The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-04-30

invisible hand had solved the problem
that one word, so full Of meaning even
to Melissa, was knowledge"
4 few weeks later generous pack
age Of journals and magazines found
their way to the Hadden home, an"
1nelr contents were literally deyo
by Melissa.
"That artist feller's bound ter pay
lis way in some fashun," commented
the old man.
What that miscellaneous bundle o.:
Journals did for Melissa 1t would be
hard for the cultured reader to under
stand. They found her, as Thorne Hal
loway had, an ignorant girl; they LEFT
her with the seeds Of new understand
Ing implanted in her nature.
She read Of what women in the worlt
are doing, what girls no older than her
self had done for tneir own advance.
ment, and she longed to do likewise
Ionged so intensely, that one day she
suddenly said to old man Hadden
Dad, I'm goin' ter SCHOOL,
"Wh-a-t?"
School
"Wall," he said, meditarvely, "wher'h
you get the money!"
Melissa made rapid calculation.
Its just four months till Septembeh
tour months means about sixteen
weeks; there's Mrs. Telney down to the
villageIl give me six shillings a-week
to mind the children afternoons and
evenin's; that's nearly five pounds;
then can do up my work here Of morn
in's, and pick strawberries for Mr.
Morrow, who ships 'em to the city,
that'll be one pound; and I've about
two pounds in my box. Dad, you'll
have to make up the rest"
'I'll do it, Meliss. By JoVe! yer gri,
:lean through! Git ready, an I'll see
hat yer don't stick!'
And 50 when B. Seminary, real
~ refined school for young women, re.
opened that golden September, Melissa,
S1OlAS0 Ill q ACaLI hS" OACoo, q uouSS'
hat-a gift from the wealthy Mrs. Tel
ney, who admired her "grit"-and much
perturbation Of soul, embarked upon
the sea of its life.
Let us skip over the months that fol
lowed and touch her once again at the
end Of the term.
The exercises were over, and thu
soung ladies were receiving their
friends when strange occrrence hap.
pened to Melissa Hadden. AS she
CHANGED to look across the hall, she en-.
countered the gaze ef pair Of steady,
'aniliar eyes.
"Mr. Hallowayw cried a dozen girls
each desirous Of obtaining attention
rom the rising young artist
But Holloway, with courteous smilt
mere or jest there, was making his
way slowly but Enthusiastically to the
spot where Melissa, clad in a straight
white dress, with a bunch of violets II
her belt. stood.
ct is Meliss Miss Hadden, is it not?'
be said, heSitatingly.
And Melissa, with little flush creep
ing up to the waves Of her dark hair,
held out her hand with unconscious
yrace.
81 am Melissa" she said quietly.
81 have been out your way again.
sketching. 1 saw. your father, and he
talked Of you"
Melissa grew little confused under
ciS persistent gaze.
care you studying me for a sub
,ect?" she said. with sudden gay
laugh Because, If you are, I warn
you-weil, owe you too much to-
"What?" he said, eagerly.
But with a saucy smile and nod sh,
was gone, swallowed up in the crush.
Somewhat disconnected, Halloway
Sazed after her.
Melissa had grown graceful and cul
tured since he saw her last, and many
thoughts tangled themselves up in his
brain.
Was this the thing that had beef
oothering him since that early morning
In spring, when he caught the light from
q pair of flashing gray eyes, and Whose
solving had drawn him back to the
Hadden clearing to "sketch?"
A flush crept over his face at sud
len thought, and he turned on his heel
and walked away.
A year later. 1t was the day of Me
hssa Hadden's graduation, and all ma
ture had put on royal robes apparently
to do her honor.
A superb bouquet Of flowers had bee1
brought to her early in the day. IL
their midst nestled a card, with few
written lines upon them. A portion OF
these flowers she carried when she re.
ceived her honors.
AS her eyes wandered over the sea Oh
friendly faces they encountered again.
as once before, the face Of Thorne Hal
loway.
For fleeting moment the brown ant
the gray orbs met, and in that insAn
the truth stood confessed. Holloway
knew that he loved the girl.
Melissa who had worn a faded print
iress, and said "mornin'" to him once
on a time, but whose serious eyes met
his own so sweetly and steadily to-day;
for on her brow was written the light
of knowledge, and the grace Of simple
ity and the beauty Of truth. These
things had crowned her with their
oh @ noaJoSc O1orv