Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-11-14

the room were all tired. and cared not

to do anything.
They were nearly all girls between
eighteen and four-and-twenty. 1t was
for them, and not for the elder ladies.
that the institution really was founded
and the regulations framed. so that
they ought to have shown in their faces
and their demeanor the liveliness of
gratitude. No doubt they were CRATE
full, "and all that" but they were
heavy-eyed.
There were about fifteen or twenty of
them; they were all young ladies who
work, not ladies of the ballet or ladies
of the bar. or ladies who pose upon the
stage in lovely costumes, or ladies who
stand behind counters: nor were they
young persona 81 young girls; they
.,ere young ladies-that is, girls born
and educated in some kind Of refine
ment, whose fathers and brothers fol-
lowed the pursuits allowed to gentle
men.
They had nearly all come home from
work by this time. In most assemblies
of girls there will be heard susurrus
Of universal chatter, with occasional
bursts of merry laughter and snatch
of song; Vle most remarkable thing
about this room was the silence of the
girls. A few talked languidly In whis-
pers, but most of them sat apart and
alone in silence; two or three, laid full
length upon their backs on the sofas.
seemed contented simply to be at rest
these were the cashiers Of shops who
Lave to stand all day; others sat back
in their chairs .eaning their heads upon
their clasped hands-an attitude which
betokens complete physical exhaustion.
Nobody was reading, nobody was
laughing. nobody was singing. The
general depression was not due at all
to the regulations of the home; 1t had
nothing to do with the committee: the
girls were not in the least longing to be
out after $50, nor were they pining for
the society Of young men. They were
simply tired.
1t was about a quarter to Q when the
door opened and another girl came In.
She was a tall and beautiful girl-you
have already seen herewith light curly
hair and gray eyes and face full of
sweetness; made for love-if that
means anything, because nearly every
girls face shows the same benevolent
intention of nature. Now, alas! her
face was full of trouble. The other
girls faces showed the depression
which comes Of fatigue and monotonous
work, but there was trouble of another
kind on Katharipe's face. When she
appeared, one or two Of them looked at
her inquiringly, and read the answer to
their question in her eyes.
She sat down beside another Cir.
Evidently they were friends, these two.
as there news?" she whispered.
Katharine shook her head.
Lily, the other girl pressed her hand
in silent sympathy. She was a dark
haired, swarthy, low-browed girl, with
deep-set eyes, black eyebrows which
met, and Spanish features, though her
name was Lily, and she ought to have
been fair and dressed in white. Lily
would have looked well i'll mantilla
and in black velvet and a diamond
coronet. She was born for black vel
vet. yet by one of natures mistakes
she had to wear black stuff.
There never will be any news, Lily.
Don't speak to me just yet, dear
At this moment the two old ladies
by the fire rose from their chairs. and
the elder, generally known as Miss
Augusta, went to the piano and be-
gan to play. She always played every
evening, because she thought that mu'
sic is good for the soul and for the tenn
per and for the tired limbs, and the
irritated brain. But the music must
be good, and therefore she played
Mendelsohn's Songs Without Words
which go straight to the heart in
way hardly achieved by any other
music. She played in quiet, old
fashioned way, with the emphasis
which belonged to the time-it was
sentimental time-when she was
young.
The other old lady. her sister, Miss
Beatrice, began to walk about the
room and talk to the residents. 1t was
her opinion that young persons can be
greatly helped by sympathy and kind
ness. and that, being an old person
herself, she might perhaps administer
words of comfort and peace while her
sister was moving their hearts by the
mower of music. And, indeed, there
were times when the atmosphere was
heavy with despondency.
First, she sat down beside the woman
who was so fiercely working.
my dear" she said, "you have been
working at you business all day. Your
cheeks are flushed and your hand Is
burning. Cannot you put away your
work for a single evening"
"No-no. must work. l must work.
The others may rest, but must work.
l must work"
"Wby must work. dear? Iou are
so much better off than the rest of us.
You have such handsome salary.
Why must you work.!
1t was known that this person had a
salary of three pounds a week-actu-
ally three pounds! AS much as is
given to curate, and yet there was
no evening except Sunday when she
did not work fiercely, until the last
moment before the gas was turned
out,
"You are Christian" the worker
asked, In reply.
"Surely," said Miss Beatrice. 'Oh,
my dear, that is strange question.
What other comfort Is there Tor
poor woman, and what other hope"