The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-10
DORA'S WISH,
Or The Value Of Fraternal Insurance,

Il
That was the verdict of the girls. He
was good sort of fellow. He was
popular, made money, spentit. Some
times he did thoughtful things, as for
instance, one night he joined the Home
Circle. 1t was said OF him that he
even joined other orders not half so
good.
Glen married; married Dora; the
sweetest, most loving creature on the
face OF the earth, always excepting
Ella, her sister, who, Frank said
Frank was Clem's closest friend-was
simply an angel, and nothing like her
was ever known. Dora and Ella were
sisters.
Clem prospered. He bought little
vine embowered home i'll Germantown.
1t was mortgaged But what of that!
He would pay it soon. He was fel-
low that needed the inducement of q
mortgage to make him strive and
| save.
Frank was slower, but an equally
ardent lover. He rented, then mar
RED, then thought to save. Both were
happy, both proud of such a love as
Dora and Ella gave; both prouder OF
that love, since their parents had
passed away and left their husbands
their only protectors.
Glenn prospered, but grew popular
Somehow popularity and prosperity
don't fit. We don't know how it is,
but popular men can't face IL mort
gage. Popularity seems to eat in on
an income territically. 1t is growth
at the top but death to the roots.
Glenn grew very popular-so popular
that Dora seldom saw him at the
hours she had been used to seeing him.
He was SO generous that she did not
get sight OF many little thing she need
ed. The fact is Clem became neglectful.
He was too popular to be OF any use
about home. Hewas an habitual alb
sentee. Tho vines and fences got down.
The lawngot shabby. One morning a
strange, hard-visaged man walked up
the path, and began TO read a Greek
paper to Dora, who was standing in
the porch with a baby in her arms
the youngest baby, little Ella, after
the aunt. 1t was the sheriff. The
mortgage was going to foreclo%, be-
cause Clem was letting the premises 60
back.
Dora was scared She asked Glenn
what it all meant, when she saw him.
He said, ruin. She asked, why. He
did not answer. But ruin it meant,
and in way Dora did not suspect.
Glenn said, "come Dora, let us go
where | have no friends" Dora said,
why Clem we want friends now"
Clem answered, "my friends are my
enemies. They it is that have ruined
u.s."
They went. A little house in Den
yer received them. They We're poor
beyond measure, so poor that Glenn
despaired.
But work came-mine work, deep
mine work. The drift closed one sad
day, and Glenn was in it. Dora was
a widow. There were two children,
: Fred, a boy OF three, little Ella,
scarce dozen months old. All were
strangers in strange land Dora un.
used to work, unused to shifting for
herself
, She bore, as woman only can, and
| then she voiced her poverty to Ella.
A sisters ear is never deaf, else it is
, not sisters.
Ella said, "Dora | will come I will
bring you to my home. You will be
, welcome as q sister. Your children
7 will be ours, for / am childiess.''
Frank was an easy going, indiffer.
> ent fellow, as much unlike his dear
friend Glenn as two could be- Isn't it
, strange that unlikes make the strong
J est friendships? Glenn had often said
7 to him, "why don't you do this, and
why don't you do that?' But Frank
only laughed and replied, what's the
| use bothering with such nonsense!
| Every dog has his day, and every day
has his dog" and helolled and dream
e6 on, happy in Elias love and his
own volitions. So that he was square
at the years end, nothing else was de-
8 manded He had never been known
, to move out Of his beaten track o.
3 work except to take little run with
, Ella to the Shore or a sail on the Del
]: aware in a yacth of which he was part
8 owner-never but once, and that was
when he was persuaded to Join the
Home Circle by bevy ofcompanions
and when he consented against his
will, not because he thought there
; was anything in It but just-to use
his own expression, "iust to see what
the darned thing was like"
AS might be expected, Elias sisterly
impulse startled q man like Frank
!, Funds were short. The idea OF b.ing
ing to his home foreign population
= even if it consisted i'll part OF one sc
= excellent as Dora, was a decided limo
vat'on. But he consented under Elias
persuasions and tears and she started
on her mission OF mercy.
1t was summer. Frank sailed as HI
4 often did-perhaps oftener now thai
: Ella was gone, and he lonely. On
= = day squall struck the widely spread
: sheets and the boom swept suddenly
! around, carrying two or thre,
OF the craftsmen into tn,
water. The little boat was speedi
, ly manned and cut loose. Two
were rescued. One did not appear
It was Frank. He had been killed by
the blow, and sunk to rise no more
The coroner's inquest said, death by
|, accidental blow or drowning"
: Ella was telegraphed for but sh'
a was too far distant to come, or els,
y too transfxed by what she found
!, . Frank was laid away, and the witel,
: tears at his sad taking off fell on prai
: rie soil, not on the fresh clay of hi
grave.
> There was no speedy return OF th
|, widower's Ella. How could there be