The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1886-12-25

lessons That my father mad marked the day
before he died. Thanks TO his thorough
method OF instruction and tho interesting
manner in which he strove TO present tho
great truths he taught, was not only well
advanced for a girl Of fifteen, but pos.
sessed that inordinate love for books that
makes study pleasure instead of task
Much as | shall always despise ,'ohn for
his cowardly treatment of friendless
orphan, ! can not but feel grateful to him
for uttering the singing words that
aroused me from my stony grief, and
opened new source Of enjoyment to my
starving soul. Every moment l could
steal from aunt's watchful eye was devoted
to my books.
One evening she came upon me suddenly
when was replenishing my humble light,
and taking the old saucer from my hand
said sharply:
''Seems to me, Elsie, you use mighty
| sight Of tallow. Mind, it costs like sixty.
| Miss Jones get seven cents pound for
her'n. There is no sense in great girl like
you havin' to carry light upstairs every
night. Betty Robins told me she had seen
| light In your window all hours of the night,
and that folks say you set up to study. II
] catch you stealth your time to pore over
books, I'll burn 'em every one"
She set the old cracked dish on the upper
shelf of the pantry, and crawled upstairs,
discouraged but not conquered. Just at
this time was wholly absorbed in g2ome
try. ] made it a point to learn one new
theorem every day, which l mentally
worked out at night In this way Idevoured
the book, reviewing until could have dem
onstrated every theorem it contained with
out making single mistake. In Il similar
manner became proficient in many other
branches. Usually attempted to master
but one study at time. At very early
age my father had insisted on my writing a
verse, story or little sketch, ct least once a
week This practice managed to keep up,
and after my position-book was written
through, had recourse to an old time-worh
ledger Of my grandfather's.
On Christmas Day--it was my birthday,
tool gained courage to send one of my lit
tie poems to a paper my uncle had been in
duced to take ] watched its columns
eagerly every week until my pride was
fully gratified by seeing my own produc.
tion in print. Again and again my vanity
prompted me to write few verses, which
invariably made their appearance in the
course of a few weeks
One evening my aunt sent me on an or.
rand to the minister's wife. She was en-
gaged when l told my business, and gave
ms new magazine to look over until she
would be at leisure. Among the first ar
ticles that attracted my attention was ono
Of my own little poems, clipped from the
paper for which it had been written. NJ
heart trembled joyously at this token o
appreciation. For few moments
was supremely happy, and then ar
overwhelming sense of my utter LONELINESS!
came over me- and with the bitter though
that had not single friend to rejoice ovel
my success, turned rapidly through the
, remaining pages, until, tho words "Fivt
hundred-dollar prize" attracted my atten
,, ton. ran my eyes over it hastily, thel
re-read it carefully, after which took pen
, Gil and paper from my pocket and copiet
, the address. The prize was offered by tn
, editor Of the magazine for the best seria
, for girls. The story was to be of such
length as to run through the twelve nun
,, bers, bog.nnng with the New Year. AL
manuscripts intended to compete for tn
prize were to be in the hands of the edito
not later than June 3d.
Before slept ] had written for particulars
! and neighboring lad passing early mex
] morning, carried it to the office. AZ soon a
! received the proper instructions, went t.
. work with will. have no doubt but tina
my aunt had good reasons for her fault-fnd
= ing during the next six months, for m
. mind was more upon the characters tina
7 my imagination had created than upon IN,
: work. Aunt had persistently denied me
light in my room during the whole year, bu
i, dear Margaret remembered my sixteenth
! birthday by sending. me a dollar. Part 0
this used for Gil and paper, and the bal
, ance was boarded for postage. On the l5t
OF June my precious package was COMMITTEES
;. to the care of Uncle Sam and the mex
six months I waited and hoped
: yet dreaded to hear the decision that tn
Goth of December might have in store TO
me. On Christmas morning my wear
watching was changed into glad song 0
n thanksgiving for business looking lette
A my uncle put into my hands brought Il
. the five hundred dollars l had dreamed O
- every day for year. / had won the prize
:, how, / scarcely know, unless my desperat
. ably my aching heart made itself fel
!, through my fnger-tips. At any rate, ha
won the prize and the money was indi:
q putably mine
!. Five hundred dollars may seem a yer
:, insignificant sum to those who count thei
a possessions by the thousands, but to me
meant peaceful home with my dear Of
a Margaret, and relief from the bitter brea
of dependence.
4 swell, it does seem as if book larnir
a amounts to something, after ALL" admitte
; Aunt phillis.
a "Jest as / told you," said Uucle Reuben
n 1.-THE gal shows her bringn' up"
John looked more sullen than eve
n though when he took me to the train a fey
= days later, overheard him explaining m
a success to young lady, and if I am nc
n mistaken he proudly owned me as one {
r. the family.
HeLZ& D. MloKuHEx,
-% . -
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