The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-11-04
remark. Ny disposition is really most

solemn. cry 30 easily tudt eno ohShV
sst effort will bring an ocean OF tears.
Then my nose gets red, my frecKies
grow larger, and I'm sight generally.
So don't make me weep. Ii you are GO
Ing to New York, Miss Margaret, envy
you. Cause why2 Cause you've got
money and can have no end OF 1un
there. It's different with US. We are
Door, as Alice has no doubt tsld you,
and it's a nasty, mean, contemplate
feeling. Poverty was the reason fof
our moving to Philadelphia, nothing in
the world else. Our friends were told
that we liked Philadelphia; that the air
agreed with us-we are all SO healthy
we'd thrive in apig-pen-when the real,
unvarnished truth Is the low rents agree
with our pocket-books. I tell you, you
don't half know our tricks
"Oh, Nell!"
Just hear Alice say ooh, Nell!' as
though she doesn't know as well as do
the tricks OF the guild. The guild
means poor people, !e1 know. MOI
poor washerwomen, needlewomen, scrub
women, and such poverty stricken
wretches, but poor people like US, trying
to keep I'D appearances on nothing. ]
abominate them, and I despise poverty
so heartily that I'd rather be rich than
90 to heaven. Now it's Miss Margaret's
| turn to say ooh, Nell!' and how shocked
| she looks In the bargain. It's evident
| she doesn't know anything about scrap.
Ing and scratching. If she'd lived In
cheap flats bet she'd agree with me.
They are simply horrible. And when II
| comes to furnished flats-Lord, be meri.
full to me, q sinner! We've had them,
| and know whereof speak. l remem.
Der one, especially. The greatest cheat
| on record. Handsomely furnished, the
owner called it. We hadn't been In it
three days before all that handsome
furniture tumbled to pieces. A case OF
familiarity breeds contempt, very likely.
| Now, I've grown suspicious. Ii see a
tidy on a sofa / want to know what Is
under 1t; and no matter how innocent
the chairs and tables may look sitting
around in their Sunday clothes, as II
were, I know it's ten to one that the
tables will shed a leg and the chaire
give up back or seat just when one Is
seeking such support. You see, expert
ence is a good teacher"
Thanks for your oration," remarked
Alice, as Nell paused for breath. Your
tongue, my dear, Is one OF those infant
Industries not in need Of protection
-Nelrs experience rather frlghtens
at the late speaker. Think OF my 1ur
nished apartment, and what is probabl,
In store"
"A furnished apartment, broke Il
Nell quickly, SIS as different from fur
nished fat as q crow from a partridge
Don't laugh at my comparison, please
Iconsider it particularly happy, andto re
tuln to the apartment, you probably pa.
from two hundred to three hundred dol
lars q month. Now we never aspired 7
anything SO respectable. A fiat. moth
ing more nor less than fiat, was tn
object OF our ambition, and therein lie
the difference. 1t Is to enable me t
one day live In an apartment lik
yours that / am now diligently search
ing for a husband. Beauty and blue
blood desired. Money indispensable.
he's young, well and good. II he's o,e
SO much the better. He'll
mo more. please" begged Margare1
. Il came here expecting 10 &c dolelu
and you've ma1e'me laugh 60
Comfort the sorrowful,' quote
! Nell. "A corporal work OF mercy, m
dear. I've performed good action III
consciously. I'm an excellent youn
, person, and, as you say, can't imagin
how they manage to spare me at hom'
But to tell the truth, May Is the impol
tant one lust now. She is soon TO
married, you see; and by some curiou
sort OF reckoning, her value is increase
fifty per cent. 1t is really hard cas-
The two beauties of the family going @
Ia this style, and leaving Bess and n
> 70 single biessedness. l rebel again
such unjust DEGREES; / wish l was bea'
tilul. Oh, don't wish l was beautiful
y I'd like people to tumble into fits 1u
. from looking at me. What's the ma
. ter. Alice?"
I'D be glad to make few remarks
was the answer, with affected NEE
q ness.
II Poor child! Have you been waitir
|. for INV permission ali this time? Ce
I tainly you can talk. Don't pull dow
e you1 chin in that fashion. 1t remint
n me of old Spenser when he INDUCES
d Scripture. Scripture being somethir
q I'm totally unacquainted with. / don
II want it mentioned in my rresenc
{, Spenser ornaments his conversat!t
y with Biblical quotations; therefore
q hate Spenser. Besides, he says 'Hadn
" sughter;' and any man, woman,
Il child who says hadn't oughter' HI
t. oughter' be shot: My private opin-
5. What, Ben! Luncheon! Grac' Gus, L
- glad. I'm as hungry ass bear. Mi
ID Margaret, pray take me under I
rs shadow OF your wing. Alice, lead t
Dr. way. smell fritters. Oh, my!"
I Expressing mild hope that the col
10 bined influences of the fritters and b
Of uncIs's presence might silence Nell
ID busy tongue, Alice did lead the way.
in ITO BE CoNTINUEE.;