Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-18
SAVED BY A DREAM.

Dora" said Mira Harper to her errand
girl, shave you seen a red pocketbook around
the counterl This lady has lost hers and che
says you have taken it" Mrs Harper kept
a millinery shop in Brookville, a busting lit
tie town, and had quite a large patronage.
Her errand girl, Dora May, was about Is
years old. neatly dressed, pleasant faced
girl, who had been employed in the millinery
store as a general chore girl for over year.
She lived with her parents, honest, hard
working people, in q cottage on the outskirts
Brookville: and the slender stipend which,
sae earned every week as errand girl for Mrs
Harper was great assistance to them Dora
May was astounded By her employers words;
she turned red then white, and her eyes were
fixed upon Mira Harperis face as If fasci-
mated
Says I have taken her pocketbookT she
exclaimed, replying to tire latter part Of her
employers speech. 'sWhy, Mrs. Harper,
did not even sec a red pocxetbook- The lady
l. mistaken
And Dora May flashed an indignant glance
at her accuser-a richly dressed lady with
handsome but cold facs. The lady was Mrs.
Harvich, wife Of Judge Harwich, one Of the
richest and most prominent men IN Brook
vile. Mrs. Harxicn was a grand lady in
BrooLYi le She was beautiful and educated,
and brilliant light in the social circles OF
the town But Mira Harwicn was colder and
prouder Than any princess OF the realm, and
very ungracious TO those whom she consid-
cred beneath her. She was, moreover, will
ful and impulsive by nature, which tenderi-
cies she did not think it worth while to
check and she was greatly disposed 10 jump
at conclusions. She was also selfish and in
considerate Of the feelings Of others, quail
ties which III befitted lady in her position
Mrs Harwich regarded the errand girl with
q cold, naughty stare.
II do not think am mistaken, miss she
answered, although | have no proof that
you took the pocketbook- / laid it down
for moment On the counter, near
tho spot where you were standing at
the time, while 1 was examining some
ribbons, and when | went TO get it it
had disappeared did not take it, neither
did Mrs. Harper, therefore it must have been
you, as there was nobody else besides US here
TO take it.n
'But did not take it." cried Dora May, as
tears Of modification sparkled in her eyes.
Il don't remember laying my eyes on your
pocketbook. | was busy at that time wrap
ping up some bundles, and had no oppor-
tunity to notice your pocketbook- 1t must
have fallen under the counter out Of sight
somewhere"
"a likely story sneered Mrs Harwich
Mrs. Harper glanced from one to the other in
an embarrassed manner. The wealthy Mrs.
Harwich was an excellent customer Of hers,
and she did not like TO offend her; but on the
other hand she had every confidence in her
errand girls honesty, and could not believe
that she had taken her customers pocketbook.
LET us examine under the counter" she
said, land see If we can find the lost pocket
book" So Mrs. Harper and her errand girl
knelt down and searched everywhere under
the counter FOR the pocketbook which had so
mysteriously disappeared The space under
tho counter Of Mrs. Harper's store was oc-
cupied by a miscellaneous collection of bon
net boxes, etc, packed in every way and
covered with dust. These were pulled hero
and there, and vigorous search for Mrs.
Harwich's pocketbook begun, Especial at
tention was paid to the spot where tho article
was last seen, but though Mrs. Harper and
Dora searched among the boxes everywhere,
they could not find the missing pocketbook.
''Of course not" shifted Mrs. Harwich,
when the result of the search was made
known l. her. II never for moment ex-
pected that you would find it there. That
wicked girl has no doubt stolen it, and in
vented that silly story to conceal her theft. l
would advise you to discharge her" ~T
Mrs. Harper turned to Dora May with
grave expression on her face,
Dora" said she, kindly, ''if you have
taken this pocketbooS, confess and return it,
and you will be forgiven"
But | did not take it, Mrs. Harper re-
peuted the errand girl, Indignantly. Il have
uever seen it, ms | told you before, and do
not know where it is
But Mrs Harper was beginning to doubt
her word. Heretofore, during the time her
errand girl had worked for her she had found
her honest and trustworthy, but Mrs. Har-
per was woman who did not trust anybody
too implicitly. Besides, she knew that Dora
Mays parents were very poor, and she
thought the sight Of Mrs. Harwich's pocket
book, which she probably thought contained
large amount of money, had excited her
cupidty and tempted her to steal it. She
regarded Dora rather sternly
you must have taken that pocketbook,
child she exclaimed LAS Mrs. Harwich
has said, nobody was here to take it but you,
and it did not fall under the counter, you
suggested, or we would have found it. Pro
duco it at once, or tell us what you have done
with it, you wicked girl"
But Dora May could only reassert her utter
innocence Of having taken the pocketbook,
and repeat that she knew nothing about it.
She turned the pocket of her dress inside out,
and exposed the contents to her employers
gaze to show her that she spoke the truth
and that she had no pocketbook. Mrs. Har-
per looked blank at this, and was disposed to
believe Dora, but Mrs. Harwich dispelled
her belief by renarking:
"Ohl she has not got it i'll her pocket, of
course, these thieves are so sharp. She has
probably hidden it in some safe spot until
this affair blows over. But it doesn't matter
much; fortunately there were only few
dollars in it However, you must excuse me-
/ must 20 now, and viii leave you to deal
with this perverse girl as you think best"
And with q parting adieu to Mrs Harper
the grand lady swept out of the store, whilo
Mrs Harper, convinced now of Dora Nays
guilt, and angry with her for denying it,
summarily discharged her, and sent her
home with a smirch on her character. So
poor Dora went homo and told her story,
amid food Of tears, to her parents, who
gave her what sympathy they could Doras
parents were religious people, and had full
confidence in their daughter, and they told
her to cheer up and things would come out
oil right So Dora dried up her tears and
made the best Of her position. There was
plenty of work for her about the house and
she was noi idle. She expected every day to
receive some communication from Mrs.
Harper, for Dora May told the truth when
she said she had not taken the lost pocket
book She had had nothing to do with 1t.
but circumstances were against her, and on
this evidence she had been tried and con-
demned as we have seen But Dora, well
knowing her innocence OF the cruel charge
brought against her, felt that one dav tho
lost pocketbook would be found ami the stain
upon her character removed She was.
therefore, happy in her innocence. and
Kept brave heart, trusting that time
would clear up the mystery But
days and weeks passed, and she heard moth.
ing from Ms. Harper. The latter had Sc
cured a new girl in bora's place, and it looked
as II Dora would never return to the nillin-
cry store. But she kept her courage up, and
prayed every night that the strange affair
might be cleared up. Time passed. however,
and her prayers were not answered The |
people IN Brookville, especially Mrs. Harpcr's |
customers, soon got wind of the affair, and |
when they met Dora in the street they bent |
severe glsnces upon her which was very |