The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-12-05

to be the browning glory OF the dessert.
but | Think am almost certain
Daniel Glover is getting fond Of me
.sIIal-lo '" said the doctor.
"Oh, DOCTOR" faltcrcd poor Mary,
Fought I to tell him al 2
Hold your tongue said the doctor
b~rusauely. "a close mouth makes q
wise head !! You say you are innocent OF
all those chargcs?'
Il was innocent :" cried Mary. Lam
innocent "
Every we'll, said Doctor Fitch; then
you are as good as he is"
And. with a few kindly words, he rode
on.
But as Mr.. and Mrs. Glover were coming
lcisurcly home from church, with Daniel
sauntcring behind, a ~sullcn-eycd tramp
slouchcd up to the former, touching his
cap. 80,
BE YOU the grist-mill man ?" said he.
II am the miller, friend" said MIR.
Glover
"Well, then" said the dusty-footcd
stranger, 81 it is my boundcn duty to tel
YOU that you're harboring Il ~prlson-blrd
in your home
WHAT" cried old Mrs. Glover.
IL knows it. blamed we'll" asserted
the man. ZOOS / was in quad at the same
time she was. Theft for she, and drunk
and disorderlv for me. And | wouldn't
have bowed on her, but she refused me
a drink of cider, and wouldn't let me IN
to warm my feet. | amt nc talc-bearer;
Int there's some things as flesh and blood
won't bear!!' ..,.
He stalked on, muttcring to himself,
while Mr.. and Mrs. Glover and Daniel
stared at each other in horrltled amaze
ment.
Mother, is it true" said Daniel.
lit can't be- said the old lady.
"Ask herself" said the miller. grimly.
Mary met them at the door, with a IA
diant smile. The dinner was all ready;
the humble array of silver and china
sparkled on the board; the fire blazed
upon the clean-swept hearth.
81 am so glad you have come back"
said she. "Not that l was afraid to be
alone, bnt there was an Unlocking mar
along just now Oh, why do you look
at me so strangely? Is anything the mat
teri"
..Thcrc is much the matter" said the
old miller, sternly. Answer me-
girl"
"Father you shall not be harsh to
her." said Daniel Glover. Come here,
Mary. Lean on me. Nay. do not
tremblc 50. What is there to be afraid
of? We all know that the brute spoke
lies!.'
"Is it a lic," faltcred Mrs Glover,
"that you-you were in prison 2"
at is no lie.m said Mary. turning
deathlv white. II served a sentence III
Exmouth prison; but-but l never was
guilty! Circumstances were against me-
L"
"Thcn," sternly uttered the old man,
YOU must leave this house"
eff she goes, father said Daniel
Glover, firmly, 81 go with her. For
trust her. believe in her..
Daniel, arc you crazy?' said his
mother.
At that momcut. Doctor Fitch rode
up, looking flushed and excited, yet
pleased withal. He sprung off his horse
and walked into the house, looking
keenly about him.
Good people, said he, what Is all
this about 7"
awe have just heard" walled Mrs.
Glover, "that our Mary is a convict!'
'Pshaw!" said Doctor Fitch. $50 it
has got around to your ears, has it?
Well, l have just heard that she isn't. l
have come from the hospital ward. \
man was brought in, fatally wounded in
a liquor saloon fray. l examined his
hurts. My man. said I, if you have
any affairs to settle, they had better be
settled at once, for YOU have not six
hours to live Said he, If l am dying,
there's one or two things ' would like to
say And then, in solemn confession.
he said, among other black and wicked
glars in the famous Chartens case-that
he hid the silver in Mary Trefoil's trunk
when, at the last, he found himself un-
able to carry it all away, she being
seamstress in the Chartcns family, and
entirely ignorant of the whole thing
that he was too closely tracked to con-
trivc to return, and so she was convicted
through circumstantial evidence, being,
to use the wrctch's own words, as inno-
cent as a baby all the time. He is a
dying man now, under the care of the
chaplain, but he has done his best to right
you, Mary Trefoil, in the eyes of the
world"
MARY" said the miller. Il was wrong
just now when l spoke up so sudden.
Will YOU forgive mc?"
MARY, don't look Sc pale" soothed
Mrs. Glover. "Here-drink some of this
cold water"
''Mary, dearest" whispered Daniel, as
he stole his arm around her waist, Il
knew all along that you were innocent.
l ! knew YOU were too good and pure to be
aught else"
And the last words revived her most
of all.
Doctor Fitch stayed to help them cat
the Thanksgiving dinner which Mary
had prepared SO daintily-the brown and
oleaginous turkey, the cinnamon-flavored
apple-pies, the baked potatoes and mincc-
tarts, with the nuts and apples and
sparkling cider aftcrward. And when
he rose to 90, he said, laughing:
"Wcll. and when is the wedding to
be-"
"At Christmas, please God Daniel
uttered, bravcly, while Mary Trcfoil cried
out:
"Oh, Daniel, l never said So
"But | say So, and mother says So"
chimcd in Mr.. Glover, Sr. "And so the
matter is settled by Il vote of the ma
%jority."
"'And l shall claim the privilege of
giving away the BRIDE" said Doctor
Fitch. mcrrilv.
And so he went out into the snow and
darkness, whistling gaily as he vanished.
And Mary, looking earnestly up into
her lovers eyes. said, softly:
"Oh, Daniel. l think | never knew be-
fore the true meaning of the name
Thanksgiving".
cit does seem providcntial." said old
Mrs. Glover, tcnderly. stroking down the
bright hair of her daughtcr-in-law elect,
THAT all this should have happened on
Thanksgiving Day"
AS if all things were not providcntial,
when Providence is over us all.-Helem
Forrest Grures.
I%nstructing tie Captains.