Year: 1878

]


Fora week l sing about the house
like lark the next week do not sing
so much the next week do not sing
at all, but go about, heavy-eyed and
slow, and burst into tears when MAY
sits down at the old, faint hearted
piano and begins to storm away at III
Bacio." Fred's favorite waltz and mine.


might have known all the time he
would never answer that letter; it has
always been my luck. Let me see how
many lovers have I had.


There was No. | waiting on me when
my father died of heart disease, ard
left me penniless at seventeen. He
came TO see me after the funeral, and
told me that he had a great sympathy
and respect for me, and that he should
never marry unless il was some poor
girl thrown on her own resources. and
with no one TO take care Of her, as he
/ thought that was the true way for a
/ gentleman TO do; and with these senti-
/ ments he bowed himself ont for the last
/ time.


Most heavenly philosophy but then
/ he married the same year the daughter
! of n wealthy man who had never done
! anything harder in her life than 20 curl
her front hair over slate pencils.
Then there was the Young man who
wrote poetry, and threatened 10 die or
/ shoot himself when | refused kim
/ this was years ago.


lie is now in good health with e wife
and two children but always hated
men who wrote poetry.


Then there was Judge Featherby.
/ lie visited me for n year, and told me
he loved me bat something he digni-
fled by the name of pride forbade him
from saying anything more. have
been heartily glad since that he was
ashamed OF me.


But the thought of none of these
well-disposcd-of and settled gentlemen
makes the non-arrival of that letter
any easier for me. ] get weary and
cross my chest is getting weak. and
ge. faint and dizzy hy spells.
Sometimes when stand at the lace
counter and some one is pricing this
and cheapening that, | think shall
fall in dead faint from sheer cNhaus.
ton Women are 40 much harder to
suit than men. and, ten to one, 90 pick
Ing over things, very likely because 50
few of them have any money of their
| own TO spend.


The fail wind comes, and walk
over beds Of fallen leaves; then that
long, awful winter of 1874 ! waded
through high drifts and storms that
ICON ny uGcatu aNal, ~ IcAIu Saia'P
& Sniper's.


Sophia, the Oldest of my young SIS
tiers is aIling this winter. So get up
and build the fire with numb fingers. 50
as to get 10 the store at seven. Before
the spring opens, that she so longs TO
see, poor. patient, hard-workins So
phia dies.


Anticipating the life that was before
her, | have tried TO instil into her the
principle that work is her end and aim,
and that she must not expect any thing
beyond in the life of a woman who j.
both poor and unbeautiiul.


She had done all the cooking and
most Of the housework for Us three,
while have been ut Sharp IL Sniper's
and Nav has been at school.


have come home worn out and
fret:ul, TO help what i could by
snatches.


She has had about half what she
ought 10 have 10 eat, and about third
| of what she ought 10 wear. Well, she
is gone to rest now. where all hearts
are filed, and | stay where hearts are
/ hollow.


close her eyes; lay her out in the
summer silk that shoald have graccd
our wedding take the seveuty-fve dol
lars have laid away in the bank 10
buy her coffin and pay her funeral eX-
1 penses. .t... #.r.....
About this time there comes legacy
Of few hundred from an old uncle Of
ours. | send MAY OFF to school with
this, determined she shall not be like
Sophia. | am left alone. ! do my own
work. eat nv solitary meals, saited
with lonely tears. i have ceased TO
ever hope to hear from Fred again.


The June DAYS come again, hot and
long, There is the sunshine without
! happiness, and stiffness without rest.
look at the glass-I am all eyes;
my face is sharpening out, my collar
| bones protrude. am getting waspy
and thin; so much for putting my trust
| in man.


Old Sniper looked at me to-day, even
kindly and said =


Miss 10, you must have a vacation
of week or SO; this hot weather in
the couatry win do you good, and you
can work the better on your return.


SO thank him. thinking sadly that
no trip to the country can make me
happy now that l am heir henceforth
only to woman's undisputed legacy,
tears. and longing after the love and
appreciation she will not receive.


The big-hearted manager of the road,
who is acquainted with me, has given
me pass to st. Paul and return. j
care little which way go, and | have
selected this route because 1T passes
through the town where Fred Langley
lives. Though l have despised him for
his fickleness, still | have woman's
curiosity to ride through this city. even
though l. catch glimpse Of his office
window.


/ get me brown poplin travelling
suit. l find that old maids generally
wear brown poplin, and the older
they get the more colors they wear.
especially scarlet. l have always hated
red. / cannot see my way clear. just
yet, TO putting it on my bonnet; 80 l
get more youthful bunch of moss
rose buds for my hat.


One hot, bright July day set ont
on my lonely trip; once seated in the
train by the open window, my spirits
rise, for l always did love to ride in
the cars there is pleasant rush and
| ahort fham that ntoaSQS