The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-24
DADDY'S DAUGHTER.

DADDY'S DAUGHTER.
Something must be DONE" said
Marjorie, digging her elbows so firmly
into the time-WOrn hearthrug that an
ominous crack was the result.
"Stupid old thing! What did it want
to go and tear itself for?n she murmur-
ed, bending down to investigate the
damage till the golden curls tumbled
over her face and into her eyes, pre-
venting further search.
Marjorie Winter would have describ-
ed herself as sole housekeeper, general
manager and needlewoman-in-ch chief of
Daddy's ilat. When all these various
offices rest upon eight-yesr-Old should
ers an additional rent is a matter of inn
portsnce.
Rex Winter, in his turn, would have
described himself as housekeeper, gen.
eral manager. needleman, as well as
mother, nurse, playfeIlow and teacher;
bat, then, fathers and daughters very
often see things in different lights.
Marjorie knew that she busted the sit
ting loom every morning with her poek-
et-handkerchief il no duster was TO be
had. She knew that she polished
Daddy's boots when he was not look
ing with her flannel pettieoat She
knew that very often she took large
Jumps Of coal Off the fire because poor
people should have small fires. She
kaew that she had once saved the
plurns out Of her pudding for a whole
week for Daddy to give Mrs. Masters to
use again 10 the next pudding. She
knew that she cut his paper, and open
ed his letters, aud brushed his hair and
his coats, and sharpened his pencils,
and put weights over his loose pages
of manuscript, aud told him every day
what to order for dinner. She knew
that once she had tried to wash her
clothes so as to save the laundry bill,
but that had not been success, for
Daddy had TO stop writing to come and
dry her and the room. Still, If doing
all these things did not mean that she
deserved the name of housekeeper,
Marjorie would have wished to know
what did.
"It is stupid that / can't remember
what Mummy did when Daddy got
frowns and couldn't eat, COS horrid
men won't read his books aud give him
pounds and pounds of money" thought
Marjorie, still lying on the hearthrug,
with her thin legs waving upward.
Daddy says we shall starve if some
one doesn't take story soon. wonder
what Mummy would have done if she
thought he was going to starve? She
would have done something, l am
sure. 1 don't mind starving, it would
be a new play, but Daddy said he
wouldn't like to play starving, and my
Daddy shall not do anything he doesn't
want to-"
The child's face grew wistful, the
sensitive mouth dropped, the great blue
eyes elOuded as Marjorie looked into
the fire and wondered how she could
prevent Daddy having to starve. Then
step sounded on the stairs, and she
tumbled to her feet and made head
long rush as the door opened, crying:
Daddy Have they taken your
story?"
"Not yet, Birdie; better luck to-
morrow, perhaps" answered Rex
Winter, as he swung his little daught-
er into his arms, and kissed both the
pleading eyes, perhaps toprevent them
gazing into his own.
"Haye you brought it back? Bad
Daddy, you were pretending. 1 can
feel it." And Marjorie bent down from
her perch, groped while in his
pockets, and then pulled out bulky
parcel.
Little witchIn said Rex, trying to
laugh as he put the child down, and
GRO sed the roam to his writing table,
but not succeeding very well, ''won't
you allow me 10 have any secrets?"
"No secrets, Daddy, {" remarked Mar
jorie, severely, hiding away the packet
in q drawer, and then sitting down on
the floor to hug and comfort the poor
legs that were 50 dreadful tired" with
walking.
Rex Winter looked FAR too young to
be the father of an eight-year-old
daughter. Yet, had he been asked, he
would have declared that youth had
dGSpped from him once for all when
his young wife died. For three years,
now, he and Marjorie had been fight
ing bad luck sSd poverty. As Rex
looked down on the golden head nest
ling so close 20 him, he knew that the
crisis had come; thai i'll luck had con-
quered; that he, aud the child at his
feet, had lost, and must part company
now that he could no longer give her
even the necessaries Of life.
"Birdie would you like TO go and
live in beautiful house with lot of
other children. where you could learn
lessons together"
HUMP said Marjorie, meditatively,
81 don't suppose I'd mind much 'eos
you would be there. but / don't like
children they're silly things"
"Why Birdie, you have hardly spok-
en- to one for three years-ycu can't
kaow what they are like"
81 knelw-they bowl hoops, and hold
their nurses hand, and carry dolls
With their faces rubbing into their
Jackets, and they stand still when