The Press., 1901-01-10

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S&& F. Caldwell
She was such forlorn looking hg-
ure as she shuffled along the frozen
river road in the late November SUM-
shine.
ST believe l never saw such an aim
less, shiftless family in my life," de-
clared Judge Hilton emphatically as he
and his daughter Mildred detected the
thinly clad figure before them. III
anything, she's as. bad as the rest,
though when her mother died l imag-
ined the responsibility Of caring for
the family would have beneficial In
fuence on Nan. Instead actually be-
lieve it's had the opposite effect. Just
look at that torn dress and ragged
shawl! If girl had any spunk, she'd
never be seen on a thoroughfare as
public as this Is in such slatternly
condition" c..
But think, father" and Mildred look
ed up considerably, 'how hard she
must be obliged to work even to exist
the family. as Uncle Joe used to say.
l believe she has a load Of evergreen
now to sell for winter decorations. 1t
isn't an easy lot by any means the poor
girl has, And Mildred tucked the
thick robe pore snugly about her.
Nan Hascall lived in the old aban-
doned mill down by the falls. Twas
all the shelter Job Hascall could get
after his wife's death, for rents were
not easily obtained when it was known
was cut of. r#~
Mrs. Hascall had somehow succeeded
as by almost a miracle, frail as she
was in providing food and shelter for
the growing family of ten.
Job was forever lounging about the
postofice steps in summer. and his
winter watch tower was the settee In
the west window of the small variety
store near the tavern.
"P'rhaps next week I'll be able to get
q job somewheres," he would say in
the early spring days. as in shame
faced manner he went by his wife at
the washtub, bent on his accustomed
lettering ground. and when the first
frost came in the fall he would brace
himself to DECLARE: II may get a
chance loggins fore winters gone.
Wouldn't wash all the time. Better
let some few things 60"
But to let anything "go" was impos-
sible and keep the roof over their heads
and shoes on the many pairs of feet.
The morning after Mrs. Hascalps
burial Job said to Nan: do the best
you can, child. IT'S all we can do. even
the best of us. and p'rhaps somethin
will turn up"
However, nothing had, save the rent
bill, and as there was nothing with
which to meet it they were obliged to
move into the tumble down mill.
II guess we can live here awhile"
concluded Job. "if we can get 'nough
to eat and somethin to wear. No mat
ter IL we don't have the best"
After her mothers death the strug
gle for existence rested almost wholly
on Nan. How she managed to get
along was a six months mystery. Aft
err that the people ceased to wonder,
and the Hascalls lived only in their
own thoughts.
"Who do you Imagine will get the
the seminary" asked Mildred as they
were going up the half mile hill before
reaching home.
81 haven't an idea! Yes, l have too.
l shouldn't say that" And Judge Hilton
looked out of the carriage thoughtfully.
EITHER Ralph Holman or Ethel May
nard will get it. They're by all odds
the best spoilers In town."
II don't know" deliberated Mildred.
when Nan was in school, she had the
reputation of being able to spell any
word given her. No one ever got above
her. To spell we'll seemed to be her
one ambition. She never recited cor
rectly in geography. Were she asked
where Russia is 1t might be the longest
river in Maine or the capital Of Ire
land for anything she could tell, and
she never was accused of saying the
multiplication table accurately"
"But she will not CO." laughed Judge
Hilton.
she should she'd give them a pretty
hard push-and might win. OF course
no partially could be shown in such
a contest. wish she'd CO." impul-
sively.
And at that very moment Nan herself
was meditating on the same subject.
''I'd like to go. just to show them Pm
not all fool. Don't care nothin for the
prize. What would / want of a scholar.
ship?" And Nan smiled grimly at the
thought Of such thing. But can
spell. If don't know anything else"
A sudden, defiant glance shot from
her deep. angry eyes.
an 60 If don't want it. just cause
IL hate them-the whole kit, George
Lewis, Ethel Maynard. Ralph Holman
and all 'cept Mildred. She's the only
one that's ever treated me decent.
Guess they'll be surprised when they
see me there" Nan snapped of a
twig by the roadside. "And I'll beat
them too"
After that, wherever Nan was-gath-
ering evergreen. going after her week
~ washing or cooking their scanty
meals-a disreputable looking spelling
book was her furtively hidden compaD-
lon, from which, when no one was no.
ticing, she selected for constant review
the words of foreign derivation and
those which she herself designated as
having been thrown together in the
dark.
Il can spell all. the common ones
without looking at them. J-u-d-g-
m-e-n-t," she spelled. Leave out the
e before 'ment.' Separate looks easy,