The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-05

| wood, and it was one hearty kiss, Civ
ell and taken before the old people,
and then good-by.
But saw him pass soon after day.
break and he saw me and waived his
hand, for had sat by the window all
night. lest ] might let him go by and
asleep.
And then the time glided on sadly,
but pleasantly as we'll. Mine was a
busy life, for soon my father took to
his bed, lila bed he never left again,
for he gradually sank and died, leav-
ing my poor mother in very indiffer-
ent circumstances.
It was Il hard blow for both of us,
for he had been one of the kindest
and truest OF men, but while poor mo-
Their pinned and waited, had my hope
full days in view, and from time to
time letters from dear Jack, all so
true and honest and full of trust in the
future that I felt as if though I could
not repine even when greater troubles
fell upon me.
For at the end of two years I was
standing at the bedside where lay poor
mother sinking fast, She had no par
ticular ailment, but had literally pinned
and wasted away. The bird had lost
it's mate for many years, and when at
last she kissed me and said .:Good-by,'
it seemed to me to be a quiet, rest
seeking spirit, and she spoke like one
looking hopefully forward to the
meeting of him who had gone before.
But she could think Of me even then,
and almost her last whispered words
| were:
"Only eleven months more: Grace,
and then he will be back to fetch
you.
Poor mother! she would not have
passed so peacefully away if she had
known that which l withheld--name-
ly, the news which came from our law.
yer. For, through the failure of the
enterprise in which my fathers say.
ings had been invested, and which
brought us Il little income of $50 a
year, was left penniless-so poor in
fact that the furniture of the cottage
in the little town, to which we had
moved after we left the farm, had to
be sold to defray the expenses of the
funeral.
It was very hard to bear, and for a
month | was terribly depressed; but
| there was that hopeful time ever draw.
ing ncar-the end of the three years
when Jack would come to fetch me to
| be his wife.
| It was now for the first time that
remember feeling particular about my
personal appearance, and studied my
glass to see if Jack would find me look
! ing careWOrn and thin, and nv glass
told me truly-yes.
before another month was over,
through the kindness of people who
had known us, was placed where I
could work contentedly for the bread
| [ must earn till Jack should come to
fetch me away.
It was 4 large West End dress
maker S, and it was hard work to get
! used to the hurry and excitement of
the place, where there were twelve
girls living in the house and as many
more came every day.
There were all kinds of petty perse-
cutions and tyranny, to be submitted to
at first, and suppose some Of the fool
ish girls were jealous of me and my
looks, SO much SO that l found they
nicknamed me "The Beauty Poor
girls! IT they had only known how
little store set by my looks they
would have behaved at first as they
did later on.
The first thing that won them to me
was when Mary Sanders was taken in
with a terrible fever. Nine. Granger
was for sending her away at once. on
| account OF her business and the infec-
ton, but the doctor who was called in,
Il young. impetuous. but very clever
man, told her that it would be at her
peril it she did so, for Mary Sanders
life was in danger. So the poor girl
was shut up in her bedroom without a
soul to go near her except Il hired
nurse, and after the first night this
woman stayed over.
No one dared to go near the Door
girl then, so I timidly asked leave to
nurse her, for felt no fear of the in
lection, and it seemed so hard for her
to be left there alone.
obtained leave and went upstairs,
staying with her till she recovered
and from that day there was always a
kind look for me and a kiss from every
girl in the place.
What was more, oddly enough, per.
haps because I was so quiet. and re-
strained, !. first one girl and then anoth-
er came to make. mesthe confident of
her love: secrets and ask my advice.
! gave it, such as it was, though
heartsore myself, for Jacks letters to
me had suddenly ceased. We had COR
responded so regularly but it had
struck me that his>last two letters had
been formal and constrained they
were full Of business matters too, and