Daily Republican., 1883-07-13
MISS ALIENS LANDLORD.
BY MRS. +. BURKE COLLINS.

"We shall have to leave, Minnie.
This pretty cottage, that has been our
home 30 long, will soon shelter us nc
longer. Mr.. Harding says that the
owner (some gentleman from abroad,
who has taken fancy to the p.ace) is
coming home and intends rebuilding
and modelling it into a perfect paradise.
oh, Minnie, how nice 1t must be to be
rich -
And Amy Allen sighed as she wiped
her pen on a dilapidated butterfly,
which served the ignominious capacity
of pen.wiper.
"But, sister Amy" demonstrated the
weak voice of the invalid, for Minnie
Allen, though sweet and uncomplain-
ing, was confirmed invalid, confined
to the chintz- covered sofa in pretty
sitting-room from morning till night,
remember, dear, she went on patient
ly, " there is something better than
money in the world"
Perhaps" assented Amy, oubt-
fully, as she slowly folded the pile of
manuscript before her, and placed it in
an envelope, "but all the same, sis, I'd
not object to small fortune. Just
think, Min, how much good we could
do if we only had the means. I'd have
that great doctor, whom everybody is
raving about, come and prescribe for
you. Who knows, dear, but he might
heln you 2"
Minnie shook her brown head slowly.
No." she returned, do not think
anyone can help me. But never mind
me, Amy I've been thinking all day
about you and-and Cyril Thornton"
" Hush"
Amy Aliens face had grown very
white, and she put up one hand as
though to ward otfa blow. Don't,
she said in quivering voice,
" can't bear to think of him"
81 know said the sick girl, sooth-
ingly; "and yet, Amy, can't help be-
lieving that he loved YOU
"Loved me?" Amy's voice rang out
scorntuhy. "Loved me SO well that he
went away to Europe without word of
explanation, and we such old friends,
almost betrotLed. Why, | would not
have known that he had gone, only l
saw his name in the list of the pa ,sen
gers who sailed for Liverpool on the
steamer Persia. No, don't trouble me
about Cyril Thornton, sister, he is not
worth thinking about. And now let
me make you comfortable, and then I'll
run down to the post office and mail II y
do hope the publisher
will nay me promptly, for we need SO
many things ; and now-now that we
must leave our old home, where we
have been SO happy, I suppose must
ook for another house at once.
Amy tied on her hat, end taking the
precious manuscript, she started off on
ler errand.
On the street near the Office she en-
Mr.. Harding, the agent for
he owner for the pretty cottage where
hey lived.
He touched his hat, and as she drew
rear he hesitated.
"Miss Allen" he began with evident
81 have ust received a let
er from my employer, your landlord.
He says that, ifquite convenient, he
you'd like to take possession by the
irst of next month. He intends to set
/ whole army of builders and workmen
o work, consequently is in something
If hurry. He has Just returned from
europe, where he has resided for the
,ast three years. If, however, you
lave difficulty in securing another
louse Miss Allen, have no, idea that
le will trouble you, for Il very courte-
'us gentleman is Mr.. Thornton. be-
iove never mentioned to you that the
'wner is Mr.. Cyril Thornton he used to |
i've some fifty miles south of here, but |
$ coming home from abroad now, with |
Irs Thornton
81 would not stay in the house for
he wealth of the world - burst forth |
Amy Allen impetuCusly.
Then, observing the keen eyes of the |
Id man fixed searchingly upon her, she
Idded more calmly:
81 will he out of the house at the
ime specified, Mr.. Harding, you need
lave no fear on that score.
And having mailed her precious manu-
cript, Amy hastened home, alas, soon
o be home no more.
She succeeded in obtaining house
he next day, a little box of a place, for
Amy Allen was a poor, struggling |
writer, dependent upon her pen for the
Of herself and sister, and her
limited resources precluded anything
ike the pretty home which had been
heirs, but whose like could not be
ound for q reasonable rent IN the whole
'ity.
"Beggars cannot BE- choOsers," she eX-
claimed laconicaly to Minnie, as she
ehearsed the various disadvantages Of
heir new home, into which they pur-
,osed removing at once; "the sooner
he better" Amy declared, choking
lown the tears bravely as she sat by
he invalid's sofa. But now. dear, since
t is all settled" she added, with an
,ttempt at cheerfulness, 81 may as
s well begin to prepare at once for de-
propose packing the contents
f the old secretary yonder this very
vening"
And she went to work energetically,
verhauling the Heterogeneous contents
f the old-fashioned structure which
ad stood in a cornor of the sitting-room
YER since she and Minnie could re-
iember.
Suddenly she uttered low cry, and
finnie saw that her face had grown
eadly male, her dark eyes were shin
lg and there was red spot burning
Ike fire upon her cheeks, while her
reath came short and quick.
"Minnie! Minnie - she painted,
,arcely able to articulate, 40 intense
as her excitement "see, l found it
nong package of old papers stored
way in corner and forgotten. 1t is
'tter to me, from Cyril Thornton.
cad it"
And she laid the long lost letter in
er sisters hand. This is what it said
DARLING AMY "A matter Of life
nd death calls me to Europe, My ia
ler's brother is dying, and he has held
nlawfully for years, since my fathers
cath, the estate which legally belong
| to both brothers. My father being
cad, | am the heir-at-law. My uncle
as cabled to me to come over at once.
|e is remorseful and repentant, and
ishes to make reparation. You will
nderstand, Amy, how impossible 1t is