The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-06-12
KATE'S VICTORY.


working girls, Of course" said Kate
Selwyn. going home from the factory.
Oh, poor things, how tired they look
Do you know, Mr.. Varian, IL always
seems to me as if they belonged to Z
different order Of beings from u.s."
II don't know why you should draw
such an inference as that" said Mr.,
Varian.
Kate laughed.
Don't take my nonsense au serieux,'
said she. "Have yeu any relation.
among the factory girls?"
mot tl,as I am aware Of" Mr. variau
quietly answered.
Then I don't SEQ why you should
espouse their cause" laughed Mis-,
Sclwyn. Look at that fat little dow
dy with the checked bingham dress, ani
the broken backed feather in her hat
and the tall woman with the scant,
shawl and the high heeletl boots. Was
there ever anything 10 riiiculous?"
And then the whistle blew, and the
train moved on, and tho smiles faded
from Angus Variants face as he watched
the merry sparkle of his companion
eyes. the dimplcs coming and going on
he2 rosy cheeks.
The very next station was keyford,
where they must alight. And he had
not told hate Selwyn yet-he could mol
tell her. Let circumstances develop
themselves, he had not the heart rudely
to plunge dagger into that innocent
young breast
He had CHANGED to be coming from
Albany, and had acquiesced ia Dr
Selwyns request that he should brina
Kate home from Neutrality-suspicious.
blooming eighteen sear.ol Kate, who
had just graduated with all the hon
ors, and who, having spent two vaca.
tions with favorite schoolmates, had mol
been ut home for two years.
And" DR.. Sclwyn had hoarsely
added, "if you find fitting opportunity,
Varian, you might mention to the child
how things have changed at home
She'll have to know il sooner or later
and It may possibly save her shock.
But the "Atting opportunity" had
not presented itself, or Mr.. Varisn had
neglected to avail himselfct it. And
here they were Slowing up" at Key.
ford, nate springsng joyously from hel
heap of travelling shawls, novels, flow
ers and honbons, with the cry o.
"Papa! Oh, 1 see papa!"
And the next minute she was in hi.
arms. kissing and hugging him, Will,
she thanked Mr.. Varian for his kind
ness in escorting her home.
You'll come and see me sometimes ?'
she said "if have not wearied YOU ou
with my schoolgirl chatter"
Mr.. Varian smiled, lifted his hat ant
went away, while Kate, leaning fondl,
on her fathers arm, looked around in
quiringly.
Where is the carriage, papa?" sh
asked land thetwo darling old greys?
We'll walk, my DEAR" said DR.
Selwyn ut is but step. The--th
fact is, we are not living where we did
We have moved"
Moved, papa! Moved from Selwyl
NsAoA6V. CAtCu MAUI Ill bIuaZen0nG.
"Ard we don't find ourselves able I
afford the expense of carriage nn
longer" said DR.. Selwyn huskily
Didn't Varian tell you?"
"Mr. Varian, papa? Tell me what .
said Kace, with vague surprise.
l4ee that he has notss said DR.. Sci
Myn. "Then I must tell you myself
We are very poor, Kate. We have )r,
all our property. was foc@ish enoup
to speculate and have failed. So v
have lost everythfng-the Grange, tn
carriage. the lighthouses the pictur
gallery, -and ALL. We are living at Dea
Cottage, and I think your mother vi
be very glad to have you back again I
help her with the house work. VIII,
hate, my child, what is the matter ?"
Kate choked down an immense sol
N-nething, papa, said she. "Onl
1t was 50 sudden. have never dream
ed Of such thing"
Il have been too abrupt" said b,
Selwyn. II am used to thu nlea mn
self, and did not know how unpleas
antly 1t might affect you. But Won,
bear, it hravely--eh, my darling, fo
our sakcs." ~
Eyes, papa, I'll be brave" said IA,
In a low voice.
Nate Selwyn was stubborn artist,
crat. All her life she had walked a
roses, and smiled serenely down on ii
workers of the world, as q gold. plume
canary in its glittering cage might vic
the brown-wlnged sparrow rolling i
the dust.
And now-now! Alas, how sadly
was all changedl
but Kate was a heroine in her wa,
and she sat down to tea in the ding
back room OF Dean Cottage rs bright
as if it had been the stately dining roo
OF Selwyn Grange, even while no sliph
est detail OF the shabby housekeepin
thet surrounded her escaped her eve,
Oh, the mended carpets, the fade
window draperies, the table-clot
darned and patched, the poor glue
chairs, and the window-pane cracke
across. and mended with q piece /,
brown paper. Kate would have fun
herself despairingly on the threadbal
sofa and cried Der heart out-but 81
was too brave for that.
And after tea there were no wande
ings among the flowers, no sitting
the piano (that had been sacrificed
the general wreck also), no watchin
the red and opal effects Of the sunset i
dreamy far niente visions. There ",
no servant, and the dishes we're to |
washed, the room swept, all the hous
hold cares to be attedded to.
They were in debt as we'll. Ka
discovered that the next day when Il
butcher presented himself, declariu
that "his orders were to give no MOI
trust until old scores were settled up
and the bakers cart clattered by will
out taking any heed whatsoever Of Mr.
Selwyn's reckoning finger.
live So"
1T is very hard, my dear" said Mr.
selwyn with quivering lip; "but I 4
not know what else is to be done.
was your fathers ambition to keen yc
at school, and we have strained eve,
nerve to pay Madame D'Orient's bill
until you should graduate"
Kate thought of her Italian poets. n,
great piles of music books, her Frent
nVHkh