The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-10-16

K
shops, and her two Oldest brothers
hawked them from door to door
and in the street.
The income thus derived was
double that she had received in the
mill, and enabled the family to
live very comfortably.
Alma had a lover-an honest,
steady young man, who worked in
the mill which she had left, and
was, like her, the sole support of a
large family.
John Brainerd was shrewd and
intelligent, and seemed determined
to rise in the world, although he
found it pretty uphill work.
He studied hard at nights, and
had lately become much interested
in constructing a model of little
appliance to be added to the ma
chinery of loom that would save
much labor
He had shown his drawings of
the improvement to the mill-owner,
and the latter had promised to give
him five hundred pounds for the
invention as soon as he should per-
feet it.
81 It's bound to be a success" he
said confdentially to Alma, "and
we can afford to get married when
| get the money"
Miss Priscilla Curtis had taken
much interest in the young me-
chanic, and entered heartily into
his plans for the future.
When she called upon Alma this
morning she found the young girl
in tears.
"What !" she cried, lifting up the
young girls face. " Crying? What's
the matter?"
"lt's about John, Miss Priscilla.
He got caught in the belt at the
mill, and his arm is broken J" sob
bed Alma.
THAT'S too bad y" was Miss
Priscilla's comment. But he's
stout and healthy; and broken
bones soon mend"
"Yes; but it will force him to
remain idle for several weeks, and
all the money that he's saved up to
perfect his invention will be spent.
"Oh, | think not !" said Miss
Priscilla with one of her queer lit
tie laughs. know of certain
young lady who might be able to
help him if she would"
'Ithought that" said Alma, her
face Frightening; "but lately the
boys have not been able to do as well
as formerly. have splendid stock
of roses, and tulips, and pondlilies
on hand, but no one seems to want
them. The great craze now is for
violets. You never showed me how
to make them, and when | tried
myself they were such wretched
limitations that | grew discouraged
and threw them into the fire"
She did not notice that Miss
Priscilla's smiling face grew sud
denly grave, and that her blue eyes
became suspiciously moist.
A silence followed Alma's words,
which lasted so long that she
looked up quickly, just as the old
smile came back to Miss Priscilla s
face, and she wiped the moisture
form her eyes.
"Get your things out" she said,
in a voice that trembled in spite OF
her, "and I'll teach you to make
violets." adding mentally, =" fol
loves sake"
After several attempts, Alma was
able to make tolerably fair imita-
ton of a violet; and she resolved
to practise all day, and select al
assortment of the best for the boys
to sell that evening.
Miss Priscilla paid the rest OF
her visits, calling finally upon the
wounded mechanic, whom she
cheered and encouraged so much
that he forgot all about his pain
and rather accepted his misfortune
as blessing.
That night she opened the bu-
reau-drawer at home, took out
the bundle Of yellow letters, and
the bunch Of faded violets, and
seating herself in front of Willie's
picture, read them all over, crying
softly.
I'm a foolish sentimental old
woman" she said at last, and went
to bed.
When she called the next day
upon Alma, she found the young
girl in the best of spirits.
"Oh, Miss Priscilla % she eaid
"the violets brought me good for
tune. The boys sold all that
made; and one gentleman wanted
a pot of the paper violets, and jim
my gave him my address, and he's
coming here this morning
| There was knock at the door
and before Miss Priscilla could re-
treat into the adjoining room, the
door opened, and a sout middle
age man walked in, smiling pleas
antly.
A. ~