Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-23
LANCASTER. WISCONSIN, THURSDAY. JANUARY 2s 1879.

iieI VOICE III tue last WOTuS tIeinDteu
piteously. Resuming again. she said:
Whatever may become of me, &c.
nirva shall have what rightfully be-
longs to her. Reaching down into
/, her pocket, she took out coral neck
lace with a gold locket attached, in
which was picture of female face.
Placing the treasure in Mrs. Mawbry's
hand, she said: There, keep this
from all eyes but your own. If /
should never see Genirva again, when
she has grown to be woman, give
her this dower,-oh, could tell you
more, but dare not Bless you, lady !;
good-bye!'
She passed hastily cut of the door,
walked around the house, looked up
and down the road, evidently fixing
the locality of the place well in her
mind, then she disappeared across the
fields. Mrs. Mawbry closed the door,
went over to the window near the
couch, opened the locket, and was
much surprised at the strong resem-
blance between the features in the
picture, and those of the sleeping girl.
The same full, high forehead, arch
of the eye brows, shape of the nose,
even the proud curl of the lips, were
a perfect duplicate Of those in the
locket As she stood there meditat.
ing on the unknown history of this lit
tie stranger, her only son Myron, a
bright, honest boy of sixteen years,
returning from school, entered the
house, tossed his sachel in chair, and
said: why, mother, haven't you got
supper ready yet; I'm SO bungryn
The good mother explained to her
son why the supper was delayed, and
called his attention to the occupant
of the couch. The big hearted boy
was much interested in what his
mother told him, and watching the
labored breathing of the girl, he said:
'Can't you do something for her,
mother p
'Rest and sleep my son, will do
more for her now than / can when
she wakes | will then see what needs
to be done
With this Myron seemed satisfied,
and brought in the wood and water
for the night, while his mother got
the supper on the table.
Notwithstanding is avow ed hunger
be ate sparingly. Before the meal
was half finished he complained to
his mother that 1T looked 80 selfish
not to invite the poor girl to eat with
usy Nor would he give his mother
any peace till she got Genirva up,
| and gave her toast and tea.
But the tired one was scarcely con.
scious of what was going on around
her. After eating little she dozed
away in her chair. The kind matron
| washed her face, hands and feet, then
put her to bed for the night.
Mrs. Mawbry had been widow
| for the last two years. AT the time
of his death her husband left cons'd-
cradle property in lands, mortgages
and money in the bank, so that she
and her son were we'll provided for.
| Careful and economical, she mad her
income more than meet her expenses
After renting the farm she bought the
neat cottage home in the village
where she now resided, that her son
might have better opportunities to re-
ceive such an education as would
qualify him for whatever position in
| life should fall to his lot. Possessed
Of generous and kindly nature, with
a large share of common sense and in
teIligence, she made many friends,
who sought and needed her advice.
The next morning Genirva was
much better; her fever had gone, and
with the exception of soreness of her
feet she was quite well.
When breakfast was finished, and
Myron had left tor school, Mrs. Nav
bry sat down to talk with her protege,
who had asked where her mother was.
On being told that her Gypsy mother
had gone away, that she was to re
main in the family for the present,
Genirva seemed pleased and content.
ed. After some further talk between
them, Mrs. Mawbry, taking compre-
he lsive view of the whole matter,
soon determined what course to
pursue
Leaving Genirva in charge Of the
house, she went to the village store,
purchased certain suitable clothing
materials, and had them sent home !;
then engaging dressmaker, she re-
turned to her house. In the after
noon when Genirva was called to be
| measured for her new clothes,s she was
delighted at the prospect of laying
| aside her scant and worn out gar
ments for new ones made in the style
that other girls wore. Three times
that afternoon while Mrs. Mawbry
was at work, did the thankful child
express her gratitude by stealing up
behind her benefactor and kissing her
fondly. When Genirva was dressed
in her new robes, every one who saw
her, said what pretty child p
and no arguments were necessary to
confirm Mrs. Mawbry in that opinion
Myron seemed both pleased and proud
of her. and declared she should go to
school with him next day and 90 she
did. When asked by the teacher what
her name was, she replied, 'Genirva
| Yes, my dear, but what is your
other name p
| The poor girl felt all the mortifica-
| ton Of being out IN the world too
poor to have name! With puz
zled expression on her face, she looked
to Myron, who made answer that her
name was sGenirva Mawbry,' and it
was so written down on the records
of the school.
| With her warm heart and affection
ate disposition, she soon became a
great favoriee with the whole school.
Her precocious mind and native good
sense enabled her to look at every
thing in a practical way, which made
her appear much older than she really
was, and obtained for herself the
soubriquet Of the little woman The
itinerant life to which she had been
subjected, gave her little opportunity
to acquire book learning. Fortunately
for her, some one in the Gipsey camp
had taught her how to read. With
much application and the help of her
teacher, who had now become greatly