Mower County transcript., 1890-02-05

eAoAH ANl' AosotS ~ VA0 Vy0 SAOo, ana aAmP0F.
ing smile upon their faces. ..st- ..5
Poor Phoebe! she hoped against hope,
as the street cars took her uptown, and
still cherished much more OF that COM
forting emotion than could have been
expected, when her feet touched the
red-hot fagstones Of Fifty-seventh
street, and the tall residences stared
down at her with half their doors closed
with those wooden barriers, that say to
all who look: Family gone to Europe"
But yet there were steps that might be
climbed, and Miss Mumford climbed
them patiently. .n@>s
She saw . sweet, old lady, who
beamed on her and said: A..
We've such large library now, we
can't really add to it. There's not room
In the house for another book"
She saw sarcastic lady, who said:
"Greatly obliged for the attention. It
Is wonderful book-wonderful, but I
couldn't understand it. 1 have to read
lighter things. My brain, you know,
won't bear too much"
She saw decided lady, who said:
mo, no indeed! oh, mol" and opened
the door.
She saw contemptuous young lady,
who simply shook her head, and rang
for footman to ''show this person
out"
Then she saw Q grandpapa, with
dyed mustache and an ..eye-glass, who
was gallant and offensive. Then she
received many mot at homes from
angry servants, who knew her errand
we'll, and felt that they had been troub-
led to open the door unnecessarily.
After many long, hot, wasted hours, she
found that her next number was drug
store, and entered it, thankful for its
cool shadow. She was hot, thirsty,
wretched. She longed for glass of
ice-cold soda-water, but only had little
change, which must serve for fares, in
her pocket.
She stood before the counter and re-
peated her little story-her talk about
the book. The druggist smiled as he
glanced at the volume.
II would not half such drash in mine
house," he said. "You waste your dime
NIT a book like dis
1T seems worthless to me-" said poor
Phoebe, signing.
"You get dook in, like some oder beo-
pies, nit dem rascals," said the German.
"You look dired, madam, and not veil.
Go home and rest-I advise you as a
DOCTOR"
A customer, who had been looking at
her, threw down the price of tooth
brush he had bought, and seizing his
purchase, followed Phoebe out of the
door.
"Let me see your book, madam" he
said. "Very nice; I'll subscribe. Give
me your book, I'll write my name and
residence"
He did so. Phoebe thanked him, and
tried to read it, but the letters danced
before her eyes. Her head was so hot,
SO heavy, she must go back to Mr.. Co..
zen's, get her dollar, give in her sub
scription, tell him that she had failed.
She would feel better after she had
rested, she thought-better. How kind
that man had been. But he subscribed
for her bookI7ste 7ost knew it well-out of
sheer pity; *Ior' ne gives aims to a beg
gar. al
He looked at her out of his bush of
white hair. His black eyes and black
nose more poodle-like than before.
She had wasted her day, risked sun
stroke, failed in her effort, and crushed
her hopes. What did he care, if he had
one subscription more? A book-agent
was almost sure to get one, and hundreds
toiled over the earth every day with the
same results.
'Very foolish to give it up so," he de-
clared. 1.-THE first day never counts. I
have ladies on my list making a hun
dred dollars week who got no SUBJ
scribers the first day, and Oh, your
dollar? Yes, yes! And here is your
percentage-ten cents. But you ought
not to despair when you have secured
the name of Captain Barton on your list.
Well, good-day."
She was gone, threading the streets
that led to the ferry. The boat first;
then the train. Was that the train
coming? What roar! How black it
was! She staggered, but she did not
fall to the ground. Some one caught
her in his arms.
Out of darkness, out of rest, out of
strange communion with her mother in
another world, Phoebe floated back to
life again. A woman sat beside and
famed her.
"She's all right now," said a voice of
the family-doctor order. "Only faint
ness; not sunstroke."
Then peace again; and waking, much
better.
my poor father!' she sighed. ''He
must be so terrified! Some one has
been so kind; but let me get to my
father at once"
':All in good time," said the motherly
woman at her side.
"Your father won't be anxious,
Phoebe" said man, and her only SUBJ
scriber stepped where she could see him.
II found your name and address in your
little notebook. T went and told him
you'd be home tomorrow. You don't
remember me. Ph9be?"
Phoebe smoothed her dress and sat un
on tho chintz couch and looked at the
speaker.
"You subscribed for my book" she
said.