The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-12-16
A LITTLE WISE WOMAN.

Louis Glare had gone out for walk
quite early in the morning, and as it was
Saturday she had fingered over her en-
joyment of the beautiful day, the fresh.
sweet air, and the cool breeze from the
sea. Louisa was school teacher, and l
am quite sure not one of the noisy,
wild creatures whom she sought to guide
i'll the paths of knowledge, enjoyed the
weekly holiday as she did,
But even Saturday was not all holiday
she had brought home exercises to cor
rect, and copybooks to look over; and
she began to reflect that she could not
afford to stay out much longer, even on
holiday morning She had sat down to
rest for her long walk had tired heron
a seat formed by an old tree-trunk that
had lain long enough t. be all green and
moss-covered, and only little way in
front of her the sea washed up against the
rough, shingly beach. Louisa still lin
gered, and flung little, loose stones into
the water, and as each skinned the
surface and disappeared she though,
II must really go-this will be the last"
Then, with an effort, she rose, and
urned resolutely toward home; and as
she did so she became aware of the figure
of man at little distance. He was
walking rapidly toward hel, and though
she scarcely recognized him. she was con-
.scious of familiar look about his ap
pearance-his figure, his walk-alto-
gether he looked like some one she
ought to remember, yet could not. AS he
came quite close, she uttered an exclama-
ton which signifed at once recognition
and surprise; and she stood still staring
at him and wondering.
1t was Mr. Glover-Glover the mil
lionaire, as some people called him; but
he was scarcely worth million, although
he was past all doubt, the great man and
the rich man of the place. Among other
things, he was a power in the school
where Louisa taught; and in that way
she had seen him occasionally, and had
exchanged words with him now and then.
But never in all her experience had Lou
lisa seen Mr.. Glover-or any one else
look as that gentleman now looked. His
face wore the pallor of the dead his eyes
were wild and haggard; his dress disor-
dered aud his movements uncertain and
shaky like drunken mans. He would
have passed her by, unconscious of her
presence, without look; but Louisa
stepped forward, laid her hand on his
arm and called him sharply by his name.
In long years after she often said that
something told her she must do so.
Mr.. Glover stopped and looked at her
stupidity, as though the sound of his
own name was strange to him, and he
was trying to think what it had to do
with him, or why it was spoken to him.
Louisa was frightened at herself, as
well as at him, and began to tremble;
and then her eyes filled up with tears
lal har
cheeks.
80, Mr.. Glover" she sobbed, "what
is is the matter-what is the matter?
And then Mr.. Glover-who was IL good
deal of gentleman by nature--seeing q
woman in tears, forgot his own trouble
and looked at her attentively.
"Why, it is Miss Clare-little Miss
Clare, the school ma am!" he said, as he
recognized her. And what is the mat
ter with you, my dear? Why do you
cry, and who has been annoying your
mo one-oh, no indeed-and there's
nothing the matter except that you seem
to be in such deep trouble sir, and
was afraid"
And that's why you are afraid-you
cry for me?" asked Mr.. Glover; lean it
be possible?
He sat down on the moss covered tree
trunk where Louisa had been resting, and
motioned to her to also, he said:
''Sit down, Miss Clare, sit down."
Louisa obeyed instantly.
''Are You very unhappy, Miss Glare .
asked Mr.. Glover.
Unhappy, sir-about what ?"
"Oh! nothing in particular. l mean
merely in general way"
II am not unhappy at all sir"
us it possible And yet, your salary
let me think. l believe it is some
thing about three hundred dollars a
year that they give you ?"
''Just three hundred dollars a year,
sir"
''And yet you are not unhappy-are
you?"
Every seldom. am very happy on
the contrary. All! sir. it is not alone the
possession of money that makes people
happy
And then fearing she had said some
thing SO personal it might be rude-for
Mr.. Glover was so rich and so evidently
not happy-Louisa felt the color mount
to her cheeks, and her eyes dropped
before the intent gaze of her compan
ion.
do you think a man might ever be
happy, and yet quite poor ?" asked Mr..
Glover-"so poor that, compared with.
what he had been, his position would be
one almost of poverty p
ooh! yes, SIR said Louisa. with e
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