Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-04-14
the bell, Oud brought the landladY her.
self to the door.

MIS- NVihuS HS S"'N' -N ~
mother only this week, and l have a
message for her"
"Ob, it's all right" he added, impa-
tiently, as Mrs. Coffin fingered with
some inquiry in her eyes; "yOu needn't
be afraid"
Concluding that even if it were all
wrong she had nothing to fear, the land
lady went out at once and sent the girl
in.
Margery came with her pretty head
erect, and no fear in her innocent eyes.
But tumult was in her heart, and at first
she could not find voice to answer his
imperious greeting.
"May ask the meaning of this mas
querading, Miss Emersoni Whatever it
Is, you certainly choose nice way to
disgrace both yourself and me, he said,
still more angrily, after a moments
pause, and then she flashed upon him.
"There never was any disgrace in
honest work It's you who are in much
more danger of disgraciug us all, and
perhaps you will think so yourself If
your selfishness and extravaganza kills
papa. He is just sick with anxiety now,
and you could save him from it ii you
only would. | am sure you could live
on half what you do, and you have so
much influence with mamma that she
would save, too, if you would only talk
TO her. Pm not clever, know, but l
could do the housemaid's work, and l
would, but YOU will not do anything.
You refused to take thai situation, and
YOU only laughed at me when talked to
YOU the last time you were home. And
then just made up my mind that if you
were too proud to work I'd show you
that wasn't"
All through this torrent OF words her
brother walked angrily around, affecting
not to listen. But he stood still now,
looking sternly and seriously into her
face.
"And you will stay here and do this
menial work just for the sake of shaming
mel"
Put in this way she did not like the
sound of 1t, but she held her ground un-
Ainchingly.
~ not only mean to say it, but mean
to do it. On, you need not look at ne
like that don't like it-you may be
sure. could have sunk into the ground
this evening when those young men
ioked about me. But I've begun, and l
am going to go on. I'm not going to
be sham or burden one day longer" "
He walked away from her then, and
leaning against the mantel, remained in
utter silence fully five minutes. To most
of US, however case.loying or however
hardened, there arc moments when it is
given us to see a new heaven and a new
earth; and to Harry Emerson this fash
of inspiration came as he stood studying
the border of shells wherewith Mrs.
Coffin had fanked her fireplace.
Margery watched him with intense
anxiety. Under all her pain and disap-
pointment she had still such faith in him
that it was not wholly surprise to her
when, returning to her side, he said,
with all the anger gone from his voice:
awe must call Mrs. Coffin in and ex-
plain to her, Margary. Say anything
you LIKE don't care-but Pm going
to take you into Cousin Sally's this
evening. Your mission is accomplished.
I'll take the hotel place or do anything
else that can to help; and when I fail,
I'll give you leave to go out to service
again as fast as you please"
Margery, looking up at him through
her happy tears, felt almost as if she
were marring the splendor of his surren.
der by saying as she did;
"But, Harry, I must tell youl Cousin
Sally said that if you saw things this
way, she would pay every debt you owe,
and help papa out OF the tight place he
is in. She never did help us before, she
said, because we seemed to her so lack
ing in principle"
But even when Miss Sally had helped
them to such an extent that they soon
sailed past all the breakers Of which 1
have written, Harry's new manllness
proved seaworthy. So effectually, in
deed, did he learn the lesson which
Margery gave, that his contributions to
the family exchequer saved her from any
need to take a situation. Youths
Companion.