The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-08

and trick ourselves out in ball cos
tunes that will be the envy of Bar
Harbor l shall pay the expense of
this trip as partial return for your IA
TIERS kindness in getting me an in
vitation and your mothers kindness in
allowing me to be one of your party"
"Oh, then it isn't an elopement, but
a legacy. Has the wicked but wealthy
relative died"
Eyes" said Dorothy solemnly, her
eyes on the floor.
"Oh, 1 am SO sorry for what I have
just saidp'
You always speak without think
ing" chided her mother
yes, don't I? But, you see, 1
thought somehow that Dorothy had no
relatives, but if she had one who was
wealthy and who allowed her to slave
at sewing. then I say he was wicked,
dead or alive, so therer'
"When work is paid for it is not
slavery" commented Sabina with Sc
verify and justice.
The sewing girl looked up at her.
my grandfather, in Virginia, owned
slaves before the war, and 1 have
often thought that any curse which
may have been attached to slavery
has at least partly been expiated by
me, as foreshadowed in the Bible,
where II says that the sins of the IA
theirs shall affect the third or fourth
generations. l was thinking of that
when ! spoke of the shackles falling
from my wrists, for sometimes, Miss
Kempt, you have made me doubt
whether wages and slavery are as in
compatible as you appear to imagine.
My father, who was a clergyman,
often spoke TO me of his fathers
slaves, and, while he never defended
the institution, l think the past in his
mind was softened by a glamour that
possibly obscured the defects of life
on the plantation. But often In de-
preston and loneliness / have thought
l would rather have been one of my
grandfather's slaves than endure the
life have been called upon TO lead"
"Oh, Dorothy, don't talk like that
or you'll make me cryp' pleaded Kate.
"Let us be cheerful, whatever happens.
Tell us about the money. Begin Once
upon time and then everything will
be all right. No matter how narrowing
such a story begins, it always ends
with lashin's and lashin's of money or
else with a prince in a gorgeous uni
form and gold lace and you get the
half Of his kingdom. Do go on"
Dorothy looked up at her impatient
friend, and a radiant cheerfulness
chased away the gathering shadows
from her face.
"Well, once upon a time lived very
happily with my father in a little rec
tory in little town near the Hudson
river His family had been ruined by
the war, and when the plantation was
sold or allowed to go derelict what
ever money came from it went to his
elder and only brother. My father was
a dreamy scholar and not business
man, as his brother seems to have
been. My mother had died when I
was a child I do not remember her.
NY father was the kindest and most
| patient of men, and all I know he
| taught me. We were very poor, and
undertook the duties of housekeeper,
which I performed as well as l was
| able, constantly learning by my fail
ures. But my father was so indiffer-
ent to material comforts that there
were never any reproaches. He taught
me all that know in the way Of what
/ you might call accomplishments, and
/ they We're of a strangely varied order
! "a smattering of Latin and Greek, a
good deal of French. history, litera-
! ture and even dancing as we'll as mu-
| sic, for he was an excellent musician
| Our meager income ceased with my
| fathers life, and l had to choose what
| l should do to earn my board and
keep, like Orphant Annie in Whiteomt
Riley's poem. There appeared to be
three avenues open to me. l could be
q governesS, domestic servant or dress
/ maker l had already earned some
/ thing at the latter occupation, and
| thought If l could set up in business
for myself there was a greater chance
| of gaining an independence along that
line than either as a governess or serv
ant. But to do this needed at Least
& little capital
Although there had been no com
munication between the two brothers
for many years. I had my uncle's ad
dress, and I wrote acquainting hin
with the fact of my fathers death and
asking for some assistance to set up il
business for myself. promising to re
pay the amount advanced with inter
est as soon as was able, for, although
my father had never said anything
against his elder brother, 1 somehow
had OWNED rather than knew that hs
was hard man, and his answering
letter gave proof of that, for it con
tanned no expression of regret for hi:
brothers death.
MY uncle declined to make the ad
vance I asked for, saying that man,
years before he had given my fathe
/ coON x-hiah had Hoo-0