The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1896-09-24
MISS PEMBER-
TOMS PRINCIPLES.

ooS oAAJ JAN
pies, or the principle, and that was the
| property of Miss Pauline. Miss Girl
| selda had never subscribed to it-Open-
"; neither had she ever opposed it
openly, which was probably the reason
the Pemherton household struck out
siders as "the dearest. contest, most
peaceful little dove-cote that ever was"
Miss Griselda, sitting quietly night
after night on n side of the student
lamp which stood on the center table,
with her noiseless knitting needles that
never clicked nor stopped, even when
she talked-partly because she never
talked-seemed even more placid than
she was by the contract Of Miss Pau
lines extreme restlessness on the other
side. Miss Pauline herself declared
that Griselda excited her.
Sitting still all evening and every
evening, like a dumb clockwork knit
ting machine, may be good for the poor
folks that get the stockings" she COM
planned, "but it's mighty hard on the
| poor folks that have to live with the
1o1 LIZ IL . " Va PAAa
| ciple to stir about ome Sister! would
you please let that man or woman,
whichever 1t is, be a few minutes be-
midland in getting that stocking, and
tell me what you think we ought to do
about that child? This is the third
meal she's had from us, as 1 suppose
you've kept count"
Annie Bergen, sitting at the tiny
table in the tiny kitchen, finishing the
last crumbs of a meal large out of all
proportion to the table, the kitchen,
and, indeed, to everything except the
appetite that attacked it, heard herself
called that child" with a vague sense
of alarm. She slipped down from her
chair, walked over to a door between
the kitchen and the living room, knock
ed gently, and stood waiting for an an
swer that did not come.
She was a short, "stocky" little girl
of twelve or fourteen, neatly and not
SO very Shabbily dressed, whose face
might be described as honest looking"
Miss Pauline's voice drowned the sound
Va AAA . S1 llS oOol.
NO, 1 don't want you to leave it to
me. You know my principle-never to
encourage poor people to get something
for nothing. If 1 was rolling in riches
I'd think the same. But 1 haven't the
heart, either, to turn a child away
hungry"
Annie heard that-could not help but
hear it, for she had pushed the dooropen
without ceremony. 'Please could I
work fer me board?" she inquired in
n anxious breath, lest Miss Pauline
should say something which, like the
laws of the Modes and Persians, could
not be recalled.
Gracious, child, say it slower!"
Gould l work here for me board?
Mother told me to ask, and say she
could keep me home nights if you
hadn't anywhere to let me sleep. I
can sweep and dust, and make fires.
and wash dishes, and redd up the hou se
real nicely. I've tried so many houses
to get work, and nobody'u believe |
amt too little"
annie" said Miss Pauline. slowy
and judicially, 1--WE don't need any II
to help US. 1 told you that yesterdar.
and the day before, when you aske'.
and we've not grown any more feeh'".
nor the work grown any heavier, sin~
then. But if you are going to coz"
here till it does, and look hungry eye,
time you come. 1 don't see that we ci-,
dc any better than to let you do son.
thing for Your meals. It's not MY Driii-
ciple. though, to let any one work for
me for nothing. If you're going to be
worth anything. you'll be worth a dol
lar Il week to us. and You can have
that and your meals
THAT'S your doings." said Miss Pau
line. severely. to Miss Griselda. after
the radiant Annie had departed. No.
you didn't say anything. but you look
ed. You don't feel about these things
the way | do. We're Just giving that
chilG work out of charity. and She
knows it, and it's the worst thing in the