The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-23
Our family Story.
ISABEL'S MISTAKE.

SneQ gone from the depOt 20 B.
street, whore she expected to stay
with q friend and look for work, but
found the family had moved to Oregon
last week. And then, as she didn't
know her way about town, she asked a
policeman to tell her q respectable
place to board. / asked her how 1T
was her friends had gone away with
out letting her know, and she said
they were not expecting q visit from
her just now, but they'd often invited
her. I'd like to know how she's going
TO get work In any respectable place,
IL she won't answer any questions
about herself. She has no references
and no letters"
n the circumstances" said
Miss Simmons, "you would be justified
in examining her luggage"
"She has only q little valise," con-
tinued Mrs. Perkins. "That looks
suspicious, as if she'd come away in q
hurry, and her handkerchief is marked
i. L. which does not stand for
Nellie Power"
The speaker ceased abruptly, and
she glanced Significantly at Miss
Simmons, as a young girl, apparently
about sixteen years old, passed through
the room.
care you going to look for m
thing to do, Miss Power ?" asked Mrs.
Perkins,
"Yes, ma'am," was the reply, in a
tone that sounded like q defiance.
Two months later, Nellie Power
looking into the dark water, on which
was reflected the light from the
factories in the valley. Tired, hungry
and homeless, she had wandered
through the city streets, hardly caring
where h went. She gazed ~longingly
at the cool quiet water. Might she
not rest her aching limbs and still her
~despairing heart in its unquestioning
depths?
with only six dollars in her purse.
She had found q small and poorly
furnished room for four dollars q
month, payable in advance, and had
lived OF dry bread and water till her
last cent was gone. She had sold her
brooch, ring and earrings for d trile,
and with part of the proceeds had
advertised for q position, and also
placed her application with an employ
ment bureau but no answer had come.
She had nothing left but the clothes
she wore. The m with whom she
had lodged had allowed her to remain
after her month was up, but, when an
applicant came for the room, the girl
was obliged to leave it.
AS she stood, leaning her aching
head on the railing, she seemed to be
losing the sense of feeling. Her limbs
grew numb, and the agony of her mind
gave way to Indifference. She had
neither remorse for the past nor dread
for the future. She did not care what
might come to her.
She was reused from her tOrpOr by
feeling an arm about her waist. She
tried to free herself, but was gently
yet firmly held.
Are you i'll ?" asked q sweet voice.
May L take you to your home? My
carriage is here. l got out because I
thought you we're falling"
Nellie looked at the speaker. BY
the electric light she saw hat the
lady was tall and pale, with dark hair
and large dark eyes-lOving, beautiful
eyes. She felt that she was with one
whom she could trust.
VI have no home," she said. CT
had to leave my lodging to-day. My
money is gone. and l can get no work"
You must come home with me,
then, for the night was the answer.
Tomorrow we will see what can be
done for you."
Eve must draw the line somewhere,
Alice" said Mr.. Wood, the next day,
in reply to his wife's request that
OiAA SIbul III plolI OIIl
till employment could be found for
her. 81 do not wish to have our May
exposed to the influence of a girl who
makes a secret of her past"
she is honest, ] am confident"
said Mrs. Wood, land she is evidently
refined and we'll educated"
"Then there is less excuse for her
refusing to give any account of her
relatives. There is something very
wrong about 1t. am willing to
befriend the girl; but tomorrow YOU
must find some other place for her to
stay"
That Sunday evening May went to
church with her father, and Mrs.
Wood stayed at home with Nellie and
n of her boys, who was ill.
"Sing to us, MOTHER" begged Her.
bert, from his sofa. "Sing Il will
arise The music is mothers own"
he explained to Nellie, who was watch
ing the SHADOWS of night fall over the
beautiful lawn.
~ will arise, I will arise and go to
my father, and I will say unto him
Father, | have sinned-'" The woman
whose life was a benediction to those
about her sang as IL the burden of her
w sin were greater than she could
bear. ~ have sinned against heaven
and before thee, and am no more
worthy"
The singer ceased abruptly, startled
by a sound OF loud, irrepressible sob
bling. Nellie had laid her head on the
arm of her chair and was crying pitt
fully. Herbert looked at her for a
moment with some curiosity, then, at
q sign from his mother, rose and left
the room.
Mrs. Wood laid her hand tenderly
on the girls bowed head. "Tell me
all about it, dear-as If you were my
own child, Nellie"
"Father, father" sobbed the girl:
"yes, / will tell YOU"
But at that moment Mr.. Wood and
his daughter came in. The old, defiant
expression returned to Nellie's face.
May had treated her disdainfully, and
she should show no sign of relenting.
She asked to be allowed to 90 to her
w room, and thereafter refused to
answer any questions.
The next day, she went to o quiet
home that Mrs. Wood. had found for
her. A few weeks later Mrs. Wood
with her family, left the city for the
Summer. Meanwhile, q place as sales
woman in a~dry-goods store had been
found for Nellie. Mrs. Wood had
given the proprietor all the informa-
tion In her power, and he had promised
to say nothing of Nellie's circumstances
to the employees.
On q sultry August day, Nellie was