West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-08-16
TWO SHIPS

viu-iHshione q house were busy sewing
me elder r.pidly running a machine, the
younger Thinning a straw hat with odd,
unu On IS of ribbons, which she tried in
Ss IAN 20 coax into some appearance OF
fresf ness. ~
How does it look, MattieR" she asked
o. =" 2iousiy, holding it off a little, and
o owly turning it around.
Matte looked up from her machine
without stopping its quick motion.
turhSo one comprehensive glance upon
tne NAT ana said, iimpulsively: "Like a
last years birds nest.''
EA"Oh, dcar,p said Dolly. Apsbino oil
over her pretty, worried face. and toss.
ing the poor little hat into corner
Nhat is the use, any way2 We may as
well give up and go to the poor house
hrst as last
never give up, first or last" said
hattie, Somewhere and somehow
KNOW there must be something better for
US ana we are sure to find il sooner or
.a'cr put In the meantime can't afford
""ste any OF my strength in pretend
1g' our clothes are old and shabby
anu dlngy, and it's of no use trying to
maze ~ thefh look anything else. "
ties heart.
Foor little Dolly It's too bad for
you're so sweet and pretty and pa.
'1ent. Just wait till my ship comes i'm.
An, you shall hae siller.
And wear goold ring"
Dolly smiled.
THAT was what father always said
when we wanted anything. / used TO
Delieve IN that ship as much as | believed
IN next year, and sometimes [ INDULGE
myself IN dreaming about it now and
fancy what it will bring us.n
Matte set the last stitches with Inns
compressed, aud beganiolding thecoarse
SHIRTS on which she working into com
pact pile. N''--
Arc they finished2" asked Dolly.
NO; I'll sew on the buttons tonight:
ADn going out to look for our shin -
Matte put on a 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 onlv
inheritance her father had left to his
Wlie ana glrls-a fortune that seemed
iihuehnltely smaller, now that the mother
nau gone also, attera protracted sick
from the sale Of the orchard and garden
Inc coarse sewing, with which the Girls
managed TO keep soul and body topether
was certainly better than nothln0 and
was considered respectable resource
but at best it was working with starva.
zion swinging merciless lash over their
heads.
She went where many a poor soul had
gone with perplexities that seemed no
Dody.s business-to the minister No
uouOt IN tnat pcnnrious, poverty stricken
community the good man had perplexi.
ties oil his own, but that only helped him
70 sympathiZe with other people. and
rev households held any secrets from.
Inc oid housekeeper, knitting on the
porch, welcomed Matte kindly. The
minister was away; ''gone to South
Adams TO tend funeral, but she was
looking for HIM every minute.
Matte went TO The study. and turned
wear y from the rows of solemn old
books to find refreshment in the papers
upon ths table that seemed so much more
modern and human There WIS n story
that looked tempting with it's spicy bits
ol conversation, but this was Chap
ter Xxx.
Then there was n sermon, letters from
traveller, answers to miscellaneous
quer es, household hints and onomies
NJ which Matte smiled grimly. W tn the
feeling that she could open some depths
OF experience in that linc herself and At
iast letter from woman addressed to
the editor, complaining that the world
was out Of joint and in need Of roQulat-
ing
$50 10 isl" thought Matte. nodding
assent as heartily as il the writer had
Deen sitting there IN the leather-coyered
chair opposite her As she read her dark
face flushed, and her breath came more
rapidly hy here was q woman In
desperate need Of help, aud here was
shc, asking only the chance to belp her
ana they were but twenty miles apart
But then, perhaps, the letter was just
made mp and put in the paper perhaps
there was no Mrs E. T.. Howe. and at
me thought Matt threw down the raper
and went o meet the minister who was
coming in 40 the gate he smiled nd her
impotence and seated himself very
nimably TO read the letter, which would
never have attracted his notice. lie
smiled again when he look up at her and
quite agreed W Oh her that the writer was
probably Get on OF somebody's brain,
created TO make fOrcibc the undOubtcd
tfu b that there were scores of women
with beautiful homes whose wealth
brought them nothing bat bondage, be
cause Of Che imposibility Of Obtaining
the help Of intelligent, dopea dablc caro-
taking servants while there was a great
multitndo OF wOmel in neod of homes
aud dfsycn 90 oll manner of makeshifts
for a mere livelihood who might. ifthcy
would supply just this service, with
mutual satisfaction add benefit The
problem was io bring them together.
"But 81 the letter were genuine. my
child asked ihc minister. "what theuYf
"Tten. said Matte, promptly, CT
would wriic TO the woman and ask hcf
90 let me trV should ke nothinQ
better thau to Do hes llonekcopcr De.
light io housekeeping I'm born cook,