The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-07-11
THE YOUNG
SECRETARY.
And the Queer Way in Which Her
Salary Was Paid.
BY JANE ELLIS JOY.


Merton will pay me ten dollars?r ask
ed Alice for the fiftieth time.
"Yes, my dear, ! think she'll give
you more than ten dollars answered
Mrs. Parsons, as if the question were
quite new one. Indeed, | should
not be surprised if she gave you fifteen
or twenty. Still, if she gives you only
ten, accept it, and thank her"
Alice Parsons was pinning on her
hat preparatory TO going out, and her
mothers words seemed 10 cheer away
look Of nervous anxiety from her fair
young face.
Money was not plentiful in the Par
sons household, and ten dollars just
now meant two very much desired
white dresses-one for Alice TO graduate
in, and another for her sister Hetty.
The dresses had been under considera-
ton since early in the winter At first
il was feared that they would have to
be given up, but, in the latter part of
January, by happy chance, Alice
heard of a wealthy maiden-lady who
wanted the services of a secretary for
about an hour every day, and she Sc
cured the situation.
The work did not interfere much
with Alice's studies at school, and her
mother thought it was an advantage
to her, inasmuch rs it tended to pro-
mote self-coniidence, aquality in which
Alice was supposed to be deficient.
~ don't know what 10 pay you, Miss
Alice, until see what your work is
WORTH" said Miss Merton at the be-
ginning of Alice's secretaryship, and
Alice had agreed to let Miss Merton
be the judge of the value of her services
and had waited patiently and expect
antly for her pay. Now, however,
Miss Merton purposed going abroad
for year, and this, the occasion Of
Alice's final visit, was to be reckoning
day.
The young girl went out Of the house
and along the street with vision of
two pretty white gowns before her eyes.
Nature seemed TO be in accord with
Alice's happy antieipations. The trees
looked fresh and green where they
peeped up over the roofs of the houses
or formed arches of pale verdure in the
open squares aud shaded avenues.
Miss Merton lived on Wellington
street, in large, old-fashioned brick
house that had been the home OF her
parents for many years. She was past
middle life, but still keen and active
looking. Alice found her at her desk
arranging letters and papers. In mat
tiers of dress the old lady was somewhat
eccentric, holding herself superior to
the trammels of fashion
At present she wore gown ofshiny,
purple silk, made with short, skimpy
skirt. Around her bony wrists fell limp
white embroidered undersleeves which
might have been worn i'm 1850, while
her coiffure, surmounted by a black
velvet bow, suggested the comparative
ly modern chignon of cival-var times.
Miss Merton carried herself with dig
nified umconsciousness. Apparently
she was not aware that she looked diff
ferent from other people.
In an hour and half Alice had
written number of letters and arrang-
cd Miss MeritOn's affairs for Temporal
~ winding-up.
Dear" said the old lady, regretful-
ly, when the work was done. I'm
going to miss you very much, Miss
Alice. It's a great comfort 10 have
ones sight saved by pair of strong
young eyes"
II am glad TO think that have been
useful 10 you, Miss Meriton," returned
Alice, rising from her chair at the desk
and beginning to draw on her gloves.
"And I'm sure Pve enjoyed doing your
work very much"
Miss Merton unused silently for a
few moments as if absorbed in some
picture of the past. Then she rose has
tily and hustled into the next room,
where her trunks were packed.
Presently the door opened and Miss
Merton came into the room carrying
something carefully wrapped in tow
el that was yellow with age.
"Look at thisr' she said, removing the
towel, and displaying an old silk shawl
that had once been white, but was now
yellow, like the towel, and as fragile as
breath with the lingering of Time
"Pm going to give you this lovely
shawsinstead of money for your work,
my dear" the old woman went on, As
if comforting favor. ''It cost sixty
dollars i'm gold! On" laying fold OF
the old fabric admiringly beside Alice,
neck, ''its exceedingly becoming to
your fresh complexion. You can't buy
anything like il now in the stores ~
The color died out Of Alice's face, and
for moment or two the shock of hel
collapsed anticipations was 80 over
powering that she was in danger o
falling. As for demonstrating with th'
old lady, or expressing preference fo
payment in money, that was quite ou
of the question. Horror scaled up tn
fountain of her speech. 1t was all sh'
could do to breathe. How she manag
ed to say ''good-byn and to get out O
the house she did not know. She hur
ried home, fairly running race witt
her tears, which, however, overtOol
! her at the front door.