Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-07-12


What n rare, witching girl she was
Sh had the wild free grace OF tawh'
q slender. swaying figure; sweet, pure |
qirlish face, framed in flowing hair, anu !"
nair of lovely brown eyes, Innocent
truthful and unconciously appealing eyes
from which looked woman's thoughlul
soul tbat had learned too early the bitter
ness of life. ,
She approached the merchant, cxtenl-
ing her hand, as the clerk hastily re-
treated ,.od
aArc YOU my uncle Hiram?" she asked
az an Ellie Tower, your sisters only
daughter" o,n+
"Elfe Tower?" repeated the merchant,
with stare of surprise "Ihe daughIer
of my only sister Mary?"
"The same. uncle"
The merchant shook her hand fceD'y
q ngle instant, and invited her by gest-
ure to te seated.
aThis is great SURPRISE, he said, re-
suming his seat. "What brings you 70
Chicago? Come on little visit, eh?
Better have staid in the country"
81 am come to stay, Uncle Hiram
announced the g ri quietly. 81 am alone
| in the world"
"Aone? How's that?"
"My father died last year, as mother
wrote you," explained Elfe. "Mamma
has followed him." AMI her voice gre W
broken. "She died last week, Uncle
Hiram. and when she was dying she told
me to come to you She sent you her
| Arrest love, regrettng keenly-"
@Humph!" said the merchant. "Of
course I'm sorry she's dead, but it's
wears since l saw her, and the loss
doesn't come on me as keenly as on you
Mary was n good woman, little sentI-
mental, perhaps, and ways ia king
about affe tion, honor, truth unesS, and
that sort of thing, but she N ant well. l
don't doubt How many children did
your parents leave?"
81 was their only child, Un lc Hiram,
save the one who d ed.
"Ah, yes" and the merchant yawned.
al have lost sight Of my sister during tho
oast few years 1t is true, | recc we'd
letter in which she sa her husband was
dead. but | never found tine to answer
il. Nv business cares have always been
heavy l visited your parents in lnglc'
helm ten years ago, when you were q
mere child They were very prosperous
in those days-own2d a grocery store,
with houses and lots, horses, and SO
forth Your father had few expenses In
that little vii age. / suppose, Ellie, you
have inherited handsome property"
"Quite the contrary, uncle. My father
made some investments which turned
ont badly, including his soint purchase
with YOU of those wild lands on the Mus
selshell River, in Montana He was
also burned out, and failed in business
three months before he died"
aAb. failed. did hep" said the mer-
chant, cheerfully. "WaS it bad iali-
ure?"
at swamped us completely, unclo-
left us in poverty.
Hiram Skiddcr stared amazed.
"What! Eh?" he gasped. "Poverty%
@Wben the debts were paid we had no
home and only five hundred dollars III
money"
"The debts paid?"
aye. uncle. Every debt was pad.
NV father taken ill., fingered three
months. then died, but when he d e he
owed no man cent" said Elfie proudly
"No widow or orphan, no trust n9
tradesman. no one whomsoever, can say
that my father every cheated hlm or hel
their right nj dues.
"But. God b ess my soul" C. .a"ulateC
Hiram Slliddcr "Was the man II ADJ"
Ellie 'ooked surprised.
any father was an honest man, sir
that was ALL"
"And your mother was left in pow
erty?"
ayes, sir; but it was an honorable
novtrlv She had a little money lei
after father died. We hired two rooms
, and got work to do l had received
good education at the village academy
| mean gool for my years." said Eth'
mO1cstly-"and | became a clerk III tn
village book store. | managed to pro
, vide for my mother while she lived
After her burial had only $50 remain
ing"
5 "a beggar!" muttered the merchant
"a regular bcggar!"
/ Ene fail, to catch this comment
t THE bookseller had no further nee'
. of my services" she resumed, mis- sol
being about to become a partner witt
him. And mother, when dying, told III
to C me to you, Uncle Hiram"
"Very convenient for you, no doubt
s But have large and expensive 1amli
of nv own-especially a son and daugh
ter who would bankrupt the bigges
millionaire on earth if lett to their ow
q! devices. POOR people nave slnguia
-. fondness, I've noticed, for saddling thel
. offspring upon somebody else. | don
see that | can do anything for you. IT.
d absurd for girl of your &c and educa
n ton to think Of settling yourself as
S pauper relation on me. 1t can be done
s nv dear young woman"
!, The girls face flushed hotlY.
"You arc mistaken, SIR" she said, wit
l. a d gnity beyond her years. 81 want
S nav NV way / want work. ] came
c ask situation as clerk in your store.
J. If | took in everybody who asks IL
S for c cerkship," returned the mcrchan
70 tily. 81 should soon be in tho pcol
y house There is no vacancy in my e:
t tablishment. My clerks are used to N
b ways. and can't turn them off even
e make an opening for you
G The { irl's face looked blank.
"Do YOU refuse To receive me int
t vour servi ,cs Uncle Hiram?" she aske'
b. 81 do II want am favor only chant
d TO earn my iiving. will work just {
Il,o others do, ami receive the san
pay"
"You are very condcsccnding, sncerC
the merchant "But the long and sho
is Of the whole matter is, have no pla'
8 for you!"
:. "No pla~e for me in your housc2 \
place for me in your store?"
). "You seem to understand me. L hay
% no place anywhere for you"
Tie girls countenance plainly c