The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-01-04
NOT GUILTY.

NOT GUILTY.
The last week in October.
As general thing nature is not bountifal
With her smiles these fihor4. dresry day,
when tho world standA ,hldderine on tho
threshold Of winter.
But this particular Monday was full of
o'!m and sunshine, the dir sweet with the
understandable perfo me of the colored leaves
which were drift ed up along the roadside
ana collected IT.. rastling layers under the
ssono iounoaf /ons of Exm. nth iail.
vvelnees che sky was blue as sapphire,
sno nero nd there along this woodpath q
suay ~ ID flower lifted ito purple eye, the
1.ss ~ gearing relic Of the golden september
glo' 4. .,t. -.
Or. Fitch rode along the lonely br1dle-
path. the sound Of his horses hoois on the
deadleaves reminding hin, vaguely of the
days long ago when he was . boy and
secured these very woods in search of nuts,
and hunted squirrels with delight which
no other sport could give him now.
III one could only be q boy forever"
aid Royal Fitch.
'Hslloa! who's that?" as his horse SHE'D
slightly at sight of slender figure sitting
on fallen log few feet back from the
road. "Oh, it's you, Mary Trefoil. You
got your discharge this morning," he said.
Mary Trefoil looked up-a dark-ey pal
ud-fo ed woman o, two or three and twenty.
DR.. Fitch knew her very we'll. She had
benin Exn.outh prison for three months
for theft, and during two of these mon. hs
she had lain nearly at the point OF death, in
In the hospital ward, with low lingering
fever. DR.. Fitch was rather proud of the
skill which had rescued her from the jaws
ofdeath.
He stopped bis horse and looked at her.
YES sir" said Mary Trefoil spiritlessly.
1--WE got my discharge"
And where are you going now7"
"Don't know, ST."
''Where are your friends?" he asked, not
unkindly.
Il have none, sir"
"But this won't do" said DR.. Fitch, no
ting the troubled light in the girls eyes, the
deadly wilderness OF her brow and cheeks.
LOOK here; you must 60 somewhere, you
know. You can't sit here. Can't you think
ofany place where they would give you
food and shelter 81 Tor few days, until yoa
Mary Trefoil shook her head. She did
not Seem to be at all interested In the ques-
ton. DR.. Fitch's horse reached up his
head and browsed on the still green leaves
ofa wild grapevine which the boaghs of .
cedar had sheltered from the early frost.
Pr Fitch himself sat like statue, and
looked at Mary TrefOil.
"A social problem" he said inwardly,
''and it must be solved somehow. Mary,
he spoke aloud, ''can you walk q miller"
II suppose so, SIR"
''Then walk along by my horses side. I
know . good old lady who wants girl.
Perhaps you may suit her. She need not
know who you are or whence you came"
un dtan Rstd %sS Aad nq1 S.2! so
aS VIII ehe s2sa know
how 1t came into my trunk; I didn't
know it was there until the officer dragged
it out before my eyes,"
''The law thought differently" said DR..
Fitch, who, as . prison physician, had
heard these protestations of Innocence from
scores Of lips before. However, that is not
question We are discussing at present. Will
you try to deserve my recommendation if I
give you one?"
"Aeaven helping me, sir, will!' said
Mary Trefoil, evidently affected by his kind
ness.
She walked beside the horse for some lit
tie distance, until, down q side road which
seemed to plunge directly into the woods,
they came to All old gray stone house, all
mantled in scarlet creepers, with back
ground Of gnsrled apple-trees, and tho
Whir Of a grist-nill sounding somewhere in
the background like the ceaseless hum of
some gigantic insect:
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Glover" said DR..
Fitch. "Have you suited yourself yet with
Old Mrs. Glover, an apple faced matron
ofsixty, looked at them through pair Of
rouna, silver-rimmed spectaces.
mo, nor amt like to-" she said. "Bet-
sey Keene she's gone into the milliners
trade. and Lucy Hovey, She's" =
~. "Well, w brought you one" said DR.:
girl. Il know who she is, and can m
swar that she will do her best to please you
and make herself useful"
"1ndeed will, ma'am," said Mary in .
low voice.
"Foiks live about here?' said Mrs. Glover.
II have no relatives" said Mary. II
come from the northern part ofthe county: y
y. "You won't have no followers. Well.
Mary, won't deny that am awful glad
to see you, for I'm pretty nigh tuckered
out with doing all the work myself. To be
sure my son Daniel helps ME mornings and
evenings before he goes to teach deestrick
school-lor he's . scholar, my son Is" with
conscious pride. "And father, he does
sides attending the grist-mill in place like
his. You look little white and peaked,
''Oh, she'll be al right in this pure air,
with plenty of your new milk and home
made bread" said Dr. Fitch cheerily. And
with word or two of encouragement to
Mary Treioil hs rode away.
Nearly smentn later ne came back.
''Hulloal' said Dr.. Fitch. why, Mary,
you look like different creature"
Mrs. Glover had gone to church with her
son Daniel and Gather" all undismayed
by the occasional fakes of an0w which
were beginning to autter through the air.
and the bowling of the wind down the
Mary Trefoil was tripping around the
Kitchen with an unwonted hinge Of color
parted from her forehead, and red rib
bon tied ut the side. She stopped With a
milking in her hand aud looked ct DR..
Fitch brightly:
II am different e creAtnr~ sir" said She
''thanks to you"
80 its going right eh?" said the doctor.
You like the placer"
II am perfectly happy here, said Mary,
But oh, doctor, have no one to consult,
and rye asked myself the question 80 many
times over that everything seems
distorted. in my eyes. wonder
if might dare speak out of my mind to
YOU"
'"What on earth is the girl talking about
said DR.. Fitch
I'll could only sec the prison chap
LAIN"
''Come, I'll cfficiate as PRISON chaplain fol
the time being" said Dr.. Fitch good-humor-
odiy, "Out with your trouble. What il
it,"
'"Well, It isn't exactly trouble" oontesset
Mary, busying herself with polishing the
great red apples which were to be the crown
ihg glory OF the dessert. "But I think