Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-11
ONLY A GIRL.

Deborah Duryea brought the tiny morsel
Of humanity, wrapped up In faded han-
mel shawl, TO show TO him as he sat before
the big wood fire In the farmhouse kitchen.
"why couldn't it ha' been boyi"
Bring her 10 me, /" said Mrs. Parkhouse's
weak, tremulous voice from among the pill
lows. "My little grill My own daughtcrl
What did he say, Debbyi Was he pleased"
"Well-no-I can't say he was" says Deb
orah, rubbing her nose.
And Mrs. Farmhouse, whose gentle soul
had naught of affinity to the five noisy boys
and their gruff. material minded father,
laid her cheek against the little baby girls
and silently gave thanks
"For." thought the mother. ''she will be
all my own"
Dorothy Farmhouse grew up, as 1t were,
In the shadow. IL was true that her moth
er loved her with silent idolatrous sort OF
devotion, but with the loud voiced father
and the five riotous boys she was evidently
zone too many"
IF it wasn't for mother" thought Dor
othy, curling up the little chill feet that
the farmer had decided there wasn't no
use In buyin new shoes for as long as the
old uns hung together. ~ shouldn't want
to live"
An artist came out into the rural wilder
nesses sketching studies for his winters
work and boarded for few weeks at
Farmer Parkhouse's. Dora watched him
as Aladdin OF old might have watched the
marvellous productions of the magician.
II believe l could do that" said Dora,
with voice that futtered with her fut-
tering breath. "Mr Ryner, ! have saved
pennies Would you be good enough to
buy me a pencil like yours when you 10
down to the village tomorrow"
Mr.. Ryner looked around with a good
humored smile.
Take one of mine, Cinderella" /" he said
and threw her a piece of paper and pencil,
and then he went on with his drawing.
Dora worked on in silence by his side, so
rapt and absorbed in her occupation that
she never noticed when he glanced over her
shoulder.
'Faith not so bad" said he. "Is this the
first you have done"
"Yes, sir, the very first"
Mr.. Ryner said no more, but he gave
Dora lesson every day after that until she
had learned to handle her pencil with no
mean degree of skill.
Dorothy Farmhouse had been an ugly in
FAINT, plain, unattractive child, but IL is
not always possible to judge Of the flower
by the folded bud. She grew up rarely,
daintily pretty, with brown hair, blue gray
eyes and face like wild rose.
But Hezekiah Farmhouse did not notice
her any more than he noticed the cat In
the chimney corner, and he never was
more astonished In his life than when
George Elden, whose father owned the best
sawmill in the county, asked him TO use
a Al. A. l.
Hezekiah went home and communicated
the great news to Dorothy as an eastern
emissary might be supposed to tell the
humblest slave of the harem that the sui
tan had cast favorable eye upon her.
"Wellp' cried Farmer Farmhouse as soon
as he had sensed up the tidings, "Dorothy's
fortin's made now, sure enough"
mot In that way" said Dorothy calmly.
II shall not marry Mr.. Eden"
"You won't marry him" roared Farmer
Farmhouse.
"No."
"But say you shall II have to drag you
to the altar myself ~ he said.
Dora said no more, but the next morning
she was gone, and all the remaining trace of
her was little penciled billet, pinned to the
sleeve of her mothers calico morning dress
which bore these brief lines:
Mother, I'm going TO try my own luck In the
world. When l have made my fortune, I'll
come back after you. Keep up good courage
and don't for q moment doubt that will keep
my promise.
"well," calculated Mr.. Ryner as Dora
presented herself before him and told her
simple tale, what do you suppose you're
going to do, little onef"
81 don't know, SIR" said Dora simply
'The ravens fed Elijah"
His wife gave her some breakfast, and
then the kindly artist took her to place
where other girls were drawing pictures on
blocks of wood for great publishing house.
"Try your hand at this" said Mr.. Ryner.
~ won't insure you a fortune at first, but
you'll get on If you are painstaking and
diligent."
Dora tried, and at the weeks end she
found herself the possessor of sum Of
money that exceeded her widest hopes.
"Why," she cried, "Hezekiah don't get as
much as this for his weeks work on the
farm"
Possibly said Mr.. Ryner dryly. You
see, my girl, you have talent, and Hezekiah
has only strength and muscle"
1t was in August when Dora Farmhouse
iran away" and IL was bleak October
night when she once more approached the
cluster of butternut trees that surrounded
the house The light flickered family from
the kitchen window as she walked briskly
on.
Suddenly she stopped. A figure stood
before her at the forks of the roads. Its
garments futtered in the wind, and one
hand was pressed TO its brow
"Motherp' she cried aloud.
"Doral Doral is it your | was going to
look for you, child. They beat me, they
turned me out of doors, but knew should
find you"
And she sank sobbing on her daughters
breast
"I have come home Just In time" said
Dora, folding the frail, quivering figure in
her arms. Mother, dear, we will be all the
world to each other hencelorward"
And from that moment Noah Farmhouse
and his five tall sons never saw Dorothy or
her mother again.
Dora has bright little home, sustained
and kept sunshiny by her own industry
and Mrs. Farmhouse is serenely happy an
her daughters love and devotion.
"We don't want any third one to make
as contented, do we. mammal Dora asks
laughingly.
And her mother answers dreamily;
II knew that my comfort and help had
come the day you were born, my Dorothy
Ill II a. a tf