Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-02
A FIRST NIGHT.
i BY JENA MIDDLEMAss,
author of "a Life's Surrender" Hush
Money" two False Moves" THE
Case of David Lisle," Etc.
(Copyright.l

NCOPSAhShtsl
u wonder why we are working as If
we were slaves? 1 am sick of it, and
the everlasting click of the machine
drives me mad
While she spoke, Eva Girdlestone, a
pretty authenticated girl of about
twenty. got up from typewriter,
which she had been steadily manipulate
ang for the last quarter of an hour, and
threw some copy that he'd been
propped up in front of her to the other
end of the room.
70 Eva, Eva! when will you learn
that 1t is no use to kick against the
pricks? We must work to 1--we, my
dearie. or we shall starve," and her
sister, vino was older than she was by
some i've years, spoke Sorr0wfully, ana
looked terribly worn and anxious.
1t was obvious that Eva, who consi-
1ered herself q beauty. was not easy
to manage Her answer proved that
she was endowed with strong seaf-will
There is no fate in the matter, Janet
except that which you have chosen to-
Introduce. for goodness knows what
reason, except that you love to be a
slave. l met my uncle and aunt this
morning, and they again offered us a
nome. l mean to 80 and live with
them. 1 am sick of this bondage"
Living at the expense of your rels-
tons Ne bondage, if you Like, said Ja-
net; besides, you know as well as
do how badly Uncle John behaved to
poor father. If Uncle John had kept his
word, father would not have been
ruined, and would probably be alive to
help us now
TT is very unchristian not TO let by
cones be bygones, and 1 am surprised
that you, who profess so much religion,
should be so uneharitable!' said Eva
pertly. IF Uncle John is ready to make
1t up to us now, we ought to accept his
kind offer and be thankful"
The tears rolled down Janet's face,
but she did not venture on saying any
more. She was not only hurt at Eva's
tone, but hurt to think she could so
soon forget, and forgive, for her own
advantage, the injury that had been
done to their dead father. Eva
did not fail to see the tears, though she
was walking up and down the room of
the ladies dwehing-house in which. for
cheapness, they had taken up their
quarters. Janet's tears irritated her,
not because she did not love Janet-she
believed that she adored her-though
never would her love for Janet have the
profundity or the endurance of that
which Janet felt for this wayWard, self
tndulgent girl. She would have sacri-
feed everything she possessed for her,
except the respect for her dead father
which made her believe that for the
sake Of his memory she should have no
dealings with the uncle who, in order to
aggrandize himself, had not scrupled to
ruin his brother.
For a few minutes Janet worked
steadily on, occasionally wiping away
the rising tears that blinded her and
prevented her from reading the manu-
script she was copying. At last she
glanced across the room. Eva had put
on her hat, and was standing by the
: table in the middle of the room, cram
ming some things into Gladstone
bag.
Where are you going, Eva? What
are you doing?" asked Janet in alarm
II am going to Uncle Johns. Since
there is no convincing you, l must act
Tor myself When you see how right
have been, perhaps you will follow my
good example"
20 Eva, you are going to-leave me?"
the last words were a sob.
Don't be a fool. Janet, and take on
about nothing. You will do better
without me. don't work much, and
you will only have yourself to keep.
Besides, / promised them would come
this afternoon. They'll send for the
Gladstone, and I'll look in in day or
two and see how you are getting on,
and show you the new dresses aunt has
promised me-.
She just touched the elder sisters |
brow with her lips, and was gone with |
out another word. Janet looked round |
with dazed expression on the empty |
room, and then, laying her head down |
on the machine in front Of her, she burst |
into sobs, which she in no way sought |
to control, seeing that they came spon- |
taneously from her heart, and that, being |
alone there was no reason why she |
should not give way to them. She had |
pent up her emotions and struggled |
hard for long time for Eva's sake. She |
did not wish the trouble and poverty
from which she was suffering to over
shadow her young sisters life more
thax was absolutely necessary; but now
nothing mattered, since Eva was gone
and she was all alone.
Some one had knocked twice at the
door of the room, but so absorbed was
Janet in her own bitter thoughts that |
she heard nothing. She looked up after
awhile, aweary of her own unhappiness, |
and saw man standing on the thresh- |
old. Receiving no reply, but having been |
assured by the porter that Miss G1rdle- |
stone was at home, he had ventured 10 |
open the door. He was just about to re-
treat, aghast at Janet's grief, when she
raised her head and saw him. He was
4 eood-Iooking man of about thirty, but
he was a perfect stranger to Janet, VINO, |
making a violent effort over herself, SO |
IS TO calm her evident agitation, at once
rose. and with a half-bow seemed to in
s0rire the object of his visit.
~ feel 1 am behaving like a bear,
Miss cirdiestone, in entering your
room without permission, but was told
I should find you at work here, and
am SO anxious to engage you on my be-
half.
Janet bowed again, the fact being she
did not vet feel sufficiently composed to
speak. The stranger went on:
my name is Montagu Clifton, and my
profession lis that of a dramatic author,
THAT IS. I have written two unsuccess-
mi nlavs. and my whole future is staked
On this, my third attempt, which have
come to ask you to copy, believing firm
" in the luck your share in my work
will bring me-"
Janet laughed IN spite of the recent
4ear-Stornn and asked what Mr.. Mon
tagu Clifton knew about her, and why
she should bring him luck.
II think you type for Jefferson Milton,
who never writes word that does not
sell. He advised me to come TO you"
II am much Obliged to Mr.. Milton.
Won't you sit down.?
Mr.. Montagu Clifton hesitated.
II am afraid have come at an In
opportune moment.
aNot at ALL A little work-distraction
will do me good. The fact Is, my sis
Ter has Just gone away to live with an
uncle, and 1 shall be very lonely with
ont her" and the tears rose once more
into Janet's eyes as she spoke.
LONELY! should think sol How
could she leave your was the sponta-
neous answer, accompanied by an ad-
mirtng glance at Janet, who, though by
no means as pretty as Eva, was never
theless comedy maid, in spite of the