The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-09-21

c appetite was little frustrated, and rs the nigl
: wore away he was heartily glad TO STE the pee
! pie trooping out to their carriages When u
i were gone Il little upstairs maid, who had bee
!. always civil TO poor Jenny, put little notc il
e to Macs hand, saying thar her mistress toll
f her not to give il 10 him ill the lestivIry wa
: over Mac opened it with IA trembling hanC
| and read poor J"nnys scrawl;
"'m gone for good and all, dcaric. Foralon
: time I've seen you and my darling child were be
You'd me in everything. | can never get up I
you; 80 please forgive me ii | stop by The way
God bless and prosper you, is the prayer of YOU
faithful JENNY"
Mac handed it over to Shicl, and dropped in
to Il chair rs if struck by an unseen hand tn,
air was II little heavy with the breath of his III
tistic guests who had just departed, and tn,
scent Of the C%otcS siCkcncd his noStrll,; tn,
big blaze of hight grew dim about him, and al
he could see for that weary minute was tn,
sweet face of young English girl he haC
known and loved almost beyond his strength
IA long time ago
Shicl had read the note for the sixth time
his face growing more and more distracted anC
imbccilc and had begun 10 read it ovcragan
when Mac cried out, III II broken voice, Gould
any william be at the bottom Of this, Shicl .
could any one have tempered with her 10y
alty?n
| "Neverw cried Shiel Indignantly "Ill an
swcr for that with my life, | know how fool
| ishly faithful she was--ncver an eye or an ear
for anybody else. know that by experience
Many'- the time Eve tried to console her my
self for your indifference"
My what" roared poor Mac
Your indifference and neglect, Sir" cried
| Shiel, now aroused TO the pitch of recklessncss
"Shc was pearl Of purity and sweet simplci-
Ia. lint 81 ~ b.f,r ina a.,
"Shiel, you are always more or less of fool, "
groancd Mac, land now you're clean daft"
But he listened to Shlcl as he went on to give
him piece of his mind, and took heart As he
gathered in the evidences Of Jennys wounded
love. Shell be back in about twcnty-fOur
hours" said Mac, "and we'll all be the happi.
cr for this little bout"
But twcnty-tour hours went by and forty.
eight whole week passed away and no
Jenny came to lift the weight from Macs
heart Shiel advised him to secretly consult
the police, at which Mac first revolted, then
sucCumbcd but with no success. \ fortnight
went by, and even Shcl torgave every fault of
Macs, so deep ana sincere were his sorrow and
penitcnCc. The musical abstraction of Miss
Jean served IN measure to mitigate her
grief, and an eminent professor had offered her
the warmest sympathy and consolation II man
sound of music now, and would have no com.
misscration save that Of Shield, which, indeed,
parOOk OF so unwCarlCd u nature that Mac
chung to it rs IA drowning man will to II straw
At the end of u month Shicl declared that
journalism was the only thing lett to them
He had held it, he said rs II dcruier rcSOif, not
wanting to set the tongues of the world that
Jenny so hated Waggng in her behalf; but her
cruel obStinacy had left them no alternative.
II see" said Mac-"thc personal column in
the Uo"H. Make it rs agonizing as you can,
Shic God knows tCant hold misery enough
Tel her to come back and rulc everything
manage the money and the business, smash
the piano, and forbid Jeans marriage to the
professor; and tell her, Shiel, the house is
'Cauld without her. and my heart weaTics sair.'
And here the tears rolled out of his eyes, and a
lump in his throat stopped his speech.
Nonsense man said Shel, "Call you that
journalism? Listen here, Sir, to the cunning
touch of genius, the lever that moves the
world" And he read forth to the responding
partner little paragraph from Il prominent
newspaper, stating tho doop rogrot with which
they learned that the recent domestic troubles
Of the eminent musical critic Mr.. MacNeil,
had not only Frustrated him upon bed Of i'll
ness, where he was now lying in Il critical con
diton, but that his business affairs had become
hopclessIy cntangled, and there was Il probabil-
ity of an early sale of his household effects for
the benefit of his creditors. Among these ar
ticles We're some musical curiosilics, intorma-
ton of which could Ee obtained of Mr. Shiel,
Printing hOusc Square, No blank.
And now ! must 20 to No. blank at once
said Shiel; 'tor if I'm not mistaken, this will
fetch her within an hour"
Shicl had no sooner got seated ut his desk
IL, , han ti,,il NJ tJ,n,
sent his heart humping in unison. Upon the
threshold he presently saw Il familiar little flo
urc, and heard broken voice which the thick
ness of no veil could disguise She began to
inquire about the musical curiosites, while
Shiel looked at her eagerly He said not
word, but there was something in his face SO
sad and ycaring that Jenny began to sob.
as he so very sick, Shiel dearE' she cried.
"Oh, take me to him, wicked woman that am
have killed. have killed him for whom |
would lay down my lifcn'
She threw back her veil and put out both
her little hands, and Shlcl, on the spur of the
moment, caught her in his arms and held her
To his heart, eXcusing the warmth of this en-
brace by the plea that he thought she was faint
ing.
they found Mac walking about the room,
somewhat worn and thin, 10 be sure and big,
but rs he took Jenny in his arms, these hol-
lows filled with joy, and his whole being seem
ed TO dilate with strength and gladness
Surely you can't he so very, rery ILL., dearic? ,"
whispered Jenny, looking coaXingly into his
eyes.
"Im-Tm a little better" said Mac, slyly
wlnking at poor Shiel, and kissing her again
and again.
"Thcn don't mind being beggar dear"
pursued Jenny. LET them sell what they
will, they can't sell you, and we can all 20 and
live in our old nest again"
And give up this fine one to Jean and her
professor said Mac.
but the creditors" cried Jenny.
There Is the only man to whom owe any
thing IN the world" said Mac, pointing to
Shicl
Jenny looked about her rather rucfully, and
said to Shicl, "Can'twc 20 back to the old nest,
Shicl? Can't we all 20 back" Shicl was
near the door and caught both her hands in
his