Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-07-09

work; the other, n tall, fair beauty, who
loi!ed idly in her seat, now and then max
ing a bare pretense of reading.
For an hour neither had spoken, but
at last the brunette, having finished her
work, held it up to view, saying;
There, Janet, what do you think of
my %taste?'
"Oh, dear, LOU" replied Janet with
a yawn, chow horribly tiresome you are.
Why will you persist in working when
you know how vulgar it is? What's the
use of being rich if we are not to act like
ladiesF"
81 am sure, Janet" Lou answered de
murely, ''there can be no harm in such
trifing employment and it is a great
pleasure to me-"
"Oh, l dare say" Janet cried, pctu-
lantly. 81 suppose there would be no
harm in your going into The tieldsto help
with the harvests. | do wish you would
not insist on bringing your disgrace to
me, even if you have no care for your
self"
~ do not see where there is any dis.
grace in work, Janet"
81 suppose it is not a disgrace to nave
once earned our own living, and | pre-
sumo there is no harm in proclaiming
that fact to the world" Janet replied
sarcastic4lly.
"No, lam sure we did not think hon.
est work disgraceful when we were CON
PEELED to labor and | do no think Sd
now"
"What will society say, Lou}'
81 do not know, nor do | care
al believe you, and | believe, too,
that you have no care for what Robert
Barton may think"
~ haven't, Janet. If society or Rob
ert Barton think it a disgrace to have
earned ones living in preference to beg
ging, stealing or starving | have no re
spect for their opinions and they are
welcome to think of me as they please. -
Lou" said Janet, after a short pause,
'tif you have no care for yourself, 1 wish
you would have a little for me, Robert
will be here to-day, and you know what
a great catch he is. | have made up my
mind to win him and | will if you don't
shock him with your rude ways. So,
Lou, for my sake, act like a lady. Do
not disgrace me before Robert Barton. "
"Well, sister, for your sake I'll try
and not shock the sensitive Mr.. Barton.
As it is impossible, though, for me to be
otherwise than natural aud as | can't
pretend to be a lady when | am not, the
safest way is to keep myself out of Mr..
Barton's sight. So, as he will be here
soon, I'll take myself to the woods"
Janet sighed hopelessly and closed her
eyes as if worried beyond torebearance.
"Ahl Lou, Lou she cried at last,
"what am | ever to do with you? 1t will
kill me to see you married to some com
mon man, a farmer or "A laborer, but with
such horrid taste as you have | can OK.
pect nothing better. Oh, DEAR
Don't worry, Janet. | shall not
marry at present, and when | do | shall
marry the mat l love. lie may be a
farmer, but whatever he is I'll warrant
him to be a good man, for | shall never
love any other kind"
Lou went down across a wooded
meadow, and, coming to a rustic bridge,
sat down.
"Ah," she sighed, "I do so wish Janet
was not so changed. l am half sorry we
are not still poor, for | hate affectation,
aud | know ! shall never succeed in
being anything but a plain, mdtter-of-
fact goose. | can't be a lady and affect
grand airs, and there's no use IN trying. "
After a long pause she resumed
"Robert Barton will come, aud when he
sees Janet he will like her. and after
aN lille they will marry. What a fine
wife she will make, too, and what agrand
LADY, She IS just the sort of a person,
with her calm self-possession aud her
stately dignity, to do honor to a fine old
mansion like Oa5view. All, dear old
Oakview, how [ love you air ady, because
you are so solid and unpretentious. l
hope Janet and Robert Barton will be
happy"
Janet and Lou Harding had been left
parentless and poor, and through the
care Of a kind but poor old uncle, they
secured work in a dressmaker's shop,
which they gladly accepted and retairci,
and whereby they had been able t. earn
a scanty support for themselves.
After three years of this hard, poorly
remunerated labor, their benefactor
brought them news ono day of some
good fortune that had befalleu them. A
rich uncle had died in Mexico, leaving
his entire fortune to his sisters children,
and through the efforts that had beel
made to find the two orphans, a foster
sister of their father had beel discovered
in the northern part of the State, AMI
already she had sent a letter ~instructing
the two girls to come at once and maxe
their home with her.
Chow grandly Fortunate Janet had
cried when the good tidings were made
known to them. dts good-by once
and for all to that miserable little shop,
and as soon as we eau get few dscelt
things together we shall take the train
for good old Aunt BIrton's."
"But what is to become of dear old
Uncle Dunkinl' Lou asked.