Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-01-08

"Never!" Alice spraag to her feet
SO suddenly that the leeks and carrots
rolled all about the floor. "You in a
hospital! Billy losing his chance of edu-
cation! Little Karl turned adrift in the
streets I'd sooner go out scrubbing by
the day."
cat all events" soothed Josey,
| "you've enough bread and meat for the
next twenty four hours; and there's
! half bushel of coal in the box, and rent
| day is two weeks off. Who knows what
may happen before then?'
Just at that moment, Mrs. Serge-the
woman who had the down stairs back
room, and made jet trimmings to order
for dressnakers-calledu up the stairway.
"You amt gone yet, Miss Austin?"
said she. 'tI'm glad D that. I was goin'
to ask you to leave a note for my niece,
| Agatha Atlee, at No. Fifth avenue,
on your way. She had part promised to
60 there to nurse a grippe patient, but
| DIR. Denis wanted Der somewhere else,
and she'd ruther go for DR.. Denis than
any one else. Is'pose they'll be disap-
| pointed, but Agatha Aslee's one as will
always 60 her own gait, say what you
please"
Alice hesitated an instant.
eyes, said she, 'tIll take the note.
We've had to ask so many favors of Mrs.
SERGE" she added, in a whisper to
Josey, "that it seems selfish to refuse
this little thing. It's bitterly cold, but
| perhaps the fresh air will do me good.
I'm lady of leisure just at PRESENT." she
added, bitterly.
She came back in half an hour, eager
and smiling.
"What do you think, Josey?" said
she. ''Tve got situationn"
"A situation!' repeated the lame girl,
who was patiently darning the family
stockings.
"To act as nurse to the young lady at
No.-Fifth avenue, in Agatha Atlee's
place-at fifteen dollars a week! Regu-
lar trained-nurse price"
1T can't be possible, Alicel" breathed
Josey.
eff only you can manage with the boys
and Paula" said Alice. "For you see,
1 can come home nights"
ooh, Pm sure they'll be good!" said
Josey.
"And I've pawred mothers we'd
ding ring-yes, l have, Josey. Don't
look so shocked. There was nothing
else to be done. I shan't get my first
weeks wages until Monday, and you and
the children can't starve. Here's three
dollars, and if you need more, I'm sure
Mrs. Surge will lend you little. The
rent, you know, is a fortnight off. Now
don't go to questioning and reproaching
me, Josey. I've got to put up my things
as quick as possible, in the most respec-
table bundle can compass. And only
think of fifteen dollars a weekw
Louise Leverhall had never had an at
tendant who suited her so we'll as the
pretty dark-eyed girl, in the frilled cap
and apron, who now moved about her
sick room with such gentle and noiseless
grace.
81 thought all trained nurses were
such dragonesses," said she. "But Miss
Atlee is quite, quite different from all
my ideas. Oh, mamma, wish could
keep her alwavs"
For Alice had not told Josey the little
stratagem by which she had obtained
GlIAS DGdrl OI S1IudtlOuS.
"Of course no one would take in an
inexperienced girl like Alice AUSTIN"
she had reasoned. ''But Agatha Atlee,
the trained nurse, could command her
own price. And it can do no harm,
since the real Miss Atlee has gone to
Maryland, to tear up the note she wrote
and present myself in her stead. l need
the place so dreadfuily, and am sure,
by careful watching and strictly follow
ing the doctors instructions, I could do
everything that Miss Atlee could have
done"
And thus trusting IN her own efficiency,
Alice Austin dared everything and won
the day. The doctor took her for
granted-the relatives we're delighted
that their capricious darling deigned to
be pleased-and the first weeks wages
purchased new calico shirt waist, pat
termed in whips and horseshoes, for
new doll fer Pania, and cashmere gown
for poor, patient Josev.
But all the time Alice's conscience
stung her,
"Wouid Miss Leverhall love me 50
dearly" she asked herself, again and
again, ''if she knew that I was only an
lmpostor? Would Doctor Seton look
at me with those pleasant eyes if he
knew that was acting lie?"
One evening in early February Doctor
Seton came in to the Leverhall mansion,
and found lis convalescent in tears and
decidedly feverish.