The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-11
HER MISFORTUNE.

Flora Darcy was shopgirl. One day
her rich aunt and cousin encountered her
behind the counter.
'sDear me, Clara faltered the elder
lady, half angry, half confused, ''this Is
very embarrassing to-
'sDo hush, mammal What a fool you
arel'' said Miss Clara Darcy in not very
6lial strain. 'fOf course we aren't obliged
to recognize any relationship with this
this young woman Let us CO." And
they went.
Flora Darcy had hard day of it, and it
was not until they were closing up for the
night that she had an opportunity to clear
the heaped up counter which was her spe-
cial charge. A pasteboard box cover lay
on the floor partly under the counter, and
as Flora stopped to pick it up something
glittered beneath it-a gilt clasped porte
monnaie.
"Some lady has left her pocketbook on
with the trimmings was the girls first
thought as she opened it. 'tAnd it is full
of bank bills too. I never saw SO much
money at one time in all my life before. "
At the same instant perfumed card
dropped from the inner compartments
card engraved in fashionable characters,
MRS. Devereux Darcy"
The blood instinctively rushed into
F1ora's pale and ygearied cheek.
sit is Aunt Ju1iets purse-and the
money is hers-no, oursl Did not her
husband meanly deprive my mother of her
poor little fortune? Does he not live in
luxury while we are starving? But it is
not mine. I will take it to Aunt Darcy
at once
She turned resolutely toward the aris-
tocratic quarter of the city in which dwelt
Mrs. Devereux Darcy. 1t was long
walk, but Flora scarcely needed it so eager
was she to rid herself of the tiny burden
that was momentarily growing heavier In
heart and hand.
MRS. Darcy was at dinner She could
see no one,'' was the answer Flora re-
ceived when she requested brief inter-
view with her aunt, nor was she blind to
the footmans insolent and supercilious
stare as he delivered his stereotyped an
swer.
"You will give her this parcel If you
please she said a little annoyed.
''Yes miss, I'll give it to her, =" was the
reply as the footman yawned visibly and
shut the door after her, while Flora, in
fnitely relieved, tripped away with a
heart many degrees lighter than it had
been.
st shall soon be at home now, thought
Flora. st hope mamma is not alarmed
at my unusual delay
Alas, how little did she anticipate how
many lohg days and weeks would elapse
before she should f'be at home' againl
Miss Clara Darcy had sat a whole hour
in full dress, white kid gloves, silver bou-
quet holder and all, and was beginning to
wax impatient, when at length DR.. Phil
ipson was announced-a frank, handsome
young man, with thoughtful gray eyes
and port erect as that of Hyperion.
"You must excuse my delay, Miss Oar
cy. Professional men are not always mas
tiers of their own time, and was detained
by street acoident--a broken arm.''
''Ah, indeedi''
eyes, a pretty little shopgirl, should
judge, sent to the hospital. And, by the
way, it's a curious coincidence, but her
name is Darcy"
''Darcy!" echoed Clara.
eyes, Flora Darcy"
Chow strangel I thought" added
Clara, with glib readiness, "that we were
the only family of that name in the city.
Papa-aheIn-has no relatives living
The glow of sunshine Quivered dtfully
on the door of the convalescent ward as
DR.. Philipsons footsteps rung, strong,
nervous and inspiriting, upon its thresh-
old. There was many a heart 1eaped up
at the familiar sound, but most of all the
heart of poor Flora Darcy, who was sit
ting up for the first time since the long
fever that had followed on the pain and
Inflammation of her broken arm.
All the morning she had been thinking
of DR.. Philipson, but scarcely more than
DR.. Philipson had been thinking of her.
What should he do with this fair, fragile
convalescent, who was just emerging from
the valley of the shadow of death?
She had told him much of her history
The rest had been unconsciously revealed
in the incoherent rawlings. Had Clara
Darcy known this she could perhaps have
understood the sudden and unaccountable
cessation of DR.. Philipson's visits and at
tentions. AS it was, she was involved in
curious medley of conjectures and be-
wilderment, not unmingled with the acut-
est modification.
DR.. Philipson came to Flora last in his
round of visits.
"Well, he said cheerily, 'fyou are real
ly sitting up. This looks encouraging.
She smiled family.
1--WE shall discharge you in day or two
now. What am to understand by your
sober little face?''
''I have lost my situation. My mother
has spent her little all. I am not yet
strong enough to work-and-I cannot
beg
"Ycu have relations-the Devereux OAR
cys. Why not go to them?'
st would die hrst,' she said, with ener-
gy.
DR.. Philipson smiled.
''Flora,' he said gently in a voice so
low that 1t was audible to her ears alone,
but no matter what he said.
Mamma" shrieked Clara Darcy one
morning not long after, "here's DR.. Phil
ipson's marriage in the papersl And who
do you suppose he has marriede FloraP'
Your cousin Flora!'' cried the matron
in dismay.
"This comes of hospitals and those hor-
rid places, - went on Clara Historically. Il
wouldn't marry a doctor-no, not Ii there
wasn't another man in the world
And, rather irrelevantly, she burst into
tears.-New York News.
In Pretty Good Standing.