The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-05-24

GENTLY RAISED HER HEAD FROM THE
GROUND.
Mrs. Northup had heard her wild pi-
rouette, which came near oversetting the
oil stove, and wondered If, like poor
Sparks, she was tearing her hair for an
idea. But the landlady had had sufd-
Gent experience with literary dodgers
not to be surprised by unusual noises.
Now Edith could write that letter she
had SO much dreaded to brace up Willie,
and it would not DO necessary to tell
more than half the usual number Of
white lies, which was comforting to
girl of her high moral principle. Willie
was fretting at his enforced idleness
while his sister shaved to support herself.
II he had known how she had taken the
double burden on her shoulders But
happily he did not know, for she had
sworn their guardian to secrecy and
silence.
Dearest Wilie,n she began, chow /
wish you were herein my pleasant roomp
(Not word about the attic chamber
close to the railroad.) "But as / cannot
have you here | must content myself
with confidential chat on paper. am
doing famously in my new quarters and
am in tremendous spirits. Mrs. Northup,
my landlady, is kindness itself. break
tasted with her this morning, and we
talked about you. My room has three win
dows." (Not word about their height,
precluding view Of anything but
three cornered bit of sky and the top of
a pear tree.) ut is capital place to think
and write in. hope to have some splen-
did" (underlined) news for You soon,
for ] have great expectations Littlefield
is lovely town, and take little walk
along its shady streets every morning
before breakfast. The society is of the
best" - Poor girl, she had not spoken to
soul except her landlady and the postal
clerkl-s'a great many nice young people,
and there are numerous picnics, lawn
tennis and archery parties. You know,
dear Win, how enjoy these things"
(May Heaven forgive her.) "There is a
beautiful forest, called Deepdene park,
where / walk nearly every fine after
noon. You would be charmed with the
Littleheld library, SO well arranged,
with an admirable selection of books"
Glib number three; Miss March had not
been able to subscribe.) ION the whole,
dear VIII, you must think of me on the
very top wave, with everything lovely.
Don't worry about me, dear old boy, but
get all the good you can out of the
mountains. l can see you now, with
your specimen bag slung over your
shoulder, making the rocks resound with
your geological hammer. Oh, VIII, ]
am 80 proud of you, and when | think
you are all have in the world to live
for | can't tell you how my heart swells
with thankfulness. Do take care of
yourself, and avoid wetting your feet
and exposure of all kinds. l am very
happy over my prospects, but l don't in
tend to count my chickens before they
are Matched"
''There, !" thought Edith, as she folded
her letter, 81 hope l haven't overdone it.
Will is awfully sharp at detecting a
false note. Dear me, how many lies we
do have to tell to get through life de-
centlyi hope shall be forgiven on the
ground of good intentions.
Willis letter out of the way, Edith
turned with breathless eagerness to the
revision and expansion of her story. 1t
was more of a job than she had counted
on and virtually involved rewriting the
whole. But Edith did not finch. She
had plenty of good days work in her and
her soul was resolute. One o'clock, two
o'clock came. The strong western sun
shine was flooding her high windows and
heating the long shingled roof, directly
underneath which she sat, to the tenn
perature of rolling mill. Edith had
not paused to eat, and suddenly the rail-
way trains began to rush through her
brain and the written lines to swim be-
fore her eyes. She was faint from hum
! ger, for she had eaten nothing since eight
and now it was nearly four. She pushed
away thepile of MS. and went to ransack
her cupboard for something to sustain
life. She found only quarter of Gus
tard pie she had bought at the bakers
the previous day, few hard crackers
and pickle. She would make herself a
cup of tea; but on lifting the oil can she
found it empty, so she must be content
with the pie and pickle, washed down
with glass of tepid water.
1t was necessary to get out of her fur
mace of q room, for she felt the thoughts
flying about in her brain like moths
round a candle. She was dead tired
after her bout of writing seven hours on
a stretch, and nothing would rest her
but a ramble in Deepdene woods. She
! knotted her beautiful hair and put on
her old hat, remembering she had prom
ised herself to retrim it and make it look a
bit more tidy. Her gown was not of the
newest fashion, being relic of two past
seasons, and having known. many turn
ings and mendings. Her boots were
cracked and gray, and demanded new
soles, but they must answer for the pres
ent, and her gloves, of a cheap variety
were coming out at the fingers.
! 1t was a Joy to Edith to feel that she
knew not q soul in Littlefeld beyond hel
landlady, and therefore cracked boot:
and ragged gloves signifed little. She
| was shabby from top to toe, and yet thu
face looking from under the old hat, the
form robed in the faded gown could moi
fail to attract the eye Of q stranger
Mrs. Northup had noticed it. The CIR
had distinguished air, even in her poor
flofhoa and har f.<.a ..sc,7ayxf alrnoei