Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-08-09
When tile health officer invaded Bills

II
door took Nell and Rhoda into her
own room behind the saloon to stay UNI
til their pare its return.
But an adversary better than Bill
had at last tested strength with him,
and he was forced to yield.
What could be expected of Bills
wife but that she should do now what
she had unquestioningly done through
all her welded life, follow Bill?
So they never came back to the
tenement in Dukes alley.
Mistress Murphy told the orphans
their parents were dead
To Nell's dull intellect it meant little
beyond cessation of kicks and blows.
She had not yet grappled with the
problem of the food and clothing sup
ply.
Mrs. Murphy solved it for her.
"It's here yell stay, and yell help me
in the saloon for the bit of bite and a
sup yell made; and as for Rhody, why,
what'll kape one'll kape two
"But Tn thinkin' what Tlldo wild her
at all to kape her out o the way, for it's
no earthly use she is for the work, and
she'll be i'll the way in the saloon"
cts thinllin' am Iii jist sind her
around to the public school to kape her
out o the way"
School for Rhoda!
Nell seized upon the idea greedily, as
something which in dim mysterious
manner was to differentiate Rhoda from
the denizens of the alley and give her a
place among the children she had seen
outside; the children whom in her envy
she had jeered at as "big bugs"
She (NelD was to continue. unques-
tionably, part of the life of the alley,
but Rhoda was to take her place in the
world outside.
The heart of poor depraved Nell
swelled-not with envy, but with pride.
Three years more passed. In school
Rhoda easily outranked the children Of
her age.
Absorbing unconsciously something
of responsibility, the saloon with it's
brawling men and women, the saloon,
which was to Nell the incarnate idea of
life and pleasure, became to Rhoda in
tolerable.
Il hate it, Nell; the drinking and the
fighting! 1 wish we didn't live here"
The words sank deep into Nells
heart, though she could not sympa-
thize with the feeling which prompted
them.
Day by day she pondered. She set
ted her plan doggedlv before she VEN
tured to unfold it to Mistress Murphy.
I'm goin into a laundry to work. Me
an Rholy is going to take room and
live. YOU'RE good to us, but it's the
drinkin' and the cussin' an all, Rhody
can't stand"
Now, Mistress Murphy's theory that
"what'll kape onell hape two" while
plausible enough as theory, had failed
in the testing. She had not only con-
scented to Nell's plan; she helped her
with such disabled furniture as she
could spare. &c.,.
And now for seven years Helen of
Troy had been the bread-winner.
1t had been no light struggle, but
somehow it had been done, and Rhoda
had never known that the dinner-box
Nell carried daily to the laundry was
often carried empty.
"Rhody is goin' to graduate next. I'm
havin' her a lovely new dress made, n
she'll look as good as any on EN- said
Helen to the girl who worked next to
her in the laundry.
Eyes, an yell drop down dead in yer
tracks before the day If we don't stop
It's worked to the bone We are now wild
sindin' Rhody to school! She's no
better to come into the laundry an earn
her livin' n We are.
The old spirit of clay hand on
Rhody n I'll scratch yer eyes out, :"
flashed from the eyes of Helen. 1t was
only for a moment; the years had
taught her to conquer.
"Rhcdy's goin' to be teacher. The
board has promised her place as soon
as she graduates. She won't never have
no such struggle as I've had I'm goin'
to take it little easier, too, when she
gifts so she can take care of herself"
YES" muttered Bridget, eff ye're
alive. It's manys the day I've seen ye
iron all day wild an empty stomach.
I'll warrant Rhody didn't study widout
a bit Of somethin."
"Rhody didn't know, Bridget.
would not want she should"
Commencement day it was whispered
that the girl who led her class was
Bills daughter; that by hard study she
had worked herself up from the life OF
the slums.
| But what mention of Helen? "Any
more of Bills family living?" inquired
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