The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-21

| lllOt1ltT WITCH ollt ital nCo tut
result of her daughters shopping.
"Why, that's not the set | chose y
said she, when the boxes were opened.
II know it, mother but then | pre-.
ferred these
You have strange taste, | must
confess. Anybody can get stone.
martin"
"Then / shall be Ia mode replied
the daughter with a smile.
eyes, with the vulgar herd, ~ said the
lady scornfully.
"These are pretty, equally comfort
able, and did not cost near as much as
the sable" answered Alice in extenu.
alton. But her mother was not to be
Modified
" What have you to do with the cost i?
Didn't your father give you enough to-,
day for the other?'
" Yes, mamma and more too"
" How Clara Morgan will laugh when
she sees those old.fashioned things; and
well she may"
Z" care not for that | shall enjoy
mine none the less for seeing her with
more costly ones"
To avoid further remonstrances Alice
retired to the library, and addressed II
note to Dr. Weston, The family physi-
clan. She begged him to call that even
ing at No. If Ann street, and prescribe
for the two inviduals there. Enclosed
was hundred bill, from which she
wished him to deduct his fee, and APP.
propriate the remainder to the necessa.
res of the family.
There was also a request for him to
keep the matter secret. He under
stood and appreciated this, for more
than once he had been the almoner of
Miss Durand's bounty, and he would not
abuse her confidence.
a few days after the dress came home.
1t was neatly made, and beautifully en-
broidered. As Alice examined the
graceful design and elaborate needle
work, she thought of the trembling
fingers that wrought it.
Yielding to the impulse Of her heart,
she set out Immediately for the resi-
dence of Mr.. Lester. Something told
her that she would find Jane at ..ome !;
and sure enough, she had become so
much worse that it was impossible for
her TO leave the house, yet she was try
ing to sew, that the family might not
staryc. The doctor had found Jane and
her father exceedingly i'll but as they
were in a comfortable house, barely fur
nishcd with neccssaries it is true. for
not superiluous article was there, he
feared to wound their pride by Offering
more than his professional services. It
is needless to say he returned the money
sent by Alice on the first opportunity.
Alice, - whom the n.rast between
her own luyrcious home and the cheer
less apartment she was III, suggested real
poverty, while the feeble efforts Of Jane
to continue to work confirmed that
something more was needed.
"This, surely, is disobedience to the
doctors orders" she said, gently taking
the work from the invalid.
Now you must not plead necessity"
she continued, Z" for here is reply in
advance to that argument" and she
slipped her purse into James trembling
hand.
No words Of thanks fell from the
poor girl quivering lips for the gener
Gus aid so delicately given but her
glisiening eyes and silent pressure of
the hand that bestowed it told her
gratitude
Many visits after this did the child of
luxury and wealth make to the sick
girl, whom neither her loving care nor
physicians skill could save. Gradually
she paled away, very gradually her
strength failed, but her heart grew
stronger all the while-strong to endure
the sundering Of sweet ties that bound
her to the earth-strong to meet the
terrors Of death so near Her father
was recovering, so the meek daughter
was resigned, since the little ones would
have him to provide for them.
Alice was returning home from visit
ing the Lester family one day, and had
just emerged from a cross street into
Broadway. when gaily decorated sleigh
passed, filed with ladies and gentlemen
of her acquaintance. She did not OBJ
serve them, Clara Morgan caught sight
Of her, and said to young man at her
side:
Well, if there isn't Alice Durand
coming out of Ann street, and on foot,
too What in the world can she be
doing there p
mot visiting any of her friends,
imagine" said Mr.. Benton.
mere II llo hIlONiHS SHc tdhtS
very curious freaks sometimes. Only
think of her purchasing Il cheap set Of
furs, when to my certain knowledge her
mother wanted her to have some like
mine"
She certainly could afford the most
fashionable and expensive
"Of course and that's what makes 1t
appear so strange
1t seemed somewhat strange to George
Penton too for he had heard the cir
cumstance of the purchase from his sis
ter, who was with Alice at the time: but
still he believed that she must have
good motive for the act-DIiss Durand
did not act unreasonably. SO thought
he, "She has been to see some poor one
in Ann street where Only peor families
live-tlat is fact number two" and he
began to make deductions, yet reserved
the final inference to be drawn from
further premises. Fact number three
was furnished not long after. 1t was in
this wise. He was at large party, and
searching through the crowded rooms
for Alicp whom ba prpSImpI IN bp