Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-01-08
MEXICO MO, THURSDAY. JANUARY 8, 1880.

which equaled any that ever burned
in her, mother's, but she spoke very
quietly. : - ~
"I'lI thank you for. the letter Il
ought to have had a month ago,
mother -u,.....,..,.--.,.,-..-. ,
''You'll find it in the clock. It's
been there safe ever since it came, for
anyone with eyessto see" G. \
Dorothy did nst, reply. She carried
her precious budget up to her own
li.tle white room, saher refuge in so
many weary hours, and there she
read and re-read them many times. =
And before an hour had passed she
had written an answer, half shy, half
passionate, but wholly sweet, to Har-
ry Morgan, whom it reached in due
course. -
That autumn brought the first real
trouble Of her life to Dorothy. Her
father sickeneds and died. How
strange It seemed to be without IA
ther! Often and often at sunset she
walked down the winding read to the
old graveyard, and there, sitting by
the lowly mound where her father
slept, gathered comfort and courage
in the knowledge that it was we'll with
him. He had loved the Lord, that
she knew, and he had gone to dwell in
the golden city, where they walk in
white who have washed their robes in
the blood of the Lamb. An unwonted
silence fell on the household. Cross
and despotic as poor Mrs. Dean was,
she loved her husband, and her grief
was real and deep. But it was not
grief which could be comforted. 1t
repellcd coincidence rather than in
vited it, and when Dorothy would
fain have thrown her arms about the
sad woman, and whispered loving
words, she vas obliged to be still and
refrain.
One bright expectation shone be-
fore her with the beauty of star.
Christmas was coming! She would
| see Harry, and as the weeks passed,
and the long storms came, shutting
the little inland village up, at times
| for days, from communication with
the rest of the world, Dorothy lived
in the thought Of the pleasure they
would have when Harry came home.
Even her sorrow at her fathers death
t seemed TO fade and recede as the De-
cember days grew toward the 25th.
Her mother observed and resented
this, and on Saturday before Christ
mas, when her daughter, who was the
organist of the little church, put or
her cloak and boots and called Cha,
pin to go with her for her customary
practice, she SAID:
81 thought You looked for young
Morgan to be here to-day. You'v,
been all but dancing and singing eve
since you got up. l don't see how
you can be so giddy, Dorothy, ane
your poor father lying beneath th'
snow
''Father is happy in heaven, moth
er, answered Dorothy gently; ''ant
I'm sure, if lie can see me. he's will
ing for me to be glad at Christmas
Harry will not be here till Christina.
Eve. Come. Chaplin, dear, there
, to be more music than usual to-mor
row."
Away they tramped over the hard
/ shining snow, Chapln talking merri
: ly. Suddenly they passed into dif
ferent mood.
: 81 do hope, Dora, you and Harr,
won't get married until I'm man
l never could stand living alone wit
mother. She makes fellow S
, bluc.''
Don't borrow trouble, dear. |
will he years before Harry and l ca
. think of marrying, I'm afraid"
. "There's letter for you, Mrs
2 Dean" shouted Enoch Pond tina
might, when the stage came il
"Leastways it's for your darter.
brought it up, for l didn't think you
: get TO the store this evenin' -
""Thanks,' called Dorothy, 9
a Chaplin ran out for it. But her hear
. misgave her as she took it away uI
I stairs and read:
, My DEAR DoRA-How wretchedl
, disappointed l am M words can tell
: but Uncle Jared has gone West 0
business, and Mr.. Stiles is sick
pneumonia--and l can not get of
!, LII run up along toward spring; an
here's ribbon l meant to hav
f brought you. 1t is white, and yo
9 can wear it if you are In mourning
I'm sorry to think of you in that SAD
!, sober dress, darling. DO not forge
me, and just fancy d:,zen kisses he,
4 for you. Your faithful
s.u.z.-. HARRY.
, So all the joy was gone from ths
It Christmas for Dorothy. People n
n marked how i'll she played next da,
- and the Rector very gently asked HI
!, if she could not give more time
. practice hereafter. Spring came, b,
! again no Harry. Summer, and
O. would surely return for vacation. H
z was looked for at home, and his lie
ters were full of hopefulness, whe
10! he was sent to India on a vess
a as supercargo. The wide world W:
: between them now, and the gre
q seas, for he had not had an hour
q spare for Hillsdale and goodbye
o and it would be a year or fiftee
. months before the lovers could NEE
j. In the meantime Chaplin, growir
:. weary of his mothers scolding, star
y ed off one night with little bund
l. in his arms, and it was weeks befo
they knew what had become of hin
~ Then he wrote from q great sto.
n farm in Nebraska, where he hs
e found employment. Dorothy al
le her mother were left alone. She b
g came used 70 every thing, and, iii
sensible girl, our heroine did n
e give up her time to tears aud emela
choiy, but occupied herself with b
E, sewing, her books, and her musi
le when her housewofkk vas over. The
was plenty of that, for her moth
D. was feebler than she had been, al
IL