The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-27
ss.whafshdne i1oneY' / asked.

main in this store another day It You
stay. We know very well that Mr..
Bernard is not so good to you for moth
ing. It's hardly likely that he would
be, I'm sure"
s.That it isn't" observed another. Il
think It is perfectly shameful, for my
part"
81 can't help Mr.. Bernard's atten-
tons" urged.
"Oh, no, of course. Do you suppose /
couldn't??' the first speaker said. ''Dc
you suppose he's going to force his at
tentions on anybody day after day when
he is shown that they are not wanted?"
Hardly" said another, with a laugh.
made no further reply, but went at
once to the Office, where sank down in
my seat and, laying my head on the
desk, burst into tears. The other en-
ploves never had liked me, knew, and
for weeks they had managed to make
me very miserable while I was at the
store. Miss Perkins, the leader in the
conversation just given, was especially
sour toward me, and l believed that
whatever suspicious the others enter
tanned were generated by her.
had been in the Office near an hour,
I think, and was still weeping when
Mr.. Bernard entered. He appeared
greatly concerned and at once entreated
me to tell him what my trouble was.
800 not hesitate to speak out, - he
urged, seeing that was slow to speak.
IF there is anything can do to help
you, ! am ready and anxious to hear it. y
s:You can do nothing / replied,
choking back my tears, Except to let
me go home
500 ho1se?" he repeated. Not back
to your fathers house?''
mo, to Mrs. Bonds" answered.
".Ah!'' and he appeared very much re-
lieved. "Why, certainly, you can go.
Are you not feeling well, Agnes?''
He approached and Laid his hand
caressingly on my head, causing me to
tart while shudder ran over me.
| That act Of familiarity, together with
tie tender tones in which he addressed
his last question, filed me with alarm.
did not answer him, and he went on:
You can go home, of course. | see
you are in great trouble, and are in
| need Of friendly advice, SO III take you
| home myself, and when you are calmer,
and feel like it. you may confide to me
the secret of this great sorrow and !
! will help you to bear it. Come with me
and we will take a CARRIAGE
(, went because knew not what else
to do. was incapable of thinking
then, and had no power to oppose the
man. He led me very gently through
| the store, and more than once ! was
conscious OF suppressed litter as we
passed the counters. My cheeks burned
with indignation, and was glad when
we reached the street. A carriage came
| in q moment and was handed in. Mr.
BERNARD followed ana took seat by
my side.
| 'sNow,'' he said, when we were going,
81 should like to know what has hap
| pened. Will you tell ,ne?"
| SHOT now" I replied. II must have
| time to think"
| II think can guess something OF 1t,
| he continued, seemingly paying little
| notice to what said, II believe the
| people at the store have been saying
| something that has wounded you. Am
not right?"
assented by nod Of my head.
81 thought so,'' he remarked. 81
guessed it from the tittering I heard as
we passed. I knew there was mali
ciousness at the bottom of that giggling.
! I'll give them something when return
| that will change their tune. Tell me
what they said to you and I'll settle
with them for it. -
mot now,' said again.
"Well, when you feel inclined, then, y
he replied. 81 believe that Miss Per
kins is at the bottom Of the affair.
She's vicious, spiteful woman and
needs toning down occasionally. I'll
get TO the bottom of the affair and have
the whole matter sifted, and so rest as
sured that you will be righted."
| When we reached Mrs. Bonds / went
directly to my room, leaving Mr. Ber-
nard and Mrs. Bond in the hall. An
hour later Mrs. Bond came up, and my
door being unlocked she walked in.
She was in an unpleasant hunoor, and
before she had hardly seated herself she
broke out with:
! well, Miss Owens, you seem to have
wonderful lot Of tears, judging from
the amount you shed. / never see SO
much cryin' in all my life as you have
done since you come here
"You never saw anybody whose life
| was SO dark and miserable I replied,
well, that may be-" she answered
81 amt got nothin' to say about that.
But whose fault is it if your life is dark
and miserable? You can't blame any
body but yourself, for it's nobody but
! you that makes it that way. You know
that well enough"
! looked at her in a1nazement, unable
to comprehend her meaning. How was
| I responsible for all the misery had
suffered from infancy up? How was
accountable for the life of suffering to
which had been born? What had
to do with my lone, friendless condi-
ton? How could avoid the knots and
gnarls that sadd1ned my life and made
me the most wretched- creature on
earth? How was to blame for my ex-
Z