The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-08

men, but while poor mother pinned and
wasted, I had my hopeful days in view,
and from time 70 time letters from dear
Jack, all 90 true and honest and full OF
trust in the future that ! felt as II l could
not repine even when greater troubles
fell upon me. 1851.
For at the end of two years l was
standing at the bedside where lay poor
mother sinking fast. She had no partic-
ular silmont, but had literally pinned and
wasted away. The bird had lost its mate
for msny wears, and when at last she kiss
ed me and said, 'Good-by,a it seemed to
me TO be in q quiet, lest. 'eeking 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 almostth last whispered words were:
"Only IL months, Grace, and then he
will be back to fetch you"
Poor motherl she would not have pass
ed so peacefully away if she had known
that which l withheld-namely, the
news that came to me from our lawyer
For, through the failure of the enterplre
in which my fathers savings had been
invested, and which brought us a little
income of ECO year. was LEFT penni-
less-so poor in fact that the furniture OF
the cottage in the little town, to which he
had moved when we had left the farm,
had to b. sold TO defray the funeral ex-
penses.
1t WAS very hard to bear, and Tor
month was terribly depressed; but there
was that great hopeful time ever drawing
near-the end of the three years, when
Jsck would come to fetch me to be his
vie.
It was now for the first time that re.
member feeling particular about my per-
sonal appearance, and studied my glass
to see il ack would find me looking care
worn and thin, and my glass told me tru-
ly yes. .,o
fore another month was over, through
the kindness of people whom ne had
known, was placed where could work
contentedly for the bread l must earn
till Jack should come 10 fetch me away.
1t was a large West end dressmsker'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 pieces OF
tyranny to submit to at first, and sup
pose some of the foolish girls were jealous
of me and my looks, 80 much so that |
found they nicknamed me 1.-The Beauty.
Poor girls! If 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 Ill
with terrible fever. Nine. Granger
was for sending her away ut once, on ac-
count of her business and the Infection,
but the doctor who called in, a young,
impetuous, but very clever man, told her
that il would be at her peril if she didso,
for Mary Sanders life was in danger. SO
the poor girl was shut up in her bedroom
without soul to go near except hired
nurse, and after the first night this woman
stayed away.
No one dared to go near the poor girl
then, SO | timidly asked leave to nurse
her, for | felt no fear OF the infection, and
il seemed so hard for her to be left there
alone.
| obtained leave and went up stairs,
staying with her till she recoved; and
from that day there was always kind
look for me and kiss from every girl in
the place.
What was more oddly enough, perhaps
because / WAS so quiet and restrained,
first one girl and then another came to
make me the confident of her for love Sc
crets and asked my advice.
gave it, such as it WAS, though heart
sore myself, for Jacks letters to me had
suddenly ceased We had correspondent
So regularly; but it had struck me that
his last two letters had been formal and
constrained; they were full OF business
mr'ters, too, and he had limited at its
l. 70 possbl" that he should not be able
t keep timeab the thr' Q years in conse
,,u II OF some contract.
| did not think this when l first read
these letters, for then / had kissed and
cried over them; but when no reply came
to my last, rc-read them, and the cool
ness seemed apparent.
But l waited and waited, and then the
news came from the country. Jacks
father, widower, had died suddenly;
and l said to myself, with throbbing
heart, as longed TO be ut his side to try
and comfort him in his affection. "Poor
Jack, he will come home now"
But he did not come, neither did get
any reply to my last two letters, Another
month and the three years would be up;
and ms sat over my work one spring
morning, by the open window, with
bunch of violets that on" OF the girls had
brought me in n glass, the soft breeze that
came floating over the cbimney-pots and
sooty roofs waited to me the scent OF the
humble little blossoms, and my eyes be-
came full of tears, for On instant the
busy work room had passed away, and |
was down home by the river side listen
ing to dear Jack, rs he asked me to BE-
his wife,
Only month! only MONTH My
pulses seemed 10 beat; and as 1t happened
We were busy upon large wedding
order, and | was stitching away at the
white skirt intended for the bride.
tried SO hard 10 bear it, but l could
not-the rush of things was too great.
Another month and he was TO have
fetched me to be his wife, and / had not
had an answer TO my last two fond and
loving letters.
As said, l tried hard to bear it, but
could not, and sitting sob l hurried
out of the work-room to reach my attic,
threw myself upon my knees by the bed,
and burying my face in my hands sob.
bed as il my heart would break.
For terrible thought would come
now, fight against it as would-"Jsck
has grown tired of waiting, and has
married another
fought so hard with the disloysl
thought, it would come and was sob
bing psssionstely, when l felt soft arm
steal tenderiy around my neck, tender
cheek laid to mine, and found my poor,
tear -dewet face drawn down upon the
face OF Mary Sanders, who had stolen