The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-03-01


whose nature starvation had completely
overcome the heroic element. al have
had nothing to eat since eight o'clock this
morning."
Mrs. Berry bit her lip impatiently.
"Aud the kitchen fire gone down."
said she, "and not drop Of milk left
Well, I'll go down aud see what can
find"
But when she came back, poor little
Ninette, who had crept into bed to get
warm, was sound asleep. And the mig
gardly sandwich and slice of wIthered
cake were too late.
Mr.. Trebleton took Niuette to a gen.
teel intelligence bureau the next day.
"This lady," he said to her, indicat.
ing stout female in black-silk behind
tall desk, twill procure decent lodgings
for you, and put you in the way to en-
ployment. Aud, il l eau be of any
further service to you, pray let me
know"
And he had given her hand fish-like
pressure and was gone, before she fairly
comprehended that this was his way of
getting rid of her.
Poor Ninette! Poor little tropical child
of the South, how infinitely lonely she
felt at that moment.
But the stout female took up pen,
opened big book and began to ask
questions with bewildering brusqueness
and rapidity, and Ninette soon caught
the infection of her energy.
The rest of the week was like the
shifting scenes which Ninette remem.
bered to have seen at pantomime, years
and years ago. She was hurried from
place to place in the great, noisy bedlam
of a city. Nobody wanted nursery
governess; the school lists were crowded
to overhowing; from the stores Ninette
shrank with trembling horror, after she
had seen the smooth, nice, oily-faced
superintendents of one or two.
''I can do nothing more for you,"
said the stout female at length, sunless,
indeed, they can give you employment
at the Decoration Rooms. 1t won't cost
anything for you to go and seel"
To the Rooms of Decorative Art Min
ette accordingly went. The directress
was engaged. She would see the young
person presently. Let her be shown into
the workroom.
A great, bright, well-ventilated apart
ment filled with busy workers, some at
frames, some at tables, some standing
before easels; and one pale, middle.aged
women was drawing a design for wall
paper on huge sheet of coarse paper
daisies, corn-howers, trailing vines, all
tangled together.
"That is not rightl" exclaimed Min
ette, involuntarily, as she watched the
slow, uncertain progress of the pencil.
"Let me show you how to rring that
vine outl"
The woman stared, but Ninette had
caught the pencil from her hand, and,
with two or three bold strokes, altered
the whole character of the design. From
mediocre it became original; from stiff
ness it took on wild, woodland grace.
'How did yoI do thst2" asked the
stupid, middle-aged woman in bewilder-
ment.
"I don't know" confessed Ninette,
crimsoning. "But don't you see-can't
you COmDItlSuut IL COuluu D6 ObuCT-
wise! 1t must come out sol"
A hand was laid lightly on her shoul-
der, and turning around she found her.
self looking into the calm, amused eyes
of the directress.
"You are right, my child" said she,
sit could not be otherwise. But it is
not one in a thousand who would know
e L fall
That half-hour in the work-room of
the Decoration Society was the turning
point of Ninette Beauvoir's life. She
had found her niche in life's temple.
She could scarcely reckon up within
her own mind the number OF years that
had passed when she sat alone in the
little private parlor of the Decoration
Rooms in the soft dusk of March even
ing, with the red CLEAN of the fire filling
the room with dreamy softness. She
had grown from an impulsive child into
a tall, beautiful, self-poised woman, who
presided over the ramiications OF the
great society with queenly dignity and
we'll balanced judgment. And Ninette
was happy now in having discovered her
true career.
The girl entered with lights. Miss
Beauvoir glanced up.
az shall not need the light, Gretchen"
she said. ''I am going home as soon as
the carriage comes for me-"
"There is an old gentleman, Miss
Beauvoir, to see you," said the girl,
apologetically. 81 told him it was past
hours. but he said he had walked long
distance to see you, aud seemed so old
and feeble thati didn't like to refuse
him. He has portfolio under his arm"
"Where is he, Gretchen9 In the re-
ception room2" interrupted Miss Beau
Yoir. II will go to him."
A tall, STOPPING old man, with scauty
locks, threadbare clothes and gloves
mended until they resembled a piece of
mosaic, turned as she entered.
''Do l speak, he asked, "to the head
of the establishment"
Miss Beauvoir inclined her head. In
the dark silk dress and mantle edged
with fur she looked even older, more
dignified than her years.
~ am very poor" he said. 81 have
met with reverses in business and am
quite dependent on the exertions of my
daughters. They have been brought up
ladies, and, consequently, are compare
t;ual, balnIaeu hut thav hava dana a