Year: 1878

We were waiting-rather impatiently
it must be confessed-for the arrival of
our step-mother. We three girls had
said all we could to influence father
against marrying again, but in spite of
our entreaties and threats, he had gone
ard married an old maid, whom we had
never seen or heard of, and we had a
letter from him saying that he would
be home that day. We all had our
trunks packed and were ready to leave.
Where to go we had not fully decided.
At first we talked of going before they
arrived, but as there was no one to
leave the three youngest hOpefuls with,
we had decided to stay and make ready
for their reception.


Perhaps | might as well introduce our
family here us anywhere. | am twenty
three years old and my name is Susan,
not very pretty name-in fact, a very
homely One-and in this case the name
and the person go very well together.
My next younger sister, Nellie, is pret-
ty, and as good as she is pretty. She is
twenty. Belle, the youngest of the
three older ones, is only eighteen and
as big witch as ever was born. She
had been the torment of my life ever
since mother died, and had charge of
the family. Three boys, Charlie, aged
five, George, aged eight, and Willie,
aged ten, completed our family circle.
They were so young that it made no
difference TO them how our family af-
fairs run, SO | will say nothing more
about them.


Belle was the first to vow she would
have nothing to do with anv old maid
father might bring home, and had told
him so to his face, IL thing | did not daIe
to do when he talked to me, and said
must try and reconcile Belle. Then was
the time l ought to have spoken my
piece, but | did not dare to. And so he
went away expecting me to reconcile
Belle, but instead of doing this, had
stirred up such fuss that the gentle
Nellie had consented to leave with us, IL
thing | had anticipated serious trouble
in bringing about, and which | was as
tonished very much at accomplishing so
easily.


None of uskad counted the cost of such
movement, except Nellie, who had
written to Aunt Agnes, fathers sister,
that she should go to Acushnet and
spend few weeks.


Now, as we sat in the parlOr waiting
the arrival of our unwelcome step-mOth-
er, asked Belle if she knew where she
was going when we left home.


"Going7 No Pm sure don't, and l
don't want to know. am going out to
seek my fortune. It's lucky I've just
graduated and got my diploma, for now
l can go to keeping school. Pm going to
some country town and apply for sit
uation as teacher, and if don't get a
place in one town Pll go to another. |
have got some money and can live for a


month or two without any trouble. But


| don't have any fears for the futnre. In


fact l glory in the uncertainty of my
career"


What girl-not afraid of anything,
and plucky as boy! But she was so
changeable that was afraid she would


not succeed as teacher, or anything


else. However she always would have


her own way, and so l said nothing tC


discourage her in her school teaching


hobby, for she had always said she


should teach school when she had finish


ed her education. She was to 90 the
!, Normal school at the commencement O
the next term, but now she said she


should give that up, as it would take too


long before she could be earning any


thing.


, but what are you going to do, Sue 2
asked Belle, as she stood looking out o
the window.


"Nothing at present You know
have money enough for all our presen
5 needs, and | thought that you and Mel
!, would 90 to Millville with me, and Mel
, could teach drawing, while / could taxi
t few pupils in music, and we woulC
try and send you to the Normal schoo
, as had been decided"


} ''No you DON'T" said Belle, with he
t usual emphasis. "I'll look out for my
b. self. and YOU look out for Nell. She il


not very well, and she must not do any


thing at all. will send you what money


1 can spare, and you and Nell can hv'


on that and the interest of what yOl


have in the bank. But want you t,
r understand one thing; never will taxi
b another cent from father. l suppose h'
y will try to make us come back, but
} won't do it. Pm bound not to have any
: thing to do with the old witch of a wO
t man he is bringing here. IN fact, | hav'
: made up my mind not to see her at all.
e AS she finished speaking, she put ol
= her cloak and hat, and took up he
r satchel.


D ''Don't go Belle" said Nellie in alarm
: .Perhaps we shall like the woman afte
b all, and we will not have to go away"
a mot much,n said Belle. ''Tve mad
o up my mind to go, and Pm going"
: She threw her satchel upon the sofa
0 and rushed off down the steps befOr
D we could say word.


/ She soon returned with hackmau
a who took her trunk, and, in spite of a
[. our entreaties, she kissed us goodbye
: and was gone before we hardly knew ii
: and without giving us any idea of wher
: she was going, only saying, Cpl writ
= when get there"


After watching the back until it wa