The Red Cloud chief., 1884-12-12
A HEROIC LIFE.
The Story Of "DisaRreeable and
Pussy Old Maid"

"Oh dear. / do wisI. auntie would
stay al home" said Bessie Wilton one
day. As the door Closed behind tina;
lady.
Bessie, ." said her mother, reprov-
ingly.
II do" persisted the girl. "She is
50 fussy and 80 d~isagreeable, | don't
like her a bit"
Mr.. Wilton laid aside his paper and
sighed a he said
Bessie. | must tell YOU a story, a
true one"
"Do. papa" interrupted Bessie, rs
she brought Il low stool and sat DOWN
at his feyt.
cit was many years ago. Bos,i c. a
cold. wet day in early spring. A party
came forth from the church door and
stood r%eyercntly beside tie oprn grave
of their pastor. Dust sas committed To
dust. and the mour. .ers returned Ia their
homes. leaving h:m nv the side of his
wife. 10 haH dice "A few wears before.
he funeral was over. the last sweet.
sad rites had been performed. the
pri-on-lihc iii had been fastened tightly,
shuttiu- from gaze forever the cold,
, placid face. and Nellie Warren sat alone
~ the dc~olate room. No. not alone.
IhdfsIdc were three trembling chill
"a, de endent now upon her for sup
u and all of the mrddlr>omc, oil
us rclatiycs who wanted 10 plan til,
renry future tor her.
".Ihe farm will sell purity middlin'
veil: "uchter get eight hundcri dollars
Ter that. but thar amt much else. This
ere furniture won't sell for much, and
INCL SilaS GraSpall laid his hand
upon the old desk in the corner. 4
huge. Un"ainly article of furniture, worn
and scratched and defaced. bat sacred
in the eve of the mourning girl. Sell
for much, N%cllic'S lip q~uivcrrd. Per
hars il was not worth much in the ewes
of the world. hut To her il was priceless.
All the diamonds of Africa could not
buy her fathers desk. Even as she
looked at il. through her binding tears.
she seemed Ia see her fathers form
sitting b.fore il. n he WAS wont TO do.
.'..Ahrm,' began Uncle SilaS again.
.TIev YOU thought what you'd do yit.
Nellie? | S'poSe he didn't leave W.
any money. did he? None TO speak of?'
IL think not much faltcrcd the
girl
land I guess not. He never was
~rea: fer maxim money Nell;c'S ewes
dashed. and she shut her lips tightly
together to keep back the answer She
felt must come. He was 4 master
good man. though. John was. Wal.
now. You haint made no plans. spoSc.
kin give YOU a home. sich rs il is
$50 can L. interrupted Aunt Selma.
Nellie is welcome To stay with me ~
long as she pleaSes.' Which generous
offer. as Nellie well knew. meant AS
long As she pleases To work we'll.
IL think she had better come with
me Uncle SilaS went on. What do
o say. Nellie?
But. but--thc childrcn-it will be
! too much-you ought not'-faltercd
Nellie.
...Oh. rs ter hcm,' said the man.
besitatingly: ..Will. there. a earn
his board Almost anywhereS. and tother
two can 90 to the 'Stlum.
...Never..' said Nellie. ~fiercely.
...But you can't expect one person to
take EN- ALL said Aunt Selma. If you
ro 70 Silas' I'll take VIII myself. L
s.pose he could do the chores. Most
twelve. amt he?
YES answered Nellie. rs she laid
ber hand protectingly over his. and an
swered his imploring look with a sad
little smile.
...And I'll take Charlie. He's bic
o,,tf fer pick up chips and do little
oborps.' said Aunt Sabrina. who lived
alone. 49,. $40,
male. fragile. fiye-year'old girl VINO
surveyed them all with such great,
wild eyes. As she chung closer
~ Nellie? Each one glanced
;ns,iDctivelv towards a rchiE-
arassed lady who sat apart from all the
o.bers. clothed in the deepest mourning.
a. churchill WAS their fathers only
-. ,s such they certainly had claim
- be- bounty She waS n wealthly
u3n,v and had recently buried her only
ia Having known the deepest sor-
cH-'Sha could the more readily pity
- AS vet she had not spoken:
tit III. frIn her hundreds she would
ooHI;nrlkpare q little to Tighten their
wa fInconsciously Nellie herself
,oug1 BIT this. and she looked in her
il E~rateful love as she now arose
dW1prward.
~Mlviil take little Annie she
@A answering the inquiring
kkhrill take little Annie, and
%, everything that money
q nd she looked coldly at
k& - - DNSnn QtOnaH
have anything to do wit
ehi1SS he trembling cha I
hich and aresolute Ia
pa. IL ac-..?e'.