The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1879-11-07

on getting to the right house asked for
MIRA Murray, and was directed TO the
second floor, where, as ! reached the
door, could hear the clicking Of my
sewing machine, and whoever was there
was 30 busy over 10 that she did not hear
me knock; so / opened the door softly,
and looked In upon as sad q scene as !
shall ever, dare say, see.
There, In the bare room, sat, asleep In
her chair, the widow lady who came
about the machine, and ! could see that
In her face which told plainly enough
that the pain and suffering she must
have been going through for years would
soon be over; and, situated as she was,
1t gave me a kind of turn.
"Its no business of yours" ! said TO
myself roughly; and I turned then to
look who 1t was that was bending over
my machine.
l could see no face, only a slight tig.
ure In rusty black; and q pair OF busy
white hands were trying very hard to
govern the thing and to learn to use It
we'll.
$50 that's the gal, Is it?" said to
myself. "Ahl Luke, my boy, you've
got to the silly calf age, and dare
say"
I got no farther, for at that moment
the girl started and turned round, and
turned upon me q timid, wondering face
that made my heart give q queer throb,
and | couldn't take my eyes of her.
" Hush" she said softly, holding up
her hand; and saw 1t was as thin and
transparent as II she had been i'll.
"My names Smith," said, taking
out a screw-driver. "My machine; how
does 1t GOT Thought I'd come and see."
Her face lit up In a moment, and she
came forward eagerly.
Pm 80 glad you've come" she said,
" ! can't quite manage this"
She pointed to the thread-regulator,
and the next minute ! was showing her
that 1t was too tight, and somehow, in
gentle timid way, the little witch
quite got over me, and l stoppe there
two hours helping her, till her eyes
sparkled with delight, as she found out
how easily she could now make the
needle 60 In and out of hard material.
"Do you think you can do 1t nowW I
"oh, yes, I think so; am SO glad you
came"
$50 am l." says I erutfiy; ait will
make it all the easier for you to earn the
money, and pay for It,"
"And I will work 80 hard" she said
earnestly.
"That you will, my DEAR" l says in
spite of myself, for l felt sure it wasn't
me speaking, but something In me.
"She been Ill long?" said, nodding to.
ward her mother.
Months" she said, with tears start.
ing in her pretty eyes; "but," she added
brightly, az shall have enough with
this to get her goods, to get her good
medicines and things she can fancy"
and as looked at her, something in me
said:
"God bless you, my dear! hope you
will" and the next minute ! was going
down stairs, calling myself fool.
They thought didn't know at home,
but ! did; there was the wife going over
and over again to the Benefits place;
and all sorts of little nice things were
made and taken there. I often used to
see them talking about it, but ! took no
notice; and that artful scoundrel, my
boy Luke, used to pay the half crown
every week out of his own pocket, after
going 10 fetch it from the widows.
And all the time told myself I didn't
like it, for l could see that Luke was
changed, and always thinking of that
girl-a girl not half good enough for
him. ! remembered poor myself, and I
hated poverty, and ! used to speak
harshly to Luke aud the wife, and feel
very bitter.
At last there came an afternoon when
] knew there was something wrong.
The wife had gone out directly after
dinner, saying she was going to see a
sick woman-I knew who it was, bless
youl-and Luke was fidgeting about,
not himself, and at last he took his hat
and went out.
"They might have confided in me-"
said bitterly, but all the time knew
that wouldn't let them. "They'n be
spending money-throwing it away. /
know they've spent pounds on them
already"
At last I got in such a way that
called down our foreman, left him in
charge, and took my hat and went after
them.
Everything was very quiet in Ben.
netts place, for q couple of dirty, de.
jected-looking women, one who was In
arrears to me, had sent the children
that played in the court right away
because OF the noise, and was keepin1
guard SO that they should not come
back.
I went upstairs softly, and all was
very quiet, only as got nearer to the
room ! heard bitter, wailing cry, and
then opened the door and wentin.
Luke was there, standing with his
head bent by the sewing-machine; the
wife sat in q chair, and on her knees,
with her face buried in the wife's lap,
was the poor girl, crying as If her little
heart would break; while on the bed,
with all look of pain gone out of her face,
lay the widow-gone to meet her hus.
band where pain and sorroware no more
couldn't see very plainly, for there
was q mist like before my eyes; but ]
know Luke flushed up as he took ster
forward, as If to protect the. girl, and
the wife looked at me in frightened
way.
But there was no need, for something
that wasn't me spoke, and that In q
gentle way, as stepped forward, raised
the girl up, and kissed her pretty face
before laying her little helpless head
upon my shoulder and smoothing heI
soft brown hair.
"Mother," says that something from
within me, ~ think there's room in the
nest at home for this poor, forsaken
little bird. Luke, my boy, will you &c
and fetch q cab? Mother will see tc
what wants doing here"
My boy gave a sob as he caught my
hand In his, and the next moment he die
what he had not done for years-kisset
me on the cheek-before running out oi
the room, leaving me with my darling
nesting in my breast.
I said "my darling" for she has beer
the sunshine of our home ever since.
pale, wintry sunshine while the sorrow
was fresh, but spring and summer now
Why, bless herl look at her. I've fell
ashamed sometimes to think that she,
lady of birth, should come down TO sucl
life; making Newell, no, it's us now
for Luke's partner-no end of money b,
her clever ways. But she's happy
thinking her husband, that Is to be, tn
finest fellow under the sun; and let m
tell you there's many gentleman not 8
well off as my boy will be, even II tn
money has all come out Of queer trade
A Wealthy Villain.
A wealthy and respected shoemaker q
Lautenburg. in West Prussia, suspecte
a servant girl Of stealing $25, and fint
] inc that abe wnuld not admit IL hit NM