Barbour County index., 1884-02-01

MN from telOn DOOM"
Mother, pray for me. II I escape.
| vow TO lead an honest life and make a
home for you. IL has not been INV
fault Pray God 10 forgive and help
me-
lara's grasp OF her hands relaxed.
Then, with white face and sorrowful
eyes, she stood up and looked at her
two tiny sleeping boys. Then on h,r
Knees she fell. and stayed in earnest
prayer until she heard the stealthy foot
steps creep down the stairs, aud the
from door closed; and then she stole TO
the window of her darkened room,
and, looking out into the lamp
lit street, watched n quick walk mo-
figure in an old country woman's cloak
with deep cape. and large poke bon
net, such as her old neghbor always
wore and she knew that the young
man had escaped in his mothers 5
clothes.
III.
One Of the most old.fashiOned houses
in an old COuntry town was Miss Grey
brooks. A steep Hight of Immediately
clean cps lcd rom the pavement of the
High street tO her hail door with its
shining brass knocker and hell handle.
On each sde of this hall door was a
large bay-w ndow, Just high enough TO
make II incOnvenient for any one TO
oier to shake hands with NJ So Grey
broOS when they were in the street and
she wa tending her flowers in the win
dow. Az the back of the broai hall that
went straight n ross the house there
weru stops leading down into large.
we'll kept gardens, and these were in
ct srd by substantial brick wall that
cilcctually prot t,cted the fruit and How
ers rom pilfering fingers.
Inside the house everything was ex-
press.vc OF wealth and solid comfort.
Miss G. cybrojk herself was rc rarded
by the towns-!olk as pecul n, Tut her
popularity beinga cmpanied by riches.
she was never made To feel il unplcas-
lntly. in person she was tall and
angular. and pair of piercing
black eyes that shone out in vivid
contrast to her gray hair gave her a re-
markable appearance. Her can, were
always made high and her dresses
shorter than anybody else's. and she
made no chan &c Tor fashion or favor.
Now this old lady was Mr.. Tom
Cravcu's godmother. And on the V nv
cold, dull winter morning, of VIII ch 1
lavCnow 10 speak, she had risen from
her high-bachcd cha + i'm front of the
bright steel fender at sound of the post-
mans knock, and advanced to meet the
elderly servant who brought in the let
tcrs on silver salvcr.
"Npnc from him" said the old lady.
when she was alone again, turning over
four letters eagerly in search OF a hand
writing that was not there. Poor and
proud like his father Well. I've seen
much folly in my time, but if he refuses
my oier. question IL there is n COM
panion idiot for such n man.
IL was three weeks since she had writ
ten to Tom Craven, address NO her let
ter to the office OF Brown a Co., by
whom she thought he was still en-
ployed, and Offering to overlook the
hidcous mistake he had made in marry
ing apcnniless Orphan-girl. and to de-
vote substantial sum To- further his
prospects IN life. On the very morning
that she was bewailing openly
her gOdson's pride, and secretly her
own. our friend Tom received a reply
To the letter he had sent TO Brown a
Co. politely regretting that they could
do nothing further 10 help him, and in
closing Mss G. eybrook's letter. which
had been lying nearly three weeks at
their Office.
Clara, with the sadness of the last
nights struggle still upon her. ran
down the r.ckety stairs at sound of the
pOstman's knock. and received the let
ter for her hu u,band. When she arrived.
breathless, at the top floor aga n, she
watched his face ms he opened IL. The
Few polite lines from the business men
tell unread To the ground. while the
envelope they inclOsed was torn eager
ly open. Clara looked over his shoul-
der and read. too, and then with one
glance at the renewed light and vigor
In his worn, anxious face, she relin-
quished her role Of bravery, and cried
out tho misery of months In his arms.
Bobby walked and BERTHE crawled 10
the scene of acton. and seeing their
mother in tears. lent shrill Il To the
chorus. Upon which they were kissed.
blessed and cried over till they thought
the world represented to them by their
father and mother) had gone mad.
When partial caimness had returned,
Tom spoke joyously:
Now wife, sell something of your
small store. and send telegram from
me To the dear old girlr'
"Tom" cried Clara, laughing
through her tears, ''how disrespectful."
But the telegram was sent and
brought in solemn wonderment to Miss
GrcybroOk before ten o clock by the
postmaster himself. When once she
had the opened paper in front OF her
eyes. and devoured the in
formation that her godson was
in Lond n. AMI desirous of seeing her
immed ately she gave orders for n lIy To
be in readiness To catch the next mn.
train. and that her fur travelling cloak
and boots should be put 10 the fire inn
mediately. In the anxiety that all the
uOmcstics felt TO take n share in the Oen
eral excitement. Miss Greybrook's 5 cloak
threatened 10 be torn in pieces. and
when wanted. one fur boot was found
warming in front Of the Kitchen fire. the
other repos nc on the sheep-skin rr0
beside the drawing-room steel fender,
However, vouchsaiing never n word of
explanation. but. happily for the sanity
OF those she left behind. dropping the
telegram in the hall as she walked ont
to.the fly. Miss Greybrook started alone
on her travels.
The dull foggy shades Of n London
winter evening had gathered, and two
big and two little faces were pressed
tight against the grimy top window Of
house In Westminster street. as a
cab drove up.
Go and bring her upstairs, Clara"
said Tom. Il can't 60 in my slippers. +"
''Yes-but I'm so afraid of hertz
All fears were obliged to disappear.
however. for the object of them had
not waited to be brought up. She had
intimidated the landlady by the COM
manding voice in which she had de-
sired to be shown to the apartments of
land Mrs. Thomas Greybrook Craven; :;
aud that fat and lazy person had pre-