The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-11-29

AL0O0T PEN3uApLU
A sultry eveaiDs had closed over the
gree, city. Overhead, the sssn shons
iAislly along the closa. narrow stre~is. the
ssslishis Hictered; every dooussp. every
opsr easement 10 this deasely populssed
quat,es Of zoe ossy ves psaksd fali ofhu
maDity. strivisg 70 sss breath Of air,
Lilly Gcrmond hsd come home late from
the store She vss tired and dispirted;
sod lLs sea,ls little step mother. TO whom
she slsays turnsd for sympathy sod ten
dsrsess. bad gone 70 spend week st her
brothers farm 90 the Copnecticnt river.
How strange and empty the little room
looked, with the vacant rocking chair apd
~ork basket 30 upwontedly tidy.
sish she wAs back again. Lilly sighed.
- she dropped into chair. snd began
listlsssly 70 est her supper. Of slice OF
bakers bread broken into bowl Of shy
blus city milk. I Ivcpdsr Why Uaels Assk
didav ssh ne. tool Isuppose he thought
I cosidnt lssvs The store; bat could have
got few days vacation ! an sure; or per-
hsps they had but one spare room, though
| could surely have slept with mother Just
- i do here.
Lilly Gesmond did not know how much
good Uncle Mark Stevens dreaded meet.
ing bstv biz son Ben aud "sny leather.
headed city girl, y he expressed It.
Ben is ss good - gold. reasoned Mr..
Stevens, talking the matter over with bis
wife; and don't want any silly coquetie
playing with his feelings. II hes to have
. wife--as s'pose It's in the nature Of
things be should have some time-let 1t be
some sensible girl Is will be . real COM
pAnion 10 him that you and me can hke
comfort with. Bnt dent ask Mary to
bring that step.dsughter o hers here
She's no kin to us, anyway you can fix IL.
and it'll only be exposing Ben to tempta
ton and folly.
II seems hind O. bard though, said Aunt
Almirs, 10 separate mother and child.
Mary's my own sister, said Mr.. Stevens,
and I'm willin' to give her country air and
change Of scene; but l don't owe no duty
to Msry's step-daughter, as l know of
But when Mrs. Germond told them OF
Lilly's sweet temper and patient toll, OF
her long days work 10 the store, and her
cheerful evenings Of sewing for her moth
or. the hearts OF both these old people
softensd in some degree.
Father. said Mrs. Stevens to her hus
band. Mary's step daughter must be differ
ent from what you and me s'posed. al
most wish don't you? that We had asked
her here, too?
80 do l, said Uncle Mark. Look here,
Aiuira! Ben 10 going to take load OF
cord wood into town on Thursday. S'pose
20 tell him to go around by Bracken street
and bring Msrys step daughter out for >
surprise to her mother-ehl
Kind Mrs. Stevens frightened all over.
That will be real nice plan. said she.
And il Lilly is anything like what Mary
saws, / guess We shap't have any reason to
regret il. Il does seem too bad to think
Of any body ccoped up in the hot city such
weather - this
II tired, overworked Lilly Germond
could have known Ill this how her heart
would have leaped up within herl But
we ere not always aware how near the an
gle Of deliversnce is to US; and she was
very rebcllious 10 her heart this night.
It's all one wretcbsd treadmill OF toll
and drudgery, she murmured to herself.
with never prospect Of change or recrea.
tionl One might ss well be dead
Just then AriettA Wales, . bright young
factory girl who boarded on the floor
above, knocked st the door.
All alone, Lilly? said she. thought
ss much. Well. I've got such plan to
propose to you John Merton is going to
take mo TO the Gleeful Societys ball to-
oisht at windford hall. And he's got
ticket for an extra lady; and SO. why cant
you 60 with usP
II Lilly Gsrmond turned red and pale
But-mo,her don't approve Of ballsl
OF course she don'.l retorted Arietts,
With toss OF her yellow, much be-frizzed
hair. shes old aud pokey, and you are
young aud gay. Besides. she's only yonr
step mother, aud you cant expect her TO
feel for you ss she would do IL she were
yolr own mother
Lilly irowned little. but she assed on
10 the next objection.
I've got nothing 10 wear, said she.
Yes. you hsve--thst pretty white mus
il With The needle work founces Moth
ips osa b. pfessiss than that And John
does 20 want you 70 60. Hes got friend
oo,ains such . ssnsssl young mani Do
come. L,llyl Think how much nicer II
ell be than sitting here in this stufy hole
siih Mrs. Booker's baby crying next door,
and old Mr.. Fsren playing the Aute over
bead.
promised mother not to 60 out any
sbere 10 the evening While she was gone,
hssitaisd Lilly
What Of thsts She'll never know. urged
Arietta. She surely can't expect you to
70 mev yourself up here like mouse IN
trap. While she is enjoying herself. Old
folks sre 20 sel6shl
oace more Lilly frowped.
Ny mother is not selfish. said she.
Oh. veil We won't srgue about thst.siid
Asietis. cos1ipsly. But there's no reason
ron shouldn't see little life. ouce IN
vbils. - long q John and are along TO