Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1901-04-19
NRES htTla0RPHOSIS.
a story 81 .
snalllnn nlalrh.


WEe Us nNf hhuiHNN nuns AuN AANNNh
river road Ia the late November u
shine.
Il believe | never saw such an aim
less. shlftless family ln my life" Il,
clared Judge Hilton emphatIcally as a..
and his daughter Mildred detected the
thlnly clad figure before them. III
anything. she's as bad Ak the rest.
though when her mother died I lmag
ined the responsibility OF caring for
the family would nave a beneficial In
fiuence on Nan. Instead I actually be-
lIeye it's had the opposite effect. Just
look at that torn dress and ragged
shawl! n a girl had any spunk, she'd
never be seen on a thOrougifarp as
public as this Is Ia such u slattcrnly
condition"
But think. father" and Mildred look
cd up considerably. how hard size
must he obliged 10 work eyed TO exist
tie family. NJ Uncle Joe used 10 IA.
/ believe she has u load Of evergreen
now to sell for winter decorations II
isn't an easy LOT by any means the poor
girl has" And Mildred tucked the
thick robe more snugly about her.
Nan Hascall lived 10 the old abnh.
doned mill down 10y the Calls. "TTas
all the shelter Job IIascaIl could get
after bis wife's death. for rents were
not easily obtaincd When II was known
that the famlly's one source Of Income
was cut of.
Mrs. unscnll had somehow sGccccded
as by almost n miracle. frall rs she
Waa. IN providing food and shelter for
the growing family Of ted
Job was forever lounglnE about the
p~Ostoiiicc steps IN summer. and his
winter watch tower was the Scttec In
tle west window Of the small variety
store BeaT ,lHr tavern
~f"rhIps next week I'll be able to get
a Job somPwherps." he would say In
the early spring days. rs In a SHINE
faced manner he went by his wife ut
she w8siitul,. bent on his accustomed
toitfFfhg ground. and when the lrst
frost amt In the fall he would bruce
himself to declare: II may get q
chance loggIn fore winters gone.
Wouldn', wash oil the time. BETTER
Ict some few things 20"
Hut 10 let anything go" was Impos-
slble and keep the ROO over their heads
and Shoes on the many pairs Of feet.
The morning after Mrs. HAscnlrs
burial Job said to Nan: "DO the hest
you can. child. 'Tis all W. can do. even
the best OF Us. aud p'rbaps soulethin
viii turn up"
However, nothing had. save the rent
hill aud "a ghnHa Nuuu nnakfnn Nrlgh
which to meet II they were Obliged to
move Into the tumble down mill.
II gueas we eau live here awhile"
concluded Job. If we can get 'noush
60 eat aud somrthln to wear. No mat
ter II we don't have the best"
After her mothers death the strug.
gle for existence rested almost wholly
no Nan. How she managed to get
along was q six months mystery Aft
or that the people ceased to wonder.
and the Iiascalls lived only 10 their
Own thoughts.
who do you Imagine will get the
scholarship aud money for expenses at
the seminary" asked Mildred IA they
were going up the half mile bill before
reaching home.
II haven't an Ideal Yes. | have too.
iShouldn't say that And Judge Hilton
looked out Of the carriage thoughtfuily.
"Either Ralph Holman or Ethel May
Rsrd will get Il. They're by all odds
the host spoilers In town"
II don't know" dcllheratcl Mildred.
when Nan WIS IN school. she had the
reputation OF being able to spell any
word given her 80 one ever got above
her To spell well EctTmcd to be Der
a ambition She never recIted cor.
rectly In geography. Were she asked
where Russia Is Il might he the longest
river In Maine or the capital OF Ire
land for anything she could tell. and
she never wns accused OF saying the
multiplication table Accurately"
-But she will not 60" laughed Judge
Hilton.
enc: I don't suppose abe will. but II
she should she'd give them a pretty
hard push and might win. or course
no Partially could he shown In such
a contest. ! wish she'd 60" lmpul-
slvely.
And at that very moment Nan herself
was medliatlng on tie same subject.
I'D like to go. just TO show them I'm
not all fool Don't rare nOihln for the
pgize. What would ! want Of a scholar.
shipT" And Nan smiled grimly az the
thought OF such a thing. "But ! can
spell. II I don't know anything else"
\ sudden. defiant glance shot from
her deep. sngry eyes.
"Ifl 20 II I don't want Il. Just cause
81 bate them the whole kit. George
Lewis. Ethel MayBard. Ralph Holman
and 81 'cept Mildred Sues The only
enc that's e treated me decent
Guess they'll bP surprised when they
see me there" Nan snappPd Oh a
twig By the roadside 'And III beet
fhem too"
After that. wherever Nan waS-gStb-
eEiog everRreen, gOlug SITTER her wesk-
washing or cooking their AeHnty
aqae - dlsssputabie lookins spelling