Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-02-05

yourself leave it handy for somebody |
steal; well, that's new commandment
1 do declare" she said.
"Not SO dreadful new, either, Au1
'Lizbeth," interposed Tim, stoutly
"'cause the Bible folks was told to leav
some of their harvest so the poor coul
come and get it. I read it myself; onl
it wasn't called stealing then, and was
be left handler than I'LL slowed away i
smoke houses"
Timothy began Mrs. Williams
But Tim suddenly remembered that til
chickens were waiting for their break
fast, and chose to interpret the exclama
tion as an admonit ion in that direction.
eyes, I'm going to feed 'em RICH
away" he observed, Selling basket o
corn and darling through the door b,
which his uncle had departed.
In truth it was not altogether easy t,
mold Tim into the desired shape; Their
was too much individuality about him
Encasing him in Mrs. Wilkins code o
manners was putting too large boy int,
too small jacket; he was always burst
ing out at the elbows or tearing off tn.
buttons. Mrs. Wilkin sighed at Thu
new evidence of the number of things il
the world that needed her attention; bu
England never expected every man to dc
his duty more strongly than Mrs Wilkir
expected to do hers.
That evening the mysterious lights ap.
peared again In the store-room of the
mill. She could plainly see them, fol
just beyond her own back gate an open
field sloped directly and steeply down to
the building. The road afforded pub
lie and more circuitious mode of reach
ing it, but from the hilltop the sus-
picious store-room was directly in range.
Mrs. Wilkin determined to take more
thorough observation than the kitchen
window allowed, and throwing shawl
over her head she picked her way care
fully down the icy steps and crossed the
yard to the gate. The snowy field lay
white and glistening in the moonlight,
and standing in the sheltering shadow OF
post she watched the door below.
But before she discovered any one en-
tering there she heard sounds in another
direction-steps in the yard behind her.
What il she should prove beyond all
doubt that her meat was stolen and de-
tect the thief? With that quick thought
she turned her head cautiously. Yes,
some one tried the smoke-house door and
entered Breathlessly Mrs Wilkin wait
ed until the figure reappeared, passing
along in the shade Of the house and then
it emerged into the clear moonlight; she
leaned eagerly forward to catch full
sight of it. It was eagerly recognized.
Mr.. Wilkin, beyond all question, stealing
meat from his own stores.
The revelation was astounding. In he1
astonishment she incautiously loosed her
hold on the gate post, took step for
ward and her feet slipped on the treach-
erous ground. She sat down violently,
and in an instant she was speeding rapid
~ down the hill toward her original
point of investigation. For once the
path of duty was smooth before her
entirely too smooth and icy. She could
not check or guide her progress; her
feet struck with force against the mystic
ious door, pushed it open and she slid
into hall.
Thieves, gamblers, or whoever they
were, she must not be discovered by
them, flashed through Mrs. Wilkin's
mind-more an instinct of self-preserva-
ton than a thought springing to
her feet she slipped behind some boxes
piled near her. The noise attracted at
tention, and in moment the store room
door was opened aud boy looked out.
"Guess it's only the door blew open;
don't catch good, he reported.
clock it then, James, and then bring
in the key" said voice from within;
and to Mrs. Wilkins CONSERVATION the
order was obeyed and she was prisoner.
The boy left the other door slightly
a]ar as he re-eutered. A CLEAN of light
shone into the hall, and there were sounds
from the room beyond-a scratching of
pens, and woman's voice; it sounded
wonderfully like that of the little knit
ting-woman, directing and encouraging.
"Wel done, Susan
"Now don't be disheartened. Will.
OF course while you work in the mill.
and can only study at night, you can't
get along just as some do who can 20 to
school all day; but what you learn may
be Of some use to you. We care most
for things which cost us trouble"
There was few mathematical prob
lens, and then reading, and the words
spelled out with difficulty by some, were
Bible words.
"Charity suffereth lor & and is kind.
It f1aunteth not itself. IT. ilketh no evil.
Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things"
It was easily understood. Mrs. Wilk1n
leaned forward little, and could peep
into the room. Fifteen or twenty bows
and girls from the mill gathered into a
night-school. Then wonderful words.
read so slowly and emphatcally, sud-
denly to assume new and deeper mean
ing than Mrs. Wilkin had ever thought
OF their possessing. Some things do
show more clearly Id the dark than in
AS the timid little woman. who would
have been frightened at the sound of her
own voice in any other audience half SO
large, explained in her simple, gentle
way the passage read, it occurred to the
listener outside that some one was keep.
ing "sharp watch - on those mill poo
pie, after all and that this might be 8
better way of doing it than might be
practiced by any police force. It was g
very informal school. One girl had
brought her best dress that the teacher
might show her how to mend q rent in it,
and another was trying to knit pair Of
mittens for her brother. Every winter
has it's thaws. Mrs. Wilkin had hear,
down under all the crust of opinions
that she had christened duty; she became
interested, despite her uncomfortable
situation.
The position was unpleasant. She did
not like playing eves-dropper to this in.
nocent gathering, but there seemed nc
help for it. She could not escape through
the locked door; and boldly revealing
herself, and explaining her absurd sus.
picions, and the remarkable way in which
she come there, was more than even he,
thought could endure. So she kept hel
place, hoping that when the pupils were
dismissed she might slip out among them
unnoticed. But when the lesson hour
was over they departed slowly, by twoe
and threes, the open door aineing food
Of light ont into the hall. At last only
one fingered, and Mrs. Wilkin listened
intently as she caught his voice.
"N0w, S" md the 1tt1e haittiue,