Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-04-19
An Unsafe Experiment.

ously told to call again!' Look here,
Marcia I'll go no more. If you want
your money you've got to collect it
yourself.
Marcia sighed deeply.
eff only these fine ladies would be a
little more considerater' said she.
"And Miss Trueft is to be married
next week." said Cally. "The lady's
maid was telling me that the floral
decorations were to be eight hundred
dollars for the hire Of palms and rub
Der trees, for cut roses and begonias.
Oh, my!"
Letitia looked up from her type
writer
"Wouldn't it be a joke" said she,
eff Calista were to 60 to Miss Trueft S
intended, and try to get the money
from him? Its part Of the wedding
outfit, | am sure"
"Bridegrooms don't generally pay
that share of the wedding expenses"
drily observed Marcia.
"No; but it might shame her in pay
ing her righteous debts" urged Letitia.
"Much we know about brides and
bridegrooms,' said pretty Cally, with
a sidelong glance at the cheap, cherry
framed looking glass. "We're not en-
gagged to be married p
mo, nor likely to be-" said Letitia.
''How can it be otherwise, when we
never see anybody but the gas man
and the landlords agent ~
There's girl who once worked at
Miss Crosstrack's," said Cally, "who
got an excellent husband, and all
through an advertisement in the news
paper"
"And a most silly, unladylike way
it was p sharply retorted Marcia. L
hope no relation Of mine will ever get
a husband in that way
Cally's eyes fell. Letitia worked
diligent at her typewriter.
"Do you really think there's any
thing wrong?" faltered Cally.
Wrong? It's all wrong, from begin
ming to end" spoke the elder sister,
who in her plain black gown and white
frill looked not unlike sister of char
ity, as she stood at the table measuring
off breadths of white muslin. "Here
Cally, stitch these together as quick as
you can. It's the last sewing l ever
mean to do"
ooh, Marcia, what do you meant"
"The dressmaking business don't
pay" said Marcia Thorne, CURLY. I'm
convinced of that at last. Mrs. Crate
ly has sent me a circular of that
Trained Nurse Institute. It's hard
work; but they pay proportionately.
| shall go into that p
Marcia Thorne kept her word. 1t
had been hard struggle for these
three girls to keep the wolf from their
door since old Theodore Thorne had
lost all his money in Southern railroad
stock and died of sheer discourage
ment.
Marcia, the child of the first mar
riag., was seven years older than Lei
tia. Cally was the youngest and
prettiest of all. She was apprenticed
to a fashionable Broadway milliner,
while Lefty made a scanty sum as
typewriter and stenographer. She
was fairly good operator but jobs
were few and far between, and com
petition ragged fearfully. But Marcia's
will and magnetism kept the little
family together in spite of all draw
backs.
Cally regarded this elder sister as
unreasonable despotic at times Letitia
was secretly Jealous of Marcia but
both confessed her supremacy.
'She's a born old maid" said dim
pied Cally, "but l think she loves us"
"She has no right to domineer over
us, observed sulky Letitia but | dare
say she means we'll"
'Lettie," whispered Calista, when
Marcia had left the room, "do you sup
pose she knows ?"
"Of course she don't know. How
sh ould she p
"she spoke just exactly as if she
did"
can arrow aimed at random" said
Letitia.
at can't be wrong" uneasily spoke
Calista, cor so many girls wouldn't do
it. I'm sure | meant no harm.
ooh, don't worry!" cried impatient
Lefty. Marcia would find fault with
anything p
Marcia Thorne went straightaway
and enlisted under the banner of the
Nurses Institute.
"You are just the woman we want,
said Mrs. Gartley, looking her over as
if she were bale of goods or a sample
of groceries. Strong, quiet, phlegma-
tic temperament. Yes, we'll find en-
ployment for you right away"
And at the end of the week she
handed Marcia card.
"You are to go to this number,
Vauxhill street." said she. "a case of
typhoid fever, not especially malignant.
You will receive all necessary instruc-
lions from the doctor"
And Marcia went.
The name on the card was "Eger-
ton" The house was a pretty modern
cottage, standing back from the street,
half hidden in hedge of rhododen-
| drons.
A cold-faced woman of middle age
received her, rather grimly.
"Ahw said she. Miss-Thorne?"
give come to take care Of Mr.. Egg
erton," said Marcia.
"Indeed p said the cold faced
woman. "But | assure you | do not
need your assistance"
Marcia united her bonnet strings
and put her satchel on the table.
81 have come to take care of Mr.
Edserton," repeated she quietly but
firmly. "Please show me to him at
once"
| nHa's i'll in bod said tho frioid nov