Ester Ried Yet Speaking
Author Of “Mrs. Solomon Smith Looking On,” “Hall In The Grove,” “A New Gift On The Family Tree,” “Five Friends,” “Mary Burton,” “The Pocket Measure,” “Ester Ried,” Etc., Etc.
CONTENTS
It was raining drearily, and but few people were abroad—that is, few, comparatively speaking, though the streets seemed full of hurrying, dripping mortals. In the large dry-goods store business was by no means so brisk as on sunny days, and one of the younger clerks, whose station was near a window looking out upon the thoroughfare, had time to stand gazing at the passers-by. They did not seem to interest him particularly, or else they puzzled him. His young, handsome face wore a thoughtful look, almost a troubled expression about the eyes, which seemed to be gazing beyond the passers-by. Just across the aisle from him, a lady, seated in one of the easy chairs set for the accommodation of shoppers, waited and watched him,—a young and pretty woman, tastefully, even elegantly dressed, yet her costume was quite in keeping with the stormy day. The young man's face seemed to have special interest for her, though he apparently was unaware of her existence. A close observer would have discovered that she was watching him with deeply interested eyes. Whatever served to hold the thoughts of the young man apparently grew in perplexity, for the troubled look continually deepened. At last, forgetting the possible listener, he addressed the dripping clouds, perhaps,—at least, he was looking at them:—
“I don't know how to do it; but something ought to be done. It is worse than folly to expect good from the way that things are now managed. Ester would have known just what, and how; and how interested she would have been! I try to do her work, and to 'redeem the time;' but the simple truth is, I don't know how, and nobody else seems to.”
These sentences were not given all at once, but murmured from time to time at his unsympathetic audience outside.
Patter, patter, patter, drip, drip, drip! steady, uncompromising business. It was all the answer the clouds vouchsafed him.
Pansy
ESTER RIED
YET SPEAKING.
CHAPTER I. — “IT MAY BE THAT SHE IS WORKING STILL.”
CHAPTER II. — “WHAT DID IT ALL AMOUNT TO, ANYHOW?”
CHAPTER III. — “ANYTHING UNCOMMON ABOUT ME?”
CHAPTER IV. — “I DON'T BLAME THEM.”
CHAPTER V. — “A CHRISTIAN HOME.”
CHAPTER VI. — “SATAN, HE HAS 'EM ALL THE WEEK.”
CHAPTER VII. — “WHAT A LITTLE SCHEMER IT IS.”
CHAPTER VIII. — “WHAT WOULD YOU DO, DEAR?”
CHAPTER IX. — “TREMENDOUS FACTS!” HE SAID.
CHAPTER X. — “AND SHE ALWAYS TRIED.”
CHAPTER XI. — “I HAVE BUT TO TRY AGAIN”
CHAPTER XII. — “I WANT THEM TO GET USED TO PARLORS.”
CHAPTER XIII. — “LET US BE FASHIONABLE.”
CHAPTER XIV. — “SOMETHING'S HAPPENED!”
CHAPTER XV. — “WHAT MADE HER DIFFERENT?”
CHAPTER XVI. — “HERE WAS HIS OPPORTUNITY.”
CHAPTER XVII. — “I WONDER WHAT THEY'RE ALL AFTER!”
CHAPTER XVIII. — “YOURN'S THE WAY!”
CHAPTER XIX. — “WE HAVE BEGUN BACKWARDS.”
CHAPTER XX. — “OH, WHAT A NICE THOUGHT!”
CHAPTER XXI. — “HAD HIS EXPERIMENT BEEN TOO SEVERE?”
CHAPTER XXII. — “SOME PEOPLE ARE HARD TO WARN.”
CHAPTER XXIII. — “PART OF THE GREAT WELL-TO-DO WORLD.”
CHAPTER XXIV. — “FOR YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT MAY COME.”
CHAPTER XXV. — “WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH?”
CHAPTER XXVI. — “O LORD, TAKE DIRK, TOO!”
CHAPTER XXVII. — “AN AWFUL PROBLEM”
CHAPTER XXVIII. — “MAY SHE GO WITH ME?”
CHAPTER XXIX. — “WHAT IF I BELONGED?”
CHAPTER XXX. — “IT IS NO MADE-UP AFFAIR”
CHAPTER XXXI. — “THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM”