Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-03-24
BARBARA'S CHANCES.
Her Decision In tho Face OF q Great
Temptation.

IempJaJlOn.
"what n selfish, heartless world this
isl" murmured Barbara Blake to her
self, as she sat by the window, mend
ing with dcft, delicate stitches tho
holes in old Mrs Dickinson's silk hose.
"IIere am, n girl Of eighteen to whom
gayety, amusement and sunshine would
seem as natural as the fall of the dew;
yet am cooped up in gloomy, brown
stone house, the mere shallow OF n
cross, exncting old woman, whose
wants are never satisfied. Companion,
indeedw as she broke of the needlcful
of silk floss with snap ~ nm any
thing but that. Drudge, mcninl-ma-
chine, II You plcase-but nothing like
n companion. And all to earn n paltry
livingl Oh, dear, why cannot people
live on flowers and fresh air, as the
humminR birds do? Why is 1t neces-
sary to toll SO for bread 10 cat and
clothes TO cover us2 II does seem to
me us ifliis were all fnilurc!'
Ever since she hal risen from her bed
that morning she hal been Mt Mrs
Dickinson's beck and call
Mrs. Dickinson was not always In an
amiublc mood There was hot water
to bring up for her bath-it must BE-
steaminy from the kitchen, and the old
lady would trust no one but barbara
70 carry il, bccausc, rs she said, the
| servants were so careless and spilled 1t
on tho stair clrp2ts.
just thea tho do)- softly swung
open, all in trippcl n bright, pretty
| damscl Of two or three and twenty, In
q coqucttish fall hat trimmed with
scarlet p1ppics AM bows OF cherry
velvet, and beautiful jsttcd mantle.
"Clnra" cried Barbara, nearly upset
ting the work basket In her surprise
and delight GLOW came you hcrcl'
"In spite OF u, clict: No followers
allowc1?" lluglinyly retorted Clara
Bellcn. "My dear, ran the blockade.
| | bribcd the houlcmuid, and crcpt NJ
the stairs as softly as n mouse. Dom
be alarncl-thc ogrcss is snoring will
forty-woman power"
"llow beautifully you are dressed
Clarl" said Barbara, with aliniring sur
vey. You have got q situation a
last?'
Clara nodded, aal adjusted glitter
ing now silver bangle on her wrist
~ cool one" sal she, cmphatically
"l'm in the company Of the CcccliaI
thcater," explained Clara. eve ar
supposed t. b. singer but our voice.
don't signify pin III, Cscclian takes
pride In it, chorui being thu
han lsom,st girls in iowa. AMI YOU
are pretty, Barbara, YOU know very
| I
only give your5,lf n chance. ! coul'
make n frSt-claiS beauty OF you! An'
it's only tho evenings you Sc, will
an hour or 30 at mJrling rehearsal
and matinee once wcck-and IL
such fun. Thrrl's one young man il
the audience who has thrown bou
! quot 10 ms every night for eight night
running And there aro guppar3 an,
breakfasts, and all that sort of thing.
Involultar.ly Barbara drew back.
but, Clara-is IL right to-"
"Right! GA, you silly little goose
why nDt2 THERE'S Mrs Dowdin, tn
bandmd3tor's wife, to chapcron us
isn't there? And she's IN old woma
Of nfty. On, ASSURE you, it's yer.
select company indeed. Sixty dollar
month, aud your salary raised II go
do well And when | heard that thor
was n vacancy thought Of you tn
very first thing. know you had
nice mc2ao-soprano voice, but,as ! sal
before, that don't matter so much, a
long us you are so pretty, A brunette
too-wc have an ovcrplus of blonde
already AMI | knew, also, that 20
were only,gcttinP fourteen dollars her
with an old martinez for commanC
ing officer Come, am | not a goo
friend TO you2"
still Barbara looked with question
ing eyes ut the handsome, volublo CIR
Could II bs possible that this self-po
sessed, beautifully woman wa
Clara i1elden, her classmatc Mt schoo
and only m onth older than hcrsclfP
Sixty dollarsl Yes, IL was kind {
Clara-it would indeed oe an outlet
escape from this wretched, grindiu
bondage OF her daily life. Sixty do
lars, with suppers, bouquets, admir-
tion unlimited. barbara drew h,
breath with n gasp. 1t seemed almo
too much TO realize.
just then Mary, the housemaid, u
toed into the room, with her finger {
her lips.
"Miss Blake" said she, with n sid
long glance Of admiration at the show
visitor in her silks, bangles and "breai
OF roses" "the ould lady Ia Attn
wakin' up as cross as two sticks. A
she says you We forgot her mornir
tonic and Bijous collar is too tight, al
this way, miss, Place" as Clara TO
precipitately. Its as much as !
place Is worth for Mrs. Dickinson
know that Miss Blake had compal
unbeknown TO herl Run quick, pla'
Miss BlalSe-I can hear her scoldi
nowl"
''Never mind, dear" encouraging
whispered Clara, as she rustled /
leaving an odor Of franggipanni In b
wakei the odlous snackles TVVyso
Z drop of Send me a line at once N
Z Dowdin can't waltz
A.. nl.I.f... III $500. I..., -.