Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-07-09

DcGGcI IOE us, dHu we are sure W I'll
it sooner or later; but in the meal
time | can't afford to waste any {
my strength pretending. Our clotht
are old and shabby and dingy, an
it's of no use trying to make thel
look anything else
Dolly gave a sigh that touche
Mattie's heart.
"Poor little Dolly It's too ba
for you; you're so sweet and prett
and patient. Just wait till my shi
comes in,
cam you shall hae siller,
An wear goold ring
Dolly smiled family.
"That was what father Away
said when we wanted anything.
used to believe in that ship as mucl
as / believed in next year, and some
times l indulge myself in dreaming
about it now, and fancying what i
will bring u.s.
Matte set the last stitches will
lips compressed, and began folding
the coarse shirts on which she was
working into compact pile.
care they finished?" asked Dolly
'No; I'll sew on the buttons to.
night; I'm going out to look for ouI
ship"
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 only inheritance her ia
ther had left to his wife and girls-a
fortune that seemed indefinitely small
er 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
managed to keep soul and body to-
gether, was certainly better than
nothing, and was considered a re-
spectacle resource but, at best, it
was working with starvation swing
ing a merciless lash over their heads.
She went where many poor soul
has gone with perplexities that seem
ed nobody's business-to the minis
ter. No doubt in that penurious,
community the good
man had perpleXities of his own, but
that only helped him to sympathize
with other people, and few house
holds held any secrets from him. The
old househ eeper, knitting on the
porch, welcomed Matte kindly. The
minister was away ''gone to South
Adams to tend a funeral" but she
was looking for him every minute.
Matte went to the study and turn
ed wearily from the rows Of solemn
Did books to find refreshment in the
papers upon the table that seemed so
much more modern and human.
There was story that looked tempt
ng with its spicy bits Of conversa-
ion, but this was Chapter Xxx.
Then there was q sermon, an eX-
position of the Sunday-school lesson,
etters from a traveller, answers to |
queries, household |
hints and economies, at which Matte
miled grimly, with the feeling that
he could open some depths of eXpe-
ience in that line herself, and at
asst letter from woman addressed
o the editor complaining that the
World was out of joint and in need of
egulating.
$50 it is,'' thought Matte, nod
ing assent as heartily as if the writ
+ had been sitting there in the leath
recovered chair opposite her. As
he read, her dark face flushed, and
er breath came more rapidly. Why,
ere was a woman in q desperate
eed of help, and here was she, ask
lg only the chance to help her, and
hey were but 20 miles apart.
But then, perhaps, the letter was
lst made up, and put in the paper; ; /
erhaps there was no Mrs. f. L.
Iowei and at the thought Matte
lrew down the paper and went to
leet the minister, who was coming
! at the gate. He smiled at her i'm [
atience, and seated himself very
niahly to read the letter which nev- /
: would have attracted his notice. {
-e smiled again when he looked up
her, and quite agreed with her that
lie writer was probably a fiction of
brain, created TO make
,rclhle the undoubted truth that I
lere were scores of women, with {
eautlful homes, whose wealth bro't
lem nothing but bondage, because
the impossibility Of obtaining the
clip OF intelligent, dependable, care !
king servants while there was s
eeat multitude OF women in need of
omes, and driven to all manner of I
iserable makeshifts for a mere live a
hood, who might, if they would. .spp- j
y just this service, with mutual sat-
faction and benefit. The problem l.
as to bring them together. =