New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-03-28
CAaA's BRAVERY.
BY ESTHER sERLE KENNETH.

The girl before HIM was SO young
not more than eighteen, and so pretty
golden-haired and blue-eyed as an
angel. He had never dreamed that
she was making the application to
rent Thistle Cottage herself. But
Miss Caroline Clarke took no notice
OF his surprise.
1.-THE house is in good order, sir"
cit requires a few repairs, only"
SAID the young physician, rather stiff
ly.
He had begun to thing he was throw
ing his time away.
"And those you will make?"
eff let the cottage-yes"
The young lady unused moment.
81 think I will like it," she said
then.
81 beg your pardon, Miss Carke-?"
eyes"
"Do you quite understand the sit
uation?"
81 think do. The house is thought
60 be haunted, and the rent is merely
nominal to anyone who will live
there"
dyes. But How are you situated
an regard to family, my dear young
Aady?"
81 have the care OF two younger
orothers-bWelve and fourteen years
old. [ have only limited income,
which l exc out by embroidery. am
anxious to get my brothers out Of the
city and there is good academy
here. l am not afraid of Ghosts"
with a faint smile. eve shall come"
Her words and manner were not at
variance with her delicate beauty
all was so petite and yet so self-pos.
sessed and dignifed. DR.. Leignton's
experience in girls did not seem to
serve him at all in this emergency. He
recollected that his sisters, Maud and
Bess, always regarded the outer walls
OF Thistle Cottage with an apprehen-
sive gaze, and could not be persuaded
TO pass it alone after dark, and here
was this girl, no older than they, pro-
posing to live there, with two children!
"You have no parents?'
t'No."
%tRelatives?'
-"None to rely upon. I depend on
myself entirely, DR.. Leighton | am
used to it. Would you like to let me
have Thistle Cottage?" with a steady
glance into the young mans counte-
nance.
II hesitate only on your account"
he FASTENED to say. cit is no fable
that a, man was killed there. He was
murdered by son Of unsound mind,
after a quarrel about money The
estate was owned by my father. 1t is
now mine. 1t long ago fell into ILL
repute on account Of the murder, but
it is a, very pretty place and has been
kept in repair I will walk over it
with you again and make any changes
you may find desirable thus tacitly
aconsenting to the young lady's pro-
!posal.
What her words failed to do, her
<clear blue eyes had succeeded in &C
comprising. They had won the con-
tfidenee Of the owner Of the cottage.
''She can but try since she Wishes"
she said to himself. Il am close by
at our house. If she gets frightened
out she can come to u.s."
When they had gone over the house
again, the girl asked, quite coolly:
"What became Of the mur6 erer?"
stEe fled from JUSTICES probably
dead. He has never been heard from,
and his ghost is said to haunt this
spot. If you can prove that it oes
I will riI
here free"
smiled brightly.
"What brave little creature!''
thought DR.. Leighton.
A week later Caroline Clarke and
her brothers were settled at the This
Gle Cottage.
DR.. Leighton did not fancy the
ahoys. He told his mother that they
were .'whelps that wanted licking in
80 shape" But when he saw the gen
tleness and tact used by their sister
IN managing them, when he saw her
patience, her charming smile in en-
couragement Of their simplest we'll
doing, he was ashamed OF his intoler-
@anCe.
"My father" she hesitated, "did
mot set his boys very good example.
They were much away from home be-
fore he died. They will do much bet
ter here away from harmful associa.
tions," she said.
That's a good girl-a rare good
girl. Lee, y said old Mrs. Leighton. II
only wish Maud and Bess had half as
much character"
: But Cara, as the boys called her,
did not trouble her neighbours. She
was an exquisite housekeeper; she had
q piano-an old one but OF mellow
tone; she did much work with crewels
and fosses. In the evening she as
sisted her brothers with their studies.
They were fond OF her under their
roughness and selfishness. They
shoveled snow, when it came, took
care of the poultry-she encouraged
them in their ambition for prize chick
ens-and kept in wood and
,f,,,,