Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-11-18

lieve it's you. Say something. Let
me hear the sound of your voice, ia
Their"
The judge tried to smile
why, my dear girl, T.
Shirley threw her arms round his
neck.
'Ah, yes, now 1 know it's you," she
cried.
"Of course it is, Shirley, my dear
girl. OF course it is Who else would
it be?'
"Yes, but it isn't the same" insisted
Shirley. There is no ring to your
like an echo. And this place." she add
ed dolefully, "this awful place.
She glanced around at the cracked
ceilings, the cheaply papered walls, the
shabby furniture, and her heart sank
as she realized the extent of their mis-
fortune She had come back prepared
for the worst, to help win the fight for
her fathers honor, but to have to
struggle against sordid poverty as well,
to endure that humiliation in addition
to disgrace-ah that was something
she had not anticipated! She changed
color, and her voice faltered. Her ia
ther had been closely watching for
just such signs, and he read her
thoughts.
Its the best we can afford, Shirley"
he said quietly. 1.-The blow has been
complete. / will tell you everything
oh irI1c 70 Nv
mics have done for me at last"
''Your enemiesY cried Shirley eager
ly. "Tell me who they are so 1 may
go to them"
Eyes, dear. you shall know every
thing, but not now. You are tired after
your journey. Tomorrow sometime
Stott and 1 will explain everything"
VERY WELL father, as you WISH"
said Shirley gently. after ALL" she
added in an effort to appear cheerful,
what matter where we live so long
as we have each otherT'
She drew away to hide her tears and
left the room on pretense of inspecting
the house. She looked into the dining
room and kitchen and opened the cup
boards, and when she returned there
were no visible signs of trouble in her
face.
tits cute little house, isn't it?" she
said. 1--WE always wanted a little
place like this all to ourselves. Oh, if
you only knew how tired am of New
York and its great ugly houses, it's
retinue of servants and it's domestic
and social responsibilities! We shall
be able to live for ourselves now, eh,
father?
She spoke with a forced gayety that
might have deceived any one but the
judge He understood the motive of
her sudden change in manner, and
silently he blessed her for making his
burden lighter.
Eyes, dear, it's not bad" he said
'Theres not much room, though"
There's quite enough" she insisted.
"Let me see." She began to count ON
her fingers. Upstairs, three rooms,
| eh, and above that three more
NO." smiled the judge; then comes
the roof"
"Of course" she laughed; chow stu.
pid of me "a nice gable roof, a sloping
roof that the rain runs off beautifully
Oh, l can see that this is going to be
awfully jolly-just like camping out
You know how l love camping out
And you have a piano too"
She went over to the corner where
stood one of those homely instrument.
which hardly deserve to be dignife(
by the name piano, with a cheap
gaudily painted case outside and til
pan effect inside, and which are usual
ly to be found in the poorer class o.
country boarding houses. Shirley sa
down and ran her fingers over tn,
keys. determined to like everything.
Its a little DID," was her comment
"but l like these either effects. It,
just like the sixteenth century spinet
l can see you and mother dancing
stately minuet," she smiled.
What's that about mother dancing? 2
demanded Mrs. Rossmore, who at tina
instant entered the room. Shirle.
arose and appealed to her:
Isn't it absurd, mother, when vol
come to think of it, that anybod,
should accuse father of being corrup
and of having forfeited the right to b.
judge? Isn't it still more absurd tina
we should be helpless and detected AM
unhappy because we are on Long Is
land instead of Madison avenue? VIII,
should Manhattan Island be a happie
spot than Long Island? Why shouldn'
we be happy anywhere? We hav
each other, and we do need each 9th
er. We never knew how much till to
day, did we? We must stand by eacl
other now. Father is going to clear hi
name of this preposterous charge, an
we're going to help him, aren't We
mother2 We're not helpless just be
cause we are women. We're going t
work, mother and L.
"WorkT' echoed Mrs. Rossmore
somewhat scandalized.
Work" repeated Shirley very de
! cisively.
The Judge interfered. He would No