Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-17

w HdG was Nen01llan'S plan -
"He was an Israelitish noble, and the
great leader in rebuilding Jerusalem after
the captivity" replied the stranger, plung-
ing at once into the subject, and not mani
testing the least surprise at the question.
And his way of rebuilding the wall was
to set each man to building before his own
house. No one spent his time running
around, putting in stone here and a stone
there, trying to build little in every
breach, or trying to find an opening that
just suited him, and build there; but every
man took the work that was straight before
him. If you want to do good work in this
to build-''
The preacher had dropped into his chant
ing tone; but just as Margaret began torea-
mon upon her devoted head, her foot slip
ped upon q wet stone in the rough steep
path, and she fell. 1t was awkward enough,
she assured herself in vexation, but the
first effort to rise proved it something far
worse. She grew white, and faint with
pain, and the voice of her companion ask
ing If she were hurt sounded indistinct and
far away. Some of the others turned back.
She scarcely noticed who came or how they
aided her, but she presently found herself
at Miss Grey's, surrounded by sympa-
timing group and a strong odor OF cam
phor.
"a bad sprain like that is really worse
than broken bone-at least it takes longer
to heal" announced the country practi-
toner, an hour later, when he had exam
Der. at will be several weeks before you
can put that foot to the ground again."
Several weeks! Margaret listened to his
retreating steps, looked at her swollen and
bandaged ankle, and then at the figure
moving busily about the room, picking up
bottles and bits of old linen.
Miss Grey, what will you do with me"'
"1'll have to do the best1 can, l s'pose.
Here you air, and we can't neither of us
help it. What can't be cured III have to be
endured" answered that lady, without
pausing in her work of putting to rights.
Having her presence accepted as an af-
hictive dispensation was new experience
to Margaret; she thought of home and Tom.
She had ample leisure for thinking of many
things as the long afternoon wore away,
ment upon which she had entered-that all
her planning had ended in this. How
strangely it had happened!
"The idea of leaving home just to bury
myself hereW she sighed, reviewing the
situation. "Nehemiah's plan, indeed! l
shall certainly have to build straight be-
fore me for the next two months if build
at ALL"
Straight before her in the next room sat
Miss Grey, bending busily over cloth and
forehead.
'What is it? If I could help YOU"
questioned Margaret, and hesitated. She
had,grown interested after watching her a
moment.
7WeIl, you CAM" said Miss GREY, drop.
ping her hard hands meditatively in her
lap.
Ppm trying to make over an old dress of
my great-aunt's into a new one for myself,
and there amt enough of it. 1t seems as if
ought to be able to do it by this time, for
my whole life has just been a-makin' over,
or patchin' up, or turnin' best side out, of
what somebody else has used or wasted or
spoiled before got it. It's taken my best
days to exc out Shortcomings and patch up
blunders. 1've never had anything fresh
and new to start on"
Except Billy" ventured Margaret, as
the child's sunny head appeared at the
window.
"Billy: Well" Miss Grey paused.
That little half-brother was dearer to her
even then she knew, but he was perplex-
ing, also. Something that looked out from
his dark eyes and spoke in his wistful tones
was more difficult than anything else to fit
into her hard homely life; It did not
seem to belong there. But she would not
der at what she had said. With quick
breath that would have been a sigh on less
determined lips, she bent over her work
again. Upon those stopped and rounded
shoulders life's burdens had fallen early
She had paid the penalty of being consid-
cred ''smart" and "capable" by having
whatever the others of the family were too
busy, too indolent, or too selfish to do al
ways left for Susan" When her dis
couraged mother slipped away out of the
world she found herself alone to plan for
and supply what her careless, improvident
father never provided-to supplement his
love of ease with her self-denial, and econo-
miZe while he wasted. After hard years he
had crowned his extravagances by bring
ing home a fragile young wife whom he
hat
plished, had comfortably died and left her
to SuSan'S care, as she, a little later, left
Billy. 1t never occurred to Susan to shirk
the burdens that others dropped. She had
taken them up resolutely one by one, and
gone on her way, never having had time for
a life of her own.
So it happened naturally that having &C.
cepted Margaret's stay as one of her ''al-
she gave faithfully the best care
in her power.
in the bill, nor repaid in any way" said
regretfully. You have so much
to do it seems strange that / should have
been thrown on your hands"
"Mebby," suggested Billy, gravely-
"mebby you was throwed for me. Cause
1 don't have things Ike-folks. Pm" he
hesitated, and looked at her foot-"I'm the
gladdest kind of sorry"
Her presence seemed, indeed, constant
pleasure to the child. He hung about her,
dtllnlfeu HeT pretty uTeSSGS ana OrnaIQen6S,
and listened in delight whenever she spoke
of the world of folks" from which she
came. When her trunk arrived, and she
took from it one day portfolio of sketches
and drawing materials, he looked from the
pictures to her face with a wondering,
eagerness.
THAT looks like something a little lame
boy could play if he knew how" he said,
clasping and unclasping his small brown
hands in a tremor of excitement.
"He shall try" smiled Margaret, won by
the pleading eyes.
That was the beginning of many lessons,
in which a new world opened to Billy, and
Margaret quite forgot that she had left
home to find rest from teaching. There
were many things forgotten in those slow,
quiet days. Her vague unrest, her fever
ish ambition, seemed selfish and ignoble in
the presence of this strong, brave life be-
fore her-such hard, homely life that she
could scarcely understand her own interest
in it.
She had written home nothing of the
accident that had befallen her, but only in
of a necessary change OF plan"
There was no need that any one should be
anxious about her or erieve at her disap-
pointments, and there was one who would
do both, she remembered, with little
thrill at her heart. Some wav she was