The record-union., 1893-01-16

HOW NTS. I1eaIN ) eyes MOuiu nave
opened had she known Piney was wait
ing on customers at the Refuge
Yes. that's just where she was.
At first she rebelled, but was told there
was no sense in being so prudish.
Somebody's got to work in taverns, an
you might jes' as well have them four
dollars a week rs anybody else,o her
father said when she demurred.
THE DIE Is CAST.
So the die vast cast, and Piney was left
in big, strange place, with calloused
hearts Tor daily and hourly companions.
She was homesicll, and the next time
her father came to town she wanted TO re-
turn with him, but he laughed at the no.
ton and went back to the cabin without
her.
That night she cried herself to sleep,
praying Tor strength TO resist the snares
set for her unwary feet. After that, If
Alice, and Matte, and the little brothers at
home had known The heartache IN Pin
ey's breast, would they have been so
happy preparing for Christmas that
would be anything but a merry one.
The second time her father came to see
her, he was gratified to find her tripping
gaily about the big dining-roon. She
asked for each member of the family, but
made no allusion to being taken home.
Pm glad to find you so happy" said
Mr.. Heath. you've got over being
hOmesick, eh? | thought you would.
! Tell Chris ] want some bitters before L
eat" Piney stepped to the bar and gave
the order, and shortly afterward Mr..
Heath drove home.
Now, he was going to town again after
another six weeks had passed, during
which time he had not seen Piney at all.
Tell her to come out for Christmas,
father. The sleghing's good, and it's
only three days. On! want TO see herW
said Alice.
When Mr.. Heath entered 1.-THE Trav-
| elers' Refugee he saw a tawdry young
woman standing near the stove. He sat
down and warmed his hands, OCCASION
ally slapping them against his sides to
! increase the circulation. He glanced up
at the young woman whose back was Il
leetle like Plney's. But. Piney'd never
trig out in that fashion, he thought.
A gaudy neckchain circled her snowy
! throat and high-heeled slippers covered
her feet Mr.. Heath caught sight OF her
face; it resembled his daughters. But
| Piney wouldn't daub paint and powder
on her rosy cheeks like. thatW thought
Mr.. Heath, moving his chair TO get bet
| ter view of the person who looked so
| like, and yet SO unlike, Piney.
A wHIrED sEPULcHER.
The young woman turned when she
| heard the chair move.
well, hello" she said, 81 wondered
| if you was never coming to see me again.
! How's the old woman an Alice am the
rest?"
MIR. Heath opened his eyes in sheer
astonishment. Piney leaned against the
/ table and laughed hysterically. Her
| hair-that had been her mothers pride
had been cut OIL, and hung in towsled
curls all over her head. In short, she had
caught the perfume of the weeds around
! her, ii weeds ever emit any perfume.
pinaxr2iJ fraGT
A louder laugh greeted his words, and
the girl ran to tell Chris that her father
didn't know her!
The OLD man was rubbing his head in
a confused manner when Piuey came
! back
Child. 1 want to take you home," he
said, reaching out his hanGs to her.
"Why, you must be crazy if you think
L could lie out there again; I'd die in a
week ~ exclaimed the girl, swapping her
teeth on cud of gum.
But your mother and Alice are dread
ful lonesome"
Mr.. Heath knew that no one but him
self was to blame for the change in his
daughter. He wondered what he should
tell the mother. What evil spirit had led
him to place the child in position where
temptations of the vilest nature sur
rounded her? y long silence fell between
them, and MIR. Heath was becoming
QulL6 HeINOuS. AZ i6uSbu IIuey spoke.
| Nv hat made you leave me in this
dreadful place? The first time you came
to see me l wanted to go home with you.
/ told you l couldn'ts stay here. | was
here about month, and then | lett and
went to see if Mrs. Rhodes would find
me another place. When / told her
Ewhere / had been to work she acted awful
queer and said she wouldn't have any
thing to do with it; that [ could stay
/ where YOU had left me.r
A GREAT WRONG.
Another silence, longer than the first,
fell between them. The fire cracked and
blazed in the big stove. The wind howled
diSmally around the corners OF the build
ing, whirling the snow against the win
dows.
Piney looked moodily at her father, and
he gazed earnestly at the changed face OF
the girl. "Well,'' he said, rising TO his
feet. Il don't suppose you'll ever forgive
me.' NO" said the girl, sadly, Il
won't"
You thought Mrs. Rhodes would be a
friend to me, but she was the worst enemy
l had-neXt TO yourself. Does mother
know where | am? Does Alice know ?
Do the children know ?"
MIR. Heath could stand no more. Like
one demented he went to the sled and
climbed in.
.Piney watched him drive away, and
tfrned with a hard face TO her morning
work. why didn't she come 2; eX-
claimed Alice when her father entered
the house alone.
"She'n come out Christmas eve.v said
MIR Heath, trying to hide his confusion
behind cough, Tor he was not used to
lying. He little thought how true his
words would prove. He never knew
until he had lost his daughter what big
space in his heart she occupied.
1 l.,.
tions of JOY at the thought Of seeing her
loved sister again. She ran TO her mother
, and the children, who shouted their
pleasure at the top of their voices. Mr..
Heath smoked his pipe and answered his
wife's questions about Piney in mono
syllables. lie saw strange pictures in the
fire.
Alice helped her mother prepare the
few Christmas dainties, in anticipation o
the coming guest. The day had beer
dark, and toward evening the snow lei
thiclIly on the tall pines. Alice had been
watching all the afternoon for the sleigl
from town.
, Ibid she say she'd come sure, father p
said the child, giving her father such
r piercing look that he turned away lest shl
should see the falsehood in his face.
Mrs. Heath waited ana waited with thi
children ana as the night shadows fel
: around she glanced anxiously at Alr
, Heath, who had just entered.
) ~ ou don't think anything has hap
| pened. do you, Andrew ,"
| '.She-may have changed her mint
r about coming" said he. ''She's changet
| quite a good deal since she Went L
{ town" There he had said that mucl
and felt better. Half the load was off hi
/ mind. He would go to town in a day o
E so and urge his daughter to return.
6 The children popped some corn so tn
/ waiting would not seem 50 long.