The Washington critic., 1885-09-07
MATTlE'S GOOD WORK.

"Thc doctor says he cannot live
more than few days longer"
Matte Colwcl has been inquiring
how it Jared with Simon IIartright, the
rich man Of Upham, who lay wasting
with fatal illness. Not young man,
yet one who carried ffty.seven years
as erectly as thirty, and who had borne
promise of long life before the fatal
disease came suddenly to end his hope.
In the "auld lang sync' which every
man and woman past their first youth
carry in their hearts, Simon lIartright
had woocd pretty Matte Colwell and
won her love. Before their betrothal
was six months old, when the lovers
were driving out together, the horse
had taken fright, run away, and Matte
was thrown out and crippled for life.
When this was an established fact the
girl had hidden her lover farewell, and,
refusing all his warm entrcatics, had
taken up the burden of her life alone
AS years rolled by her inllrmites had
increased, until at fifty she was u feeble
woman beside the strong stalwart lover
of her youth.
1t had been one of the rare cases
where love mcllowed into lifelong
friendship, though Simon had married
and lost his wife, and had one son liv-
ing, cstrangcd from his father, a son
upon whom Matte had poured out all
the mothcr-lovc that ever woman hides
| in her heart
But while sorrow, pain and and lone
| Illness had never hardened Mattie's
heart, but left ii at fifty as tender, pure
and true as it was ut seventeen Simon
cartwright had grown hard and stern,
devoted to monoy-making, and full of
worldly wisdom. When his old love
had timidly tried to heal the breach
between himself and Edward, his first
born, he had rcpulscd her good Offices so
sternly that she had never dared repeat
them and only comofrted her heart by
corresponding with the boy she loved
sowcll.
But the fiat had gone forth that over
came all womanly timidity, and Matte
when her question was answered, went
| slowly to her own room, her head
bowed and tears cOursing down her
withcrcd checks. Once there, she
Rnclt and prayed long and fervently
She rose from her knees very pale, but
with steady light in her soft brown
eyes, and putting on her dcmure,
Quakcrlikc bonnet and cape, went out
into the chill, winter air. All about
her the snowilakes whirlcd in the bit
ter wind, but she kept forward till she
stood at the door of the great white
house Simon cartwright had built for
his home. The hOusekeeper, who
opened the door, knew Miss Matte
well, for the crippled old maid was be-
loved by every man, woman and child
in Upham for her gentle charities and
noble, sclf.sacrilicing life.
"I'm glad you've come to see Mr..
cartwright" said the housekeepcr,
"for he is very bad to-day. lie can't
lie down now at all without suffocating
spells, VIII you go up?"
Up to lofty room, luXuriously fur
nished, where the sick man sat in a
great armchair, far away from the
ruddy CRATE fire that tortured his lungs.
With smile that but few people
ever saw upon his hard face, Simon
cartwright stretched out his hand tC
Matte Colwcll.
II felt sure you would come when
they told you how bad | was" hC
said, folding her little white hand in
his own, almost as white now. "Yor
have not been my friend OF late, Mat
tic?"
always your friend, Simon" wa.
the answer "but thinking you wrong
in one act Of your life, it is for that
am here"
She threw aside her hat and cape as
she spoke, and took chair beside tn,
invalid. Upon his face had gathered
a hard frown. His lips We're firmly
folded, and his eyes cruel us death
Undaunted, Matte said:
you will forgive Ned, Simon ?"
Never He disobeyed me where
had most set my heart,
"IIe married Lucy Wheaton, loving
her"
"a girl whose father was Il common
mems and was buried by charity"
But good, pure girl, who nobl
did her duty to father and baby siste
till both died, A loving, tender girl
against whom there was no whisper o
reproach, and faithful, good wifi
now for three years, You will not dix
unforgiying :"
Il have made my will is here,
and he opened drawer in the tabl
beside him. There are some lcgacies
but the bulk of my fortune goes t.
found library at Upham, this hous
to be used for the purpose, Ned viii
have five hundred dollars, -
con, Simon, destroy that wiliH'
"Whcn Edward defed me, when h
chung to the girl detested and sccrctl
married her, / told him he was my sol
no longer. He has lived for three year
away from me-
"Staryingupon clerks salary, whc
he had passed twenty-five years of hi
life in luxury
lie made his choiccw
, II rcmcmbcr,' Matte said, in
; dreamy voice, rs if she had forgotte
her listener, "thc day Ned was Dor
> poor Mary lay so i'll we feared sh
S must die, and while others were bus
around her bed the wee babe ";
brought 10 me. He was like you
< Simon, with great dark eyes and
broad brow, and yet he had Mary
! mouth, so sensitive and tender, quiz
l cring with every emotion / remeu
/ Der when he was week old. | ha
5 him in the nursery when you came II
+ staggering like Il man under u heay
= burden, till you fell on your knees b.
T. side me, to sob;
S "'God has taken Mary, but lie h;
left my boy Thank God for m
+ boy "
e \ long, quivenng sigh broke rrol
/. the inyalid's lips,
( II can see him rs he was at thrl
y years old, with his brown curls shinin
like satin, falling over his little yely
. coat, his soft, round cheeks rosy wit
! health, and his eyes full Of franl
+. bright intellect, He wasnot quite foI
y when he had the scarlet fever lI0
many nights you walked him up M