The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-08-18
SELECTED.
B A r RARA.


turc,"
In hung in the best place in Mr. Bur
ney's shop, where the slauting sunlight
gave glinmer Of positive reality to the
green waves breaking on the strand. and
touched the tiny rors -colored shell, with
a yet pinkcr CLEAN; and Ida Manriee'e
eyes rested upon it with instructive ad-
miration.
Yes she said. "it Is very lovely. |
should like to buy it if W. were very rich,
Bat come, Barbara, We shall he late
| And the Two girls hurried away.
| Clarence Charters, who had been care
| le>>lN turning over Il portfolio of engraN-
| ing> at the back of the shop, his dark,
handsome face hidden by the brim of hi,
Panama hat, came forward as they left
the little place.
Two very pretty faces" he said indf-
fercntly hat IS the price of thi,
crystal paper weight"
Seventy cents sir the shopman
made answer, promptly. Yes, sir;
they are very bcantilul young ladies', and
there is quitea little romance belonging
10 their history"
"A romance, eh Clarence raised hi,
large, dark eyes to the face of the dapper
little tradc>1nan, who delighted to oh
tain new ear, went ON. glihly:
you've noticed that large gray stone
house ON the cliff. built like castle:
Eagles Nest, sir, il i called herrabouts"
YES, have seen il.
well. sir. those Young ladies were
born and brough up there by AN uncle
brought up, sir, not To touch their hands
to au9ht IKE work, as if they'd been two
royal princcsScS, SO it went on, until
l,,. In. I,, IA
temans death, when. on oVcrhaulng
lot Of old letters. lie found one written
by the young ladies laihcr-hi> sister
husband. sir-a careless letter such a>
young men will write, making fun of him,
and taking of some of his weak points
/ he had plenty Of EN-, sir, had old Moses
archcStrr So he was towering mad,
and natural enough too! And never
stopping to consider that the hand that
wrote that lettcr-and the eyes that read
| it. too-had been Wondering in the grave
for fifteen years, he goes and alters his
will. and leaves all his property away
| from the young girls, a had been
brought mp to consider themselves his
hcrcSscs. To PARKWAY cousin up in
| Maine! Aud you can guess the shock it
was when hi, will was read, and Miss Ida
and Miss Barbara Maurice found they'd
got to turn 10 and work for Il living just
like other folks
Il should think likely" said Mir. Char
t"ris. "now did they TAKE the rcyela-
tom;
Like hcroneS sir. Miss Ida is giving
music lessons To the Young ladies' that
come to ScaClih this summer for ocean
air and SEA bathing. Miss Barbara-thc
youngest, sir, and you can't Imagine what
ii pet She used to be with the old gentle
man-docs fine embroidery for Il fancy
store in New York Put together, their
incomes ain what they used to spend for
Kid gloves and cologne water. But they
20 about as brave and smiling rs if the
ground hadn been cut away from under
their feet, rs one may say.
Yes" said Mr.. Charters, "qu te a ro-
nance, as You remark. Well, Mr., Bur
ncy if you will send for that book I'll
call in again in day or two"
''Ccrianly, sir certainly said the
bookseller, rs he looked after Chartcris~
tall figure, never once mi,trusting that hc
had been telling the history of the orphan
madcus to the heir of Eagle : Nest.
GIVE music lessons. chs said Clarence
to himself. And work tine nccdlc-Word
There are two sides, i; seems, To every
mundane question And they never told
me- when | received the notification that
old BarChcS:cr had willed this fine estate
to me, that was about to make bcggars
of two girls with faces like Gnido$ an
gels. | must ma aGc to SEE them again ~
Il really think it AN opportunity. Miss
Ida 80 said the old woman who kept house
for the two orphan girls and dominccrcd
over them in mild sort Of way Ten
dollars Il week and it won't take hardly
nothin for his meals, cousidcrin' the
spring chickens and cgg~, and all the cart
/ ~ vegetables in the garding And that
/ there back gable room ain't no use cNcep-
to keep lumber in. DO think il over.
Miss Ida dear.
Yes, said Ida Maurice, shrinkingy;
! but the idea of Keeping boardcrs.
Barbara looked laughingiy up into her
sisters face.
Ida. Ida :" She said, no false pride
no airs and graccs We're poor people.
and we must behave like poor people,
/ Peggy, tell the gentleman hc may COME
And in this manner Clarence Charter
+ i obtained an entrance into the inner life
of Ida and Barbara Maurice The agree.
mcnt was that his meals should he served
+ by the ancient attendant in his own apart
ments bun after "A chance meeting with
his young hostcssc>, one rainy Sunday
afternoon. he begged to he allowed to
present himself at their table.
You cant imagine how dull it is for Il
man to he eating and drinking all alone
+ by himself pleaded he.
And Barbara laughingly allowed that
it must be very stupid. And the ice,
once broGcn, formed itself no more.
1t was not long before Barbara took
/ him into her confidence about what she
termed the ''family romance.
What Il selfish villain this far-away
cousin of yours must be, said Charters
90, no, don't think that necessarily
If the property is legally willcd tn him,
that is all he knows or cares about the
matter People who gain do not always
pause to Sympathizc with those who lose
That is true, nore,s the pity, assent
ed Charters.
And it's something" proudly added
Barbara, ITO know that Ida aud | can.
and do, earn our own living. There Ger
tainly is II blessed feeling OF independence
that comes with labor You have tasted
ii yoursclf?'
Yes said Charters, whose role at
the seaside cottage was that of an artist
"sketching up" for his winter work
But | am not n helpless weak woman
Neither am | :" said Barbara, viii
spirit.
Barbara
"Well?'
III We're to confess that loved yol
to ask you to marry me-would yo'