see you've got
the incest klud of home here"
Yes" said Jenny, so | have. But il isn't
my own, as if it was my fathers and moth
ers. They're dead, and l haven't any broth
er or sister, and | always have felt as if
ought to earn my living; but | never saw the
way how till to day. Now do, and l. m 60
ing to do it," Aud Jenny set her white teeth
together with a click that sounded as resolute
as the click of pistol lock.
The girl was too excited to sleep. 1t was
near morning when her aunt, reused by her
restless turning, exclaimed II do believe,
Jane Connard, you're lying awake all night
thinking O. that peddling."
That's what l am, aunt" replied Jenny,
las wide awake as l ever was and I've got
it all planned out I'm going to Niagara first.
Uncle II fix it for me, ! know he will. Don't
you suppose he'd bs glad to have me earn
three hundred dollars year p
Il don't believe her, said Mrs. Barrett,
sleepily.
II do, said Jenny. That's Just the way
uncle makes his money. Why shouldn't she p
Mrs Barrett was too sleepy to answer, and
Jenny went on undisturbed till daylight in
her ambitious plottings.
She hardly felt herself the same person the
next day, SO full! was she of her new purpose,
so impatient for her uncles return to carry it
out. Sac piled Harriet with questions inuu
merable at breakfast, dinner aud supper, un-
I'll she had all the details of the project clearly
mapped out in her mind. Aud when at night
the lace yender gave an account of her day,
and exhibited the twenty dollars in cash
which she had taken In, spite of the hard
times even Ms. Barrett was conquered, and
admitted that there was fair show tor a
good business Ia pedding lRces.
Harriet Wilhams's vlrit had marked an era
in Jenuys hfs. From that day her purpose
never tagged nor faltered, and when her un-
Gle returned from New York he found her
plans already so far matured that she was
waiting only for his endorsement Of her APP
plicatiou to a we!l-knowu New York firm to
receive from them box of lace5 for her first
venture.
what? you wrote to them yourself, Jenny,
all alone Nobody helped you? p said her
uncle.
mo, nobody helped me and, what's more,
nobody knew it, replied Jenny.
No, indeed, said Mrs. Barrett. She's
been sly puss.
II didnt want you to laugh at me il they
wrote me back saucy answer" said Jenny.
Mr. Barrett was astouished ut tue letter
when Jenny showed it to him. The firm said
that they knew Mr.. Barrett by reputation
well, and that if he would endorse his nece's
application, and deposit one hundred dollars
with them as security, they would forward to
| her at once two hundred dollars worth of ar
| tcles for her first venture.
The truth was, little Jennys clear headed
ness aud common-sense had stood her in good
stead in the wording Of her letter. 1t was
| short and to the point. 1t CHANGED to fall
under the eye of the senior member Of the
firm.
That woman's got buainess head on heI
shoulders" he said You can trust her. Lei
| her have a small stock, and try it.
"Wil you trust me- uncle for the hundred
dollars? III pay you good interest for it,
ana pay il back before the years up"
"Yes, I'll trust you, he said "but don't
feel quite right about your starting of alone
So"
"You just let her go, father, said Mrs Bar
rett who had become almost as much inter
ested in the plan as Jenny herself just lei
her go. II ehs doesn't like it, she's nothing
to do but to come home. She won't go fal
at first She can easily tell if it suits her."
"It will suit me fast enough said the
dauntless Jenny, "if 1 can only make it pay
That's all my misgiving. But don't see why
l shouldn't do as we'll as Harriet Williams"
"You ought to do a hundred times better,
exclaimed Mrs. Barrett. "Hhere wasn't any
thing taking about her at all. didn't mucl
like her looks when she came up the yard tina
day"
$50 you think our Jenny is 'taking,' d.
you 2" laughed Mr.. Barrett.
"Well, she might be more taking than tina
Williams girl and not be anything to boas
of, "said Mrs. Barrett, who was afraid of max
ing Jenny vain-an unnecessary fear, for
modester, more unassuming little body neve
lived than Jenny was, spite of all her courag
and ambition to see the world.
Taking" however, was just the word t,
describe her it was emphalioally true of he
whole manner and bearing she had the di
rect outspoken ways of Guild, with the self
reliance of a woman a keen sense of humo
too, and love of nature which was passion
There could not be a better combination o.
traits for woman who was to travel by her
self. She was not pretty, but she had an hon
est face, frank blue eyes, clear skin, pleas
ant smile-not bad equipment to confron
the world with.
And so Jenny set out on her travels. Il
Niagara first OF that she meant to max
sure, whatever happened 1t was late in tn
| geagOn hut epite of that ghe had good Inc