The Red Cloud chief., 1885-06-19
"OF NO USE"
How Eleanor's Eyes We're Opened To Her
Aimless. Selfish Life.

at does seem as il some people have
more than their share of trouble" said
Mrs. Hilton. in a respondent tone. a
she held out a thin. toil-worn hand tn
Mrs. Bowen. . neighbor. who had
stopped on her way downtown" To
inquire after her health
81. does seem hard that you Should
be laid up in this way. that's q fact"
said Mrs. Bowen. alphabetically. rs
she drew a chair to the bedside. The
mother offs large family cant very
well afford to treat herself to the luxu-
~ Of a broken limb"
Il don t know bow they are all going
to yet along without me-" said Mrs.
Hilton. MY hands have always been
full 10 overfiowing. and now. of course.
everything will be at q stand,till. 1t
makes me sick at heart to think of it..
lyon mustn't think of it."said Mrs
Bowen. ''You must keep quiet and
tranquil il you al to get well fast.
Frettng is sure 10 give you a fever"
1T is very well to tell me To keep
tranquil" said Mrs. II lton. the tears
rising to her eyes. but how can l help
fretting when I know that l shall prob
ably have to lie here six or eight weeks,
utterly unable to do ANYTHING. the
doctor tells me that the house will get
along somehow, but that is cold COM
fort. II | only had a sister who would
come here now, how thankful / would
be-"
But there is Eleanor" said Mrs.
Bowen. "She is nineteen. l believe;
certainly oil enough to take charge OF
the house for a few weeks. You must
have forgotten her"
Indeed. l often do forget her,"
sighed Mrs. Hilton. II see SO little of
her. She stays in her own room day n
and day tut. Eleanor! l might as well
have no n in charge as Eleanor. She
is Of no use"
The door opening into the adjoining
room was ajar, aud the mother words
were heard distinctly by a young girl
who was standing listlessly at a win
dow. looking ont on the garden below.
She started, and her face flushed pain
fully.
"Of no use." she repeated to herself
in a low voice. "HOw unkind of moth
er to say such a thing! And how un-
just"
Unable to repress the angry tears
which rose to her eyes. and fearing dis
cOvery, she left the room. and. RUM nc
down to tho library, threw herself on
the well-worn lounge. burying her face
in the patchwork cushion.
IL wonder if nv own mother would
ever have said such q cruel thing she
thought. rs her tears flowed freely.
u She would have found me of some
use. l know"
She could not remember her own
mother. who had died many years be-
fore. but heretofore she had had no par.
ticular fault to ind with the stranger
who had taken that mothers place. The
second Mrs. Hilton had been warned,
both by relatives and friends, that the
position of a step-mother was a difficaIt
n to I'll ~acceptably. and she had. from
the first, been very cautious in her treat
ment of Eleanor. telling herself that the
child should never he able to say that
she had ill-trcated or made q servant of
her. This feeling had become almos,
morbid. and when Eleanor returned
from boarding-schOOl. she was treated
with the consideration usually shown q
guest She had one of the best rooms
in the house. and was never called O
to assist in any of its duties She spent
her time IS she liked; read. embroid-
ered. crOcheted. made calls. and vent
10 entertainments without suggestion
or hindrance from her step-mother.
And. having NO especial duties to Der.
form. she found life very dull aud weari-
some.
IF I only had some particular talent
that I could turn to account" she often
thought Then l would have some
thing to which | could look forward.
and the days would mo- seem SO long"
Many an idle hour did she spend in
foolish dreaming Of he future and
what it would bring her. and the sight
Of the rerpetually over-fiowing stock.
inE-basket on the window-seat by her
mothers chair did not suggest 10 her
that there was plenty of work close at
hand If she only chose to take it nm.
She did not know that she was leading
. selfish. aimless life. wasting time that
God had intended her 10 use for the
good of those about her.
She felt very unhappy a. she Law on
the old lounge. and told herself that
she was unappreciated and had been
very much maiigned. She though, she |
could never forgive her step-mother. or !
feel kindly toward her again.
- wish / could go AWAY some
where" she sobbed hystericaliy. lot
eourse. she woold be glad to get rid Of
me. since | am Of no use"
Just then she heard Rridyet,s yojce
IN the next room:
What have We got on yer bet
lsckss for. Bob: This amt no time
to be wearin' out We best clo,es Wild ye
ma lying in bed wild q broken kr.-
Il tore my everyday jacket" AMI
swered Bob. land Of course I'll have TO
wear this one right along: now
mothers sick and can't mend the
other"
Why don't We ask Miss Nelly to
mend i! Sure. she's alters got . needle
in her hand"
.Elsaanr. Oh. SIC wouldn't do IL
She never does anything for anybody
but heroclf."
The kitchen door opened and shut.
and Rob went vhistling out b the
stable. unconscious that his careless
words had been heard by any one save
How true is ID that
~fou many q ham II ronA- Srof
fssos 1ark TIE archer iittie mcsn,- i