Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-07-14
BY CHARLES ]. BELLAMY.

'There, mother, am late again: quarter
days pay lost, and a -seoldihg gained"
The sick woman's eyes opened wide, and
the girl waited one sad minute more, to see
how terribly white the poor face looked even
against her pillow.
Il had something to say, thought" said
the woman eagerly, "but / can't remember
l am so sick. But perhaps it wasn't any
thlng. You may go now, dear; am sorry l
kept YOU"
The girl pinned hershawl about her. What
good of looking in the glass? 1t could only
tell her she was pretty, as her mother used to
be, and remind her what fool she was to
expect different fate. Fifteen years, and
she might be sick and broken on this very
bed, perhaps telling her own unhappy child
how pretty she used to be- The girl shud-
dered at the picture as she went out Of her
mothers room. ...
"Ohl l remember now,n called the sick
woman.
"Did you want the tea put near your
asked the girl, coming back wearily.
1T is not that--but-but. you are not to go
to work today. Somebody is coming to see
you. He wants you to live with him"
''What, to marry nle!' exclaimed the girl
in astonishment
''He didn't speak of that" smiled her
mother, languidly, "but / can't talk any
more am so tired"
Jane Graves had learned one lesson Of pow
erty, not to hope. So after this strange an
nOuucement of her mothers she only laid off
her hat and shawl, and waited. After look
ing idly out of the window for while, and
seeing nothing that had not worn itself into
her very soul years ago, the vague woman
instinct stirred in her and she moved about
the house arranging things. She found a
little map that hung in the sitting room a
little awry and Strengthened it. 1t was a
dingy map of China that had come once with
pound of tea, and she wanted to throw it
away, but the wall looked too bare without
anything. She took down couple of ugly
little gift chromos her father had placed on
the manJelpiece and tore them up in disgust
There seemed nothing else to do, there was
SO little to arrange. She wasn't SO sure but it
was better in the mill-perhaps it was
blessing the poor were kept so many hours in
its grim walls, where at least there was but
little chance to think. What was there to
long for in such homes and such leisure as
thisl
She stepped to the closet and took out a
well thumbed book and sat down She turn
many times she had read them before, and
she felt sick with the foolish hopes and
dreams the oft read book had used to wake in
her.
She laid it away with sigh and picked up
an old newspaper How slow the forenoon
went.
She read down the advertising columns.
How many beautiful things in the world, and
all for salel Somebody must have the money
to buy them or the stores wouldn't be run
ming. Where was it alls Did anybody work
any harder for it than her father and herself!
Jane Graves opened her little pocketbook and
shook it over the table; but, it was. as empty
as the day she bought it.
Then there came a light tap on the street
door. This must be the gentleman" this
tall, elegant figure in checked summer suit;
and he actually lifted his hat to her.
''My.name is Ellingsworth."
He needn't have told her; he had figured
in the girls fancy for years as the very i'm
personation of rank and wealth.
Il called about maid Mr.. Graves gave
me leave to speak with his daughter. Is she
inr'
II suppose am the one Will you come
ing'
She watched him as he crossed the room to
the nearest chair. How much lighter he
walked than she could and one might have
thought from his Inconsistencies that he had
been used to just such miserable room as
this all his life He showed no surprise at
her being the prospective maid servant; no
doubt he knew it all the time, and the way
he spoke was only part of his good man
ners. But then she could not imagine his
showing surprise at anything.
There will be but little to do,n Mr. FL
lingsworth continued, looking at her face and
not seeming to see how ill she was dressed.
There is only my daughter; you may have
seen her, yess and myself. The wages will
be small" and he named them and smiled
apologetically, as if he expected her to der
cline "Your father spoke to me as if you
did not like the factories"
Out at service; well, why not9 Could it be
any more degrading than the life she livsdl
and such wages, too. Why, she could dress
quite prettily then; and her girlish heart
fiuttered, And she could leave ugly things
and rude, people, and breathe perfumes and
have only graceful surroundings; what mat
ter if they were not hersa
She would be lifted right up in the very
atmosphere she lopged for. Yesterday she
had envied the Ellingsworths, tomorrow she
Why noti
She lifted her bright eyes to his face 1t
was in half profile at this moment, and she
could see his hair was just touched with gray.
How could men in this world ever grow olda
de was smooth shaved, showing in full effect
the delicate, cynical curve of his thin lip and
the clearly defined outlines of his chin. He
must have been very oddly affected by the
poverty pictured so unmistakably about him.
but there was not the smallest sign of it on
his well bred face
81 will 60" she said abruptly; 'when do
you want meg
81 shall be away for fortnight" he said,
rising, with his own admirable smile ''You
can come when 1 returnp