The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-10-29
A MERE ACCIDENT.

A MERE ACCIDENT.
In her miserable attic room Ethel
Dare, young girl of II, was prepar-
ing to 90 to her days work. The air
was white with frost and everything
she touched seemed turned to ice. She
had burned her last lump of coal the
night before, and, consequently, could
not have any fire. She went to the
upboard-nothing there; she searched
everywhere, and finally found crust
of bread. This she tried to eat, in the
vain hope that it would allay the gnaw-
ing hunger.
Putting on her threadbare shawl and
descending the attic stairs, she started,
stiff and breakfastless, to face the
cold.
She was employed at one of the large
dry good stores where, every Saturday
night, she was handed an envelope
containing just 81 80 as remunera-
ton for her life of toll and hardship.
Six months before her mother had
died, and, Ethel had no money, she
had been compelled to apply to the
authorities for burial by the city,
where she and the woman from whom
she rented were the only mourners.
Mrs. Dare in her girihood had been
the only daughter of very wealthy
wholesale merchant, and was petted
and spoiled by her only brother, but
she had, against her fathers wishes,
married worthless, profligate fellow,
and he had disowned her. She soon
became widow, and appealed to her
father for assistance, which was ig-
nobly refused in the harsh and cruel
terms that .'she had made ner bed,
now let her lie in it," She never wrote
again, but strove to work for her little
girl and herself and keep the wolf from
the door, On her death-bed she told
her daughter her whole sad story, and
implored of her never to marry a
drunkard. Ethel had, very unfortu-
nately for one in her station in life, in
herited her mothers great beauty, con-
sisting of large blue eyes, golden curls
aud perfect features.
She had meanwhile reached the store,
and after an interminably long day of
dull monotony and drearY work pre-
pared to return to her miserable at
tic.
twas a cold bitter night in midwin-
ter: the streets of New York were one
sheet of snow and ice, and more than
one warmly clad person, as they turned
the corner and faced the wind, sleet,
and snow, hurried along, grasping
their wraps more tightly about them,
and cast one sympathetic thought tor
the poor unfortunates who had no place
| TO Co as a scene OF Il cheerful wife, warm
supper, and pleasant tircside passed be-
fore their gaze.
The people were hurrying or rather
sliding along, as it was an utter impoS-
sibility to walk, for after one thought
they had good foothold and could
manage to maintain heir equilibrium
there would be an ignominious fall of
dignity, as, with an ejaculation of 'Oh,
myr' they would 90 slipping down.
In front of one of the elegant houses
on 5til avenue there was place unusu-
ally slippery, where ut least dozen
that night had fallen. A little black
robed figure, in which we recognize
our friend Ethel, now made her appear
ance, and in her haste stopped right on
| the slippery spot, which was followed,
| as many of her predecessors had been,
bv painful fall. With a low moan Of
| pain she dragged herself to the step.
| thinking she was only Jared and would
| recover herself and then resume her
| Journey. A sudden twinge OF pain
| from her ankle caused her very lips to
| turn white.
"Oh. my ankle!'' Everything was
| growing dark before her. She tried to
raise herself, causing another twinge
from her ankle, which made her fall
| back-senseless. She had tainted.
A large, portly man, enveloped in a
huge overcoat, fur mittens, arctic rub
hers, in fact. everything equivalent to
comfort, stopped suddenly as he start
ed to ascend the steps. My! what is
| thisp"
He hastily gathered her up In has
strong arms, gave a loud, ringing peal
| to the door-beil, which brought several
servants running to the door, strobe
through the hall. up to the wide stair
| case, and into his wife's sitting-room,
| and laid his burden on the lounge.
His wife, like the good, dear. sensl-
BILE motherly woman she was, never
| stopped TO ask questions and give way
/ to curiosity Ga woman's failing), but
| proceeded to administer the needed re-
storatives.
Her efforts were soon rewarded by q
long, guivering sigh issuing from the
lips of the patient. After a quiyering
of the eyelids the large blue eyes
opened, looking wonderingly around
at the grandeur such as she Lad often
dreamed of but never seen. The man
at her side had been looking intently
at her from the first, evidently in q
brown study from the knit brow and
thoughtful eye, but when she opened
her ewes he started up, exclaiming;
How like my sister Ethel" Elhel
attempted to raise herself, but she
fell back on the lounge with a cry OF
anguish.
| '.My poor child, what is itP'
my ankle, think, is sprained.
After tho pain had somewhat sub
sided she said;
"Will you be kind enough to tell mt
how | came here? | remember faintine
while coming home from work.
Never mind now, my child. Ih(
doctor, who had been sent fer, nov