The free press., 1895-10-31
An Incentive to Effort.

"Of course you will have good
time re ,lize that just as well as
anybody. What do you take me
fOr?" And blythe, kind-hearted Marion
Harris finished tying her head up with
napkin preparatory to the mornings
sweeping, which she invariably in
sisted upon doing, much to the disgust
Of her sisters.
"But, Marion; just reflect. What
will folks think? You ought to have
aspect enough for ma to do as she
desires-not to mention the obedience
which as a daughter you owe her. You
know Just as we'll as do that every
body will say that you stayed at home
just to keep pa company; and the
heartlessness of the Harrises will have
to be dilated upon, as it has often been
. before, Just on account of your obsti-
nate capers." And Miss Belle Harris
| turned from the contemplation of the
| little figure in evident disgust.
"That's SO, is it?" laughed Marion,
with a defiant twirl of the broomstick.
"Well, let's give Mrs. Grundy credit
for telling the truth, then. The Har-
ris family is heartless family. Some
times l have been puzzled with that
family myself, albeit, l am member
fit. 1t has never happened since l
was old enough to remember, that
father has had a weeks leisure in the
summer and yet the dear old fellow
| il left to take care of himself from
June until October, one-third of every
year, with as little remorse as though
be were dog to whom bone could
be tossed, instead of the precious hus-
band and father we all know him to
be. By the powers If ever L get
husband I'll never leave him, or let
him leave him; and then father can
come and live with u.s. There is one
thing certain, whatever happens, l re-
main at home! So now, please va
nose, and allow your younger sister
the privilege of kicking up dust"
Harmon Laight told me the other
day, that he had decided to accom-
pany our party wherever it determined
to go this season. So just see what
you will miss by your obstinacy.
"Humph, miss !-miss what? A cane
"a stale operate criticism-a Bon
jour, Miss Harris If 1 don't have
rest it will be because 1 have lost my
senses"
Sand do you mean to tell me you
don't like Harmon?" put in her sister,
apparently little surprised.
81 can conceive of a Harmon
Laight who would be absolutely glo-
rious--a man one could love to death
"a bright, spiritualized, earnest
reality. And now the broom forgot
to twirl, and the little dimity-covered
head, with wave of her deliciously
golden hair peeping out from its i'm
maculate prso .-house, leaned dreaml-
ly against the handle of the dust-rais-
ing weapon, and continued:
81 wouldn't give fig for man
who isn't manly. I believe L hate
fashionable men, anyhow; but there
is something about Harmon Laight
that few men possess, and I'm blessed
if / know what to call it. Sometimes
it appears to me like the essence OF
nobility, and then it makes me sad to
note the bad effects of bad educa-
ton. think that the good that was
born in him has been almost entirely
obscured, from the fashionable super
fetal and conventional training he has
received from his naughty mother,
and the false life he has been COM
pelled to live. 1 have wished for
more than a year that he was some
re hative Of mine, SO that | could give
hJm piece of my mind. +"
"What little sense you had to begin
fth has taken leave entirely, see.
IA ke Harmon just as he is. He is
~