Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-12-06

| scribed to me, and he a member of
the Legislature.
pieced down my sister Sophia's one
summer silk for her, that bought at
such bargain, thinking that perad-
venture there might be q wedding
soon. l do not scold May when she
comes home late from the picnic with
my best sash drenched and soaked
through, my lace fchu torn, and her
toes through both her boots, and creeps
into tho bed beside me. I hug her
Into my arms instead, with that hun
cry, unsatisfed longing I always have
for kisses and caresses; but she only
says. "You strangle me, 10, you soft,
mushy thingw and moves along out of
my reach.
My name was never 10, but 1 have
always been called this on account
of my enforced manly accomplish
ments.
For week I sing about the house
like a lark; the next week I do not
sing SO much; the next week do not
sing at all, but go about heavy-eyed
and slow, and burst into tears when
| May sits down at the old, faint-heart-
er plano and begins to storm away at
III Bacio," Fred's favorite waltz, and
mine.
| might have known all the time he
would never answer that letter; it has
always been my luck. Let me see how
many lovers | have had.
There was Number One, waiting on
me when my father died of heart dis
ease and left me penniless at seven
/ teen. He came to see me after the fu-
neral, and told me that he had a great
sympathy and respect for me, and that
he should never marry unless it was
some poor girl thrown on her own re-
sources, and with no one to take care
Of her, as he thought that was the true
way for gentleman to do; and with
these sentiments he bowed himself out
for the last time.
Most heavenly philosophy! But then
he married the same year the daughter
Of wealthy man who had never done
anything harder in her life than to curl
her front hair over slate pencils.
Then there was the young man who
wrote poetry, and threatened to die or
shoot himself when l refused him
this was years ago. He is now in good
health, with wife and two children;
but always hated men who wrote
| poetry.
Then there was Judge Featherby. He
visited me for year, and told me he
loved me; but something he dignifed
by the name Of pride forbade him
from saying anything more. / have
been heartily glad since that he was
! ashamed Of me.
But the thought Of none of these
well-disposed-of and settled gentlemen
makes the non-arrival of that letter
any easier for me. I get weary and
cross; my chest Is getting weak, and 1
get faint and dizzy by spells.
Sometimes when I stand at the lace
counter and some one Is pricing this
and cheapening that, I think 1 shall
fall in a dead faint from sheer ex-
haustion. Women are so much harder
to suit than men, and, ten to one, go
picking over things, very likely be-
cause SO few of them have any money
OF their own to spend.
The fall wind comes, and l walk
over beds Of fallen leaves; then that
long, awful winter l waded through
high drifts and storms that took my
breath away, to reach Sharp &
Sniper's.
Sophia, the oldest Of my young sis
tiers, is aillng this winter, so 1 get up
and build the fire with numb fingers,
so as to get to the store at seven. Be
fore the spring opens, that she so longs
to see, poor, patient, hard working So
phia dies.
Anticipating the life that was before
her, had tried to instill into her the
principle that work was her end and
aim, and that she must not expect
anything beyond the life of woman
who is both poor and unbeautiful.
She had done all the cooking and
most Of the homework for us three
while have been at Sharp & Shippers
and May has been at school. l have
come home worn out and fretful, to
help what I could by snatches. She
has had about half what she ought to
have to eat. and about a third Of what