Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-01-13
A SECONDHAND GIRL.
Another room is gone," said Bet

sey.
"Eh?" said Mrs. Moore.
"Why, the ceilin' came down plump
in the north chamber last night" eX-
planned BetSey, standing in the door
way, with the mop in one hand and
a pail of water in the other. Looks
exactly as if there'd been an ava
lanche o. lime dust there. Guess it
was the rain done it. I've knowed
that ruff was leaky this good while.
An it's my dooty to tell We, ma'am,
the back staircase amt safe to use no
longer There's one step gone and
the baluSters loose. And cook says
she's that nervous she can't stay in
the house, with the loose bricks
tumbling down the kitchen chimney
every time the wind raises bit"
Mrs. Moore sighed. She was a
handsome. high-featured woman with
dark eyes and shabby-genteel silk
wrapper worn at the elbows.
Never mind, Betsey," said she.
It'll be all right, once Miss Ethel is
married. Doctor Darrow is man of
wealth. He will rebuild the old
Moore homestead for u.s."
"WelI," muttered Betsey, 'it's a
good thing the weddin's coming soon,
or there wouldn't be no house left to
rebuild"
At the same moment a pretty
young gypsy of sixteen was rushing
frantically into one of the great,
sparsely furnished bedrooms with a
pasteboard box in her hand.
Overhead plump little plaster
Cupids swung garlands of flowers
from the cracked aud discolored
corniceS; a faded rug supplied the
place Of carpet and the merry sun
shine played hide-and-seek with the
worn places in the yellow damask
curtains, and beautiful young girl
sat at rheumatic writing-desk, with
her chin supported in her hands and
her sea blue eyes fixed dreamily on
space.
w ''Ethel! Ethel! Here's another
box come by express!" screamed the
young sister, breathless with rapture.
1T must be the veil! Do open it
and look! Do, Ethel please. Oh, l
never saw wedding veil before in
all my life, and l do so want to see
what it's like"
Ethel Moore looked up.
"You can open it" said she, with
out change Of posture.
well, / declare" said Milly, ''any
inl- II Lot
Welb here goes! Oh, oh! isn't it
beautiful"
Ethel leaned forward little and
scrutinized the delicate folds Of lace
more closely.
Eyes" she said indifferently sits
pretty enough. But it's the wrong
pattern; it doesn't match the flounces
and the jabot." "Only three days
HOW, and the wrong pattern of lace!
What are people thinking OFF"
'sOh, let it stay" listlessly uttered
Ethel. ''What difference does it
make whether it is one pattern or
anotner?"
what difference" MiIlicentlooke
hard at her sister. 'Oh, Ethel,
Ethel! I'm SO sorry Cousin Jim is
coming to the weddingr'
Ethel Moore colored an intense
scarlet
''Sorry-sorry that our own cousin
is to be here on the occasion of my
MARRIAGE"
'sN-no," hesitated MiIlicent" not
that But it sets you to thinking
Is he so very handsome, Ethel? Is
he handsomer than DR., barrow?
You're such funny girl, or you would
have photographs of both of them.
But there comes the pony, and must
make haste, or 1 shall lose the down
express train, for the veil"
Mike, the errand boy, was promptly
deposed from his place in the battered
little village cart, and Miss MillY
jumped in, took the box in her lSA
and whipping the pony briskly uT
drove away as fast as she could.
s'Just in time for the express!" she
cried. Sand now / may as well wait
for the up train. There may be some
enc know on it.
~ beg your pardon" said pleas