Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-02-14
ONE SUBSCRIBER.

Phoebe Mumford came down to break
fast one morning in very low spirits.
There seemed no doubt that the mortgage
would be foreclosed at last. Her fathers
mind failed more and more. Everything
was forlorn and wretched She had been
gazing at a rose colored picture of the
past to which distance lent enchantment.
She saw her buXom, comfortable, loving
mother; her young aunts, who petted
her; kind though grave father; lover,
Billy Barton, who adored her, and went
away TO sea and who had not been heard
of since There was a little misunder-
standing that She was too proud to ex-
plain. Now how gray and dull was lifel
The dear mother gone, and though
doubtless she watched over her daugh-
ter, human eyes cannot see those loving
angels. The aunts married; one in Cali
fornia, one in Colorado, one in Canada,
with families of their own, The father
changed, since the terrible illness that
followed his wife's sudden death, to a
trembling, querulous shadow, who re-
Quilted all her love and tenderness by
finding fault with her for her having
been born a girl.
"If l had son." he used to say,
''things wouldn't go to rack and ruin
while I'm poorly. It's the only fault l
ever found with your good mother, that
she had a girl instead of boy"
"Poor fatherl he used to be SO differ
ent," Phoebe would say to herself; "and
it is shame that l am not a young man. 1"
But still, when woman finds herself
unappreciated, her heart must ache.
A son never would have made the
feeble old man so comfortable, waited on
him so patiently, spared him so much.
The "bound GIRL" little Hannah Jane,
from the poor house, was bright and
tractable. but there was still much to do;
all woman's work, though; nothing that
could keep the heavy mortgage from fore
closing, or the man who farmed what
land there was left con shares from
cheating them numerically; nothing
that brought money in.
Phoebe felt that, and it panied her
more than the thought that her thirtieth
birthday was close at hand, though no
woman ever lived who did not shrink
from that thought WITH a shiver of
horror.
Wiping the tears away, Miss Phoebe
left the table and took up the newspaper
"a big New York paper full of politics,
which she read to her father every day
and which was almost his only pleasure.
She glanced down the column of deaths
and marriages, and saw there no name
that she knew. She read an account of
the appearance of the sea serpent at the
shore near certain hotel, aud of a
frightful murder that made her blood
run cold. She read the wise words of
the weather prophet, who predicted a
rising barometer, and glanced over the
advertisements. "Spinkins' electric col
lar button. warranted to cure every
thing" offered testimonials from kings
and warriors, and tempted her to go
down and buy one for pa-or would, had
she had the money to throw away on
cruel imposture.
DoBBS & CO.. on receipt OF ten cents and
stamped and directed envelope, will send 70 any
lady OF gentleman directions how to make for
tune at their own homes
She was not much impressed by this
magnificent offer. But here was some
thing:
WANTED in our Office, lady of education and
refinement, good talker, who has read . great
deal. Salary $50 per week Apply at once in
person Church member preferred.
CozZEN & CO.,
No. - street.
Dear me" cried Phoebe to herself,
"fifty dollars q week. / think l am re-
fined. certainly have had good edu-
cation. l read everything can get to
read. am a church member. If
could get the place, l could go to bust
ness regularly like man, give pa
most of the fifty dollars week, save
the place, perhaps, and certainly buy
the electric collar button"
Visions Of her father restored to health
and vigorous old age; of the mortgage
paid off; of herself kneeling at her
fathers feet while his hands rested on
her head and said: "My daughter, no
longer regret that God never gave me
son, since he sent me you," rushed
through her mind. She slipped from
the big horse hair covered arm chair,
and, kneelng before it, hid her face in
its great dimpled back, and with her
handkerchief to her eyes, prayed to be
helped And when she arose it seemed
to her that a strong, unseen hand led
her; that there could be nothing to fear
or dread; nothing before her but success.
She gave her father his breakfast with
many smiles, and faily laughed when he
said "Now, If you were boy you could
just go along with me to the polls and
vote for Puhingham. want that man
to be elected; he's got the right views
about property. But you're girl, poor
thing-a girl"
Little he knew what was in her mind.
She read the political articles through
and had just time to catch the train,
giving Hannah Jane directions for the
dinner,
elf get the place, old Mrs. Williams
must come and live here" she said to
herself, as she walked. "Id feel per-
fectly safe then, and she'd be glad to
have the spare room and her board"
A fresh color was on her cheek, and a
l.. Il. 4