Iron County register., 1896-03-12

[ SeEoriSca. ScycretYs 1t Is just SucH
treatment as that-tsr nen arc such
iools-that drove Mr.. Gibson to take
the step he did last night
May ask what step he took. mad
am?"
s.As If you didn't know Well, If you
must hear IL, then, he actually asked
my permission to call and pay his ad-
dresses to you. really never was SO
shocked in my life"
.sDoes the shocking character of his
proposal reflect ON him or me?" Elsie
asked, with provoking innocence.
Mrs. GrindlaY flushed furiouslY.
'.I do believe you have no conception
Of the word propriety. You forget your
position, you forget his"
s.And you yours, madam"
sWhat, you are insolent-and after
all have done for you. You viii seek
| another home this day month. Miss
Whitford."
mo, madam, to-day"
''Oh, yes; go off at once and leave me
with those tiresome children. Then
suppose you will pose as martyr be-
fore Uncle Woodgrove, and I shall
never hear the last of it."
''Do not fear that, Mrs. Grindlay. /
will not stay another night in your
house, but 1 viii not carry my griev-
ances to that good old man"
'.And as for money. Since you are
SO reasonable, I will gladly give you
"Just what you owe me; nothing
more"
''Then, I think, Miss Whitford, it
would be as well not to say good-by to
the children; it is no use stirring up a
fuss over such a trifle."
'.Not the slightest use," Elsie as
sented. and left the room dismissed.
Back to her old lodging again.
Then came a time of adversely, Of
perpetual daily disappointment, enough
even to crush the high hopes of this
courageous girl. Advertisements she
answered by the score. Now it was a
public speaker who wanted an amanu-
ensis, an Office that needed an attend
ant, a correspondent for a new COM
pany, but the burden of their story was
always the sane-the advance of a few
hundred dollars as an assurance of
good faith-not on the part of the
bogus enterprise, but on behalf of the
unfortunate applicant, who was to en-
bark her services with very dubious
chance of ever receiving payment.
To add to her trouble her stock of
money was getting daily more and
more attenuated, and in the midst of
all these worries an adventure occurred
to her which only plunged her deeper
into difficulty.
One cold, clustering day she was re-
turning from fruitless hunt after en-
ployment when her eye was attracted
to a tall, slouching man, apparently
tramp in very dilapidated condition,
leading by the hand a very tired little
boy.
The child looked at her with pitiful
glance which went straight to her
heart Notwithstanding his dirty
clothes and unkempt hair it was appar-
ent that he was lovely boy.
The man noticed her wistfu1 glance,
and looking round to see that no po-
Hceman was in the neighborhood, be-
gan to whine forth tale of suffering.
SIS this little boy yours?" she asked.
''Well, no, miss. I'm keepin' the
kid for gent as was to meet me here
an pay for my trouble, but he amt
come, an if he don't turn up afore
night, by thunder, L"
The little fellow had never taken his
eyes off the girls face. Suddenly he
snatched himself free from the mans
grasp and flung himself sobbing upon
Elsie.
''Oh, don't you know NEEDN'T You
know me-I'm Willie Wilders, of Ore
town.
willie Wilders!' Elsie cried, in
dazed wonder, turning to the man for
explanation, but that gentleman was
flying as fast as his numbering feet
would carry him out OF the way of dis
agreeable questions.
When once Elsie Whitford put her
hand to the plow she did not stop to
count the furrows; so, controlling her
curiosity, she bore her prize away to
her lodging, where, after pacifying her
1andlady and enlisting the sympathetic
services of the domestic. she plunged it
in a bath of hot water, whence it came
forth pink, dimpled and pretty as lit
tie live Cupid. Then she fed him, and
when he had eaten to his hearts con-
tent she counted her money and went
forth to purchase suitable clothes for
her poor little pensioner. Not till then
did she begin to ply him with ques-
tions-
He could not tell her much. The bad
man, he said. seized him when he was
walking IN the woods ever SO long ago,
and had brought him by boat and train
q great distance. Oh, no, the bad man
had not been very cross with him until
quite lately, nor had they wanted food
until few days ago.
The next thing to do was to telegraph
the prospector; but here another OBJ
stacle was in the way. A terrible storm
had swept of miles of wire, SO no mes
sage could be got through; nor was it
likely, the clerk said, that communica-
tions could be made under a week ht
least. She could write, of course, he
suggested, but he was pretty GER
tain that the railroad was bIockaded,
and he did not think letter would fare
much better.
( This would not have been SO serious,
only the poor girl found that after her
recent outlay she had only four dollars
very princely sum ON
which to keep two persons in city
like New York. where everything is
always at war prices
Next day was Sunday. Early on
Monday morning Elsie was trying to
resolve herself into a committee of
WAYS and means. The more she puz-
zled her brains the greater seemed her
ailemma-dollars were not elastic. and
the wiseSt head could not make more