Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-07-04

II never did See Margery take TO any
body ss she has e. YOU. said the proud
mother Il hope yOu got good news,
miss, from your brother.
".u / lid not hear from him today.
q. Is - at Iamerack camp, iu the North
Woods, and several miles from 70 post
OH e..
Il guess he don't know how hard you
work and how late you sit up nights.
You are looking real pale and worn. as l
say to Northup; for you know, miss,
folks can't live together in the same
house like sticks and stones. They have
eyes, and hearts, too, l hope"
Miss March received this suggestive
little dig from her landlady with becom-
ing meekness.
You are mistaken, Mrs. Northup. |
am very strong and enduring. have
always been the healthy one Of our fam
lily, and there is no danger of my break
ing down 1t is my brother Willard who
is delicate. His chest is weak and he is
a great student IL is his desire TO be a
geologist, and with sucha turn as he has
for natural science it would be a shame
for him TO waste his life at some uncon-
genial business. 1t was all my doing
that be took his post graduate course at
the scientific school"
But if he knew, Miss March, how
you are shaving 70 keep him there, how
you hardly give yourself time TO Ia or
take a walk, | guess he would not be
easy in his mind Northup thinks so,
too, and be is a man Of uncommon
and observation"
Don't say that, Mrs Northup; he
don't know" and then she stopped,
troubled and embarrassed, and looked
down at her plate.
Then you amt a-giving him his edu-
cation" said Mrs. Northup, heaping
fresh Strawberries on her dodgers plate.
Size was a generous giver, but she felt
she had a right to a fair equivalent for
her gifts in her dodgers confidence.
The color, whether Of indignation or
embarrassment, rosed the young lady's
neck and cheeks and touched the tips Of
her beautiful Ears. I'VE were left with a
little property, I" she said in a constrained
voice. "Ouf poor father was very In
fortunate in his last years, but there
was a small sum remaining, and it was
placed in the hands Of our guardian"
Miss March reserved the fact that the
said guardian had invested the little
patrimony in wildcat stock. and there
was not a penny left Sine had taken
the greatest pains 70 conceal this fact
from her young brother, and why should
she confde it TO her landlady?
oh said the landlady, deliberately
stirring her coffee, then you don't keep
him at college. Northup and me had
taken the notion into our heads that you
was educating your brother by your
writngs-slaving away for good and all
to keep him suppied-but if you have
only yourself TO look out for its different
Of course. | should like 20 know" and
Mrs Northup settled back in her chair
prepared 20 put a leading QUESTION,
"wa= nvr there's much money 70 be
made in writing for newspapers and
magazines.
Il never thought Of it in that light"
said Miss March slowly, as she crumbhd
a bit Of bread on her plate. Then l
suppose you write TO get your name in
print, or Just to pass the time"
"No, nor that either in a faint voice
Il had TO do something"
well, do you know there wa a mar
named Sparks who lodged with me
three years ago. He used TO get up comic
pieces for some paper out west, and
mercy me! how he did work at these
jokes. Sometimes he would com down
stairs into the kitchen where was baking
or ironing. and say she, Miss Sorthup,
I'm stuck | can't think Of anything
today but funerals and g~raveyards and
! executions if my life depended. OF all the
gol dong trades any mar ever lookup, this
writing for comic newspapers is worst
Sometimes I'd hear him walking the
floor. ~a-tearing his hair 10 raise a joke.
II was dreadful, / can tell you. Igusss
on the whole ia rather keep dodgers
One month he would have his pockets
full Of money, and the next not a cent
TO bless himself. Poor Sparks, I'm afraid
be was a little too fond Of the bottle.
But l got the impression that writing for
a living was a pretty poor trade"
You're quite right Mrs Northup
Thank you 80 much for this nice break
fast" and Miss March rose and went to
her room. II was an attic chamber Of
fair size, under a long sloping roof, with
three small windows 80 placed that there
were only CLEANS Of sky and clouds and
tree tops and fitting birds to be had.
while a humble bee or a yellow JACKET
buzzed in and out Of the open easement
screened by muslin curtains The writ
ing table stood under one Of these open
windows, with the narrow bed opposite,
and all the furnishings were scant and
plain A few photographs and sketches
were pinned about the roughly plastered
wall An arrangement Of wild flowers
and vines in a broken nosed pitcher
filed one corner nook, and Miss March's
scanty supply Of gowns hung under a
calico curtain. The lame dressing table
was propped with a block Of wood, and
before it was spread a breadth Of faded
carpet. In a III cupboard were a few
dishes-two cracked teacups and a tin
Of dry soda crackers. The little oil stove
I stood on a deal table. where Miss March