River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-03-17


The tones were hard and bitter, and the
sharp voice rose to fury.
Here l am, auntie,' said ch1ldlsh
voice. 81 was peeling potatoes for dln-
ner out on the porch, where II is
warmer"
A thin, shabbily clad little figure came
around the house and stood before Mrs.
Martin. The child might have been
IA: she certainly did not look the IL she
really was. She might have stepped out
Of a page Of Nicholas Nickleby" for
girls.
"Oh, here you are, auntie," MINI
licked her aunt, disagreeably. you
didn't hurt yourself hurryin'." Her
anger. however, was somewhat molli-
fed when she saw the girl had been do
ing something useful. ITS wonder,
she added, spitefuIly, you wasn't moon
in over some book or other or thinkin'
about Joe Vincent Joe Vincent, in
decd" she shifted, scornfully. Much
good it'll do you TO make eyes at MIN
when you know he is sweet on Evaline.
A hot blush rose to the girls brow al
the words, and she clenched her hands
as she set the dish down on the porch
and seated herself to complete her task
Her heart was bitter with the hard, IN
loving of her lot, and she wondered Wn!
seJzne Of the love and cheer that was al
about her could not come into her own
dark little life.
Mrs. Martin was nard by nature and
wears Of struggling with poverty and
hard luck on a New England farm had
soured what little Of the milk of hu-
man kindness there ever was in her
makeup. She loved her own daughters
after her own fashion and all her hard
ness seemed stored up against her dead
sisters child. Who knows what may
slumber at the bottom of woman S
heart? From the day her sister had
married handsome Jim Randall, who
disappeared eight years later leaving
her with boy of seven, the sisters never
spoke to each other. A daughter was
born six months after the fathers disap-
pearance, and then came ten years OF
bitter struggle. with want, before the
mother gave up, worn out. The boy had
gone west, and the girl. not II years old,
was just saved from the poorhouse by
the family pride of Mrs. Martin.
But often and often had Bella thought
that it would have been better for her
if she had gone to the poorhOuse, where
she would at least have been treated
more kindly. She was thinking some
thing of this now, and then more pleas
ing thought came into her mind, for q
blush crept slowly over her face. 1t
must have been Joe Vincent that
brought it there, for Joe Vincent was
about all the happiness there was in ner
life. He was only 19-but he was study
ing law! Some day, perhaps-but that
was far ahead.
You won't be staying here always,
Bella" he had said to her just the other
day. I'm studying law, you know, and
some day I'll have an cffice-and-
and"
But Bella had run laughing and blush
ing into the house and Joe had gone
home with bird in his heart. She was
thinking of this now, when her aunt's
harsh voice made her start:
Lands alive! Hain't you got them
potaters peeled yit?"
Yes, they are all done, auntie,'' was
the reply, as the girl entered the house,
followed by her aunt.
TITS about time" snapped the wom-
an. You amt worth your salt. wish
you had gone to the poorhouse, instid of
bein' here for my children to wait on. -
The girl smiled bitterly at the thought
of her cousins waiting on her, the house
hold drudge. She made no rejoinders,
however and her meekness seemed to
infuriate her aunt
Il wish that harum- scarum brother of
yours would come back and take you
off my hands, or that good for-nothin'
father"
stop, auntie, cried the girl. and there
was something new in her voice that
made her aunt pause. You shall not
say one word against my father, and as
for Jack. he will come back some day, as
soon as he has struck it rich out there in
the Klondike."
Yes, he's comm, retorted Mrs. Mar
tin. SOS Christmas comm, an a
purity one it'll be, won't it?"
She cast look full of bitter sarcasm
about the scantily furnished room. Her
husband, q helpless invalid from
rheumatism, sat in chair by the stove,
looking disconsolately out of the win
dow.
DO you know what I'm goin' to do
with you?" suddenly exclaimed Mrs.
Martin, in the midst of her dinner prep
arations, casting vindictive look at the
girl. I'm goin' to bundle you off to the
poorhouse, where you Belong. There's
too many mouths to feed here You can
stay here till after Sunday, but you go
bright and early Monday mornin'.''
Bella grew pale for an instant, then
she said, calmly:
You may turn me out, if you wish,
auntie, but I'll not go to the poorhouse
can go to the city and make my own
living l will not wait until tomorrow.
| will go to-day"
She left the room without further
words.
BE careful Tidy" warned MIR. Mar
tin Don't be too hard on the girl. She
is help TO you. Besides, suppose she
should find out something about the
mortgage and the deed. This farm isn't
ours you must remember"
That's just why she's got to go in
terrupted his wife. "She don't know
nothin' yit. but there amt no tellin'
when she will, an we'd better be clear
of her before she does find out The daad