Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-07-03
NELLIES cAREER,

ShaH never forget tnat June WOrn-
lag when Nell told us.
l was beating batter puddings the
cooking always fell to my share and
Nell and Deb were hnishing the weeks
ironing. The big Lilac bush was Id full
bloom outside the kitchen window, and
SOME of the purple petals drifted in
upon the old dimity skirt Nell was
Ironing. She had to BRUSH theih off, 1
remember, with hey pretty, slender
fingers Deb and | always tried to
save Nell's hands and do the rougher
work ourselves. Why not? She was
the youngest and our pet always.
Suddenly Nell set down her iron with
clatter and electrified lis,
Girls" she said, 'lhe editor OF the
Orb has accepted another of my stories
and I'm going to New York
what, to stay?' cried Deb, and l
dropped on a chair, speechless.
Eyes said Nell firmly. II have it
| all arranged. | asked fathers leave
and made him promise not to tell YOU
| till everything was settled, because !
knew you girls wouldn't like 1t and
would try to persuade inc to give 1t
up. But the editor Of the Orb has
| been very encouraging and you know
| | have had Some work accepted by
other papers, and 1 feel sure can
| keep myself, at least, and hope, OF
course" her eyes shining 1T Will lead
to better things. | wrote. to, Cousin
Libby, and she has explained to me
how she lives she illustrates, you
know, for weekly papers, think--and
she has rented a room for me i'll the
apartment building where she lives
herself Fancy! She does all her own
cooking on a little gas stove in her
room-'pigging she calls it-and am
to do the same for myself. You can
| live for very little that way learned
ly, "even in New York
But, Nell, you can't cook" | said.
Somehow my t1azed mind fastened on
the least of the difficulties in my dar-
ling's path.
'Well, can learn. she cried gayly,
cor YOU can teach me, Elm, III the next
fortnight. L am not going till the
10th"
| I saw her glance at me anxiously as
she mentioned the date and them
broke down and so did Deb. and pres
emily we were all three clingins to-
gether and crying--into my bowl OF
batter
What had father been thinking Of.
| wondered. But then he never could
bear to cross Nell, any more than Deb
or | could; And so from the first |
| felt that it was settled and that moth
| Ing | could say or do would alter 1T.
| But, oh, my heart was heavy.
BY and by Deb said: "Nell, what
will Morris sayi' The same thought
had been in my mind, but could not
put 1t into words and was rather
vexed with Deb. But we all knew
that Morris loved Nell, though she
I would have nothing to say to him. 1T
/ hurt me strangely even then that Nor
ris should be sighted Morris, so good
and brave and strong and tender and
! steady-yes, and clever, too-that any
girl might have been proud of his love
| Nell only tossed her pretty head and
said emphatically; "Oh, Morrisl' And
after awhile she and Deb began iron
ing again and | went to the cellar fol
more eggs and made fresh batter. And
that was how Nell told us.
The next fortnight was busy one,
though it passed as people say, like q
dream Miss Partridge came up from
the village to help US put NelPs ward
! robe in order. father Grated the set OF
mahogany furniture which had been
mothers when she married and which
Nell was to take with her, and / got
together the best and smallest OF my
Kitchen tins and saltcepans and packed
] them In d wooden box, which was tc
serve afterward, with shelves fitted in
side it, Nell declared, as her Kitchen
/ How anxious felt about ehe plugging
arrangements aid what careful In
lstructions l gave, or tried to give, in
coffee and omelet making! Morris
came and went, looking, OH so grave
and Nell's resentment of his attitude
was hot and showed itself In the
brusquerie with which she treated
him. What passed between them tile
Hast evening never knew. They were
together for n long time In the garder
and after they had parted Nell brushec
past me crying and Morris, coming te
say goodnight" looked white ant
stern My hehrt ached for him. Bu
he came with us to the station the
next morning and tried to talk cheer
fully to Deb and me after we had SAFE
| good-by to our dear girl and watched
the train steam off.
| That was weary summer. 1t was
|
In the garden. Father was aiiing, ane
Deb and / dropped into a dull rount
Of daily duties. Morris came seldom
He was very busy, he told us, will
his increasing law practice, which was
extending itself through all the neigh
| boring villages Nelfs letters We're ou1
only excitement, and though they were
cheerful and amusing, with man.
bright descriptions of New York life
"from the plugging side" as she called
1t, it seemed to me that an undertolt
of Encouragement ran through them
However, with the autumn. things be
gan to look brighter. Fathers health
improved and Nell wrote she mad heel
offered d position on the staff Of ONT
of the papers she had been writing for
Morris began to be about the n3,lst
again as he used to be, and with hin
came Jack Herrick a young .clloN
whom he had taken into partnership
and who evidently admired Deb Nor
ris rarely asked after Nell, but | TO
ticed that when her name was men
toned he never missed a word tina
was said, and at Christmas, in the DO,
we expressed to her, he sent sinai
parcel Nell wrote back, THANK Nor
ris for his pretty gift" After Christ