The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-03
Paying Her Debt,

there This one was Morgan's cottage,
and it was Jack Morgan himself and
his sister, Madge, who were seated at
breakfast, lingering as was possible only
on Sunday morning.
She was tall, well-formed, striking
ly handsome girl of nineteen, as she
sat facing her brother, who was somc
FIVE years older and upon her face
was an eager, troubled look, while he
was sullen and downcast.
Young az they were they had seen
better days been well educated up to
three years previous to that June morn
ing, and then been thrown suddenly
upon their own resources.
Jack fought his way, sullen and re-
sentful, making few friends, and seek
ing none,
Madge was the braver of the two,
meeting their reverses with quiet cour-
age, and bringing energy, trust, and
cheerfulness to the mean cottage home.
just one week has clasped since an
aunt from whom they had never hoped
for aid, had left them each hundred
pounds, and Jack had resolved to try
his fortune in Canada, while Madge
put hers aside for rainy day.
"I'll stay here until you are sure of
success, Jack" she said, when he urged
her to Join him, "and keep home
Tor you in case that you should need
one.
'Do you call this hole a home 7" he
asked, bitterly and she only smiled and
answered:
"a shelter, then"
But she was not smiling when she
sat at the Sunday breakfast, eating lit
tie, brooding sadly, until suddenly she
cried
"Jack, we must do something Think
what we owe Tom King"
cove him | believe we have paid
him every farthing,' said Jack, sharp
ly.
1--WE have paid him the money, |
know but we can never pay him what
we owe him'still."
"Bah Don't be so sentimental,
Madge.'
'Common gratitude is not sentiment
alone, Jack. Jack, she repeated, "can
you forget who came to us in that sore
need, paid doctor and butcher, and then
buried our mother beside father in the
cemetery
"And do you forget, her brother re.
piled, almost angrily, show we worked
and starved and perished, until every
shilling of the money was in Tom
Kings pocket again ?"
81 know l know! But think how
he helped you and me to get our situa-
ton in the mills, and how delicately
he made the loans of money. And
now, oh, Jack, | must do something
"What can you do 4? If Tom King
chose to lose his money in speculating
how are you responsible?"
Il am not, but, Jack, there is Aun,
Kate's money
"All you have in the world
"No, she answered, 81 have my
wages"
"a noble fortune! Don't be fool
Madge.'
But Madge was fool in the sense
he meant. All through the morning
while she dressed in her quiet morning
for church, even through the service
there, she was thinking of what she
owed Tom King
When her mother crushed by the
death of her husband, unable to mee
the change from comfort to poverty
sank down prostrated, when Jack, un
able to get work, was cursing fortune
Tom King came as their fathers friend
and kept them from starvation. Madge',
heart glowed as she remembered how
thoughtful he was about sparing hel
trouble in every way.
lie was more than double age, an(
grave, reserved man, whom she re
garded with the affectionate respect
she would have given her father, bu
with that same reverence she loved hin
deeply. And when the whole towI
knew that Tom King lay in the New
town hospital, sick and penniless, th
whole noble, grateful heart of Madg,
Morgan went ont TO him.
Many stories reached her He ha,
made a fortune and lost it he haC
invested in mines that failed and ruin
ed him he had been engaged, accord
ing to the Newtown gossips, in dozel
different speculations, winning vas
sums only to lose them. But on
broad, indisputable fact remained, i
all the rest were false he was lyin,
in the hospital sick from the excitemen
that had put the last stroke upon hi
ill-luck.
Dinner over, Madge put on her bon
net again.
'1'm going over to the hospital
jack she said.
Only a grunt answered her, but sh
would not be put off by jacks sou
looks, and went on her errand.
Here, upon low iron cot-bed, pal
and emaciated, but evidently on tn
road to recovery, Tom King lay whe
Madge Morgan came up to the war
with nurse, her face so grave an
tender that the strong will and patien
endurance OF its usual expression wer
lost in the pure womanly sympath
that rested there.
"My friend!" she said, taking tn
wasted hand extended to her, and Tor
King wondered if ever two words hel
so much as those two
"Why, Madge,' he said presently
"do not feel so badly, I'm gainin
every day. The doctor says he wi
have me on my feet in a week, and II
going abroad again.
"Again! When you have been so III
fortunate there"
''Eh Oh, | sect" with an odd loo
in his eyes ''you've been readin
the Newtown Star. Unlucky, WASH
II"
"Yes. But, Toni came TO te
you" the words came slowly-"tha
l have some money that-that is of n
use to me. II it will start you agair
l."
"You want me TO take 1t p
"You can borrow it" anxious not t
hurt his pride, and some day when 20
are rieh---you can return it"