The National tribune., 1892-11-17

the same store as ca5n.
girl, wrspperand clerk. and In all that time she
had never had whole days rest, excepting
when she had buried the little crippled brother,
for whom so much Of her patient work had been
done. She was tired, body and soul, and the
desire and longing of her heart had always
been to take vacation. She had never been
outside the city since she could remember, and
yet she knew Just the farm house In which her
desires rested would stand back from the dusty
road, and she had thought Of the hammock IN
which she would spend II long. idle days, until
Ii had become an absolute reality to her.
It often seemed to her that she led double
existence fer, when in Winter time, the icy
draught from the door blew over and chilled
her to the bone, she consoled herself by think
ing of the warm, pleasant spot where the ham.
mock swung, and in Summer the thought
of the great green trees which shaded it,
seemed to relieve the burning heat and dust.
When her ,<ad ached and her brain whiried
with the many and varied noises around her,
she dreamed of the lovely silence Of that ideal
country place, and ceased 70 mind the man &C
the musical instruments counter opposite.
In her heart she was musician, and his monot-
onous renderings of popular airs drove her
nearly wild.
Three months ago the little brother had
died, and though, as all the boarders told her,
his death was blessing to him and relief to
her, she was foolish enough to mourn him
and feel doubly desolate when he was gone.
Ever since his death she had felt weak and
queer and to-day nothing but the stern nee
essities of board bill in arrears and q bal
ancs owing to the needy little undertaken
who had looked after Bobbie's funeral. kept
her at her post. "When ! get all paid I'm
going to take rest" she thought in the in
teryals of selling candy and answering ques-
tions as to the whereabouts ofeverything, from
the candy right under their noses to horse
blankets and cloaks, {" for Pm SO tired feel
az if I should die. I can't go away, but If
could save enough to pay my board for two
weeks I'd lay off, she finished, with sad
thought of how lonely her room was now.
But as the bills were not paid, stay she must,
though her feet grew heavier every minute,
and the strange lightness in her head increased.
And how that man opposite did rattle those
tubes! Presently he began to play, Rest rest
for the weary" and she didn't mind so
much, for that was the hymn they had sung
at Bobbies funeral.
'There IL rest for the weary.
There is rest for the weary,
There Is rest for the weary,
There is rest for you"
she hummed softly, and the words began 70
sing themselves in her brain, now in dreamy
undertone, then with mighty crash which
drowned everything else. There is rest for
the weary" she remarked, in answer to
question. Eyes, / know there IT," retorted
the customer, stout, good looking
woman, land Pm glad of it, for you look IS
if you needed it. and I'm kind of tired myself.
But that don't tell me where the stocking
counter is" "Oh, did you want the hosiery
department" said the poor little clerk; three
rooms north-turn to your left
And so the day went by until it was time
to "put up stock f" and leave the store. By
this time everything around her seemed TO be
dancing q merry Jig. and she thought, i won
der if Pm going to have the fever, like Bobbie."
Coming up stairs with hat and coat, she was
met by the floor manager, who had some
directions to give. and while he talked she
grew sick and faint. what eyes the child
has" he thought and what thin little face"
and he kindly told her to "run along home"
She tremblingly hurried to the door, and. as
the cool, fresh air seemed to revive her, she
started to cross the street. But why did all
the people scream to her TO look out" and
where was the great sea whose roaring was in
her ears? Blindly she stumbled on, and then,
a moment later-oh, my God gr-r-r-she was
under the cable wheels.
Some minutes later she was tendsriy lifted
into the patrol wagon and taken to the County
hospital. "No use doing anything" said the
doctor; "past all hope" The sweet-faeed, slen-
der young nurse grew pale and shivered, and
all night she teDderly watched by the uncon-
seious girl. Just as the first CLEAN of daylight
gIimmered on the whitewashsd wall the patient
stirred and the nurse bending over her, heard
her murmur softly, Pm going-top floor,
way to the front-neu building-take elevator
to take q vacation" The last word had
hardly left her lips when her eyes closed
again and the nurse saw she had "taken the
elevator and started for the top floor" And
as she tsnderly smoothed the pretty, soft hair,
and composed the face which had meant to Do
30 merry and bright, and which, alas! was 80
sad and worn, she whispered:
There is rest for the weary,
There is rest for you."
Inter Ocears.