The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-12-08
SOME PLAIN SEWING.

SSttC L pt ~ " oAAAAN = -
tug to her satchel, a glance at her lunch
basket, and Il rub to her gloves.
"All ready, john" she answered. ,
She seemed to fit so delightfully."- into
her surroundings, that even a brief alb
sence vas to be regretted from the
point Of picturesqueness. Her home,
Grassnook, was far more charming than
is the ordinary farmhouse. 1t was a
low, rambling, gabled, with all kinds
OF cunning windows and o~dd-shaped
rooms. And within it was the embodi-
ment Of quaint. comfort and shining
cleanliness. Its mistress WAS sixty,
round. rosy, old-fashioned. with the
kindest eyes, and the prettiest little
neat ways, and the most heartsome
smile a body ever beheld.
Seems like l was going away for a
year. instead Of two weeks she re-
marked, as John drove her to the
depot in the phaeton he had purchased
| for her particular benefit. But l feel
as If | ought to go. after that letter
from Medora. 1t sounded really pitt
full"
John closed his handsome, stubborn
lips. and remained silent.
1T said. if 0 remember, John, that
we, living here in plenty, couldn't real
| ize the struggle she found it in the
city to support herself and the children
ON the paltry income, which was all
they had from poor Peters estate.
Then she put it pretty plain, what she
wanted me to do. Send her n hand
some sum, or promise 20 leave her
Grassnook and my share of her proper
ty. Wasn't that it. john"
He smiled grimly.
she stated her expectations definite
ly enough" he answered.
His mother sent him Il shreWd, side
long look.
You never liked Medora, John"
Medora was the daughter of a dis
tant cousin of Mrs. Rycliffe. Seven
years previous she had come to live
at Grassnook. She had been practi-
cally adopted by Mrs. Rycliffe, and
treated with all affection. But, after
numerous vain attempts to capture the
heart of John Rycliffe, she had married
the loud-voiced, SLOWLY clad drummer
for a New York cigar house, and had
gone to the city to live. OF late Mrs.
Rycliffe had received many letters from
her, bewailing her husbands inability
to secure work, her own hard life, and
her conviction that "auntie" would do
toward her what was kind and right.
The latest letter had been 20 much
more i~mportunate and imperative than
usual. Mrs. Rycliffc had decided to an
Swer it in person. Only by SO doing
could she convince herself how press
ing were Medorn's necessities, and how
exacting her own duty.
Il never could think her sincere,
mother. She always appeared to be
scheming. selfish, and hypocritical."
But she thought Il heap of you,
John"
Again he was obstinately silent.
His mother was too wise to say that
which was in her ~mind-namely, that
John had been Indifferent to Medora,
and to all other Ome since the year
before Medora's advent at Grassnook,
when Elsie Cameron, the girl on whom
he had lavished the most passionate
love of a strong nature, had thrown him
o. er for Il man he knew to be
in every sense Of the word, his inferior.
Wont Medora be surprised to see
me, thought" chirped Mrs. Rycliffe, as
she and her SOL stood waiting for the
train. 1--WE always said to her I'd
never 60 another journey by rail; and
here l am doing it. Well, good-by,
John. Be sure you water the house.
plants and give .Snowdrop her milk
regularly. and see that the shutters are
fixed so that they don't slam and break
the glass. Good-by, John"
Ar1 tl,oo Che woo xxyhirinr Oxv,o fc
4 great city.
"Be you going to New York, Mrs
Rycliffe"' queried a voice behind her.
Yes" turning to face a neighbor.
You're going to see Sarah Jane's's
new baby, l suppose, Mrs. Ryan,"
"Yes'm. You amt forgot Elsie Cam.
eron, l dare say?"
NO" answered Mrs. Rycliffe, stirred
by the resentment the tho light of Elsie
invariably aroused. Why couldn't the
girl have married her fine son, and been
u daughter to her?
1T 'ud be a charity" declared Mrs
Ryan, If you'd go to see her. I heerd
as how her husband was dead, and she
had a child to support, and WASN'T
overstrong. She'd be might glad to
see you. Here" scribbling a line on
crumpled envelope she fished out of hel
pocket, lis where Sarah Jane said she
lived"
"The poor thing!' calculated Mrs
Rycliffe, her kindly spirit touched
Yes, I'll CO."
When she arrived in New York, she
gave a cabman both addresses, bel
niece's and Elsie Payne's.
Drive me to the nearest first" she
ordered.
And the nearest happened to be 6
tall, dreary tenement-hOuse, in a mar
row, dingy street. She found Elsie
in a bare, clean, little sky-high room
Pretty, gay, rosy-cheeked Elsie Gamer
on! Not gay, nor rosy-cheeked now
but slender, pale and still very dain
tily fair to look upon. She wore a BLACK
gown. A beautiful child chung to hel
hand.
"Oh, Mrs. Rycliffe" she cried.
The sight Of her dear old face wal
precious after her long exile among
strangers. She kissed her guest, drew
her in, took Off her bonnet. and made
her a cup Of tea, all the time full Of
words of welcome, and of inquiry, but
not once mentioning her own poverty
which everything in the room PR
claimed. >-*
How are you getting on, is wins
I want to know" the old lady sale
straightforwardly.
"Oh, I manage. I do plain SEWING
you know. Sometimes I find it har
to get all l can do, but a week ago
lady called and left me an order tina
has kept me busy since. She aske
my prices for making plain garments
and 1 mentioned them, but the mater
ials were accompanied by directions TO
much elaborate work! OF course,