The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-09-10
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.W0MAN5 INFLUENCE


within of yours. 1t is sensible; l can t
deny that. I've thought several times
that it would be delightful to spend our
winters in New York and our summers
here. I shall be happy to enjoy your
society and the city at the same time.
Margaret did not reply to this, and
when she spoke again it was on another
topic.
Brian found time to secure an apart
ment which seemed to Margaret suit
able in all particulars, and as the time
she had flxel upon for departure drew
nearer she began to realize the cost of
leaving Elmwood.
Her life was so thoroughly identified
with this home she had learned to love so
dearly, her mind and heart SO fully
wrapped up in all connected with it, that
| it was hard and real sacrifice to break
up old associations, and look forward to
an indefinite stay among comparative
strangers and uncongenial surround
ings But the sacrifice had to be made
and it was better to make it soon, she
! argued. Dwelling upon it only made it
/ harder, and after the actual leaving was
over, the bitterest part, she could force
herself to be contented in that great,
busy city, which held no allurements for
her.
She would have stolen away quietly,
to have avoided the pain of saying goJd-
by to her friends. but this was not pos
sible; so the unpleasant experience had
to be encountered.
The fearful grief of the rectory chill
dren, who had grown to look upon her
as a second mother, tried her strength
and resolution severely, and left her
rather Greading her visit to The Cedars,
in which she was sure to find the Colonel
SO kind and sympathetic that it would
be impossible to bear up.
If he only understood how it hurts,
she thought, making her way to Alice's
room, "he would be only hard and cold.
People call the world cold and unsympa
thetic, but it seems to me that"
Il am only advising you, Alice; such
tempers are hereditary, you know"
These light words broke rather rudely
upon Margaret's melancholy reflections,
and Notwithstanding her state of mind,
she was compelled to smile.
Nell, l declare, she soliloquized,
pulling aside the portiere and entering
the room, to find the irrepressible young
lady seated on table, her feet dangling
in the air and her laughing face suggest
| ing the mischief her words had ex-
pressed.
"Merciful fates! if here isn't Miss
Margaret" she cried, jumping from her
perch and rushing to greet Margaret.
you didn't expect to see me? " ell, /
guess not, but here | am, as big as life
and twice as natural. Thank heaven
you've come. Take off your hat and
coat. That's right. Now you feel more
at home. You'll stay to lunch, of
course? Oh, yes, you will. You must;
I'm goner otherwise. Why my
anxiety, you ask? Ye gods! what a
want of comprehension, And you know
the old bear, too; have seen his little
ebullitions of wrath. and noted the deli
cate pink that overspreads his express
i've features when somebody like me has
an opinion-that dear, mild, beloved
uncle of mine who tried to box my ears
this morning and may be looking for
me even at this moment. See, how |
tremble, and SILVER, and shake. SO
stay, pray you; stay to aim the fire Of
his passion and throw oil on the troubled
waters, as it We're. Did you see him in
your wanderings through the hall? Did
you catch glimpse Of his seraphic,
4 cheru bic-?
For mercy's sake, be quiet, put in
Alice, interrupting Nell's flow OF co
quence You would set anyone crazy.
Sit down, Margaret. I'll try to keep
you from being talked to death. You
look tired already.
Generous creature" retorted Nell.
Take this chair 10y me, Miss Margaret.
You'll be safe, really. Yes, uncle and
l had a glorious quarrel this morning
! | can't remember what about. l VEN
: tured to express an opinion on some sub
! ject, l dare say. He differed with me.
SO we had a regular battle. He fit, as
poor old Tom says, and / defended my
self against the venom o. his tongue.
Alice merely grinned. When you came
in / was trying to tell her that such
tempers are hereditary, and therefore
she'd better look out"
! Did she thank you for your advice?"
Thank me? Not she. Her natures
too ungrateful. There now. l had a
question to ask you, and I've forgotten
it already. Oh, yes! Is it really true
that you are going away? l heard so
this morning.
yes" answered Margaret, with a
sigh, Il am going 10 morrow-
$50 soon?" asked Alice, coming be
hind Margaret's chair and putting her
arms around her neck. How shall [
ever get on without seeing you every
y
Margaret clasped Alicc's hands in
hers.
If it is hard for you, how mucn hard
er it Is for NE, she answered,
Please don't be melancholy" begged
Nell, with a quick glance at Margaret S
face. Alice, go and sit down. You
give me the blues, if | may be allowed
so to speak, as one of my friends would
arl- Nv, Il 10, -,
solemn. l cry SO easily that the slight
est effort will bring an ocean of tears.
Then my nose gets red, my freckles
grow larger, and I'm sight generally.
SO don't make me weep. If you are 60
ing to New York, Miss Margaret, envy
you. Cause why? Cause you've got
money and can have no end Of fun
there. It's different with us. We are
poor, as Alice has no doubt told you,
and it's a nasty, mean, contemplate
feeling. Poverty was the reason for
our moving to Philadelphia, nothing in
the world else. Our friends We're told
that we liked Philadelphia; that the air
agreed with us-we are all SO healthy
we'd thrive in pig pen-when the real
unvarnished truth is the low rents agree
with our pocket-books. l tell you, you
don't half know our tricks"
on, NELL"
Just hear Alice say oh, Nell" as
though she doesn't know as we'll as do
the tricks Of the guild. The guild
means poor people, you know. Not
poor washerwomen, needlewomen, scrub
women, and such poverty-stricken
wretches, but poor people like US, trying
to keep up appearances on nothing.
abominate them, and despise poverty
heartily that "a rather no ric h a N
go to heaven. Now it's Miss Margaret 5
turn TO say ooh, Nell,' and how shocked
she looks in the bargain. It's evident
she doesn't know anything about scrap
ing and scratching. II she'd lived in
cheap flats l bet she'd agree with me-
They are simply horrible. And when it
comes to furnished fiats-Lord, be meri-
full to me, sinner! We've had them,
and l know whereof l speak. l remem-
Der one, especially. The greatest cheat
on record. Handsomely furnished, the