The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26

erable and heartbreaking life as any one knows who has tried it.
 It was just in the midst of preparations for large dinner party (the family were always on short rations for a fortnight after one of these dinner parties) that Mrs. Deane received her sisters letter, to which was added a postscript in a strange hand saying that she was dead. There was moisture in her eyes as. she read the touching lines and thought of the years gone by. "Yes,' she said half aloud, 'I will give her a home.' And then her evil nature whispered: No, I will not receive the child. We can hard ly live now, and it is my duty not to incur any additional expenses"
 Then her eyes fell on her maid-of-all- work, whose stay in the house was prob lematical owing to some difficulty over wages, and she thought: '1 might make her useful though-why should not Dora fill Bridget's place?' The matter was talked over with her daughters, and Flu genia said that of course Dora must come to them-and help in the kitchen. Tt would sound well for us to have cousin in the poor house, wouldn't it.'' she said. That was, the sort of charity which was awaiting Dora Deane.
 That very night the Deanes received letter from Nathaniel Deane, the golden uncle out in India. Dora's mother had written him some months before she died telling him how unprovided for she was leaving Dora, and to whose care she had consigned her. She would be dead. she told him, before a reply could reach her, but begged him by the old love he once had for her to write to Sarah and ask her to be kind to her child. So he had written-a pathetic let ter, full of allusions to the past-and had inclosed to Mrs. Deane a check for $500 to be applied to the benefit Of Dora, and saying that each year he would send like amount, until as Dora grew older the allowance would be increased.
 "1he old miser has really opened his heart!" exclaimed Eugenia when she read the letter. Now we'll have some solid silver forks, and not be in terror all the time lest someone should discover that we use plated ones; and, Alice, you and will have some new furs. What shall We get for you, mother?" Mrs. Deane faint ly objected that the money was not theirs, but Eugenia declared that 1t was the same thing-were they not going to take care of Dora? She and Alice would go to New York at once and bring the girl home; she had long wanted to visit the great city, but had always been too poor. Now she would go and do her shopping there. So Eugenia and Alice went to New York, and after spending nearly all the money obtained on Uncle Nathaniel's check at last found time to look up Dora, which done, they brought her home with them with an i'll grace.
 Mrs. Deane, while sometimes disturbed by the injustice which was being done to Dora, allowed the masterful Eugenia gradually to heap upon the orphan girl p,any duties until she became little better than a household drudge. Alice treated her with a fair degree of kindness, but Eugenia seemed to take delight in annoy ing her sensitive cousin by constantly taunting her with her dependence and asking her sometimes how she expected lO repay utT UtDl Ol 6idttuhC. NIcH at length the maid-of-all- l-worS left, Dora said: Don't hire another servant, Aunt Sarah let me help you, and you won't have to pay me, either-I'll only be paying you" Capital idea" said Eugenia; v wonder how you came to be so thought ful?"
 They sent Dora to school at first, but when she became kitchen maid she was able to attend less and less frequently, though she strove with all her might by studying nights to keep up with the other pupils of her grade. Once in the pres ence of her aunt and cousins Dora. who had been boring over a map of India in her geography, spoke of her Uncle Ma thaniel and wondered why he had never answered her mothers letter. Because he has nothing to say. I imagine,' snapped Eugenia. Dora, of course. never dreamed of the $500 her uncle had sent for her support, nor of the letter which