Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-07-06
not regime even when greater troubles


standing at the bedside where lay poor
mother sinking fast. She had no par.
ticular ailment, but had literally pined
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 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: IS &.'E Is assN WV
"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 /; little income of EGO a
year. l 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.
1t was very hard to bear, and for 4
month l was terribly depressed; but
there was that hopeful time ever draw
ing near-thc end of the three years
when Jack would come to fetch me to
be his wife.
1t was now for the first time that l
remember feeling particular about my
personal appearance. and studied my
glass to see if Jack would find me look
ing careworn and thin, and my glass
told me truly-yes.
But had to be up and doing, and
before another month was over,
through the Kindness of people who
had known us, was placed where l
could work contentedly for the bread
must earn till Jack, should come to
fetch me away.
1t was il large West End dress
makers, 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 rs many
more came every day., .r-.
There were all kindsof petty perse'
BUTTONS and tyranny, to be submitted to
at first. and l suppose some OF the fool
ish girls were jealous of me and my
looks, 50 much so that l found they
nicknamed me s'The Beauty" Poor
girls! If they had only known how
little store l set by my looks they
would have behaved ut first as they
did later on.
The first thing that won them to me
was when Mary Sanders was taken in
with 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,
4 young, impetuous, but very clever
man, told her that it would be at her
peril if 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 a hired
nurse, and after the first night this
woman stayed over.
No one dared to go near the poor
girl then, so l timidly asked leave to
nurse her, for felt no fear of the in
lection, and it seemed SO hard for hel
10 be lett tnefe alone.
l obtained leave and went upstairs.
staying with her till she recovered
and from that day there was always q
kind look for me and 4 kiss from every
girl in the place.
What was more, oddly enough, per
haps because | was so quiet and re-
strained, first one girl and then anoth
er came to make me the confident OF
her love.secrets and ask my advice.
| gave it, such as it was, though
heartsore myself, for Jacks letters tc
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
he had limited at its being possible
that he should not be able to keep time
about the three years in consequence
Of some contract. ..
l did not think this when I first read
these letters, for then l had kissed
and cried over them; but when no re-
ply came to my last, l re-read them
and the GOODNESS seemed apparent.
But l waited and waited, and ther
news came from the country. Jacks
father, a widower. had died suddenly
and l said to myself, with throbbine
heart, as longed to be at his side tc
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 three years would
be up =; and rs I sat over some work
one spring morning by the open win
dow, with q bunch of violets that one
Of the girls, had brought me in glass
the soft breeze that came floating over
the climney.pots and sooty roofs watt
ed to me the scent Of the humble little
blossoms, and my eyes became full OF
tears, for an instant the busy work
room had passed away, and was dow1
home by the riverside listening t.
dear Jack, as she asked me to be his
wife.
Only a month only a month my
pulse seemed to beat; and as it hap
pened were busy upon a large wedding
order, and I was stitching away at the
white skirt intended for the bride.
tried so hard to bear it, but could
not-the rush of feeling was too great
Another month, and he was to have
fetched me to be his wife, and l hai
not had an answer to my last two font
and loving letters. e>Fm .......
AS said, l tried hard to bear it, bu
l could not, and sitting q sob, l, hur
ried out Of the work-roo.n to reach my
attic. threw myself upon my knees by
the bed, iburying my face in my
hands, l sobbed us if my heart woult
break. --
For q terrible thought would com,
now, fight against it as l would-''Jacl
has grown; tired of waiting and ha
married another :.
I fought 50 hard with the disloya
thought, itwould come, and I was sob
bling passionately, when I felt a sof
arm steal around my neck, a tender
cheek laid ito mine, and l found m,
poor tear.dewed face drawn down up
on the bosom of Mary Sanders, who ha,
stolen out of the work-room and com
to try and comfort me.
'Pray, pray, don't fret, my darling,
she whispered. "Madame will be s.