The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-23


Lynn asked her mother. THE very minute
she comes from school up she runs into the
garrett, and she locks the door and won't let
one of us come in. All day Saturday she
was up there, and when she did come down.
she was so cross and hateful there was no
standing her.
She's reading something interesting, !
suppose" answered the busy mother, who
took no time to think of any of her chill
dren's caprices. No one can read or do
anything down here for the noise you all
make. You're like lot of wild horses on a
stampede Like as not, though, Maggie's
reading trashy novel. She's too fond of
'em, anyway. l can't afford to have her
idling her time up there, with the big bas-
ket OF clean clothes to sort and mend. Hes
ter, run up stairs, and tell her to come right
down to her work.
Hester, an overgrown girl of fourteen. tor
mented by an Unsuitable curiosity to find out
other peoples business, skipped up the two
flights of stairs with alacrity, and thumped
loudly at the door.
What are you banging there for?" cried
an impatient voice.
MA says you're to come right down.
| screamed Hester through the keyhole. ''She's
got lots of work ready for you, and you amt
to lose one minute, either, she says, or she'll
fetch you herself"
n Having delivered this exaggerated version
of the message, Hester seated herself on the
step, chuckling at the grumbling she heard
within, and determined to wait until Maggie
came out. Perhaps she might get peep
| into the room.
As the key grated in the lock and the
| door opened, she bent forward but could see
nothing but litter of paper on the floor.
| Maggie came out looking flushed and angry.
"No one can have minutes peace in this
housel" she cried, fretfully. ats do this,
| do that, from morning till night. It's worse
| than being slave. Miss Hester it's you
| that's at the bottom of mas calling me this
morning. You're never satisfied unless
| you're splitting me-"
81 never said word" answered Hester,
| coolly. But being, with all her faults,
| truthful girl, she added, well, did ask ma
what you were dom up in the garnet all
| the time. Maybe hearing your name re-
minded her that you've been shirkin' your
| share of work for two weeks. Why, Eve
| sewed ever so many pieces, and helped ma
in the kitchen, and you amusing, yourself
| PLAYING in the garnet by yourself"
playing in the garnet" repeated Maggie,
scornfullv. Some day perhaps you'll see
| what kind of play it is"
Hester opened her round eyes at this mys-
| terious speech, as she followed Maggie into
| their mothers room.
"Well, you've taken your time, both of
| you, to get here" said Mrs. Lynn. Look
| at that pile of clothes TO be fixed, and you
| two idling away your time. Those four boys
of mine just seem to try how much tearing
and rending they can do, and you, Maggie,
| don't try to help me one bit. Very well, F"
| the poor woman added. with heavy sigh
"when hard works conquered me, and 1
amt as strong as | was, you'll be sorry for
| your idleness"
| Maggie did not answer. did not even glance
| at her mothers careworn face, but taking
| up a sock, eyed it with disguised look
| "What ails the sock?" Mrs LYNN asked
/ ho hsaln ~ n far
| see"
| ut isn't the holes ma, but I've got some
| writin' to do, and if you knew what it was,
| you wouldn't keep me here mending old
| socks"
81 know what's got to be done, writin or
| no writin', )" her mother answered decisively.
| Your pa and have skimped and toiled to
give you an education. so you could help
| yourself or help us on a pinch. But if your
| learnin is to make you lazy and above work,
| the sooner you leave school the better
| You'll never be spry enough to make good
| teacher
81 don't expect to be a teacherp' Maggie
cried, her eyes filling with indignant tears.
| "Pll be something better than that. and I'll
make as much money as i want. Just wait
and you'll see"
| 81 guess it will be long wating,n her
| mother answered, with a laugh. when
| you've done your work, we'll talk about it.
| Now girls do your best"
As she hurried out of the ROOM Maggie
| suffered her work to drop on her lap, and
fell into profound reverie.
''How provoking" she thought, ''just as
had got the lovely Eoline to the brook to be
/ called awayl Shall she cross it, and find
shall his enemies attack him in her presence,
and he resist CALAMITY, killing and wounding
them right and left.
Now which would be more interesting /
| wonderr'
Lost in thought, she forgot how time pass
ed, until triumphant laugh from Hester
| reused her.
Don't you wish you were me, Mag" she
cried. Look at my pilel Just two more
pieces to mend, and yours amt touched. I'll
have time to go to Mallet Woods and get
some nuts. If you hadn't been moonin'
around, you would have been Free too.
Hester" cried Mag, desperately, ''if
you'll finish my share of work. I'll give you
that lovely blue neck ribbon you want 50
| much Yes and I'll do more I'll take
you to the garnet and tell you my secret.
There now"
'Done" said Hester eagerly, her nimble
| fingers attacking her sisters untouched
work. ~ work so fast, it won't take me any
time to finish. If mall just keep away but
i reckon she's safe in the kitchen for two
! hours at least"
Maggie, released, fled to her garnet, and
| there, with an old blank book Tor desk,
she wrote until the sombre evening light
grew dim.
Our Maggie, as l suppose you have guessed,
was in the first efforts of authorship. She was
seventeen years old, devoted to trashy novel
reading. too sentimental to be sensible, and
with an exalted opinion of her own literary
tastes. She expected to send "Eolines Fate"
as her tale was called, to a prominent maya
zine, and did not doubt its unparalleled sue
cess She was sure, as soon as it was pub
lished, every periodical in the country would
secure her, and she would put her own price
on her writings. Yes, her mother was grum-
bling, but what would she say when she
found the famous ''Estrella' cher nom de
plume) was her own daughter? She would
| hire a servant 10 helm her mother. for of