Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-04-14

by her skillful fingers, to our neglect
so we remained with her, witnessing her
pitiable struggles.
s'The first night she moaned at in
tervals through allsit long hours, and
moro than once we heard her say, def
antly, Il won't, won't!' And so on,
for two or three days, her really fine
nature seemed to be resisting something
which it was almost agony to contend
against; yet she seemed determined not
to yield to the counteracting impulse.
s. She would take us down at different
times, and perhaps work a button-hole,
then be interrupted to do something
else; but as she held us in her soft, fair
hands she often talked to US as though
we were living things. How it was she
possessed such remarkably pretty
hands we shall never know; but GER
tain it is no lady in the land ever had
more graceful, delicate hands than poor
Sue. $s-=
lone day, when she had been in
about week, she finished US entirely
finished us just as the short winter af-
ternoon was beginning to gloom. She
held us lovingly. it seemed. and passed
her hands over us repeatedly in a sort of
caressing way-those little hands. Soon
tears dimmed her eyes, and, rising, she
placed us on the narrow shelf opposite
the bed. Sitting down with her wonted
habit on the edge of the cot, she slowly
unwound her wondrous hair-its weight
seemed to Cypress her that afternoon
and as it fell in all its rare sweep about
her she looked up at us, mutely regard
ing her, and her expression was the very
saddest and sweetest we have ever yet
seen on a human cOuntenance.
ssThen that conflict began again con-
corning we knew not what; she crossed
and uncrossed her hands nervously,
and glanced, now longingly, now an
grily, up and down the narrow cell; then
she grew quiet and very thoughtful;
then tears like raindrops chased over her
oval cheeks, and at last, throwing up
her hands, with a cry half despairing,
half hopeful, she sobbed, Il will; yes, I
will!' and falling on her knees, she
aloud. 1t was a sin
gu'ar prayer, more like a child's cry
than anything else we could think of.
1t was for herself; for Reuben Hemp
stead; then a pause, and she prayed for
the woman who insulted her so; she
promised so much, poor child! about
how good she would be, and how she
would serve God, and keep a clean,
honest woman still, if Jesus would but
help her. aAs.
''She stopped at length, as though ex-
hausted, but still remained on her knees,
her beautiful head down, and her mid
night locks touching the floor; and Just
then in the distance sounded the firm,
even tread of two men. The approach
ing footballs came steadily along the cor
ridor until they paused before No. So,
and the warden's kind voice said:
s'sThis is the cell, SIR -.
"There was knock at the door, and
Sue, still on her knees, said rather list
iessly, Come in and man entered
alone-a man strong-built and shaggy
browed, with brown skin but a kindly
face and a kindler voice, who on see
ing the kneeling figure of the girl by the
side of the little cot uttered one telling
word:
Sweetheart
ssThere was a slow uprising, an ex-
tending toward the visitor those cum
ming little hands, a radiant flush on
cheek, lip and brow, as Sue cried, chok-
ingly:
"sOh, Reuben, Reuben!'
'tShe went away that very night,
was down, for God, in His great love
euer should call on His name, had saved
heri
.Just as she. was about leaving the
III Il IL
softly up took US down, and kissed ane,
while on my mate there fell tear; but
Sue never saw it, and it remained I'M
wiped away, and that, deary, is the
small spot on my mates side, which is
never quite as bright as the rest of the
polished French kid, and which lowered
our price somewhat
The voice stilled, and the boots set
tied and shrank, and appeared slowly
retreating; they had almost vanished
when nearly jumped from the bed in
my eagerness to arrest their flight; but
there they stood. just where 1 had
placed them, and taking up the Left
boot gazed with awed interest on the
little round spot I'd so often seen, and
which 1 must now always believe was a
conyict's tear.
My nap had done good service in re-
storing me to an entirely different and
better frame of mind. Going to the
closet and taking down my black silk,
decided that with fresh ruches it might
be made quite presentable for another
evening, and resolving to worry no more
over so unimportant a matter went
down to supper with "face on" which
made pa say, cheerily, l looked " fresh
as daisy"
Next day I had splendid luck with my
pies, but somehow the heat
of the kitchen sent the blood into nv
face, so that my cheeks would not cool
off, not even when 1 started for Mrs.
Col. Flushing's party.
Just as 1 expected, Cad Pinkerton
looked superbly. She wore cream-col-
ored satin. and her laces, gloves and
flowers were simply perfect. hadn't
been in the room more than fifteen min
utes, when that irrepressible Bess VIM
pie came and informed me in an under
tone that she accidentally heard gen.