Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-08-27
DOWN HILL AND UP.


moodily "it is easy to see thatl"
"Oh, Grace. don't talk sou said Louise
tearfully.
81 couldn't before Alfred" said the
elder Miss Fortescue as she stirred her
cup of weak tea and tried to swallow a
little of the saw-dusty bakers bread
from the little shop at the corner. "But
facts are facts, and there's no use trying
to blind ourselves to them
Louise wrung her hands which, in
spite of dish washing and floor scrub
bing, still remained white and dimpled
at the knuckles, like baby's.
"Oh, Gracep said she, "why can't go
cut and be seamstress or something?'
And Louise, feeling the necessity of
action of some sort, could not but re+
cognize herself as being utterly useless
in this emergency.
She had advertised for a situation IN
some school, but no one had answered
the advertisement. She had registered
her name at pretentious employment
agency in the neighborhood, but as yet
no crep of ladies in need of gOvernesses
or children in want of instruction in
French, music and German had sprung
up, and now came the point blank ques
tion.
.'The postmanp said Grace suddenly
starting up. Run. Louise. quick, before
be knocks. Alfred must be kept quiet
whatever happens. What is it?-a let.
ter for Alfredo"
"Yes," said Louise.
aOpen it, childI See what is in it."
open Alfred's letter2" cried Louise,
in dismay.
"Yes, of course. Didn't the doctor
say that nothing must excite or disturb
him? It's about some business, of
course, and perhaps it needs instant at
tention.'
Thus urged Louise hesitatingly tore
open the letter.
"It's from a Mr.. Townsend, she said;
"a gentleman who is writing book"
writing a book?" cried Grace. "and
what on earth has that to do with Al>
fred ?'
''Its about French literature in the
time of the first Napoleon went on Lou
ise, "and the man wants lot of infor-
matien from some unheard of book in
the public libraries here, and he can't
come himself because he has sprained
an ankle. and some one has mentioned
to him the name of Alfred as a capable,
cultivated and literary gentleman, whose
services in completing thing of this
nature would be invaluable. And he
will be glad to remHnerate Mr.. Forte
scue at the rate of dollar page for all
compilations concerning the Napoleonic
age of literature"
"a dollar page!" exclaimed Grace,
with cleaning eyes; land for doing the
oae thing that Aft likes best in all the
world"
What are we to dos" asked Louise.
"Wbat can we do?" sighed poor Grace.
"Write and tell him that Mr.. Fortescue
is confined to bis bed and that the doctor
thinks he cannot leave it for several
weeks, even under the most favorable
circumstances. Oh, dearl it seems wick
ed to let this high tide of fortune go by
Us unimproved."
"Grace," said Louise, with a quick
breath, at shall not pass US by. I'll do it
myself"
"You?"
"Why not L? Cannot 1 read French
as well as Alf himself Isn't my hand
writing big and bold enough for any
man's?. I'll go to these big public Ii
braries; I'll do the compiling for this
man."
"But, Louise. do you believe yourself
capable or it?"
Louise drew herself up with mock
dignity.
"Do look like an imposter?" said she.
"Just wait and see. Give me chance
to build up my reputation; and don't
breathe a word of this to Alf. One dol
larl Our fortune is nader
The next day she took her way to the
library, and calmly announced her bnsi-
ness to one of the principals attending
a silver haired gentleman-who at once
became int crested in her behalf.
He did his best to help her, but it was
little pazzling just at first. She was
not certain that she liked it. Her French
was, perhaps. little rusty, and she had
never especially studied up what her cor
respondent called "the primo-Napoleonic
age of literature"
But as she worked on daylight seemed
to irradiate her labUrs, a new intelligence
broke in upon her mind. Her pen
scratched rapidly over the paper, sort
of method settled among the writings of
NJ. de This and Nine. de That. and Lou
ise began to be quite sure that she liked
it.
She sent off her work and Mr.. Town.
send wrote back expressing the utmost
satisfaction. Mr.. Fortescues MSS, he
said, was far beyond his most sanguine
anticipations in clearness, comprehen-
eiyepess and research, He did not know