Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-02-21
classes said Mr. Ayenel calr,lr

iiiE toibis
SO is miner bluntly retorted the
clergyman.
Paulina tried to smile. Her poisoned
weapons have turned upon herself in a
most unexpected manner.
oh, if you chose to regard it in that
light, said she. But of course since
those factories have been opened at
Gray's Falls, the class of poor people
collected here is far less interesting
But not less needy, said Mr.. Ayenel.
At all events, added Paulina. Amelia
Monkton is tired of the good work now.
then | must make my other recruits
work all the harder, said Mr.. Avenel.
4 shall never tire; of that you may
be very sure, said Miss Howard. in low.
earnest tones, as she lifted her eyes
pleadingly to the clergyman face.
Mr.. Avenel was tired and dispirited.
however, in spite of this assurance. when
he started to return home this evening.
He had somehow elevated Milly Monk
ton to the place of a shrined saint on
the pedestal of his heart. He believed
her to be purer, sweeter, better than
other people, and it was hard that his
faith should be thus shaken Paulina
Howard had fancied that she might sue
coed to the vacant place in Frank
Avenef affections. Vain Hope. What
grieved child ever learns to love the
dentist whose forceps have wrought him
good against his will? And the digni-
fed young clergyman was, after all, only
child of larger growth. He might
wrench his love from Milly Monkton-
but he felt that he should always dislike
Miss Howard for teaching him the bit
ter lesson of distrust!
As he passed ruinous old cabin on
the outskirts of the Factory settlement,
he came to stand still.
i must not forget Granny Rust
thought he. Poor soul-she has not
many to remember her in her forlorn
old agel'
As he bowed his head to enter the
uninviting house, something,like shad-
ow fitted across the rear Of the room.
and was gone before he could identify
it. Mrs. Rust, an aged erone of eighty
odd winters, lay on the bed which she
had not.left for years. Her quick, rest
less eyes were lifted to her clegyman's
face-she held out lean and shriveled
hand.
We'll, Mrs Rust said Mr.. Avenel.
kindly, and how does the world use YOU?
1t don't seem to trouble itself much
about me, sir, an that's the truth, mum
bled the old woman. | might starve.
sir, for all the care | get now. if it
wasn't that
4 hope there is no question of starva-
ton, said Avenel. | placed you in
Miss Towards especial charge. She has
promised me to see that you want for
nothing!
And much she knows whether | want
or mott groaned Mrs. Rust. I've never
set eyes on her but once, and then she
brought me three stale lemons that the
hogs couldn't eat, and promised me a
receipt for cough mixture. I'd ha' died
if it wasn't for Miss Milly Monkton,
Heaven bless her sweet facet She's
been here nigh every evening, and made
cruel and soup for the poor old woman,
and read aloud to me, and once, when
my rheumatics was special bad, she stayed
all night with me, and rubbed my
arms and kept me from dyin' outright.
There's nobody like Miss Milly, and so
the poor all around will tell you. She's
no money to give, dear heart, but she
gives time and thought after her hard
days work is over, and she don't look
on US as the very dirt under her feet, as
Miss Howard doesl There amt house
around here, sir, where they won't tell
you that Miss Milly is an angel of good.
She was here just now, sir, with pail
of fresh cool water from the spring,
and some wild grapes, such as she knew
| liked. But she always slips away
when you come in, sir.
Mr. Avenel ponlered on these things
as he went home How lightly throbbed
his heart-how beautiful looked all the
autumn world to him. And, arriving at
Mrs. Monktons little red farmhouse, he
boldly Knocked at the door and went in.
Milly sat by the fire, mending a frock
for Mrs. Dawsons little girl OF all
the poor families of the neighborhood,
Mrs. Dawson's was the most trouble
some. There was always something to
be done for the Dawson children. Old
Mrs. Monkton, who always retired early,
had gone to bed in the little chamber up
stairs, and AIilly was all alone. She
colored and started up, as the young
clergyman appeared.
Miss Monkton, he said, I've come to
beg your forgiveness.
My forgiveness Mr.. Avenel?'
And afterward to plead my own
cause, he added; aad he told her all, end
ing with proposal of marriage
For you, Milly, he said, have always
been my ideal woman, my secret saint in
all the world!
70 Milly Nonkton all this was like
some bright unreal dream. To be thus
loved to be lifted out of the dreariness
of mental toll, the solitude of heart lone
liness 1t was too much like heaven
yet surely, surely, it was true.
Everybody was pleased when the en-
gagement was made public, except Miss
Paulina Howard, who had made pretty
sure that she was to be mistress of the
pretty little Queen Anne parsonage, at
the back of the church.
Engaged to Milly after allp she cried,
when she heard it. Upon my word
there is no accounting for mans follyr
Nor for womans treachery, she
might have added.-,Shirley Broune.