The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-08-07
A CLEAR BALLOT FOR A WIFE
BY w. II. II. b.
continued from last week. ]

Trinity Lodge, and when young Winslow
showed him the heading to the subscrip-
ton paper he determined that Masonic
aid should be the first that should reach
distressed brother, especially one who
was SO beloved as Brother Pearson. He
therefore quit work little before noon,
and went direct to the Master of Trinity
Lodge, Mr. David Wakelee, and tod him
of what had taken place at the shop.
The Master at once sent word to his wife
not to wait dinner for him, as he should
be absent on. Masonic duty, and then
stepped over to brother Mason's store
and ordered such necessities of life as he
thong hit might be needed at the sick broth
er's house He then went in adv a1ce to
see Bro. Pearson land almost scolded him
because he had not sent word to him
that he was sick, Bro. Pearson said he
had no one to send, and if it had not
been for the visits Of young Hiram VIM
slow he didn't know how he and Alice
would have got along. The Master left,
promising to come again in the evening,
with his wife and Warren Sanford, who
had told him that he would come and
watch with him that night. Alice heard
the remark, and, while she disliked to
leave her father, she felt as though to
have part of the care taken from her
mind for little while, would be great
blessing.
Toward dark young Hiram Winslow
knocked at the back door. and as be
stepped upon the wellworn stone step he
saw large basket filled with bundles,
and just beside the handle was a small
slip of brown paper written in coarse
hand, For Mr.. Pearson, by friend. !"
Young Hiram Winslow gazed at it for a
moment before he knocked, and wonder
ed who had been there before him. He
thought some one must have found out
the wants of his friend, and this was the
way they were doing good without being
did so the thought came to him to put
the money in the basket; but before be
had time TO unroll the money from the
paper he heard the light step of Alice
inside. He dropped the money, paper
and all, into the basket just as she open
ed the door and babe him come in.
When she opened the door she could not
see the basket. so young Winslow called
her attention to it, and she wondered
where it come from. He passed it up
to her SO she could read the note beside
the handle, and when she had finished
she attempted to take the basket from
him, but it was too heavy for her to lift.
Young Winslow carried it in, and as he
did so great tears dimmed the eyes of the
girl, for she in her own heart knew how
acceptable the gilt was. She thought
that he had brought it. but he denied
that he did so, and told her that it was
on the steps when he came. She won
dered where it could have come from but
no one could tell her Young Winslow,
after few moments conversation with
her, passed into the room where Mr.
Pearson was sick, and asked how he was.
Mr.. p. replied in feeble voice that he
thought he felt better. Just here Alice
came into the room, when her father, ad-
dressing his remarks to his young friend,
said: 6 | fear my sickness will wear out
Alice, for she grows paler with the watch
ing and care of me" Young Winslow
thought she did look care-worn, and Of
fered to watch that night. Mr.. Pearson
said be would be glad to have him do so,
and as Warren Sanford was coming too,
he would have company through the
weary night. So it was arranged that
young Winslow and Warren Sanford
were to watch that night and to let Aice
have a good night S rest.
As Alice and her visitors sat talking,
Mrs. Wakelee came in and said that her
husband would come over after the
Lodge was closed to see Mr.. Pearson /;
as it was a festival night and he was
Master of the Lodge, he could not leave
very we'll before the close. Mrs. W.
went with Alice into the sick room,
where they talked long time with Mr..
Pearson, and when she went away Alice
said it seemed to her that an angel had
been there to cheer up and comfort her.
Young Winslow admired the manner of
Mrs. Wakelee, who moved like one ac-
customed to the sick room. aud her pleas
art voice charmed him, as she talked
about matters that would tend to CON-
tort the sick brother. About 10 o'clock
Mr.. Wakelee aud Warren Sanford came
in. Mr.. Pearson was anxious to see
them, as he longed to be present with
them that night. He asked numberless
questions of Mr.. Wakelee and Mr.. Sand
ford, until it was feared be would become
fatigued, and they got up to go out of
the room; But he called them back and
said if they would stay and talk he would
not say q word. The meeting was talked
over, and there was no more interested
listener than Hiram Winslow. 1t was
near "low twelve before Mr. and Mrs
Wakelee arose to depart, promising to
call again on the morrow. Soon after
they left, preparations for the night were
made. Alice was to sleep in the parlor,
close to her fathers room, while Sand
ford and Wiuslow were to sit in the back
kitchen, so they could talk and read if
they wished it. After all was quiet, and
Hiram was certain that Alice was asleep,
and her fathers medicine had been ad
ministered. he began to ask Sanford to
tell him what the principles of Masonry
were. Although Warren Sandford was
a new Mason, he stated briefly the prin-
eiples on which the craft is founded.
Young Winslow. before the morning
watch was over, determined to see the
mysteries of Masonry, and SO expressed
himself to his companion.
b,.,, 70