Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-08-23
BORN TO JERUE
BY CHARLES M. SHELDON.
of" KINGS QUESTION CLASS"
EDWARD BLAKE"
BY CHARLES M. SHELDON,

Copyright. 1870, /
sess. For since her mothers consent
she had begun to realize a little more
deeply what she was about 10 do.
81 hope so, DEAR" was the mothers
answer, and then quite naturally she
began to cry silently.
Barbara went up TO her at once, and
said; Dear mother. believe it is all
going 10 be for the best. l must be a
breadwinner. Give me your blessing
as if | were a knight of the olden time
going out to fight dragon"
"Bless you, dear girl" said Mrs.
Clark, smiling through her tears, and
Barbara kissed her silently, and then
quickly walked out of the room as if
afraid of changing her resolution.
Barbara Clark was not an eXtraor-
binary girl in the least. She was girl
with a quick, bright mind, positive in
her convictions, with impulses that
were generous and sympathetic, with
very little Plf-ssteem, affectionate
towards her friends and ambitious 10
do and be something. 1t seemed very
strange 10 her that out of all her class
In college she was one of half dozen
who had not been able TO secure posi-
ton even of a secondary character in
any school. Her fathers death had
left her and her mother alone In the
world except for a few distant rela-
tives in the west. Influences that
might have secured place for her
were not used owing 10 a compulsory
change of residence TO another city
caused by Mr.. Clark's business fail
ures. The intimate circle of close
friends that had surrounded the
Clarks during prosperity was changed
for the cold Wilderness Of strange city
lacking in personal friendliness. And
Barbara and her mother had passed
several weeks in Crawford, practically
unknown, and with the growing con-
seriousness that the little legacy and
the insurance money were being
drained seriously without hope of re-
plenishing from any source so far as
Barbara was concerned.
The girls longing 10 be bre adwin-
iner had driven her into many difficult
places. Under some conditions she
would have gone at once into one Of
the great mercantile houses of Craw-
ford as one of its great army OF sales
women. But at that time Of the year
every position was filed, except few
places that did not offer anything but
starvation wages under conditions
that Mrs. Clark positively would not
allow Barbara 20 accept so long as
there was the slightest hope Of the
girl finding an opportunity TO teach.
So for several weeks Barbara had been,
as she said, not unkindly, eating her
bread at home in bitterness. because
no one seemed 10 need her in the great
world, where the struggle for exist
ence seemed 10 her to be struggle
that made any other existence more
and more impossible.
1t was therefore not without posi-
tive feeling of relief that Barbara
Clark now hurried on 10 No. SO Ham
ilton street TO secure the position Of
"hired girl" in family OF five, en-
tire strangers to her; and she smiled
O little to herself at the thought of her
anxiety ltSt nuInDtT Ol ONDcI girls
should have been before her and Sc
cured the place.
81 am in a hurry TO look into the jaws
of my dragon" she said, as she turned
The corner into Hamilton street. II
do hope he will not swallow me down
at one mouthful before ] have had a
blow at him with my-my-broom-
stick" she added, not caring whether
the metaphor were exact or not.
She paused a moment when she
reached No. SO, and was pleased to note
that the house was not too large nor
too small.
Just an average family, / hope.
Well, here goes" she said, under her
breath. as she rang the bell. She had
studied Latin and Greek at Mount Hol-
yoke, but Here goes" was all she could
think of 10 express her courage at that
moment. After all, Here goes" may
be as good battle cry as any other to
alarm a dragon, especially if back Of