Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-01-04
CHAPTER I.

~ nv life WILL DC 4lh0 n0"'
F2 mso g. sneaker was thin, nervous look
In7 Ip0 With large gray eyes, and a
Ing gu, She stood with her rough
TeaA taD5s cIasped tightly together, and
eneu LOO -,nro rolling down her cheek, and
tears WI ,,rboaded on her shabby serge
falling unne'u'N
gown. ,rousa also wore an old serge
au hit somehow the garment did not
sonn' tn he as shabby or as ugly as that
Sesn ~ 1aon Thwait had on; her small
TlIS w. rare roughened, too, as with much
nalL' ro- their shape was exquisite, the
EoIn, slender and straight, not swollen
ln;'- 1;sfgrrpd with chilblains like poor
anu bnr little head was poised proud
jean how shoulders; she carried herself
y ;.5 regal air, and gave evidence at
S VIII oorIv age of possessing that most
s .nr5 Of gifts, beautiful face:
'', T,b h. q dreary place this Female Or
w., AsrnIum was, to be sure! There
yn-D an air of gloom in the dirty-gray-
Wa I.,od walls: an unspeakable sense of
'O: 1nos, and restraint in the unlovely,
& rGrb-raI1ad grounds, the severe matron,
+o rorng persons in their d:ngy uniform
- brro serge. with their ddster aprons
Va +bic, gray stockings. It was called
H., Girls Home in Broadborough, and
s,ror was ANYTHING under tie sun so mis-
-.oo1 From morning till night the day
r,,o onp long round of drudgery, good
Sarl manual labor, lightencd by many
nrovprs and by one hours so-called rec
..otion in which the girls found many
add tasks to perform that were not ex-
actIv in the category of idleness or pleas
ure
The Mayor of Broadboropgh had much
~ sov in the matter of election into this
asrIum, and it was entirely through his
inanpnce that Jean Thwait, granddaugh-
for Of old Samuel Thwait, the bookseller,
vas Drovided with home when the old
man died suddenly and left Ter, little
child without a penny or a known rela-
tive in the wide world. Everybody knew
that Ralph Thwait, Jeans father, had
made bad marriage, but the shop of
SanupI Thwait had been an institution
in the town, and naturally out of respect
tn an old inhabitant the Mavor did his
best to get the orphan girl we'll cared for
in the future. This done, little Jean
Thvait troubled no one any more; so
Jean was left to the tender mercies of the
matron, and grew up from babyhood to
girlhood, working in the gloomy routine
Of the asylum as hard as though she
we're Of the stronger, not the feebler,
sex Most Of her companions were cases
like her own, all respectfully connected,
with an occasional aunt or cousin to
pay them a visit on the day set apart
for this function. and who all with one
accord held up their heads and looked
down on jeans pet, Audrey Maxse.
How this latter ever got into the home
was a miracle to most people. A found
ling, the waif and stray child of vag-
rant woman who breathed her last in the
marlborough workhouse inirmary, she
was. by general consent, considered as
outside the pale and therefore ineligible
for election into the institution sacred to
the memory of the pious widow of a rich
scarborough tradesman.
AudreyS pride had brought down many
weary punishment on her head; her
fearless, outspoken disposition was call
ed rebeIliOus; her innate sense of deli
caCy and neatneSs became nordinate van
lty and her beauty was the last straw
10 the heap of objections that the matron
and her assistants piled on this girl. Ev-
cry means had been tried 10 crush Au-
dFeys proud spirit. Every possible bar
ner had been thrown in the way of her
Advancement in education, and yet, in
spite OF ALL the girl progressed; her hot
pHde her extraordinary will carried all
Oetore her, and to the chagrin of the mat
ron and her other enemies, at the usual
!ooHc examinations, held IN the charnel-
AooSe-uke schOolrOom, before the Mayor
ana committee, it was always Audrey
NaHSe who carried off the i1st marks for
Fo1cency and general satisfaction.
IN all the years she had lived at the
asylum Audrey had only ore friend, one
loving heart to sympathize and help her
IL her troubles and this was Jean
AWAIT Often and often ct night, when
NE TWO young creatures we're alone in
HeE cold meagerly furnished bedroom,
Isy sat and whispered in the dark of the
une when they should be free from the
miserable place they called their home.
we are alone in the world, JEAN"
aubrey would say there is nothing to
sup U.s. We must leae here when we are
SSS'en'een-the rules of the home won't
~ Us remain longer-and then we will
~ away toSther, and work for each 9th
e., ana be happy! We will leave Eng
to.U' Jean. and go abroad want to see
",Tsn lands, don't you?'
Ou' you forget, darling: we've may
0us TO service before we are free! ~
n, n0uSey always shuddered st the word
w parting was not a thought now; it
.S reality, a horrible reality. Three
SS otIoEe this one that saw Audrey
;,s"Sea IN putting her few coarse clothes
b '4e yellow tin box, the girls had
c5 49, summoned into the chapel and cate
a. '. .I oy clergyman, who came in place
f., 'Us ordinary minister. He seemed to
~ "oen pleasure in examining Audrey
f,,1 certain points, ard the girls clear.
r,9 VISA voice added to her intelligence and
On him. -A'"ue d great LII 'ieSsion
- AlSeT the girls were dismissed, he had
!, S-y't CHAT with Miss Irons, the matron,
~, we course of which he told her he
MAJ, ANXIOUS to find a young woman as
isJ;D LOT q lady who was one of his par
My wife can find NO one suitable.