The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-25
AN ANSWERED PRAYER.
A Christmas story,


the first snow OF the season. TWAS
Christmas morning, and the first bell
for church had just stopped ringing.
Miss Gwendoline barley took up her
best bonnet and examined it closely.
Certainly it was very shabby. Thea
she went to the glass, and looked ut
herself, put on the bonnet, smOOthed
out the strings, and remained staring
before her, LOST in thought, till reused
by the second bell for service.
Good gracious" she cried, "Imust
have been drcaming'' and started for
the church on Il run. She vas not 60
ing there for any special purpose OF
Christmas, but because she sang in
the choir. For the same reason it
was important that she should be in
time.
The dream which had come to her
that morning was one OF the past-of
her girlhood. The first bloom Of her
youth had worn off some time ago; in,
fact, might have been said TO have o.
suddenly left her as Robert Mckensie,
her lover. They departed together.
Her troubles all begun through n tritio
some flowers, a note or two, and a
few other attentions from the wrong
person.
Miss G~wendoline's lover was proud
and hasty. Miss Gwendoline herself
was rather fond nj standing on her
dignity, and q lie bit obstinate.
When her loveraSkedfor the notes and
explanation, Miss Gwendoline refused
him both. This suspicion she consid-
cred an insult.
\ few more hasty words and he was
ordered to leaveher, which he protes$ed
himself delighted to do.
Poor Miss Gwendoline felt her heart
break when the door closed behind
him. She had her dignity to main
tain, however, so no one, not even her
mother, knew how she felt on the sub
jeet.
Midnight tears, ii judiciously IA
aged, willleave no trace,
After much hesitation, she wrote
him a little note OF apology, and hint
ed that il he were to ask again for an
explanation he might possibly get it.
But ~he who hesitates is lost" and
Miss G~wendoline's note reached its
destination just twenty,four hours
after the person it was intended for,
had sailed for England. How wen she
could remember the day when she
found he had gone.
1t was on a cold rainy after
noon IN December. while careleSsly
looking over the paper that she came
across a list of outward-bound pas
sengers, and among them was his
name. AT first she could scarcely be-
lieve ner eyes, and went to the window
that she might make the most of the
fading light. Never for a moment had
she supposed that he would leave the
country. IL was so, however, for
there was his naue.
Unheeded, the paper fell { thefioor,
and Miss Gwendpline, with a sigh,
rested her head against the ~;ndow.
The ram came down with a monoto-
nous drip, drip, as ii il meantto
stop. Two or threeforlorn ~littlaspar-
rows were huddled together under the
caves OF the opposite root. and Miss
fN-N@-1-r@-@ $3.50 80
drops. "a they chased each other
down the glass. would blur and hide
them from her sight
The day Was In harmony with her
feelings. and she never forgot id. At
that time she felt as ii there Was moth
lng more to live for. Misfortune kept
mp its old-ti1H1e reputation OF never
coming singay. In q fer months her
father died. and sk-2&0or h-tFe thing
had another cause 81 kearrAchc-
There was much talk over the set
thng0f the estate Lawyers came and
went sc all hours A most c0mpIi-
Gated case, they declared. Ii seemed
simple enough when presented TO Miss
GNendoline. for after the bills was
paid there Was nothing left
Working hard from morningto night
is not calculated TO keep one young
tRxrxx pGrNNf%
Day after day for three weary years
YEARS that seemed to have q
thousand days. instead Of only three
hundred and sixty-fye-Miss Gwsndo-
line trudged from house to house Civ
ing music lessons.
Day BY day she saw her beauty
fading before poverty and hardship
Once. soon after her fathers death.
she had written agaln to Robert Nc
Eeasie, telling him al he had ever
wished to know.
She was mach changed by her