Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-05-24
ELEAN0R'S TRIUMPH.
A Profitable Lesson for Many
Young Graduates.


bow u fan and bouquet must have
all those, mother, II am TO be gradu-
ated with the other girls The gown
won't be such dreadful expense, for
my last summers cashmere can be made
over, II can get few yards Of surah,
and Aunt Miles old point will come
in splendidly for trimming. But" and
pretty Eleanor heaved deep sigh, ~
must have sash, an elegant one, OF
broad white moire; fifty dollars would
about cover the whole expense, moth
err"
Mother lifted tired face from her
sewing. Eleanor was too self-absorbed
to notice II, but mother was looking Ill
as well ms tired. She had been under
great strain lately, and this dear
young daughter was now bringing her
weight to add TO the burden. How
blind girls eyes can sometimes bel
Mother" said Eleanor, pleadingly,
'you will manage II somehow, won't
you, denr?'
All through her eighteen years Flea
nor had been used to seeing mother
contrlve TO bring order out Of con-
fusion, straighten tangled skeins, per-
form what looked almost impossible.
That there might be limit to mothers
ability in this direction, the girl did
not dream.
II asked father last evening IL he
would I'LL my order for any reasonable
amount" Eleanor proceeded, "and he
laughed and told me TO go TO you,
u,ntbor H.. .,fI. tnf ,,,,rsa I ,,,ant
my little girl to look as nice Us the
others. after she has worked SO hurd, ;
And, mother. You know in the autumn
I'll be suro TO have u position myself,
and molcy will 10 coming in then
every month, 30 that ! can pay you
bacIi."
Still mother was silent An iuscru-
table expression, hardening and aging
the quot face, had stolen over II ut the
allusion 10 father, tho easysgoing,
amiaJlc, impocuuious man, whom
everybody loved, and who's, children,
thanks to his wife's tact, did not bus
pect his weakness. lie always lett it
TO mother TO say no. She must always
do the denying and rcproving.
A conflict WAS going on In the mothers
mind, such u conflict Us only mothers
similarly situated eau understand. To
deny Eleanor, at the elimination OF her
School carees, the pretty dress and the
other luSuriO us indulgences which her
class were to have, was inexpressibly
painful. But never had II been 30 diff
guilt to crafty her, for never had need
ful wants 30 heaped themselves up.
And the load of debt in the background
had never pressed so heavily, Mr.. IIyl.
ton's business was n tluctuating one at
BEST returns HcTn SLOW and Of ten every
cent was anticipated before it camd,
There was the interest on the loan q
rich cousin had made, there was tho
fire insurance to be renewed, the boys
were too large to wear homemade
Clothes. eyolyed from cast-oH suits of
their fathers, and they had to DC utte,,
out anew. And now, when mother was
harassed half to death, To have Eleanor
20 sweetly and naively present her pc
titiop pt wants, II was more than the
poor wearied Woman could epdufe
She almost gasped for breath as
Eleanor went serenely on.
"A carriage, fan, white satin shoes,
long, penrl-colored gloves, O bouquet"
The items licked themselves off ia the
mothers mind, Us she desperately won
dered how they we're to be gotten hon
estly They seemed such must-haVes
10 tho child that 1t did not occur to her
tos ny no W once For u little while
there was silence, aud nPloase,
mother" began Eleanor again.
But she went no further, for very
alarming thing took place. mother had
quietly tainted away. Nothing more
could be said ON the subject that day.
Eleanor Hylton" exclaimed Puss,
her younger sister as that evening
late. the two were preparing for bed,
81 don't know whether you have no-
ticcd II, but mother Is Just dying by
inches Of worry over money. We all
go to her; and she wears herself out
trying TO satisfy our demands, wretches
that we are. Common sense, to say
nothing Of love. shows that we must
stop spending, II we are 10 keep our
mother. Father doesn't see Il, but !
do. Are nobody else's eyes to be opened
IN timer
"lIow is Il that you know SO much
more than the rest of us, Puss2" quer-
led Eleanor ironically
Puss Hylton vas fifteen, and n Grip
Pile. She had stayed at home for tho
last year, studying by herself with o lit
tie help from Eleanor, and sharing
more of her mothers life than the 9TH
ers. Bit by bit she had penetrated the
secret Of the pinching economy In some
details, Offset by the lavishness in 9TH
crs. Little by little it had como home
to her that things could not go ON ut
their present pace.
Eleanor she said, "there Is nobody
else TO whom we can 70 for loan, and
the butcher looks cross when he sends
in his bill Dan goes around three
squares, sooner than pass the grocer's,
he's SO ashamed that we owe for the
last barrel OF douF. Aud now your
graduation Is coming to tinish the work
II were YOU, dear, would wear Wy
old gown just as it IA, and my oil shoes,
and walL 20 school; but I'd get my
diploma, aud take IL with inlopeni-
enec, not feeling like sham and u
'rdri, ,rAel g'rl into the bargain.
fhrre"
Don't say any more, Puss; I'll think
about 1t"
Aud Eleanor, with pale face and n
iGiycriag lip, to0S up her Everyday
Text Book, 10 read through mist Of
gathering tears, this verse, Which
ermcd to speal, to her with an angers
'oicc; ~ good ranc IS rather TO be
'aoscn than great riches, aud loving
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