The Red Cloud chief., 1888-11-23

always reading abOu; plants and bug,
n stones. and going about trying I.
and make ont about them. Bu
what she cared about most o; all wa,
stars.
III Is curious how people grow to fee
about such things" went on Mrs. Mer
fyweatner. composedly. I never snw
the day Yet when a good spring cleaning
or a recipe for cake didn't intere-,
me more than ans amount OF star.
rOor Marianne used To talk TO me
about planets and satellites and milk,
ways till il was enough 70 Civ. one a
headache TO listen To her. I never could
see thai they did any body "A mite o,
good. they are 80 far OF and We don,
really know a thing about them.
they just wink down a, u. and seen
unsympathetic somehow. III was in
worry or Il trouble. | should never
think OF staring round for "A star %
comfort me. But Marianne WA, diff.
ferent; she'd sit on tn. edge OF that lit
tie stoOp OF hers half the night. il her
folks would let her. straining up her
poor eyes and trying TO make on, con-
s~tei!ations and porting over some
heavenly map or other that she had by
the light OF a little kerosene lantern.
think II was hat which made her
get old looking before her time. But
she didn't care for looks or parties.
even when she was "A girl. All her
mind was taken up by books. and she
seemed sort Of lonely from the first
day ] knew her"
Nv nat an interesting person. l
said, involuntarily. as the picture OF
the eager girl. 4 student evidently in
her very blood. with so little chance 10
slaket the thirst for knowledge in this
arid environment. and lonely from
the first moment rose before M. But
the remark was injudieiOus and did not
meet with favor.
"Well. you're the frs: that e
called her that" exclaimed Mrs. Mer-
rywcather. She wasn't Interesting
10 people in general and never was ia
her life. She hadn't IA grain OF CON-
mon sense. or a bit OF faculty. and she
never could have made "a good house
keeper. Then her looks wasn't any
thing to speak of. and folks no think T.
sight Of that. especially men folks"
"Shc wasn't pretty, you said:?'
'No-thouSh she had pretty things
about her, too. Her hair was natur-
ally wavy and il was quite good and
thick when | first recollect il; but it
fell of early, and she put on caps be-
fore she turned forty. She was sort OF
qu~eer-looking. and her eyes Were too
big for any thing but an owl, and her
face was always worn and tired. That
wasn't wonderful. for her lie was
never an easy me-. not AT the best. Let
see. ! think il must have been about
five years after I got married that old
Mrs. Denny died. She had n long
sickness. and ] guess it used up what
little money they were able TO lay
by. There was only the sister left
then. and she kept on needing more
and more attention. suppose it was
sort o! decline. but she held out
for years; and Marianne was clear
broke down when at last she died. too.
'-She was left all alone then. People
didn't pity her as much as they ought.
perhaps. for Samantha hal been u bur-
den: but l knew how she felt. She
older than ever after that. but |
she kept on with her books and studies
in all her spare times. and she had
more spare times than she used IL
have. because now there was only her. |
self to do for.
1T vas just then that Tom Burns
home from Nevada"
''WhO was Tom Burns?"
why. Sarah Denny's son. Didn't !
tell you that she married "A man named
Well. she did. and she died
young when this Tom was "A baby. and
he came and stayed with his grand
awhile till the widower could
look round and gc. married again.
Then he moved out Yves, and took Tom
with him.
tom was always particularly fond
,f Marianne: l suppose because she
had been good to him when he was a
little fellow: and Samantha and Miss
were pretty strict. | reckon.
Anyhow. he struck silver on "A claim
he had out there somewhere. aud the
first thing he did with his money Was
come home and see his aunt.
''Weil you never did see any thing
W pleased rs Marianne WAS at his
1t Was Tom here and Tom
here. and she must take him round
show him 10 every body; and he
Gas a real kind fellow. and no mistake.
".Now. Aunty.' he says. heres
chance. I'm able and ready 10
tx you out any way YOU say Shall
,ui!d YOU a new house To end your
in2 or will you have the old one
lone up? or shall | settle a regular
on You. So tha: you needn't
each any more. or what? I'll do just
IS you decide. Take me wlile I feel
'ich.' says he. for it mayn't last. you
|,
$50 that Vas the way Marianne Den
" got her telescope. She said the old
lOme'd last out her time and WAS good
ana she didn't want it fixed :
'ver. and that she'd always done for
'erself and hoped she always should;
ut the thing she had longed for all
-. s.f~ - - .~.-- /.
more about the stars. So il Tom really