The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-06-07


posed TO have been drowned, but Of
whose existence, and in Bixlerville
neighborhood, recent circumstances had
excited strong hopes.
The Postmaster, upon seeing Mike,
turned the letter over 70 him, with also
one inclosed, addressed to Miss Heloise
Mason. As he did SO he said,
. It's your Lowizy, Mike. have no
doubt Of it. Maybe there's money in il,
ii you manage il sharp. Nothing like
looking out for number one, you know.
More'n likely these Massons III pay
you for her keep md so on. Leastwise
you're her guardssn, and as such you've
right to see what's in that letter before
she does. May be youcan make a good
thirg out Of il. Who knows?"
In an evil moment Mike yielded TO the
temptation. The letter to Heloise con-
vinced 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 clearly see.
They'll take her away, that's sure,
as soon as they find out she's here" he
said to his wife. I" And how are we to
get on without Lowizy?"
~ don't know" answered Mandy
with sigh. "But we've no right TO
keep her from her folks. No doubt
she'll be thousands better off,
al tell you we've got to think of our
selves, Mandy" cried Mike, the covet-
Gus spirit filing his heart. /" It'll be
cutting our own throats to part with the
girl. ~
"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.n
"Right!" echoed Mike Grossly, ig-
noring the latter part Of Mandy's argu.
ment. "Who's a better right than him
that's fed and clothed her these seven
years gomez Who'll pay me for her
keep"
"Sure, she's paid as she's gone,
Nike. Lowizy has been as much 10 US
as we to her. You can't deny that.
Don't do mean thing, Mike, dear.
ltisn'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. lie determined within himself
to go not soon again to Bixlervile. 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.
" o Mike, Mike, l can't stand 1t any
longer" sobbed the invalid upon the
day that LOWRY, with her pink calico,
had started to Blxlerville. = It's killing
me, keeping the sinful secret. It's steal
ing, and lying, and cheating, all at
once, and there'll never be a light heart
in me till the sin is of my conscience
You're not the lad you was since the
day you brought the letters, and it'll
come to no good, no good. was that
'fraid she'd blunder onto them letters
this morning that gave her the cross
est and meanest word ever l spoke to
her, in my hurry to get her away from
the drawer--and she's just the mainstay
OF the family. II cuts me to the heart.
Give it up, Mike. Let US live and die
on Misery Flat, If God will, but don't
let Us blacken our souls with sin that
is sure 70 cry out against Us when we
least expected it. Could you be happy
in your home on the bluff, If you had il,
knowing all the while you was keeping
LOWRY out of home and schooling and
and all? All, Mike, have
you clear forgot the motto you said
should be ours when we first came To
the plantation? You know you said
then 10 the neighbors that we'd all live
by the Golden Rule at Missouri Flat, and
then there'd never come hard feeling
Dear Mike, 90 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 a,word,
went out.
"Lowizy,- said Mike, about sun
down, as the girl balanced herself in the
waiting dugout, ~ want to tell you
I've been a-keepin' it back
for some time, but it Is your right 70
know 1t. Likely as not you'll be mad
that l haven't told you before; for it's
good news for you, although it's bad
enough for Mandy and me. There's
letter from your folks up to the cabin.
You'll have to answer it, and then, Of
course, they'll come and get you and
take You far enough from Misery Flat,
and make lady Of you. No doubt in
few years you'll be that fine you won't
like to remember the rough times and
the plain folks on the island. But Mandy
and III never forget You or cease to
wish you we'll. And want you just to
promise me one thing before we touch
the shore, and that i that you won't
hold spite against US for keeping back