The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-19

as | do" came the unabashed retort.
You don't know her business methods.
She's doing charitable work for people
who could buy her house, lot and all
and who call themselves her patrons!
You don't know, perhaps, that she has
her breakfast at six o'clock in the morn
ing that she may lose no minute of
precious daylight; that she hardly
takes time to eat, all day; that she
gives her eyes and her strength, and
her real, artistic talent to the graceless
people of Brentwood for the magniti-
cent sum of a dollar day."
you don't mean it," gasped the doc
tor.
Indeed 1 do! And I want to fight
somebody. She's almost i'll, this min
ute; but she will tell me, smiling sweet
ly, that she must earn her bread and
| butter, and that she's so thankful she
cant"
Dr. Grimes cleared his throat. 81
haven't been long in Brentwood" he
said. 81 fancied Miss Yarwood did her
china painting mainly for amusement"
"Well, that's about all she gets out
OF it," said the girl, grimly; "but even
amusements may be INDUCED in to
excess. Oranges, yes Floridas,
Dozen"
and a couple of pounds of those
California grapes" put in the doctor,
pointing with his stick to the saw
dusty box over which luscious white
clusters were hanging. well, well,
WELT there ought to be a guardian, l
should say. She looks well enough to
other peoples needs. There was that
Osgood family-shiftless things-I first
ran across her there"
That's where her muff went, because
poor Mrs. Osgood's hands looked cold
big fat things-and her own have
frozen blue ever since. She never will
learn any sense"
| Tut! tut! Miss Nora. No, you
needn't say l sent the grapes-I
shouldn't dare" and the big doctor
really looked alarmed. But l hope
she'll eat them"
IF she doesn't her boarder will, and
Nora laughed mischievously.
She was still smiling, over thoughts
all her own, when she looked into the
studio again at tea-time. Miss Var
wood dropped her brush for Il moment
and looked knowingly at the rosy, girl
ish face.
Il saw you, Nora, you rogue!-both
of you. And, my dear, there's the right
sort of man; how different from those
light creatures Billy Smith and Tom.
Not that Billy and Tom aren't nice
boys in their way, but the doctor is so
fine and big and handsome! And saw
him look after you, Nora dear, as you
came in at the gate, almost as if he
W ould have to turn and follow"
Its likely enough he wanted to-"
laughed the girl.
Miss Iarwood looked at her half
wistfully.
Don't take it too lightly, Nora, my
big, happy girl. Love doesn't come to
all lives-not such love as his would be.
! tell you, he's a real nobleman, Nora"
TOO fat" commented Nora, laconic-
ally.
Miss Yarwood looked aghast. Then
she said, with a little, quiet dignity:
Hes q large man, not fat. Wen go to
supper, Nora"
They had come back from their walk
on Sunday afternoon. and if Miss Var
woods hands were blue with cold her
cheeks were pink enough, and her soft,
brown eyes held warm lights in their
depths.
Wasn't it delightful?" she said,
with a long-drawn breath, as she sank
into the chair Nora drew before the
| blazing Goals. 81 feel like another per-
son. And how beautiful the fire is!
Chloe never (orgets to have it warm and
cracking at the very minute when L
seem to need it most. My dear, do you
know feel such great surge of thank
fulness roll over me that 1 could go
down on my knees and cry and thank
the Lord at the same minute. Who am
that all these blessings should be
heaped upon me?" There was some
thing very like tears cleaning in the
brown eyes as she spoke, "A coy home,
my very own, a devoted servant. friend
and what a friend you have been to
me, Moral"
! She paused with little choke in her
voice, and Nora had not the heart to re-
peat aloud her running commentary:
GA cozy home earned by her own
hard struggles; "a devoted servant at
cNorbitant wages week; and "a
| friend Nora. the boarder, who pays
| $50 for $30-room and her board"
1T has always been like this, Nora,
since 1 can first remember" Miss Var
wood had thrown Off her coat and was
| looking ruminatively into the Goals.
Nora swung a low chair forward, and
| polled the fire a trilie viciously.
II am tempted to tell you something
l have never told living soul!' cried
| Miss Yarwood, with little start, turn
| ing the brown eyes full upon the be-
| loved boarder. Her voice was low, as
| became the telling of a deep secret, but
clear and sweet and alive with feeling.
1T is this, Nora: That | believe myself
to be, in a special sense, one favored of
| heaven-a charge of Providence--a real
ward of the dear Lord! l wonder if it
sounds wicked to say so-or conceited?
l have never breathed it aloud before,
but | have been deeply impressed with