The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-04-24
RUTH EDW ARDS Low IERS.

parcelS, saw a girl come into the store,
BRIGHTLY lighted already, though it
was only half-past five, for the winter
afternoon was rainy and dark. and
going up to the counter on winch
some loaves of bread We're piled, look.
ed at them with eyes that seemed all
ready to devour them, and say to his
father: Have you any tive-cent
loaves, sir2"
The grocer answered promptly,
'sNo." -. =,
Glow much are these, SIR" asked
the girl. oo,,,
ssReg'lar price" said the grocer;
ten cents.
SHave You any stale loaves:' asked
the girl.
But his son, looked askance at the
girl, who was as pretty and as falr and
as fragile as lily, saw her take the
end of black ribbon that hung about
her throat from her bosom, and unite
from it fve-cent piece, which she
held toward his fat father IN her
trembling fingers.
ssWon,t YOU please cut loaf IN
two, and sell me half" she pleaded.
''Not in the habit Of doing business
in that way" said the grocer.
The girl turned away. Clifford saw
starvation in her eyes, despair IN all
her movements, and slipped his thumb
and finger into his waistcoat pocket,
and came from behind the counter. :.
Lets see the Gve-cent bit, miss,
he, said. 'sWhy, bless you, you've
made mistake, it's a ten-cent piece.
I thought it was very large for five
cents. Father, that's the price OF a
loaf"
The girl looked at the piece OF
money with eyes that dilated with
something between Joy and awe. She
muttered to herself, under her breath,
ssIt's miracle! Jacks FIVE pence to
turn to ten pence" Clifford followed
the girl, and by his gentle, manly
courtesy and sympathy won her con-
f6ence
s.Let me help you little, he said.
II think YOU can get work at Mrs.
Trimmer's, the miIliner. Give her
our card, and say we sent you. But
you mustn't 60 until tomorrow. just
around here is a decent place-com-
mon, but decent-where they'll take
YOU in. This will do it, and get your
breakfast and dinner. Oh, take It.
ssI never thought to be beggar,
said the girl passionately.
sTake it as loan, " said the grocer
sYou can't sleep here, let alone the
rain all night. -,,
III you'll let me pay it back III not
saw no again said the girl, and
thank you, thank You, thank you.
.sMrs. Trimmer's is 81 = street,
and Bid6y Ryan's is that tall BRICK
house there, in the basement. She
takes girls to board. You'd better
saw you're a nursernaid or a seam
stress. That is true, you know. Good
night"
he watched her, saw her admitted at
the Irishwoman's door, and went
home, rejoicing that that pretty,
slender young creature would not
sleep in the street that night. He
took her on trust sharp young clty
tradesman though he was, and be-
heved in her implicitly.
It was odd for the son OF his tather,
but Clifford was his mother ali over,
despite the penurious maxlms that the
old man dinned in his ears.
Soft was, that instead of making up
mis- mind next day that the girl was
an impostor and had spent hls git 10
LIQUOR, Clifford walked, in the after
noon. down - street, and looking
in at Madame Trimmer's window, saw
a face he remembered, set about with
bright braids Of Drown hair, bent over
little hat; and seeing it turn toward
him, walked straight in and up to the
GIRL and said: ssGood- day and then
sseood-day to Madame Trimmer.
sWe'ye brought two Of our custom
ers together, I see," he said. Glad
to know it." And just then his I'M
gers, playing with the contents OF ms
vest pocket, touched the cash received
of one of the customers alluded to
the hve-cent piece he had so deity
hocus-pocussed into ten cents.
The girl looked at him in surprise.
Madame looked at the girl more re-
spectfully than before. The story OF
the ire was true then, and this dress
that the young woman wore was CIV.
en- her bya neighbor when she escaped
in her night attire from the burning
dwelling.
So she began upon the subject of
fires. and Clifford Hull, who had the
gift of representation peculiar to good
salesmen, talked also. He told no
hes; but when they parted, Madame
Trimmer had somehow come to the
belief that the house in which her new
hand had resided was a brown stone;
that the dresses destroyed We're velvet
and satin, and the money lost some
/. thousands at least; and being a mean
and contemplate person, was disposed
to be very amiable to Ruth EDWARD,
in consequence.
A little while after, Clifford called
AGAIN at the store-and again and
AGAIN. At last he saw Ruth IN neat
attire, pretty with knots of ribbon, trim
with bright belts and snowy cults,
and dainty CATERS. And though she
never looked sweeter to him than she
did that night in her ragged dress, and
with her wet hair blown about her
face, when he first saw her, he saw
now how proud any man might be OF
her. He did not measure his worth
by dollars, as his father did, and the
worthy grocer had been very econon3-
ical in the matter Of poor Giford,s ed
ucation. Now he had fallen in love.
he began towish he knew more-could
do or be something better. The idea
that he conferred a favor on her be-
cause she was poor, and he was or
would be rich, never entered his hon
est mind.
But he went where he could see her
often, and asked her to walk with him
of bright evenings. and took her now
and then to see play, and carried her