The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-07-19
rwo SHIPS

Two SHIPS
Tso girls 10 tho kilchsn oi piain. old
fashioned bease Ger. busy sewing, tss
elder rspidis ranuiDs sewing mseai1e
the yoaagcr trimming siras bat ~ili
odds and euds Of nbbons, which she ified
10 ,.,s 10 eosx isio some appearance u
fre.hness
"How does II look. Matte =" shr asked
snIioasiy. boi ling II oti a little sod siow-
~ inrping " srcuod
Matte looked up from ber machine
without stopping i.s quick motion. Turned
one comprehensive glance upon the hat.
sad said. impulsivvly. Like las, years
birds Dest" !"
'.oa. dear T. said Dolly. nashing all
over her pretty. worried face. aud tossing
The poor little bal into corner. What
u the mss snywsJY We may As well give
up and 60 TO the poor house first as last, "
IN never give mp. first or last, said
Matte. ''Somewhere and somehos l
know there must be something better Tor
az, and We are sure 10 Hnd il sooner or
later; bat 10 the meantime ican't afford
10 waste any Of my time pretending. Our
clothes are old and shabby and dingy. and
its Of no use trying TO make them look
anything else"
Dolly gave sigh tla. touched M.tties
heart.
Poor little Dolly It's too bad for
you; you're 80 sweet aud pretty and pa
tieot Just wait till my ship comes in.
''An' you shall hse silIer.
An wear . goold ring"
Dolly smiled family.
"Thst WAS what father always said
when we wanted anything. l used to
believe in that ship Is much rs ! believed
in next year. snd sometimes ! indulge my
self in dreaming about it now, and fancy
ing what il will bring us"
Matte set the last stitches with lips
compressed. and began folding the coarse
shirts on which she was working into
compact pile.
"Are they finished ?" asked Dolly.
"No; I'll sew on the buttons TO night;
I'm going out to look for our ship"
Matte put on hat older and more
openly ugly than Dolly's, and walked
down the street with her firm rapid tread.
Once she turned to look back at the small, |
brown house that was the only inheritance
her father had left to his wife and girls
. fortune that seemed indefinitely smaller
now that the mother was gone also, after
. protracted sickness that had consumed
the last dollar from the sale OF the orchard
and garden. The coarse sewing, with
which the giils managed to keep body
and soul together. was certainly better
than nothing, and was considered re-
spectacle resource; bnt, at best, it was
working with starvation swinging mer
ciless lash over their heads
She vent where many poor soul has
gone with perplexities that seemed no
bo iy's business to the minister. No
doubt in that penurious, poverty stricken
community the good man had perplexities
Of his own, but that only helped him to
sympathize with other people. and few
households held any secrets from him.
The old housekeeper. knitting on the
porch, welcomed Matte kindly. The
minister was away; "gons to South Adams
10 tend funeral" but she was looking
for him every minute.
Matte went TO the study and turned
wearily from the rows OF solemn looking
books TO fnd refreshment in the papers
upon the table that seemed so much more
u modern and human. There was story
that looked tempting with its spicy bits
Of conversation, but this was Chapter Xxx.
Tlen there was q sermon. an exposition
Sun dsyof th school lesson, letters from {
q traveller, answers to miscellaneous que
ries. household hints and economics, ct
which Matte smiled grimly, with the
leeling that she could open some depths
of experience in that line herself. and at
last letter from woman addressed TO q
Ihe editor complaining that the world Was
,u! OF joint and in need Of regulating.
so 1t is," thought Matte, nodding as
Ient as heartily as il the writer had been :
hitting there in the leather covered chair d
opposite her. As she read her dark face :
iushei, and her breath came more rapid
y. Why, here was Q woman in desper- i
Ite need OF help. and here was she, asking
'nly the chance TO help her, and they b
Eere but 20 miles apart. :
But then, perhaps, the letter was Just 9
made up and put 10 the paper; perhaps
here was no Mrs E l. Howe; and at the I
hJugbt Matte threw down tue paper and 81
rent to meet the minister. who WAS COM q
ng in At the gate. He smiled at her i'm. az
,atience, and seated himself to read the te
etter which never wonld have attracted b.
lis notice. He smi cd again when he II
ooked up At her, aud qnite agreed with 81
er that the writer vas probably fctioo b
I somebody's brain. created to make n'
,rcible the undoubted truth that there 10
'ere scores OF women. with beautiful M
ONES. whose wealth brought them moth II
,g but bondage, becaus, OF the impossi at
ili,y Of obtaining the help OF intelligent. 10
ependsbIe. care tskiog servants; shile VI
here vas great multitude OF women 10 pl
eed OF homes, aud driven to all manner be
miserable makeshifis for mere liveli.
ooj, who might. II they would. supply th
Is. this service. with mutual satisfaction SCI
ID beneh,. The problem Was 10 bring :"
len together. Ia