Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-07-31
TWO SHIPS.


turning il around
Matte looked up from her machine with
ont stopping us quick motion, turned one
comprehensive glance upon the hat, and
said, impulsiveIy, Like last years birds
nest
"Oh, DEAR 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
60 to the poor house first as last"
''I1l never give up, first or last" said
Matte Somewhere and somehow | know
there must he something better for Us, and we
are sure to fad it sooner or later; but in the
meantime can't afford 10 waste any Of my
strength In pretending. Our clothes are old
and shabby and dingy, and it's of no use try
ing to make them look anything else
Dolly gave 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,
AN you shah hae siller,
And wear good 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 ami fancying what it will bring
US
Matte set the last stitches with her lips
compressed, and began folding the coarse
shirts on which she was working into a COM
pact pile
''Are they flnishedr 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 openly
ugly than Dolly's, and walked down the
street with her firm, rapid tread. Once she
turned 30 look back at the small brown house
that was the only inheritance 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 man
aged to keep soul and body together, was
certainly better than nothing, and was con
sidered a respectable resource, but at best it
was working with starvation swinging
merciless lash over their heads
She went where many poor soul had gone
with pexplexities that seemed nobody's bust
ness-to the minister No doubt in that pc
NITROUS 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 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
YEARLY from the rows of solemn old books
to find refreshment in the papers upon the
table that seemed so much more modern and
human There was story that looked
tempting with its spicy bits Of conversation,
but this was Chapter Xxx.
Then there was a sermon, an exposition OF
the Sunday school lesson, letters from a
Traveller answers to miscellaneous queries,
household hints and economies, 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 q
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 If the writer had been sitting
there in the leather covered chair opposite
her AS she read her dark face flushed and
her breath came more rapidly. Why, here
was a woman in desperate ueed 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
no Mrs L. l.. Howe, and at the thought
Matte threw down the paper and went to
meet the minister who was coming in at the
gate. He smiled at her impotence and
seated himself very amiably to read the let
t..I, hny,A Mt taI
notice He smiled again when he looked up at
her and quite agreed with her that the writer
was probably 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 impos-
sibility of obtaining the help of intelligent,
dependable, care taking servants, while there
was great multitude OF women in need of
homes and driven to all manner of miserable
makeshifts for mere livelihood who might,if
they would, supply just this service. with
mutual satisfaction and benefit The prob
lem was to bring them together.
"But if the letter were genuine, my child"
asked the minister, what them"
Then said Matte promptly, II would
write to the woman and ask her to let me
try | should like nothing better than to be
her housekeeper. l delight in housekeeping;
I'm a born cook, and Dolly would be per-
fectly happy with two babies To cuddle and
sew for"
The minister looked at her Goubtfully.
az suspect it is only the rosy side OF her
work that this letter writer describes. There
must be good many disagreeable things
about the position of cook or nursery maid. v
There are many disagreeable things about
our present position began Matte, but
stopped abruptly.
Not even to the minister would she have
owned that they were actually pinched
sometimes for suitable food
"Do YOU think" she asked, hesitatingly,
"there would be any impropriety i'll my
writing to this lady to inquirer
Mot in the least will forward your let
ter with a line to the editor Why not write
herei' he continued.
And with the promptness of desperation
Matte sezei the venerable goosequ Il with
which alore the minister thought it possible
to write his sermons. and penned upon a
great square sheet brief ladvlike letter
Tho minister's endorsement YVES also brief to
the effect that the writer was a sensible,
practical, Christian girl, tolerably well edu-
Gated. AID would, in his estimation, be a
bene6iction in family such as that de-
scribed in the communication signed Mrs.
E. L. Howe While be thought it more than
probable that the case was fictitious one,
he felt sire that there were multitudes Of
women similarly situated. and the editor
would be Goill.; good Christi4l work il he
would put this young WOMEN in connunca-
zion with some one Of them
The joint letter tound its way in due time
to the sanctum OF l puzzled and amused edi.
tor, who frowned and laughed alternately
over It's contents, hall disposed to toss it into
thu waste basket, but finally put it in his
pocket With a dozen ether documents. II
might have remained there indefinitely, for
the editor was young man and had no per-
sonal interest in the domestic problem, but
dining that day with his sister his serene en-
joyment was suddenly disturbed by series
of duh thumps upon the stairs, followed by
piercing screams
THERE" said Mrs Lattimer. rushing
away She's let the baby fall down stairs:
always said she'd kill it, shall dismiss
her the minute Fred gets back" she painted,
returning with the baby II never draw an
easy breath except when the children are
asleep
''oh, by the way, Florence" replied her