The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-01-07

and failed, and rs a last resource they had
, tried to get the machine"
; "Poor things" said the wife; "but are
you sure the mother was lady 2"
"a clergyman widow" says Luke hast
lily; "Fhere is no doubt about it.. Poor
girl and they've got to learn to use it be-
fore it VIII be of any use."
Poor girl, Luke q said the wife and l
saw through my eyelashes that she laid q
) hand upon his arm and was looking curl
} ously at him, when if he didn't cover his
face with his hands, rest his elbows on the
table, and give low groan Then the
} old woman got up, stood behind his chair
and began playing with and caressng
his hair like the foolish old mother
would.
Mother" he says suddenly, twill you
go and see them 2"
She didn't answer for a minute, but on
ly stood looking down at him. and then
said softly
They paid you the first money ""
NO." he says hotly. 81 hadn't the heart
to take it."
Then that money you paid was yours,
Luke e.
Eyes, mother" he said simply; and
those two stopped, looking one at the 9TH
er, till the wife bent down and kissed him,
holding his head afterwards for few min
utes between her hands; for she did wor-
ship that chap, our only one; and then
closed my eyes tight and went on think
ing.
For something like new revelation had
come upon me. | knew Luke was five and
twenty and that l was fifty -four, but lie
always seemed like boy to me, and here
was waking up to the fact that he was
grown up man, and that he was thinking
and feeling as 1 first thought and felt when
l first saw his mother, nigh upon thirty
years ago.
lay back, thinking and telling mysel
l was very savage with him for deceivingf
me, and that | wouldn't have him and his
mother laying plots together against me,
and that | wouldn't stand by and sec him
make a fool of himself with the first
pretty girl he set eyes on, when he might
marry Mary Turner, the engineers daugh-
ter, and have nice bit of money with her
to put into the business, and then be my
partner.
mo-" l says; "lf you plot together, I'll
plot alone and then pretended to wake
up, took no notice and had my supper.
| kept rather grutf the next morning,
and made myself very busy about the place
and dare say | spoke more sharply than
usual, but the wife and Luke were as quiet
as could be; and about twelve o'clock
went out, with u little oil can and two or
three tools in my pocket.
1t was not far to Benefits place, and on
getting to the right house asked for Mrs.
Murry, and was directed to the second
floor, where, as l reached the door, could
hear the clinking of my machine and who
ever was there was so busy over it that she
did not hear me knock, so | opened the
door softly and l looked upon as sad
scene as / shall ever, | dare say, see.
There, in the bare room, sat, asleep in
her chair, the widow lady who came about
the machine, and l could see that in her
face which told plainly that the pain and
suffering she must have been going through
Tor years would soon be over, and situated
us she was, it gave me kind of turn.
"lt's no business of yours" | said to my
self roughly, and turned to look who it
Was bending over my machine.
could see no iace--only slight figure
in rusty black and Il pair Of busy white
hands were trying very hard to govern the
thing, and to learn how to use it well.
$50 that's the GAL is it q l said to my
self. "Ah, Luke, my boy, you've got the
silly calf age, and dare say"
got no further Tor ut that moment the
girl started, turned round, and turned up
on me u timid wondering face, that made
my heart give queer throb, and | couldn't
take my eyes off her.
FLUSH y she said softly, holding up her
hand, and saw it was thin and transpar,
ent as if she had been i'll.
"NIy names Smith," l said, taking out
Il screw driver My machine, how docs
it gol Thought I'd come and see.'
Her face lit up moment and she came
forward eagerly.
"rm so glad you've come" she said, 81
can't quite manage this"
She pointed to the thread regulator, and
the next minute | was showing that it
was too tight and somehow, in a gentle,
timid way, the little witch quite got over
me, and stopped there over two hours
helping her till her eyes sparkled with de-
light rs she found how easily she could
make the needle dart in and out Of the
thick material.
DO you think you can manage it now 2"
l said.
"oh, yes, think so; l am so glad you
came"
80 am |" says gruflly. Ut will make
it all the easier for you to cam the money
and pay for it."
81 will work so hard,n she said earnest
ly.
THAT you will, my dear" | says in spite
of myself, for | felt sure it wasn't me speak
ing, but something in me. "She been i'll
long!' said noddng toward her moth
| cr
Months" she said, with tears starting
in her pretty eyes, but she added brightly
II shall have enough with this to get her
good medicines and things she can fancy"
and, as | looked Mt her, something in me
said
God bless you, my dear | hope You
will" and the next minute | was going
down stairs calling myselfa fool.
They thought didn't know at home,
but did there was the wife going over
and over again TO Benefits place; and all
sorts of little nice things were made there.
| often used to see them talking about it,
but | took no notice; and that artiul
scoundrel, my boy Luke, used to pay The
half crown everv week out of his own
pocket, after going to get it from the wid
ow's.
And all the time | told myself | didn't
like it, for l could see that Luke was
changed, and always thinking of that gill
"a girl not half good enough for him. l
remembered being poor myself, and hat
cd poverty and used to speak very
harshly to Luke and the wife, and feel very
bitter.
At last came an afternoon when | knew
there was something wrong The wife
had gone out directly after dinner, saying
she was going to sec a sick woman-I
knew who it was, bless you and Luke