Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-02-15
KRYTO The MYSI ERY.

VI
/ was but a poor mechanic in thos
days-a lccksmith by trade-industri
Gus, jealous and in love, as many a goo,
fellow before me Las been and will b
again, 1 doubt not.
But marriage was thing of the fu
ture, and each tune it came nearer
seemed to slip ahead again, and leav,
poor Emily and me as far from our goa
as ever and with fainting hope eaci
time.
had a mother and an invalid sistel
to support, and somehow or other lock-
wouldn't get out of repair, or need re
pairing in sufficient numbers to enable
NE to add little wife TO my list of wo-
mankind.
Emily was deft little seamstress, ,ant
slowly but steadily went on earning he
wedding outfit saying cheerlly;
Remember the tide in every man.
life, John. Some day you'll take it a
its full, and fortune will follow"
Bless the patient little woman she dit
predi It the truth.
An order came one day for the repail
of a trunk lock in distant part of towr
wondered little, as with my bag o
tools hastened to obey the direction
that / had been sent for-such a dis
tance from the place-and whether
there were not locksmiths in that neigh
borhood.
By an odd chance Emily's word came
into my mind. Was my tide about tt
turn.
found thefouse-a small, plain cot
tage, with nothing about 1t indicative o.
magic power. but rather suggesting
that the inmates were waiting rs vel
as John Rhodes, for the way to fort
upe.
A sweet faced girl refined and vel
bred, admitted me and with smile led
the way at once to the work she wished
done.
1t was in the front bedroom-a well
worn trunk that had seen its best day:
and was rather rickety about the buck
les and lock.
[ set about the repairs at once, as the
young lady's manner indicated haste
and while busily employed thought how
much better this little fiveroomed house
would suit Emily and me than the very
evident superior condition of the fail
girl / was working for.
In an arm chair by the window sat Al
elderly lady who seemed to watch my
work with gentle curiosity, and beside
her sat the young girl, speaking in a low
tone, as if pleading.
You work hard sir, said the lady
kindly.
"Yes, ma'am, from sunrise tn sunset
1 answered, filing away at the old
lock.
MY mother has n great sympathy
for workers." laughed the young girl
patting the elder lady's pretty hand
s'and thinks am to be pitied because
belong to the hive of human bees"
l looked at her. She couldn't do hare
work, thought. with those slim fingers
and rosy cheeks-m usic or teaching
perhaps, at the most.
sNever mind, mother dear, my tide
will turn some day." she laughed again
as / finished my small job and arose
land then what fortune it will lead oil
to-"
She was like my Emily cheering him
self with bits of pretty sayings, got on
of books, and it made me feel kiIdl,
toward her, as if / would like to serv,
her.
Ny change came, strange to say, be
fore long. As she paid me my due
which l made purposely small for tn,
SAFE of Emily's CHEEKY words, she aske'
quickly:
'-Would lot of odd keys be of ser
vice to you? We have such big bun cl
that it is only in the way, and we wcul'
thank you, to take them"
1t suited me very we'll, as l. coul'
work them over and save on them, sol
took them gratefully as she held then
up, lingling. in big heap.
..Ah," she said. half sadly, IF W
only had now the closets and wardrobe
and all the locks those keys once fitted
how quickly would our cares fad
awayl 'Tis, hard, hard to be so poo
when our loved ones sufferl
could not answer for she did nc
seem to speak to me, but felt still NOR
willing to help her,
She let me out the door kindly.
81 am glad Iwent by your shop b
chance, she said, "and decided to CIV
you job, for I think you look consel
entious. Good byl"
Iwent home thoughtfully ponderin