Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-02

hearted hospitality, took the little wait
into their nome, and treated her, II not
as their child, at least as their sister
teaching her to. read ana write and figure
respectfully, and to perform household
duties quite creditably. She learned
also to paddle a skiff and, what was far
more difficult, to manage dugout and
to swim in the river. At fifteen Lowry
was, as Mike phrazed it, girl worth
somebody's while to look after. And
truly, somebody of late had seemed to
be looking after the unknown in way
that was causing Mike no little concern
Upon the night-robe in which the lit
tie waif was clad at the time of her adj
vent upon the island the planters wife
read the name which the child said was
her own, Heloise Mason. It had been
modified into Lowry. OF the little
ones simple recital they could make out
only that she was on a big boat going to
see papa, and that mamma rocked her to
sleep in her lap, and when she woke up
she was all stuck fast in some bushes,
and wet and muddy and hungry; and
that while she was looking all around to
find mamma and sister she came upon
the cabin and sought its friendly shelter.
After Lowizy's adoption into the Flynn
family the little girl was always men
toned by Mike in his rear visits to Bixler.
vile by her real name, and Bixierville
good folk knew that Fiynn's Lowry, who
came now end again with her bright face
and merry sloe- black eyes to fetch the
doctor, or to do some Grand for Misery
Fiat folks, was really and truly Heloise
Mason, the lost child of some unknown
persons.
One day, few weeks previous to the
opening of our story, Mike returned from
a visit to BixlervllLe with two letters,
which, in Lowlzy's absence, he read to
his wife. One was addressed to the post
master at Bixlerville, and entreated him
to ascertain, if possible the whereabouts
Of young girl, Heloise Mason by name,
who was lost off the steamer, in the
year 18-, and supposed to have been
drowned, but Of whose existence, and in
Bixlerville neighborhood, recent circum-
stances had excited strong hopes.
| The postmaster on seeing Mike turned
tile letter over to him, with also one en-
closed, addressed to Miss Heloise Mason.
AS he did so he said:
cts your LOWRY, Mike. I have no
doubt of it. Maybe there's money in it,
it you manage it sharp. Nothing like
looking out for number one, you know.
More'n likely these Massons IL pay you
for her keep and SO on. Leastways
you're her guardian, and as such you've
a right to sec what's in the letter before
she does. May be you can make good
thing out of it. Who knows2''
In an evil moment Mike yielded to the
temptation. The letter to Heloise con-
WINGED him that the girl was indeed the
one sought for by parents who had
mourned her as dead through all these
years. Just how to make money out of
his knowledge he did not quite clearly
see.
They'll take her away, that's sure, as
soon as they find out she's here" he said
to his wife. ''And how are we to get on
without Lowizy?"
"What would you do, Mike? Keep
the letter from her? Sure, you've no
right; and it would be far from doing as
you'd be done by.'
R1gbt!' echoed Mike, Grossly, ignor-
ing the latter part of Mandy's argument.
Who's & better right than him that's
fed and clothed her these seven years
gone! Who'll pay me for her keep?"
''Sure, she's paid as she's gone, Mike.
Lowry has been as much to us as we to
her. You can't deny that. Don't do a
mean thing, Mike dear. 1t isn't like you,
and it'll bring no luck, though you may
think so.'
But Mike was blinded with lust of
lucre. He hid the letters in the bureau
drawer, and babe Mandy not mention
them. He determined within himself to
go not soon again to Bixlerville. He
grew moody and irritable, and Mandy,
seeing the change, only became worse,
and cried oftener on her weary pillow,
and not even Lowizy's bright wits could
account for the change that had happen
ed to the pair.
go Mike, Mike, I can't stand it any
longer" sobbed the invalid upon the day
that Lowry, with her pink calico, had
started to Bixlervllle. cts killing me,
keeping the sinful secret. It's stealing,
and lying, and cheating, ell at once, and
there'll never be light heart in me till
the sin is off my conscience. You're not
the lad you were since the day you
brought the letters, and it'll come to no
good, no good. was that fraid she'd
blunder on to them letters this morning
that I gave her the crossest and meanest
word ever spoke to her, in my hurry
to get her away from the drawer-and
she is just the mainstay of the family. 1t
cuts me to the heart Giveit up, Mike.
Let us 1--we and die on Misery Flat, if God
will, but don't let US blacken our souls
with sin that is sure to cry out against
US when we least expect it. Could you
be happy in your home on the bluff, if
you had it, knowing all the while you
was keeping Lowry out Of home and
schooling and mother-love, and all? All
Mike, have you clear forgot the motto
you said should be ours when first we
came to the plantation? You know you
said then t. the neighbors that we'd all
live by the Golden Rule at Missouri Flat,
and then there'd never come hard feel
ings. Dear Mike, go and pray to the
good God to take away the evil spirit
that troubles you and give you strength
to square your life as it used to be by the
best of all rules"
! She pushed him gently from her as
she turned away her head and ceased
from pleading. Mike without word,
went out.
! "Lowizy, said Mike, about shutdown, as
the girl balanced herself in the waiting
9,,oo,,t sST wont tO toll