Mower County transcript., 1890-02-05
ONE SUBSCRIBER.
What Came of Phoebe's Efforts as
a k-Canvasser.

Phoebe Mumford came down to break
fast one morning in very low spirits.
There seemed no doubt that the mort
gage would be foreclosed at last Her
fathers mind failed more and more.
Every thing 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; a kind though
grave father; lover-Bill Barton-who
adored her, and went away to sea and
had not been heard of since. There was
little misunderstanding that she was
too proud to explain. Now how gray
and dull was life! The dear mother
gone, and though doubtless she watched
over her daughter, human eyes can not
see these loving angels. The aunts
married; one in California, one in
Colorado, one in Canada, with families
of their own. The father changed, since
the terrible inness that followed his
wife's sudden death, to trembling,
querulous shadow, who required all her
love and tenderness by finding fault
with her for having been born girl.
IF I had son." he used to say,
things wouldn't go to rack and ruin
while I'm poorly. It's the only fault
ever found with your good mother, that
she had girl instead Of a boy"
''Poor father! he used to be so differ
ent," Phoebe would say to herself; land
it Is q shame that l am not a young
man."
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; moth
ing that tcould keep the heavy mortgage
from foreclosing, or the man who farmed
what land there was left ION shares"
from cheating them numerically; moth
ing that brought money IN.
Phoebe felt that, and it panied her
more than the thought of 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 news
paper-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 a certain
hotel and Of frightful murder that
made her blood run cold. She read the
wise words of the weather prophet, who
predicted rising barometer, and
glanced over the advertisements.
''Spinkins' electric collar button, war;
ranted to cure every thing" offered tes-
tempted her to 20 down and buy one for
pa-or would, had she the money to
throw away on cruel imposture.
DOBBs & CO., ON RECEIPT OF TEN
~ CENTS and stamped and Greeted
envelope, will send to any lady or gentle.
man directions how to make fortune at
their own homes.
She was not much impressed by this
magnificent offer. But here was some
thing:
U7ANTED IN OUR OFFICE, A LADY OF
w education and refinement, a good talk
err who has read great deal. Salary fifty
dollars per week. Apply at once in person.
~~ cozzEN & CO.,
,. NO. .--- street.
s.Dear me!' cried Phoebe to herself,
''Rfty dollars . week! think I am re-
fined. certainly haze had good edu-
cation. Tread every thing I can get to
read. l am church member. II !
could get the place could 60 to bust.
ness regularly, like q 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