The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-03-18
MISS NELLIE TORRANCE,

was in all those mysterious tin boxes,
and whether the monster iron safe was
full of gold and silver pieces.
"And you want something to do9"
eyes. please!'
"Humph'' said Mr.. Brown.
But she added, with some spirit,
II am not asking for charity. 1 am
willing to work for my bread!"
"You mean that you would like to
daub canvas, or sew yellow sunfowers
on green plush screens satirically
observed the old gentleman. II don't
call that work.
"Nor l either,' retorted Nelly.
Then what do you mean?' said Mr..
Brown.
II mean that shall be glad to I'M
dertake any sort of honest work by
means of which can earn my own liv-
ing
''Humph:" again interjected Mr..
Brown. '"Can you cook -
"Yes,' Ne. y answered.
Il don't believe it's
"But l cam
Every WE'LL said Nir. Brown, re-
leasing his coat-tai's and sitting down
at his desk as if the question were def
nitely disposed of. NV cook went
away this morning. Haven't engaged
any one in her place. You may come
this afternoon and see what you can do
for me-
Mr.. Brown fully expected that his
young cousin would recoil Indignantly
from this proposal, but she did nothing
of the sort. She simply said, Eyes,
Cousin John,' and asked him for his
private address.
''Mind you're punctual, my DEAR
said he, as he handed her the penciled
card.
II am always punctual," calmly re-
sponded Nelly.
''Mr. Brown watched her out of the
office with qulzzical twinkle in his
eyes.
"She won't come,' he said to him
self. live seen the last of my fine re-
lation."
And Nelly Torrance went home to
little second-t floor room, the cheapest
| which the widow and her daughters
could possibly find.
Mrs. Adrian Torrance was dressed
in black. a fair delicate piece of human
china, who had been like the lilies of
the field, in that she toiled not. neither
did she spin, and Lucetta, the older
| daughter, was trying, unsuccessfully
to trim a black Grape bonnet, by the
window.
They had come up from the country
at Lucetta suggestion to appeal. in
their poverty, to this rich cousin of the
dcad father and husband, but none of
them anticipated any very satisfactory
results from the experiment.
'.These rich people are always miscr-
ly," said Miss Lucetta.
land I've understood said the
gentle little widow, THAT he was not
pleased when poor dear Adrian mar
ried me instead of Miss Goldbags, the
rich pawnbroker' daughter.
"Well?' cried Mrs. Torrance eager
ly, as Nelly entered.
what does he sayp" questioned
Lucetta, dropping the fold of Grape she
was vainly endeavorins to fashion into
what the fashion-plate called "an OBJ
long bow
Il have seen him. said Nelly, UNITY
! ing her bOnnet-stringS, land m going
to his house in Grandover Park this
afternoon
''You don't mean,' cried Mrs. Tor
rance, with spasmodic catching in her
breath, ':that he is going to-adopt
your
mot in the least said Nelly.
''Now mamma, darling, don't Jump at
conclusions. just hear my plain, un-
vanished tale. l went to Cousin John.
told him wanted something to do.
He asked me if | could cook. Thanks
to that course of lessons once took of
Signor Silverspoon, was able to an
swer yes. Then he told me- that his
cook was gone, and asked mo if l would
come to bis house this afternoon and
take her place.
"And you-' gasped Mrs. Torrance.
II said yes. Of course
''Eleanor!' cried Lucetta, II am
scandalized by your conduct! Yes. per-
fectly scandalzed. You will do moth
ing of the sort!''
'Certainly not,' said Mrs. Torrance,
developing strong hysterical symptoms.
If your cousin Brown intends
to insult U.S.
"But he doesn't mean to insult U.S.
pleaded Nelly. He intended the offer
in all good faith, and ! accepted it in
the same spirit
You surely do not mean to degrade
yourself, cried Lucetta. "by turning
-cook-for any man living!'
II don't see,' urged Nelly, 'that it
is any more degrading to cook for
Cousin John than it would be to en-
| broider slippers for him, or read the
! newspaper aloud TO him of an evening"
"Eleanor never had any proper
! pride,' said Mrs. Torrance, wringing
her hands.
"Never!'' echoed Lncetta {.
"And,' added Nelly, ''my cousin
an impostor if l told him l wanted
work and then refused the first offer he
made. 1t will be useless for you to
demonstrate, Lucetta, and hope ma
ma will not place any obstacles in my
way, for am quite determined to 20
to Grandover Park this afternoon.
! And she adhered firmly to her reso-
luton.
1t was six exactly when Mr.. Brown
let himslf into his house with his latch
key which always depended from his
watch chain. The gas jet burned softly
behind the rose-colored shade in the
hall, the fire clicked cheerily in the
CRATE in the parlor beyond.
'Humph!'' he muttered. "She
hasn't come. Thought so! There's
no such thing as practical woman