The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-10-01
A WORK1NG.MAN'S WIFE.
BY HELEN FORREST oRAvEs.

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
Don't fall in love with her, Junius."
"Your caution comes too late, old
man. Pm in love with her already!"
Franklin BARLEY looked solemnly
at Doctor Junius Dale; shook his head
asst to say, ""Tis true, tits pity; pity
it's, tits true"
MY dear fellow" said BARLEY, the
sage mentor of the pair, "you can no
more afford such wife than you can
afford a steam yacht or an ivory
mounted billiard table,
There s no occasion to tell me that"
mournfully replied Doctor Dale. "Im
quite aware of it already. Ii was
rich I'd marry Miss Clarke tomorrow
always providing that she thought me
worthy of acceptance; but as am only
q struggling young doctor, ri do nv
best to keep away from her destinations
in the future"
"A sensible decision," observed Bar
tley.
':But she is so pretty!" yearningly
remarked Doctor Dale.
"Granted."
"And she sings like a nightingale"
"She ought to, with all the cultiva-
ton that her voice has received"
"And she has such winning way
with her."
"What difference does that make to
you?' said BARLEY. "Haven't YOU re-
solved that hereafter she is TO be
nothing to you?'
"I-yes; but"
"Stick to your colors then, mani"
cried BARLEY. "Clissy Clarke is moth
ing on earth but a society belle. What
you want is 4 helpful. willing, work
ing-bee of 4 wife-one who can aid you
with heart and hand to climb LIES
hill. You saw Miss Clarke at the Win
field masquerade last night, in white
satin and pearls?"
"And very beautiful she looked?"
cried the young physician, firing sud
Clarke's auburn hair, all twisted with
ropes Of seed-pearl, and violet-blue
eyes, sparkling with girlish animation.
'.Did she look like a poor mans
wife,"
"Not bit of it,
''Fhen be warned," said BARLEY,
shortly. "Remember the old story Of
the myth scorching it's wings in the
candle flame
Doctor Dale WAS silent. He chad
promised himself the pleasure of a call
on Clarissa Clarke, that very after
noon.
There was something in the girl that
attracted him with almost magnetic
force. The tender light OF her eyes,
the sweet intonation of her voice, the
rosy tluShe> OF color that ovcrspread
her check when he talked to her, were
all separate attractions; and vet he
knew that he, like the hero OF French
romance, was "APoor Young Mann
He recollected, now, that he had
even said something to Classy about
going to the Clarke cottage that day.
ut won't do!' he said to himself
~ had better keep away"
And so instead of following the dear
est inclination of his heart, he betook
himself. with Spartan resolve, to the
public library
"I'll read up that case on the inves-
tigation of cholera microbes" he
thought. "If man expects to make
amy mark in his profession, he must
keep posted up in these modern discov-
cries of science"
So he disappeared into one OF the al
roves of the library, with his medical
quarto and his memorandum-bo book,
md set to work in good earnest.
But he had not fairly entered into
he merits of the microbe question,
when the twitter of sweet girl-voices
rom the adjoining alcove struck upon
nis ear.
ooh, Clissy Clarke!" said one. ~
called for her, and she wouldn't come.
1t was bakingday, and there was CHS
~ up to her elbows in flour and spices"
"Well, l never!'' said the other, with
a giggle.
ooh, she does all the housework!"
said the first speaker, scornfully.
"Like any hired servant. Even the
fine Washington they only keep one
little bound-girl-and Mr.. Clarke won't
wear a shirt unless Clissy has ironed
it,"
"How does she find timefo her mu-
sic and oil painting?" asked the second.
''Oh, she rises at dawn. She saws
the best time OF the workine-day is be-
fore breakfast. She finishes her house
work, sews for the family
"Makes all her own dresses, don't
she?"
eyes, and her mothers, too! That
satin dress she wore at the party last
night was her grand mothers bridal
gown made over, and the pearls were
borrowed from Miss Layton. It don't
cost her anything to dress. She'll
foJ yn %1,n Il 11l So.
model it with Il scrap of ribbon or q
panel of velvet until you'd think it
was made by a French dressmaker.
l declare, l wish 1 had her knack.
Papa is always grumbling about my
bills. But that amt all. Do YOU
know? she q ives Bessie Layton music
lessons, and earns quite nice little in
come for herself. And shewrites book
reviews and things for the newspapers,
and keeps Mr.. Clarke in books that
way.''
"Dear mel" said the other with a
yawn, "what dreadful nuisance she
must find it! l couldn't drudge that
way"
''She says she likes it,"
"She'd make nice wife for q poor
man, wouldn't she?" said the second
speaker. "Although no one who saw
her at the party last night would think
it,"
"Humph'' remarked the other>
"She'll live and die an old maid, see If
she don't! Such girls always do. Come;
here are our novels at last. Let'sgo!"
The perfun,ed silkcn hounces rustled
out of the library, the sound of chat
tering voices died away, and still Doc
tor Dale sat, with his pencil in his
hand, staring down at his memoran-
dum-book. 1t seemed as if the gloomy
veil which dropped between him and
his future life were lifted In his heart
he could have blessed the agile tongues
OF these idle, gossiping girls.
Cllssy, then, was no mere butterfly,
but true, noble-hearted working.
girl!
He carried back the ponderous
medical tome to the assistant librari