The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-13
TWO SHIPS.

Two girls in the kitchen Of plain, old-fash.
Toned house were busy sewing, the elder rap
idly running a machine, the younger trim
ming a straw hat with odds and euds Of rib
bons, which she tried in vain to coax into
some appearance of freshness.
How does it look, Matter she asked
anxiously, holding it of a little, and slowly
turning it around
Matte looked up from her machine without
stopping its quick motion, turned one COM
prehensiye glance upon the hat, and said,
impulsively: Like a last years birds nest. 2
"0h, dearl" said Dolly, flushing all over
her pretty, worried face, and tossing the
poor little hat into a corner, What is the
use, anyway? We may as well give up and
go to the poor-house nrst as last.
'IIl never give up, first or last, said Mat
tie. Somewhere and somehow / know there
must BIS something better for us, and we are
sure to find it sooner or later, but in the
meantime l can't afford to waste any Of
my strength ia pretending. Our clothes are
old and shabby and dingy, aud it's Of no
use trying to make them look anything else. >
Dolly gave a sigh that touched Mattie's
heart.
"Poor little Dolly It's too bad for you;
you're so sweet and pretty and patient. just
wait till my ship comes in.
can you shall hae s%iller,
hn' wear q gsld ring
Dolly smiled family.
THAT was what father always said when
we wanted anything. / used to believe in
that ship as much as / believed in next year,
and sometimes / indulge myself in dreaming
about it now, and fancying what it viii bring
u.s."
Matte set the last stitches with lips com
pressed, and began folding the coarse shirts
on which she was working into a compact
pile.
care they fnished?'' asked Dolly.
"No; III sew on the buttons tonight; I'm
going out to look for our ship
Matte put on a hat older and more open
" 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-a for
tune that seemed infinitely smaller now that
the mother had gone also, after a protracted
sickness that had consumed the last dollar
from the sale of the orchard and garden.
The coarse sewing, with which the girls man
aged to keep soul and body together, was
certainly better than nothing, n was con-
sidered a respectable resource; but, at best,
it was working With starvation swinging a
mcrciless lash over their heads.
She went where many poor souls has zone
with perplexities that seemed Dobody's BUSH
ness-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 housekeepar,
knitting on the porch, welcomed Matte
kindly. The minister was away; ttgone to
South Adams to tend a funeral" but she
was looking for him every minute.
Mattie weRt to the study, and turned
YEARLY from the rows Of solemn old books to
ind re~freshment in the papers upon the table
that seemed so murh more modern and hu-
man.. There was a Glory that looked Tempt
ing with it's spicy bits OF conversation, but
this was chapter Xxx. Then there was o SER
mon, an exposition Of the Sunday school les
son, letters nom travellers, answers to miscel-
laneous queries, household hints and eeono-
mics, at which Matte smiled grjmly, with the
feeling that she could open some depths Of
experience in that line herself, and at last a
letter from a woman addressed to the editor,
complaining that the world was out Of joint
and in need Of regulating.
$50 it is, thought Matte, nodding assent
as heartily as il the writer had been sitting
| there in the s-eathereovered chair opposite
her. As she read, her dark face flushed, mi
her breath came more rapidly. Why, here
Vas q woman ~ desperate noed Of help, and
here was she, asking only the chance TO help
her, and they were but twenty miles apart
But then, perhaps the letter was Just made
up and put in the paper; perhaps there was
nc Mrs T.. i. Howe; and at the thought Mat
tie threw down the paper, and went to meet
the minister who was coming IN at the gate.
He smiled at her impatienee, and seated
himself very amiably TO read the let
his notice. He smiled again When
he Looked up at her. and quite agreed with
her that the writer was PROBABLY n fiction of
somebody's brain, created to make foreible
the n~ndoubted truth thai tuere were scores
Of women with beautiful homes. whose wealth
brought them nothing but bondage, because
Of the impossibility Of obtaining Intelligent,
dependable, care-taking SERVANTS; while there
was a great multitude Of women IN need Of
homes and driven to all manner Of miserable
meke-shifts for q mere livelihood, WI might,
i they would, supply just this service with
mutual satisfaction and benefit. The pFob-
lem was TO bring them together.
But II the letter were genuine my child, /"
asked the minister. what theng1
Then said Matte. promptly * would
write to the woman, and ask her to let me
try. I should like nothing better chan to be
her housekeeper- ! delight IN housekeeping
I'm q born cook, and Dolly would be perfect
II happy with two babies to eaadls and sew
The minister looked at her d5ubtfnIly.
II suspect ii il only the rosy side Of her
work that this letter-Wiftter describes; there
mnst be a good many disanreeable things
about the position OF cook or nufeery-maid. q
There are many disagfeeahle things about
our present position, began Matte, but
stopped abruptly.
Not even 70 the minister woald she have
owned thar they we're actually pinehed some
times for suitable food.
do you think she asked. hesltatinely,
nthere would be any i~mpropriety in my writ
ing to this lady to Inquirer
HNot in the least; 1 viii forwnrd your letter
With a Ike 20 the editor. Why not write
heref' he continued.
AND with the pfomptneae ri desperation.
Matte seized the venerable eooseQuill, with
which alone the minister Thought it possible
to write his sermons. and penned upon q
great, square sheet a brief, ladyhke letter.
The ministers indoree1aent was also brief, to
the effect that the writer YVES a sensible, prac-
teal Christian girl, tolerably wen educated,
and would, in his estimation, be q benedic-
ton 10 a gamiiy such ae that desefibt& ia the
communication signed Mrs e. a. Hove