Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-20
TWO SHIPS.

TWO SHIPS.
Two girls in the kitchen of plain, old
fashioned house were busy sewing, the
e lder rapidly running a machine, the
younger trimming a straw hat with odds
and ends ef ribbons, which she tried IN
vain to coax into some appearance of
freshness.
GLOW does il look, Mattie?" she asked
anxiously, holding itoff little, and slowly
turning il around.
Matte looked up from her machine
without stopping It's quick motion, turn
ed one apprehensive glance upon the hat,
and said impuisiVely, Like last years
birds nest"
COZ, dearr' said Dolly, flushing ali over
her pretty, worried face, and tossing the
poor little nat into a corner. ''What is
the use, anyway? We may as well give
up and so 10 the poor-hOuse first as
Ipst.n
'I'I never give up, frat or last" said
Matte Somewhere and somehow [
know there must be something better for
us, and we are sure to find 1t sooner or
later: but in the meantime ] can'5 afford
to waste any of my strength in pretending.
Our clothes are old and shabby and dingy,
and its of no use trying to make them
lock anything else"
Dolly gave a sigh that touched Mattio's
heart.
s'Poor little DoIlyl It's too bad for you;
you're so sweet and pretty and patient.
Just wait until my ship comes in,
AN you shall haze siller
An wear golden ring.
Dolly smiled family.
"That was wnat father always said when
he wanted anything. used 20 believe in
that ship as much as I believed in Dext
year, and sometimes 1 INDUCED myself
in dreaming about it now and faucying
what it will bring us"
Matte set the stitches with lips com
pressed, and began folding the coarse
shirts on which she was working into
compact pile.
care th:y finished?" asked Dolly.
''No; I'll sew on the buttons tonight;
I'm going out to look for our ship.
Matte put on a hat older and more
openly ugly than DOlly's and walked down
Che street With her firm, rapid tread. Once
she turned back to look at the small
brown house that was the only inheri
lance her father had left to his wife and
girls-a fortune that seemed indefinitely
smaller now that the mother had gone
also, after 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 body and soul together, was certain
" better thar nothing. aud was consider
ed q respectable resource; but at best, 1t
was working with starvation swinging a
merciless lash over their heads.
She went whore many poor soul went
with perplexities that seemed nObOdy's
business-to the minister. No doubt in
that penurious, poverty striker COM
munity 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 housekeeper, knitting on the
porch, welcomed Matte kindly. The
minister was away, "gOne to South Adams
TO tend fuDeral," but she was looking
for him every minute.
Mettie went to the study, and turned
YEARLY from the rows of solemn old
books to find refreshments in the papers
upon the table that seemed so much more
modern and human. There was story
that looked tempting with its spicJ bits
of conversation, but this was chapter
XX.
Then there was q sermon, an exposi-
tion of the Sunday School lesson, letters
from a traveller, answers to miscellane-
Gus queries, household hints and econO-
mics, at which Matte smiled grimly,
with the feeling that she could open some
depths OF experience In that line herself,
and at last letter from woman ad'
dressed to the editor, complaining that
the world was ont of joint aid in need of
regulating.
$50 it is thought Matte, nodding as
sent as if the writer had been sitting there
In the leather covered chair opposite her.
AS she read her dark face blushed and her
breath came more rapidly. Why, here
was woman III desperate mead of help,
and here was she, asking only the chance
to help her, and they were bat twenty
miles apart.
But then, perhaps, the letter was just
made up and put in the paper! perhaps
there was no Mrs. &. L. Howe; and at
the thought Matte threw down the paper
and went to meet the minister, who was
coming in OF the gate. He smiled at her
impotence, and seated himself very ami
ably TO read the letter, which would never
have attracted his notice. He smiled
again when he looked up at her, and
quite agreed with Ter that the writer was
probably a fiction of somebody's brain
created to make forcible the undoubted
truth that there were scores of women
with beautiful homes whose wealth
brought them nothing but bondage,
because of the impoSeibility of obtaining
the help OF intelligent, dependable,
care taking servants; while there vas
great multitude of women Il need of
homes, and driven TO ali manner of
miserable makeshifts for mere liveli-
hood. who might, If they would, supply
lust this service, the mutual satisfaction
and benefit. The problem w2s TO bring
them together.
but if the letter were genuine, my
child" asked the minister, what then y
"Then,' said Matte, promptly, Il
would write to the woman, and ask her to
let ms try. l should like nothing better
than to be her housekeeper. L delight IN
housekeeping; I'm born cook, and Dolly
would be perfectly happy with two oa-
bies to cuddle and sew for?'
The minister looked at her 6oubtfuily
i suspect it Is only the rosy side of her
work that this letter writer describes;
there must be good many disagreeabie
things about ths position of cook OF nur
sery maid"
There are many disRgresabls things
about our present position" began Mat
tie, but stopped abruptly.
Not even to the minister would she