Morris tribune., 1886-11-24
DORA'S WISH,
Or The Value Of Fraternal Iusurs. .

-, "' ''A0 Do'o A'4" al a man.
That was the verdict of the Girls. He
was good sort of :. fellow. He was
popular, made M ,nsv sna,tit sor,n.
times he did t..aoughtsul things, as for
Instance c>ne night he joined the Home
Ilrc'e' 1t was said of him that he
''t>h Joined other orders not half so
good
Glem married; married Dora; the
sweetest, most loving creature on the
lace 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.
Glenn prospered. He bought little
vine embowered home in Germantown.
1t was mortgaged. But what of that!
de would pay it soon. He was q fell
low that needed the inducement of a
mortgage to make him strive and
save.
Frank was slower, but an equally
ardent lover. He rented, then mar
rled, then thought to save Both were
happy, both proud OF such love as
Dora and Ella gave; both proudAr of
chat love, since their parents. had
passed away and LETT their husbands
their only protectors.
Glenn prospered, but grew popular.
Somehow popularity an:x prosperity
don't fit. We don't kr<ew how it is,
but popular men can face q N ort-
gage. Popularity Gems to eat in on
an income terrif .tany. 1t is growth
at the top but Ieath to the roots.
Glenn grew sery popular-se popular
that Dora seldom saw him at the
hours ST e had been used to seeing him.
lie WE = SO generous that she did not
get sight many little thing need
II. The fact is Glenn became neglectful
he was too popular to be of any use
about home. Hewas an habitual alb
sentee. Thevines and fences got down.
\ The lawn got shabby. One morning
strange, hard-visaged man walked up
Che path, and began 20 read Greek
paper to Dora, who was standing in
Che porch with baby in her arms
khe youngest baby, little Ella, after
She aunt. 1t Was the sheriff. The
mortgage was going to foeclose, be
sause Glenn was letting the premises go
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.
elem said, 'come Dora, let us 90
where have no friends" Dora said,
swhy Glenn we want friends now"
Glenn answered, my friends are my
enemies. They it is that have ruined
as"
They went. A little house in Den
yer received them. They were poor
beyond measure, so poor that Glenn
despaired.
But wotk came-mine work, deep
mine work. The drift closed one sad
day, and Glenn was in it. Dora was
widow. There were two childrer4,
Fred, a boy of three, little Eta,
scarce a dozen months old. All Nere
strangers in a strange land, Dora I'M
used to work, unused to shifting FOR
herself.
She bore, as woman on g can, and
then she voiced her povr<etv to Fila
A sisters ear Is never deaf, else it -
not a sisters.
Ella said, Dora twill come. 7 will
bring you to my nonre. You will be
welcome as a sister, Your children
Will be ours fe4 ain childless."
tranN v as ali easy going, indifer.
emu 1elI' *, IS much unlike his dear
Irleho <1e'n as two could be. Isn't it
stre >hee that unlikes make the strong
* friendships? Glenn had often said
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 be /7ering with such nonsense?
Every dog has his day, and every day
bgs his dog" and helolled and dream
ec On, happy in Elias love and his
own voIitions. So that he was square
at the years end, nothing else was de-
manded. He had never been known
to move out of his beaten track OF
work except to take little run with
Ella to the shore, or q sail on the Del
aware III q yacth of which he was part
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 iust-to use
his own expression, q ust to see what
the darned thing was like"
AS might be expected, Elias sisterly
impulse startled a man like Frank
Funds were short. The idea OF bring
ing to MS home foreign population,
even If 1t consisted i'll part OF one so
excellent as Dora, was decided inno-
Walton. But he consented under Elias
persuaslons and tears and she started
on her mission Of mercy.
1t was summer, Frank sailed as he
often did-perhlbs oftener now that
Ella was gore, and he lonely. One
day squalL Struck the widely spread
sheets and. the boom swept suddenly
around, carrying two or three
OF the craftsmen into the
watee. The little boat was speedi-
ly manned and cut loose. Two
were rescued. One did not appear.
1T 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 she
was too far distant to come, or else
too transfxed by what she found
Frank was laid away, and the witely
tears at his sad taking off fell on prai-
RE soil, not on the fresh clay of his
grave.
There was no speedy return OF the
widowers Ella. How could there be,
since it would be but to rush into
sorrow? She mourned with Dora. Both