Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-09-04
TEN YARDS OF LACE.
An Interesting Little Story Which Points
n Moral.

"Well papa said Emma, "Madame
Farine says that l need ten yards of trim
ming at four dollars a yard. | am ashamed
to ask, but l was obliged to do So"
Very well, my DEAR" replied the
dear me. forty dollars for trimming,
Women are getting worse than ever!"
SO. breakfast over, and Mr.. Rome of
for that mysterious region, known as 1.-The
city" Emma started on her shopping e1-
petition.
On her way thoughts of her new dress
ran through her mind. She intended.
to wear it on an occasion which to her
seemed very important. Someone was
to befpresent whose opinion she valued
some one she herself admired very
much. Did he admire herl
Thus absorbed, she suddenly found
herself some distance beyond her desti-
nation. There was nothing for it but to
walk back, and the way Law through
streets filled with miserable houses. The
fashionable girl hurried along until,
all at once, she found a sort of barricade
across the street. The middle object of
this barricade was a sewing machine, To
which on one side chung a woman, on the
other a man. An attendant crowd Of
residents contemplated this scene with
evident interest, and Emma Rome
became, perforce, one Of their number.
Forty dollars Eve paid you on that
machine, and now you'll not give me
time. | only ask time. I'm an honest
woman. I'll pay you. Man, do you
know it's all there is between us and star
walton? Let me have it. It's but $40
| owe YOU"
"You've owed that two months" re-
piled the man. "Come, let go, missus.
| don't want to hurt you. I've got to
obey ORDERS"
But the woman did not relinquishher
hold. Still clutching the machine, she
turned her agonized eyes upon the by
ISLANDERS.
Forty dollars" she repeated, 'and
the machine but $50, and he's taking it.
| never failed until jim broke his leg,
and his work stopped, and his wage with
it, and I'd doctors bill, and all"
'No, that she didn't" cried a voice
from the crowd.
"And he'd better be off with his cart"
cried aman who had stalked out of the
entry Of the house near which the crowd
had gathered, rolling up his sleeves.
"Look here, good people," explained
the man who held the machine. | don't
want to do this. l obey orders, or lose
my place. She'd better go to the master,
and talk to him-not to me-"
''Tve BEEN" said the. woman. "He's
made of stone. l told him he'd starve us.
He will. Take it." And she let 60 her
hold. and covered her eyes with her
hands.
But in the place of those rough, red
fingers, others, dainty and small, and
we'll gloved. came down upon the cover
of the machine. Emma Rome had pressed
forward, and now spoke.
Stop she said. evil you let this
woman keep her machine if pay you ten
dolIars?'
"Them's the masters orders, miss" re-
piled the man, land I'd be glad to do it,
too"
Then while the crowd gathered close,
and the woman who had told her piteous
tale sobbed with JOY, Emma drew the
sum named from her purse, received in
return a receipt, which she gave the poor
woman, and experienced for the first
time the delight which the performance
of an utterly unselfish act brings with it.
Moreover, when the machine had been
borne upstairs, Emma, who had cx-
changed a few words with its owner,
followed her to her miserable room,
noted its poverty, heard all the bitter
tale.
'But l don't mind anything now,
miss" sobbed the narrator. Now the
,no6,ra 10 NV ox. 7 o-s 1 Io- I
work. And the only great tug is the
landlord-four dollars a month for rent.
Gas much a month as a yard of that
trlmmingi" thought Emma, with a little
pang.
And before she turned from the door
she had emptied her purse, and had PAID
three months rent in advance.
"Your husband will be we'll and al
work by that time" she said; and there
were no regrets for the lost fringe as she
took her way homeward. Nay, she wa:
not even stung to the soul when Madame
Farine remarked, with a glance that sait
volumes. 1.-The black lace from you
old grenadine drcss2 Certainly, since i
is to your taste"
The dress, however, was not unbecom
ing, despite the refurbished lace, ant
Emma wore it to the party. And, some
how, Arthur Maine found himself NOR
than ever before attracted by it, and a
she drove home that night, Emma fel
i. that the instinct which had said to hcr
"he loves" had been no false prophet.
) She had learned two lessons in a httl
{ while. One, that the poor might b
clothed and fed from the trimmings {
, the nch; the other, that extravaganza j
dress never yet won any mans heart
} Chicago Ledger.
An honest laugh marks the homes
. man. If he laughs through his tcct
l watch him.