Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-09-17


left US in poverty"
Hiram Skidder stared amazed.
@Whatl Eh?H he gasped- @Poverty?"
SWhen the debts were paid we had no
home and only five hundred dollars in
money"
~The debts paid?"
Eyes uncle. Every debt was paid
My father taken i'll, fingered three
months, then died, but when he died he
owed no man cent, said Elfe proudly.
@No widow or orphan, no trusting
tradesman, no one whOmsOeYer. can say
that my father every cheated him or her
OF their rightful dues
@But, God bless my SOUL" calculated
Hiram Skidder @Was the man mad?"
Ellie looked surprised.
MY father was an honest man, sir
that was all.
sand your mother was left in pow
ertyP"
%Yes, sir; but it was an honorable
poverty. She had a little money left
after father died We hired two rooms,
and / got work to do. had received a
good education at the village academy
mean good for my years, said Ellie
nOdestly--and 1 became a clerk in the
village book store I managed to pro-
vide for my mother while she lived
After her burial had only SEQ remain
ing"
"a beggar!" muttered the merchant
"a regular beggari"
Ellie failed to catch this comment
THE bookseller had no further need
Of my services, she resumed, ~his son
being about TO become q partner with
him. And mother. when dying, told me
TO come to You. Uncle Hiram"
Very convenient for you, no doubt
But / have large and expensive family
OF my Own-especially a son and daugh-
ter who would bankrupt the biggest
millionaire on earth IL left to their own
devices Poor people have a singular
fondness, I've noticed, for saddling their
offspring upon somebody else l don't
see that l can do anything for you It's
absurd for girl OF your size and educa-
ton to think of settling yourself as a
pauper relation on me. 1t can't be done,
my dear young woman"
The girls face flushed hotly.
-You are mistaken, sir, she said, with
dignity beyond her years. a want to
pay my way. I want work. I came TO
ask situation as q clerk in your store. "
"If I took in everybody who asks me
for elerkship," returned the merchant
testify, Il should soon be in the poor
house There IS no vacancy in my es-
tablishment- My clerks are used to my
ways, and 1 can't turn them off even TO
make an opening for YOU"
Ihe girls lace looked blank.
~DO you refuse TO receive me into
your services, Uncle Hiram?" she asked.
Il do not want any favor. only a chance
to earn my living. will work just as
the others do, and receive the same
pay"
~You are very condescending," sneered
the merchant. "But the long and short
of the whole matter is, I have no place
for you'll"
~No place for me in your house2 No
place for me in your store?"
"You seem to understand me. have
no place anywhere for you"
The girls countenance plainly ex-
pressed her surprise, Indignation, and
| wounded feeling.
~Wouldn't cousin Hilda like me for a
companion?D she asked.
~No; and if she would couldn't con-
sent to anything of the kind. She has
too many companions already. Be
sides, she's going out of town.
"Will you at least give me money
enough to take me out to Montana to
my other uncle, Jeremiah Skidder, pur-
sued Ellie.
@No, Elfie; and that would be a very
bad move for you. Your father and ]
sold our lands on the Musselshell TO
Perry Wynans. my cashier, for almost
nothing, because they were reported
| sources in that direction. Your 'otheI
uncle is a lazy, shiftless lying vaga
bond, and one Of the meanest men I've
ever encountered.
"Then you refuse to interest yourself
\ in any way for me, uncle Hiram?" in.
| quired Elfie.
II can't do otherwise" replied the
merchant at was your fathers place
/ to provide for you. I don't wish tC
| commant upon bfs faflttra in bucfpaes
and neglecting to provide for his family
i but that he could expect me to repair
/ his neglect is Incredible"
\ The girl arose sadly, sternly.
1--WE shall not agree, uncle Hiram, in
regard to my fathers course she said.
/ -He left his name to me spotless and
/ hOnOrable-an Inheritance a thousand
/ times more precious than all the money
/ in the world. ! would not exchange his
| reputation for all your wealth, STRIP
"YOu are impertinent," returned Skid.
/ der, angrily, arising.
Il have Obeyed my mothers command
sir, and asked Of you work and prOtec-
| tion," added Ef1ie, with deep agitation.
Il am all alone in the world, uncle
! Hiram-friendless and, TO a very great
| extent, helpless, as a girl Of seventeen
must necessarily be. If you turn me
away have nowhere to go. have but
ten dollars remaining
-Many a man and woman has begun
/ life on less than that said Skidder. Il
/ cannot help you. You ought TO have
too much pride TO thrust yourself upon
me as a pauper to be cared for"
AStOp there, Uncle Hiraml I am nc
| pauper. I asked for work, not fol
| aims E" And the young girls eyes flashed
fire. and her pale young face grew
/ sternly reproachfuL You send me
away as if I were some importunate
beggar. You revile my parents You
taunt me. You have said enough. II
relieve you of my presencel"
She moved TO the door, where she
/ turned and faced him, her great eye
eloquent with her sadness and desola
ton
But before I CO." she added. @let me
say a word more. We shall meet again
| Uncle Hiram, but not as noWl Now
am a poor, weak girl, without money o.
/ friends. but 1 shall some day be rich and
/ powerful Some day, and perhaps at AZ
early day, 1 believe as surely as Goo
| lives, We shall meet again upon
/ changed footingl Until then, adieu."
She bowed and withdrew, traversine
the outer store and gaining the street
where she mingled with the throng.
Rejected by her kinsman, a stranger
in strange city, what was she TO do
and where was she to go?
She wandered on desolately, the WorlC
all before her, the making of her whole
future in her own girlish hands.
She walked barely a block, hardly
conscious of the direction she had taken
when a hand touched her gently on the
/ arm from behind.
Turning quickly and hating. she
found herself face TO face with a maj
whose life was destined TO be associated
| with her own thenceforward and for
ever.