The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-12-11


rest of the family because of Dora's
manifest usefulness at home.
1t was n great shock to the family
when, one autumn day, Mr.. Fifer was
brought home very ill and before
night the angel of death had entered
the home and the four girls were
fatherless. May and Rose became
hysterical and Margaret locked her.
self in her own room. Dora, although
her heart was rs heavy as the hearts
of her sisters, bravely took upon her.
self the duties that some one member
of the family must always assume at
such times. She discharged these du-
ties so well that old Squire Addison,
n lifelong friend of Mr.. Fifcr's, said
to his wife when he went home after
several hours spent in the Fifer home:
THAT little Dora Fifer is worth
more than all the rest of the Fifer
girls put together at a time when COM
mon sense is needed. l did admire
the way she held herself in the midst
of her sorrow to-day. I don't see
how her folks can talk as if she wasn't
as smart as any of her sisters. To
my mind she's smarter than the whole
ca Doodle of 'em. l don't know what's
to become of that family now. l doubt
II poor John Fifer left more than
enough to bury him decently, unless
there's some life insurance that l
don't know anything about"
There was one life insurance policy
for $500, and this money and her
home constituted Mrs. Fifer's entire
fortune.
"What In the world are we going to
do?" asked May with fearful eyes as
tho bereft family sat at the breakfast
table ten days after the death of Mr..
Fifer.
"What can we do?" added Rose,
clasping her hands together with n
gesture of despair.
Goodness only knows!" exclaimed
Margaret shaking her head dolefully.
81 know very well what I shall do"
said Dora. II shall go to work"
"At what?' asked May.
AT anything can get to do"
Dora Estelle Fifer!" said Rose.
"You wouldn't do just any kind Of
common work, would you?"
81 will do any kind of useful work
and as I am but a commonplace girl
l am fitted for only commonplace
| work."
"But you wouldn't go into any ones
kitchen, would you?"
"I expect to do that very thing"
"Dora Fifer!" exclaimed Rose and
May in the same breath, and May add
ed: "Do you want to disgrace the
whole family?"
"Nonsense!" retorted Dora, laugh
ing as she had not laughed since her
fathers death. ut Is not q disgrace to
do any kind Of useful, honest work
What I propose to do IS to become
a general utility girl. I am not 60
ing to take regular place as a
house servant, although 1 am not
above doing so; but mother needs me
at homo some of the time, and 1 am
going to offer my services by the
hour, day or evening to people who
want all sorts of commonplace but
necessary things done. Squire Addi'
son has already engaged me for two
hours a day to help him in his office
| He says that he has often wished
that he could get some one to helr
him about two hours day, for he
has not enough to do to employ an as
sistant all of the time. He and Mrs
Addison are going to speak TO theil
friends in regard to employing me as
a sort of an odd job girl
"'Odd job" sounds SO unrefined,
said Margaret.
"Well, then, you may call me gen
eral utility girl" replied Dora. "Sinc'
l have no great talent for any one
thing in particular, | must make the
most of my ability to do things II
general 1t cannot and shall not b,
said that I am useless person be
cause l have no great talent in any
one direction"
The very next morning Dora re
ceived a note from one of the wealth
ier women in Wilford saying that Mrs
Addison had spoken to her abou
Dora, and that she had been glad t.
hear Of some one whom she could EN-
ploy two or three hours a day.
"My eyesight is failing so that
am compelled to give up reading ant
writing" she wrote, "and l wan
some one to write notes and letter
for me and relieve me of a good man.
other duties I am no longer able t.
attend to myself. Will you kindl.
call on me at your earliest con
venieneeT
A day or two later Dora had re
quest to assist q mother in the car,
OF her children two or three hour
each afternoon.
Dear me, it seems SO much lik'
going out as common nurse girl,
! said Rose.
"The common nurse girl who doe
her duty faithfully is about as usefu
person as / know Of" replied Dor;