The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-26

house where she lodged. It was well not 20
confront Mrs. Flint too often She was In
clined to consider Stephen her natural enc
my, because he wanted. TO deprive her of the
granddaughter who was her natural prev.
jess had by no means an easy life of it with
her aged relative. She had very often TO
supply Mrs. Flint with food, and also with
drink (0f an intoxicating sort especially
when the old woman was laid up bv one Of
her periodical fits of rheumatism; and she
had at all times to contribute largely to the
support of Daddy Trotter, who was Mrs.
Flint's brother, and consequently Jess great
uncle.
Daddy Trotter suffered from paralysis of
the lower limbs. He could not walk, but he
could weave baskets with nimble, untiring
fingers, and when the baskets were finished
Jess used to take them round TO various
shops and sell them-for very few pence
indeed. Of late she had found that as a
fiower-girl she earned even less than friends
of hers, who were needlewomen; and she
had begun TO wonder whether it would not
be better to give up peregrinations about
the streets and take to sewing sacks, like
some of her neighbors.
She had no preference for a wandering
life. and she knew that Stephen would be
better pleased to think of her as sewing
peacefully beside Daddy Trotter instead of
was not without some dizziness of hand,
some capability of steady work. She was
mot bad girl" as the neighbors said /;
land she kept herself to herself"-high
praise amongst the poor. But she was very
ignorant, very unframed; and the glimpse
that she had obtained into life that was
different from her own was scarcely likely
to have an elevating effect.
Notwithstanding the purchases that she
10 Otrtn IF Mr. HiazfvUnOdfS hafora
she went home in the twilight, she was
greeted with storm of abuse from her
grandmother for her long absenca. Jess
took little notice of it, but went on with her
usual work of lighting the fire aud making
the tea in what seemed to be stolid silence
Old Mrs. Flint became at length so violent
that she caught up plate and hurled it at
the girls head. 1t missed its mark, for
tunately, and then. for the first time, Jess
spoke.
eff you do that, granny" she said,
81 shall spend the next money / get on a
new frock for myself aud some baccy for
Daddy, and won't bring you no tea nor
firing at all.n
Mrs. Flint redoubled her objurgations;
but she threw no more plates, and jess
went serenely on her way with the sense of
having gained a victory. She did not often
assert herself but when she did she was not
without arms of her own.
When her grandmother had gone out for
last nightly prowl and old Daddy Trotter
was asleep, Jess thought that she might en-
Joy herself in her own fashion. for little
while. She took off her dress before going
to bed in the corner which constituted her
sleeping apartment, let down her hair over
her white shoulders, and looked earnestly
into the few inches of looking-glass which
were all she possessed.
"He likes my hair" she murmured to her.
self, gazing in establishment at the lovely
golden masses that fell around her face.
Nobody else ever liked it, as | heard tell.
Save Stephen maybe. But he never talked
of gold and flame in that sweet way the
gentleman did. Manys the time I've
wanted to cut it off-when The boys shouted
carrots after me, and granny called me an
ugly, red-headed thing. But he don't think
so. He's going to put it in a real lovely
picture, aud everybody will look at it.
Don't wish 1 could dress always as l was
dressed to-day, and live in pretty rooms and
be a ladyI'
Her wistful eyes looked longingly into
the little mirror. Her soul was too innocent
to know the danger of the poison that had
been breathed into it. Stephen Eyre might
well tremble. His instinct was keener and
truer than that of his golden-haired, gray
eyed Jess.