Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-11-14
AFTER MANY DAYS.

'"
young man, smiling, as he dropped into the
lady's hand half a dozen gold pieces.
"Yes, you are, Edward, the very best hus'
band in the world"
"Thank you. And now I want you, dear,
to have the mantle by New Years Day. I'm
anxious to see how you will look in it."
"But, Edward, you know, we are not rich
people, and it really seems piece of extrava.
gance for me to give thirty dollars for cloak" /"
"No, it is not, either. You deserve the
mantle, Mary, and I've set my mind upon
you having it."
1t was evident the lady was predisposed to
conviction. She made no further attempt to
refute her husband's arguments, and her small
fingers closed over the gold pieces.
Edward and Mary Clark were the husband
and wife of year. He was book-keeper in
a large establishment with salary Of fifteen
hundred dollars.
X *
Mrs. Clark came into the sitting-room sud-
denly and the girl lifted her head, and then
turned it away quickly; but not until the first
glance told the lady that the fair face was
swollen and stained with tears.
Janet Hill was a seamstress whom Mrs.
Clark had occasionally employed for the last
six months.
"Won't you tell me what is troubling you,
Janet?"
"Nothing that anybody can help" answered
the young girl, trying still to avert her face.
"But, perhaps, T can. At any rate, it does,
us good sometimes to con6de our sorrows to
friend"
And so, with kind words and Embarrassing
movements of the little hand laid on theseams-
tress' arm, Mrs. Clark drew from her lips her
sad story.
She was an orphan, supporting herself by
her daily labors and she had one brother,
just sixteen, three years her junior. He had
been for sometime kind of under-clerk in q
large wholesale establishment, where he had
seriously injured himself in the summer by
lifting some heavy bales Of goods; and, at last
dangerous fever set in, which had finally
left him in so exhausted state that the doc.
tor had little or no hope of his recovery.
"And to think, shall never see him again,
Mrs. Clark" cried the poor girl, with fresh
burst of tears. "To think he must die away
there among strangers, in the hospital, with
no loving face to bend over him in his last
hours! o, George, my darling, bright.faced
brother George" And here she broke down
in a storm of sobs and tears.
"Poor child, poor child !" murmured Mrs.
Clark. "How much would it cost for you to
90 to your brother, and return ?" she asked.
"About thirty dollars have not so much
money in the world. You see, it's four hun
dred miles off,"
A thought passed quickly through Mrs.
Clark's mind. She stood still few moments,
her blue eye fixed in meditation. AT last she
said kindly: 49,.
"Well, my child, try and bear up bravely,
and we will see what can be done for you y
and the warm, cheerful tones comforted the
sad heart of the girl.
The lady went upstairs and took the pieces
out of her portemonnie. There was brief,
sharp struggle in her mind. "Some how, I've
set my heart upon this mantle" she thought,
"and Edward will be disappointed. 1 was
going out to select it this very afternoon. But
then there's that dying boy lying there with
strange faces all about him, and longing, as
the hours pass by, for sight of the sister who
loves him and would not this thought haunt
me every time put on my new cloak? After
ALL my old cloth mantle is not so bad; and it
can be turned. And I'm sure can bring
Edward over to my way Of thinking. No, !
must 20 without the mantle this time" and
she closed the portemonnie resolutely, and
went down stairs.
"Janet, putup your work this moment; there
is no time to be lost. Here is the money.
Take it and 60 to your brother"
The girl lifted her eyes moment, almost in
bewilderment, to the lady, and then, as she
comprehended the truth, a cry of such Joy
broke from her lips that its memory never
faded from the heart, through all the after
years of Mrs. Clark's life'
"George Georgew The words leaped from
her lips, as the sister sprang forward to the
low bed where the youth lay.
He opened his large eyes suddenly "a flush
passed over his pallid face. He stretched out
his arms. 20, Janet Janet have prayed
God for the sight Of you once more before
died"
"His pulse is stronger than it has been for
two weeks, and his face has better hut" said
morning visit through the wards of the hopital:
"His sister came yesterday and watched
with him." answered the attendant nurse,
glancing at the young girl, who hung breath
less over the sleeping invalid.
"Ah that explains it. I'm not'certain but
that young man has power enough to recover,
if he could have the care and tenderness, tor
the next two months, which love alone can
furnish"
How Janet's heart leaped at the blessed
words That very morning she had an in
terview with her brothers employers. They
had been careless, but not Intentionally un.
kind, and the girls story enlisted their SYM
pathies.
In day or two George was removed to a
more quiet, comfortable private home, and his
sister installed herself by his couch, as his
nurse and comforter.
Three years have past away. Mrs. Clark
sat in her chamber, humming nursery tune,
to which the cradle kept ort,of rhythmic
movement. Suddenly the door opened.
"Sh-sh," said the young mother, and she
lifted her finger with smiling warning as
her husband entered
"There's something for you, Mary. 1t
came by express this afternoon"
The lady removed the cover, with eyes fill.
ed with wonder, while her husband leaned
over her shoulder and watched her movements.
A white box disclosed itself, and removing
the lid, Mrs. Clark deserted small, elegantly
chased hunting watch. She lifted it with a
cry of delighted surprise, and touching the
spring, the case flew back, and on the inside
were engraved these words:
"To Mrs. Mary Clark; in token Of the life
she saved "
20, Edward! it must have come from
,,l To,.t It'll o.o1,;,,,1 fba 1odv