Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-05-19
Won won't expect no pay. but a good

home is what you need most.
''Stop minute!" said Joanna. '-Am
I to understand that you expect me to
assume the position and duties Of a
servant, without servants wages?"
"You'll be member of the family, !"
said Mrs. Emmons; ''and you'll set at
the same table with me and Elviry."
ST am much obliged to you, said
Joanna, but must decline your kind
Offer
And Mrs. Emmons departed in
wrath, audibly declaring her convic-
ton that pride was certain, sooner or
later, to have fall.
''I have plenty of friends" said
Joanna, courageously, or rather dear
grandpapa had. I am sure to be pro-
vided for
But Squire Barton looked harder
than any flint when the orphan came
to him.
Something to do, Miss Fox?" said
he. ''Well, that's the very problem
of the -woman's work, you know;
and I amt smart enough to solve it.
Copying? No, our firm don't need
that sort of work. Do I know of any
one that does? N-no, I can't say I do;
but if I should hear of an opening,
I'll be sure to let you know. Ahem!
Pm little busy this morning, Miss
Fox; sorry can't devote more time
to you. John, the door. Good morn
ing, my dear Miss Fox! assure you,
you have mine and Mrs. Barton's
prayers in this sad visitation of an in
scrutable Providence"
Old Miss Gringe, who had fifty
thousand dollars at interest, and who
had always declared that she loved
dear Joanna Fox like daughter, sent
down word that she wasn't very well,
and couldn't see company.
Doctor Wentworth, in visiting
whose invalid daughter poor old Par
son Fox had contracted the illness
which carried him to his grave, was
brusque and short. The doctor was
sorry for Miss Joanna, of course, but
he didn't know of any way in which
he could be useful. He understood
there was a kid-glove factory to be
opened on Walling River soon.
''No doubt Miss Fox could get
place there; or there could be no OBJ
lection to her going out to domestic
service. There was a great deal of
false sentiment on this subject, and he
thought"
But Joanna, without waiting for the
result of his cogitations, excused her
self. She would detain him no longer,
she said; and she went away, with
flaming cheeks and resolutely re-
pressed tears.
When she got home, she found one
her. He didn't wish to hurry her, he
said, but the clergyman didn't want to
live in such ruinous old place; and
it was their calculation, as the parson-
age was mortgaged much beyond its
real value, to sell it out, and buy a
new frame house, near the railroad
station, with all the modern convent
ences, for the use of the Rev. Silas
Speakwell
cam to be turned out of my
homer" said Joanna, Indignantly.
Deacon Blydenburg hemmed and
hawed. He didn't want to hurt no
ones feelings; but as to her home, it
was well known that to all intents and
purposes the old place had long ago
passed out of Parson Fox's owner
ship; and they were willing to accord
her any reasonable length of time to
pack up and take leave of her friends
say week.
So Joanna, who could think of no
remaining friend but her old COVER
ness, who had long ago gone to New
York to fight the great world for her.
self, went down to the city, and ap-
pealed to Miss Woodin in her extrem-
ity; and Miss Woodin cried over her,
and kissed her and caressed her, like
an old maiden aunt.
"What am to do?" said poor, pale
Joanna. 81 cannot starve!"
There's no necessity for any one
starving in this great, busy world"
said Miss Woodin, cheerfully. ''All
one wants is faculty."
Joanna shrank little from the hard,
stereotyped word, which she had SO
often heard from the lips of Mrs.
Emmons, Miss Sabina Sexton, and
that sisterhood.
"But how do you live?" said she.
''Do you see that thing there in the
corner?" said Miss Woodin.
eyes," answered Joanna. ''It is
sewing machine?"
''It's typewriter, announced Miss
Woodin. "And I earn my living on
it."
''But what do you writer" said
Joanna.
Anything can get, said Miss
Woodin.
And thus, in the heart of the great
wilderness of New York, Joanna Fox
commenced her pilgrimage of toll.
First on the typewriter, then pro-
noted to compiler's desk in the
Fashion Departmental prominent
weekly journal; then, by means of
striking, original sketch, slipped into
the letter box of the Ladies' Weekly
4 I 4 I