Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-03-23

as ever I've done this, and run in with
it, shall be able to take you home,
and perhaps there's some little thing
can help you in there; you'll be all
the better for the rest. you know, and
the little one can watch me at
my work. /"
Nelly already found herself so much
improved by the first portion of her
new friends prescription that she Of
fered little resistance Of this advice.
In answer to some remark she made,
as to the arrival of Mr.. Stocker, the
other replied that she need have no
fear on that score. ~ shall see no more
of him., she added, "till he's earned
enough to bring me home some present
or other; he'll just deny himself any
earthly thing now for a while to make
all up with me, there'll not be one
safer than Stocker will for the next
two months, maybe; and then, sure
as fate, there'll be another break out.
It's Just the drink makes a fool of
him.
She had hastily cleared space up
on the table while she was speaking,
and then, without even removing the
tea-things orcloth, she set to the pecu-
liar avocation at which the facility
she displayed proved her to be an
adept.
Nelly, reclining on the couch.
thought for few minutes that she,
too, ought to be at work; then Won
dered vaguely that Agnes had not
been to see her in all the trouble; then
for she was in that state ofweakness
in which thought even is an effort
she fell asleep.
Ida stood for a short time by her
mothers side, then she was insensibly
attracted to watch the work going on
near her. With her lap full of pure
white, lustrous beads, Mrs. Stocker
was employed in ranging them and
weaving them, apparently, by one
motion into q eenly coronet. Sh
worked very rapidly-the child could
hardly catch the movement of her
fingers as she threaded, twisted, twin
ed, and entertained, into the most
fanciful yet symmetrical devices the
snow-white globules which seemed to
assume new value and capability
under her ingenious hands.
The coronet was finished; then came
pair of elaborate armlets Of similar
construction; and then, still working
as if for her life, Mrs. Stocker set her
self to a simpler task of threading q
number of strings of the pearls in rows.
Ida had stood in perfect stiffness,
watching and admiring the ocaupa-
ton, SO clean and so essentially fem
mime, the woman only occasionally
glancing at her with a smile, absorbed
in her work.
II could do that" the little girl said,
all at once, and SO calmly that Mrs.
Stocker almost laughed out. 1t was,
in fact, more like q suggestion to her
self than an assertion that the child
put it forth.
Gould your" she asked, kindly.
eyes," pursued Ida, "Iknow Icould.
Might Itry?" she asked, earnestly.
"You may try with them" said the
good-natured woman. laughing, and
pushing toward her a few of the beads
which she had discarded; ''but it amt
quite SO easy as it looks"
Ida gravely sat down upon O low
seat near the fire, and was quickly i'm
mersed in her new task, while Mrs.
Stocker, having finished her work, at
once departed, settling her bonnet and
shawl as she went.
She was detained longer than she
had expected. On her return she found
Ida near the window, evidently expect
ing her, and holding in her hand the
threaded pearls, which, as far as the
quantity would allow, she had fash
Toned on the wire into a shape similar
to those she had seen done.
She held it out to Mrs. Stocker with
a flush of pleasure on her pale face.
'Will it do?" she asked.
The woman took it in surprise, fog
the work, though not difficult, re-
quired an amount of delicacy and tact
in handling mot easy of attainment,
save by practice.
"Indeed you have done it wela," she
said; land when did you ever do such
things befote%'
"Never at all, replied the chi5d..
''Nor never see it done?"
Ida shook her head,
'tIndeed you're a clever little MITE.
and with" she stopped, for an all
lusion to the child's misfortune had
we'll nigh escaped her.
But it amazed her none the less, and
a sudden thought had already begun
to form itself in her rnind to a tangible
resolve, when, passing INTO the inner
room, she was followed by the child
who. with a hight touch, arrested her,
Ma'am," she said, in a whisper,
do people get money for that?0 I'M
dicating the remains of Mrs. Stooker'S
performances, which, TRUTH to, say,
did leave terrible traces of untidFRess
behind
Money! why, yes, duckey;: that's
what l get it for..''
"Could I ever, ma vam-would they
ever give me money for it? do want
so to help mother, and she always
says, Plenty of tinre;;' but | do want
so to get sonne, and [ can't do any
thing only tidy a room; that's aEl-"
And Ida sighed.
'Well, then, will you help me tidy
mine? We'll see, dear, about the money
part OF tine business. Mothers in