Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-01-08

I
! Designating the uncivil comment on
her sex, Mrs. Ferguson went on.
Il did not know 50 well when engaged
| Sarah what bad character her family
| bore; one brother has been in prison
| twice"
| "All the more reason for keeping this
girl safe from evil influence. / hope
Who's that, | wonder?"
A heavy step passed the window, follow
! ed by ring at the hall bell Mrs Fer
gusson opened the study door as Jane,
their steady elder servant, passed down
the stairs, candle in hand
I've been sitting by Miss Rosie,
ma'am; she seems teverish like and rest
less; and | like being with her better
than sittin' all alone in the kitchen"
II wonder if that's Sarah come home
tonight instead of tomorrow said her
mistress.
"Lawk, no, ma'am, not likely" answer
ed Jane; "but Wen soon see who it ISL
and pulling away the chain from the
door, she opened it, disclosing a mans
figure without. He was dripping wet,
and had to hold his hat on with one hand,
or the wind would have driven it far
away; the other hand he extended with u
large, damp, yellow envelop therein. "a
teiegrattw cried Jane, taking the missivc
from him and passing it on to her mis-.
tress, who in her turn carried it to her
husband, and watched his face anXiously
As te opened and read it, A grave, per
picked look came over his features as he
handed it back.
The message was from his brother At
Fordham, a place forty miles distant, and
ran thus:
Come immediately third bad fit
my father anXiously expects you"
mo help for it, Kate" said Mr. Fer
gusson, answering his wiie's appealing
look so much may depend on my see
ing him once more that | dare not choose
but to go. How am to get to the station
though, in time for the ten O'Clock mall
| wonder? It's nearly nine now, aud five
miles on such a night as this would take
me more than an hour to walk"
walk you cannot, john" answered
his wife, diverted easily from her first
feeling Of personal voXatiOn by the dilem
ma her husband was placed in. II
know" she added quickly. "The man
who brought this message must go back
past Mr.. Hollands; ! will write note,
asking him to send Arnold and their dog
cart up for you. Anything better than
walking. | know he will do it for you"
Mr. Holland was the clergyman's
church warden and very good friend in
all parish matters, and was always ready
to do the rector service, even TO the eX
tent of sending out his horse and man on
a wet night for drive of ten miles. Mrs
FERGUSON wrote hernote hurriedly, while
her husband spoke to the telegraph Off
/ 10, I,i1
at once.
When he was gone Jane stood looking
blankly from master to mistress, and then
she said, doletully;
"And, please, sir, what's TO become of
u.s."
Become of you! Why, you will stop
and take care of the house. TO be sure"
said her master, rather shortly. Gust
take my thickest great-coat and air it by
the kitchen fire, please; and bring me
back my boots; we will have the horse
up before | am ready if you don't look
brisk" Then, closing the study door
upon himself and his wife, he added;
But | don't half like leaving you at such
a time, and with only one servant too,
and with all that money in the house
How awkwardly things happen some
timesm
He was so heartily concerned 50 evil
IDENTIFY uneasy, that, as a matter Of course,
his wife cheered him up by assuming
bright courage that she was far from feel.
ing. She fetched his coat and helped him
on with it, and even made him take some
suppcr-a hurried stand-up attair-but
anything, she said, was better than going
angry on journey; then she found a
big umbrella and winter gloves and
thick rug, which, if they got soaked
with rain, could come back in the dog
cart; and all these preparations made, she
lighted a candle and held out her hand.
lie understood the gesture.
God bless them .'he said, and followed
her up stairs to where their children sic )t,
TO give their little sleeping faces a fare
we'll kiss.
AS he stood by their bed he heard the
horse coming up TO the dOOr-thc half
hour had passed too quickly; but another
thought struck him at the last momen.
"Don't leave that money down stairs all
night, Kate put it in my dressingroom;
or, stay, put it in yonder;" and he pointed
| to a door partly overhung with a curtain.
THAT'S the safest room in the house.
Good by, my darling; | will telegraph in
the morning in time for the postman to
BRING the message. If I'm not back to-
morrow, get Allen and his wife to sleep
in the house God bless you! Good.bY"
Another moment and he was gone, and
| Jane and her mistress looked two very
lonely and deserted females indeed, as
! they stood peering out into the darkness,
| listening to the recedng wheels.
Come, Jane, this will never do" said
| her mistress at last, wiping some rain.
| drops and drops of another nature from
/ her face. Let us see that al! the doors
and windows are fast; then you had bet
] ter got WOMB snnnnr and we will mike