The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-11-17
INTERESTING STORY.
The PET Or The FAMILY.

"Why, Lefty, child, what are you do
lngf"
Mrs Loveit had come into the darkened
parlor, with sudden opening of doors, and
banging of window shutters, to look for a
parasol which tho Widow GLAND had left
there, ths morning before, when she called
10 get subscription for the Fandango In
dian fund, and to her infinite surprise she
found Lefty there, coiled up on carpet
ottoman, close under the window, with her
golden head half-hidden between the leaves
of ponderous russet-bound volume. The
girl started up, laughing and coloring.
"0nly looking at the family Bible, man.
ma"
But this is no time to read the Bible,
child; although, to.be-sure," Mrs. Lovett
added, reverently, there's no time in the
world that one can't read it to advantage.
But at nine o'clock in the morning, with SO
much to do about the house !"
I'm not reading it, Mammal acknowl-
edged Lefty, coloring deeper than ever. ~
i was only looking to see exactly how old
Iamln
GOOD gracious me, child !" cried the
bewildered mother. As if you didn't
know already? ?"
i" But exactly |" pleaded Lefty. "Mam-
ma, am sixteen and eight months on the
twenty-first of this very MONTH"
&C Well, and what if you are ?"
Then, mamma" said Lefty, with dig
nifty, I'm old enough to do something to
help. And / mean to do something. To
help papa, mean. Oh, mammal" she
cried, with a little choking spasm in her
throat, do you think am blind not to
see how hard the other girls work? Lila
gives music lessons, and Rosamond goes to
the city every day to the typewriter place.
They're both useful, while T."
Z" But, Lefty, you are only child"
There it is !" cried Lefty, wringing her
hands in pathetic wrath. Just exactly
what every one says only child when
I'm almost seventeen years old Mamma,
1 must do something to helpi"
My dear" reasoned the good house.
mother, "you are the family pet We
can't set you to work. Be good child, aud
stop teasing"
But, mamma, want to workln plead.
ed Lefty, with tears in her bright eyes.
".Child, what can you do 7" said Mrs
Lovett, patting the yellow, downcast head.
Lefty was silent. All in second, as il
were, her own incompetency and ignorance
seemed to flash upon her.
Her lip quivered; she clasped her hands
over her heart, while the words she had
been about TO utter died away upon her lips
into n mere murnur.
Now don't fret, dearie," said Mrs.
Lovett, as she took up Mrs. Glands parasoI
and hurried away.
90 Mamma is right" said poor Lefty, pit
eously, to herself. I" What can dc? Tn
fit for nothing in the world. I've got
round, baby face, with dimples in the
cheeks, and blue, meaningless eyes, like a
doll and hair that curls naturally; but as
for real, actual use, of what good am / to
anybody? Mamma don't know that Rosa
mond is going to lose her typewriter s
place because the proprietor's brother is
soming home. Lila hnsn't told Ler that
the Jones family aud Colonel Richards
daughters are going to discharge her and
employ Signor Maccsretti. shouldnr
have known it If hadn't heard them talk
ing that evening when they didn't know
that was curled up on the sofa in the
rnnaen l.obi,,1 Tho c,,,Ao;na 7 oavar ahnuld
have suspected that papa was SO poor, II l
hadn't heard Lii aud Rosa talking about it.
They all think am too much Of a baby to
be trusted with family secrets; but | find
them all out, in spite of everybody" Lefty
added, dolorously. oh, dear-oh, dear
what can do to help along2"
Why, Lefty, child, what's the matter 2"
called out CHEEKY, pleasant voice.
And, to her great CONSERVATION, Lefty
became conscious that she was discovered,
through the clenlatis leaves that yelled the
open window, by the last person in the
world whom she would just then have cared
to take into her confidence Charles Yorke,
the young doctor who had recently hung
up his gay gilt sign in the village.
~ nm not child" Lefty answered
CURLY. 81 am a young lady"
"Oh, beg your pardon!" said Doctor
Yorke, with ostentatiously assumed cere.
mony. Miss Lovetti forgot that we
were no longer children. But, all the same,
you are crying"
" am not !" sputtered Lefty.
"Do you expect me to disbelieve the evil
dence Of my own senses ?"
"And-and if am, don't know that
it's anybody's business" went on indignant
Lefty, thinking to herself:
Mamma may treat me like child II
she wishes. and 80 may papa, and Rosa
mond and Lila have got in the habit of it
but that's no reason that Charlie Yorkt
should do 3d."
T" Lefty" apologized the young man, al
didn't mean to tease you. wouldn't hurt
your feelings for the world. Dear Lefty,
don't you know that"
=" l must go to papa now" said Lefty,
hurriedly. Papa always expects me t.
read to him at this time of day."
And SO she left Doctor Yorke, with but
scant ceremony, to read the newspaper for
old Mr.. Loyett, whose failing eyes render
ed him dependent ON his cherished youngest
daughter for this daily Office.
Somehow her father looked older and
more worn, the room shabbier, and the car.
pet and curtains more threadbare than
usual this morning; and once or twice
sort Of hysterical lump rose into her throat
so that she could scarcely read, as she re
membered her own helplessness and tn,
great family needs.
But all Of q sudden, as she read one Of
the stray paragraphs which had doubtless
been put into the paper to fill vacant
space, her heart leaped up.
It chronicled the marriage of fashion,
able New York belle to q rich banker, and
incidentally mentioned the fact that by this
alliance, Miss Flossy MacBriddon had Sc
e,lred n coso,,atapcv for har faabla ala