Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-01-13

Sul AOcltJ N1S sutlolCh' 1hcu tutV
onre more locked their door, AMI
faint with fatigue and sorrow, sat
down to swallow the halt-cold tea
and toast brought up by an Irish
servant, whose sympathy, though
coarsely expressed, had been very
acceptable.
The homewarl journey, to which
few hours earlier they had looked
forward with sach pleasure, must
now lie postporel till they could
summon fortitude to meet their
aunt. The little gifts for friends
and relatives, that had been labor
of love to select, were put aside
with many signs and Miriam, after
doing her best to wear q cheerful
face. and coax her sister to eat,
suddenly succumbed TO her pas
sionate regrets, and throwing her.
self on the bed, wept herself to
sleep.
Bat Katie did not follow her ex-
ample. She tenderly drew the
clothes over the sleeper, and kissed
her flushed cheek, and then wrap
ped herself in a shawl, sat down to
take serious view Of their posi-
ton.
1t was bitter Disappointment 10
be obliged to postpone her mar
riage, and she felt that in justice
t. her hetrothed she must put an
end to the engagement; for she
mnst no longer work for berself--
no longer set aside for her own uses
every hard-earncd shilling that
could be spared from her daily
needs. The widow and the father
less hal suffered hy her want Of
caution, and for them she must
toll Increasingly until the debt was
paid.
Then poor Katie began to ca'cu-
late how much ,he might save in
the coarse Of a year by dint Of
denying herself. and striving to
procure some employment for her
evenings! hor heart sank as she
comprehended that years must
elapse before the task size set her.
self could be accomplished. Only
last night so happy, and now
Katie slid off the chair on to her,
knees and gradually found comfort.
The neighboring clocks sounded,
midnight, and then the small hours;,
bat still she knelt there, uncon-.
scious of the lapse of time, till
Miriam tossed and moaned, and
then set up in bed, staring about
her, with curious vacant look in
her blue orbs.
Was she going to bo illi At
the prospect of this addition to,
their anXieties Katie's revived spir-
its sank again, and she arose and
approached her sister to question
her. But Miriam, who had also
risen, brushed past her without
appearing to hear the afTectionate
inquiry, and STOPPING over the
trunk that had contained the notes
began searching in it. She tossed
the contents over and over, mutter-
ing to herself the while, until sLe
found a small packet not unlike the
lost one in size and shape, and
wrapping her waterproof tightly
around her, went straight to the
window, which she opened.
Katie's heart almost ceased to
bat, for she saw that the young
girl was in state of somnambu-
lism, and II dim conception Of what
might have occurred on the pre-
vions night began to steal into her
mind. Unconscious of her terrified
sisters grasp on her skirts, Miriam
climbed out Of the window, and.
still followed by Katie, f,arl ssly
made her way along the parapet
to where there stood a nower-
pot containing a withered shrub
and a few handfuls of mould. Over
this she stoored, taking. out tho
plant, to which the dry earth firm,
ly adhered, and carefully deposit
ing the packet beneath it. This
done, the somnambulist returned to
her own room in tho same way she
had quilted it, crcpt into bed again
and slopt soundly for some hours.
1t was not till the day had dawn
eel that Katie could nerve
herself TO repeat the cSploit--and
then it was on her hands and knees
that she crawled alonr the gntter-