The daily gazette., 1879-07-14


hear of her, but nothing from her. She
still lives alone and still refuses to hold
communication with any of u.s."
Captain Jones looked a ound ths poor
ly furnished little room.'
"She has changed greatly" he said.
"If she can enjoy her wealth while you
are struggling on in this style, / cannot
undcrsia d it. But there's no use IN talk
ing 1t over. Years ago we decided that
it was incomprehensible."
just at that moment, Miss James do
natl ID drove up before the door.
1t was in vain hat Mr.. Finch protested
the load was not for him.
His name and address on the card were
correct, ID the man refused to be con-
vinced.
Then the captain was impaled as the
sender; but his astonishment was so evil
DENLY genuine that the veriest skeptic in
the universe could but have believed him
| innocent.
But that mystery!
Mrs. Sarah was utilitarian.
She did not waste her energies in try
ing to imagine where the things came
trom-not she !-she rolled up her
sleeves, put Oh big apron, and went to
work.
On, the marvellous time she had that
day.
But, after all, it vas little wonder,
for she Impressed everyoody--trom the
big, & lod-naturec captain, to little six
year Old Jimmy-into service.
The captain and her husband chopped
miDce meat, and the children beat eggs
ny,I hI.f a nd ,i.E Eal orf 4 a
rails ms.
Verify the Finch family proved that
though too many cooks may spoil the
broth, they don't spoil dinner, for
better-looking, betl etler-smel.ing, better
tasting meal than that which the Finches
artook the next day, We defy the great
est epcuIe in the country to produce.
Miss Jane made he appearance, bright
and early, on Thanksgiving morning.
Mrs. Sarah was alone in the kitchen
when she entered.
"Iiow do You do, Sarah ?" said she
not very cordially, it must be conf ssed,
for, although prepared to extend the
right hand of fellowship to James and
the little ones, she could not, even now,
look upon her sister-n-law except as a
traitor, whom she would be obliged TO
make the best of it.
"Oh, Jane" aud Ms. Sarah, with
one rush, left her laisins to take care of
themselves, and gave her husbands sis
ter heartier welc ,me than she deserved
by a good sight.
Miss Jane didn't return her kiss, but
she suffered it 4! and though she did
mutter "Judas !" under her breath,
think she was a good deal more COM
Portable than she would have been if
her hostess had been as cold and stiff as
herself.
| "Draw up 10 the fire, and take off
your things" and The little woman bus
tied about in a whirl of delight. "Oh,
won't James be glad Dear, dear !!
lie ought to be here this minute"
| And then her thoughts went back to
their unknown friend Of the day before,
and like flash the truth came to her.
| "Oh, Jane !" she went on, with a
gasp, 81 see now. 1t was you sent us
the things. Oh, dear, how can we ever
thank you ?"
Then she rushed back to the raisins,
and, for the frs time since her entrance,
| Miss Jane had a chance to puS in a
word.
| She had Just opened her mouth, to
say something in explanation of her sud-
den app arance, when the door opened,
and In walked Captain Abel.
"Got anything for me to do, Sally ?"
he asked, with laugh.
| And then the grea' whiskered man
stopped short, perceiving the stranger,
who sat Just in front of the fire.
Miss Jane had been q beauty in her
youth, and even now was not at all
ugly.
Her eyes were bright, her teeth were
as white as ever, and her dimples were
not things of the past, by any manner
of means.
But .or f.w wrinkles and hard look
which was the ia ural result of her
hard life, she would have been a very
handsome woman.
She had not changed so much as had
the captain but both were recogniza-
BILE, and each, after one glance, knew
the other.
Mrs. Sara ah looked up eagerly.
"Oh, Abel, here's Jane-Jane Finch"
| CAPTAIN Abel came forward and extern
ded his hand put it was an awkward
meeting.
They had not sen each other since
the breaking off of their engagement =
over score of years beforehand both
of them we.e uncomfortably conscious
of the fact.
But Captain Abel drew chair up to
the fire, and tried to talk as if he had
forgotten all about it.
They discussed the weather, the crops
and everything else they cared noti ing
about, until Mrs. Sarah, who was all in
whirl with the surprise of Miss James
visit, and who could not keep still, try
as she would, broke iuto the converse.
ton with
"Oh, Abel, do you remember the last
day we saw Jane? Dear, what mess
was in l was engaged to Jim, and
nobody knew it and mother was bound
you and i should make a match of it.
never shall forget the afternoon we
decided to tell her all about it. Good
ness, how l cried-on your shoulder too,
Abel-and how you tried to convince
me that poor ma did It ca much about
you, and had just as leave I'd take some
body else, if YOU only explained it to
her properly and you were right, too
And the little woman, quite overcome
by these "reminiscences, opened the oven
door, and commenced an energetic bast-
ing of the turkey contained therein.
Poor Miss Jane was Too much aston
ished by this revelation to be prudent.
"And wasn't you in love with Sarah ?"
she asked breathlessly, of the captain.
"In love with Sarah" he repeated.
"Whv, was engaged to YOU"