Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-21

at least three of his daughters had the
kind of pride which made them feel
that it-would detract in some way
from their social position to become
clerks or bookkeepers, or even teach
ers, had they been fitted for any of
these duties. Dora had intimated
that she was willing to do something
for her own support, but there was
vigorous protest on the part of the
rest of the family because of Dora 9
manifest usefulness at home.
It was a great shock to the family
when, one autumn day, Mr.. Fifer was
brought home very i'll 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 as 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,
q lifelong friend of Mr.. Filters, 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 time when COM
mon sense is needed. I 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 any of her sisters. To
my mind she's smarter than the whole
caboodle of 'em. don't know what's
to become of that family now. doubt
if poor John Fifer left more than
enough to bury him decently, unless
there's some life insurance that /
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.
'sWhat in the world are we going to
do?" asked May with fearful eyes as
the 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 a
gesture of despair.
Goodness only knows!" exclaimed
Margaret. shaking her head dolefully.
''I know very well what shall do"
said Dora. az shall go to work."
"At what?" asked May.
AT anything 1 can get to do
"Dora Estelle Fifer!" said Rose.
sYou wouldn't do just any kind of
common work, would you?"
81 will do any kind of useful work
and as L am but a commonplace girl
am fitted for only commonplace
work.
''But you wouldn't go into any ones
kitchen, would you?"
81 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. cit is not disgrace to
do any kind of useful, honest work.
What I propose to do is to become
a general utility girl. I am not go
ing to take regular place as
house servant, although I am not
above doing so; but mother needs me
at home some of the time, and / 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 day to help him in his office.
He says that he has often wished
that he could get some one to help
him about two hours a 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 their
friends in regard to employing me as
a sort of an odd job girl
"sOdd job sounds SO unrefined,"
said Margaret.
"Well, then, you may call me a gen
eral utility girl" replied Dora. ''Since
have no great talero for any one
thing in particular, 1 must make the
most of my ability to do things in
general It cannot and shall not be
said that I am a useless person be-
cause I have no great talent in any
one direction"
The very next morning Dora re-
ceived note from one of the wealth
Ter women in MILFORD saying that Mrs.
Addison had spoken to her about
Dora, and that she had been glad to
hear of some one whom she could en-
ploy two or three hours a day.
'My eyesight is failing SO that I
am compelled to give up reading and
writing" she wrote, land I wAnt
some one to write notes and letters
for me and relieve me of a good many
other duties I am no longer able to
call on me at your earliest con-
venience?"
A day or two later Dora had a re-
nneSt 70 assist q mother in the ca re