Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-02-11

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And, Just at starting. Lilith kissed his nps?"
-Ferishtahs Fdnctes-R0bert Br0,0ning.
REBECCA'S PLAN.
BY LUCY RANDALL COMFORT.
Il wouldn't mind losing the money,
said gentle Mrs. Orme, If it wasn't for
Clara's music" And she wiped tear
or two from the eyes that were still
blue and bright.
well, I would, then," said Rebecca,
who stood in the middle of the kitchen
floor, brandishinR her china towel as il
it was an aggressive weapon of warfare
Nobody wants to sec their little saw
ings made ducks and brakes of. If you
had took my advice, Mrs. Orme, You
never would have give it to your
city cousin to invest, but KEEP it in the
county hank, where it was safe and
sound, even if it didn't draw such g
high interest. But You always was fool
ish about money"
At this CLARA Orme fred up, as q
dove might resent the attack of some
warlike hawk on the maternal nest.
"Rebecca," said she, "be silent! You
shall not speak so to mamma"
Well isn't it the TRUTH" said Re.
becca.
mamma, don't mind her." pleaded
Clara, putting both arms around the
gentle widows neck, and laying he,
velvet cheek against the flushed fore.
head. "Let the music go. After all,
what does little money signify?"
Child, you speak like q baby" said
Mrs. Orme. Money means q great
deal more than you think"
But nevertheless she was instinctive-
~ comforted by the magnetic touch OF
her child's cheek, the coaxing sweet
ness of her voice. And although Re-
becca, the SHRED help" still stood there
scolding, the sting had all gone out of
her reproofs. Rebecca had lived with
'hem since CLARA was baby. It was
or way to scold. And in spite of the
sweet sophistry of Clara's excuses Mrs.
Orme admitted to herself that Rebecca
vas more than half right. She never
jhould have given that thousand dollars
to her cousin, the city broker, to invest
in South Central Pacific when South
Central Pacific was running up to such
q dazzling figure that everybody has.
tened to share it's splendors. @What
goes up must come down." her old
unole Lemuel had always said, and she
should have known that South Central
Pacific wasn't Sound" But there was
no use crying for spilled milk. The
money was gone in the South Central
Pacific collapse, and all the city cousin's
regrets couldn't bring it back. And
after all they didn't mind little eoono-
my, if only it wasn't for Clara's musical
education; the lessons from Madame
Quesohi would have to be stopped low,
and how could Clara ever expect to be a
great pianist it."
But just then the kitchen door
swung open, and little Bell came,n cur.
rying her apron full of wild grapes,
with the glory of late sunshine ar" md
her, and fringe of blue asters stuck
Ike deep amethyst plumes ill the shah.
by ribbon of her old straw hat.
"Oh, mother, MOTHER" ehe cried,
breathlessly, "see what have got And
there is city lady down at old Mrs,
Niokelsa's buying all those funny wood.
On chairs that Peleg was just going to
split up into kinding wood, and the
broken clook too, and the spinning
wheel up garrett"
Mrs. Orme and Rebecca looked at
each other with sudden brighteuina
OF their eyes.
"Old furniture. chr" said Rebecca.
And you was talkin' of sellin' yourn
at auction, to go up to town, and be near
the woman that gives lessons to ou1
CLARA. It amt noways likely they'd
fetch much at . vendoo sale. Amt this
good chance for you, Mrs. Orme?"
"Ye-es, I suppose co." said the meek
widow, with . doubtful fiutter at he,
heart. Put on your hat, Rebocca, and
60 down to Mrs. Nichelsa's and see
what you can do"
Mammal" cried Clara, "surely you
never will sell the old chairs aud bed.
steadl'
M " dear, something must be done. "
said Mrs. Orme, with varying color in
her soft face! 1T will cost me q pena
70 part with the old things, but, after
oil, deserve to BIO punished for nv
folly in that South Central Pacific
business, and you know We couldn't IA
anything with such lot of old furniture
in city fiat. Hush. Don't make me
. coward when I need most to be brave. y
But Is she sat there in the low .ceiled
brooding old kitchen, with the yellow
September glow around her, the vine
leaves Whispering at the easement. and
the locusts winding their tiny bua]es in
the msple-trees outside, it seemed as Il
all the golden air was full of the ghosts
OF departed days. Poor Mrs. Orme,
the world was very hard to her in these
times.
Rebecca presently returned, accom-.
panied by portly lady elegantly dressed
in surah satin, jetted lace, and scented
valley cashmere shawl
Yes, Mrs. Van Voscelin was buvina
old furniture. She dotted on real an.
6ques indeed-with q simper-she
might almost say that she was craxed
on the subject. Had Mrs.-Mra-oh
yes, Mrs. Orme-anything that she
wished to part with?
YES, said Mrs. Orme, rather sbashed
ny 30 much splendor; II am talking of
giving up my house here, and should
like to sell the old claw-legged table.
and perhaps the hall clock, and the
curious carved chairs in the parlor.
Taese last" she added, with modest
pride, ARE, I believe. quite rare. They
we're given to my mother, before she
was married, by captain of q Holland
trading vessel, who brought them direct
from Antwerp, and they hay been much
admired by artists."
"Oh, indeed !" said Mrs. Van Voscelin.
But there is 80 much imposture about
these things, you know. However, I
don't object to looking at them"
CLARA had grown scarlet Of the cool
incidence of the city lady's tone, but
Mrs. Orme smiled deprecaingly q abe
led the way toward the best narlor.