The Somerset reporter., 1885-09-16

after her ma died, and she warn'i knee
! nigh TO a duck, she was Ike second
parent TO the little uns nussed EN-
through the measles, and when they was
well, took 1t herself, and laid a. quiet ON
the bed for o giving trouble as If she
warn't child"
lie didn't tell her of how, when the see
ond Mrs. Brown was installed a. mistress.
Mary became the drudge and naid-of-all
work and was nurse to n half-dozen more
little Browns, who, like their mother.
ruled her with rod Of iron. Nor Of
Mary's marriage with sturdy fellow,
who, for the lack of a little timely help,
and the pressure of large family, was
kept with his nose to a perpetual grind
stone. He did not tell her of how MARY
pinched and worked, and set up till late
hours, and struggled to help her family,
until in consequence of doctors bills and
babies and poor crops, John was forced
to give mortgage on his house, when he
(thc father might have lifted them out
of their poverty He might even have
given them a better house the oldest in
habitant could not remember when the
ugly ramshackle affair had been built.
Some ancient ancestor had put up
couple of rooms, then added on "a few
more, until, what with patching and prop
Ing up Johns inheritance was an offence
to the eye. Mr.. Brown thought bitterly
of all this through the long journey. Too
late too late seemed written in words of
fire on every tree and shrub. At last the
house was in sight; poor, miserable
place enough but now, in the month Of
June, sweet with climbing roses and HON
eysuckle that the miStress's hand had
trained to the porch.
"Who-o-a, Dandy"
The children were in the yard; with
shout they ran to the gate, and as the
old horse stopped, somebody rushed down
the steps, and with cry, why father,
why, Fanny" Mary, in her famous clean
calico and white apron, and cheeks like
roses, with the pleasure and excitement
of the visit, WIS in her fathers arms
her father, who held her as he had never
done before, and kissed her with the tears
raining down his face.
My child" he said presently. You
were dead and are alive again. Thank
Cod"
why, father" questioned Mary again
what on earth is the mattcr?" And She
looked with frightened gaze at her sister
vaguely wondering if her father were
stricken with some sudden insanity. For
answer, Fanny drew out the telegram
from her pocket, and gave it to Mary.
nlt'S Il wonderful mistake" exclaimed
the elder women, CHANGING it over, and
hugSing father and sister cxcitedly again.
we have neighbor, Mrs. Mary Harris,
who died last evening; She has Il brother
living somewhere near you, aud, by the
way, his name is Brown-Richard
Brown-your name father. They carried
you the telegram instead of him. What Il
nifty lp won't bnar # cn ~ t1 trat Lara
to the burying.'
And so, between hystcrical sobS and
smiles, and everybody talking at once.
and asking questions that no one dreamed
of answering, they went in under the
bower of roses and honeysuckle, and
presently John hobhcd from the field |
on crutches, and the story was told all
over again.
And when Mary Slipped out into the |
kitchen to get an early supper, old Mr.. |
Brown followed her there, and she was
folded tight in her fathers arms again,
while the tears streaned down both their
faces 1t was as if she had been raised .
from the dead
My child" whispered the old man. Il .
hain't been the best of fathers to We: ha'
shut my eyes and my heart when ought
to ha' been the one to help We; never We
lhlhu Dout That money; don't We say one
word about it, and we'll knock this old
rattlctrap down tomorrow, and I'll show
We how to build house"
And so he did, and Il very comfortable
house 1t was, where John did not have TO
stoop when he went in and out of doors.
And would you believe IL The letter, all
the more rash for being so brief never
did reach its destination. old Mr..
Browns chirography was of a very infe
rior sort, and the postmaster &C uldnt
puzzle ont the address much as he de-
sired so to do; then the letter was for
warded to the Dead Letter Office at Wash
ington, and in due time was returned To
Mr.. Brown who quietly and satisfactorily
consigned it to the flames.