Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-12-19


unsympathetic somehow. II I was In
a worry or trouble. should never
think OF staring round for star TO
comfort me. But Marianne was diff
ferent; she'd sit on the edge Of that lit
tie stoop OF hers half the night, II her
folks would let her, straining up her
poor eyes and trying to make out con-
stellations and porting over some
heavenly map or other that she had by
the light OF little kerosene lantern.
think 1t was that which made her
get old looking before her time. But
she didn't care for looks or parties,
even when she was girl. All her
mind was taken up by books, and she
seemed sort Of lonely from the first
day knew her."
"What an interesting person" L
said, involuntarily, as the picture Of
the eager girl, a student evidently In
her very blood, with so little chance to
Stake the thirst for knowledge In this
arid environment, and "lonely from
the first moment" rose before me. But
the remark was injudicious and did not
meet with favor.
"Well, you're the first that ever
called her that" exclaimed Mrs. Mer-
ryweather. "She wasn't interesting
TO people in general and never was in
her life. She hadn't a grain OF COM
mon sense, or bit OF faculty, and she
never could have made good house
keeper. Then her looks wasn't any
thing to speak Of, and folks do think a
sight OF that, especially men folks"
''She wasn't pretty, you saidP"
'.No-though she had pretty things
about her, too. Her hair was natair-
ally wavy and 1t was quite good and
thick when first recollect it; but 1t
Tell of early, and she put on caps be-
lore she turned forty. She was sort Of
lueer-looking, and her eyes were too
big for any thing but an owl, and her
lace was always worn and tired. That
wasn't wonderful, for her life was
never an easy one, not at the best. Let
me see, think 1t must have been about
1--we years after got married that old
Mrs. Denny died. She had long
sickness, and guess it used up what
ever little money they were able to lay
by. There was only the sister left
hen, and she kept on needing more
and more attention. l suppose it was
some sort OF decline, but she held out
Tor years; and Marianne was clear
broke down when at last she died, too.
"She was left all alone then. People
iidn't pity her as much as they ought,
perhaps, for Samantha had been bur-
len; but I knew how she felt. She
ooked 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 to
have, because now there was only her.
self to do for.
1T was just then that Tom Burns
,ame home from Nevada.
"Who was Tom Burnsp"
"Why, Sarah Denny's son. Didn't
ell you that she married a man named
Burnsp Well, she did, and she diod
young when this Tom was a baby, and
ae came and stayed with his grand
mother awhile till the widower could
ook round and get married again.
Then he moved out West and took Tom
with him.
Tom was always particularly fond
,f Marianne; suppose because she
aad been good to him when he was a
little fellow; and Samantha and Miss
Denny were pretty strict, l reckon.
Anyhow, he struck silver on claim
ne had out there somewhere, and the
first thing he did with his money was
20 come home and see his aunt.
"Well, you never did see any thing
20 pleased as Marianne was at his
,oming. 1t was Tom here and Tom
here, and she must take him round
and show him to every body; and he
Uas real kind fellow, and no mistake.
"'Now, Aunty,' he says, heres
your chance. I'm able and ready to
fix you out any way you say. Shall
build you new house to end your
lays IMP or will you have the old one
done upp or shall 1 settle a regular
payment on you, so that you needn't
teach any more, or whatp I'll do just
as you decide. Take me while 1 feel
rich,' says he, for it mayn't last, you
know
$50 that was the way Marianne Den
ny got her telescope. She said the old
home'd last out her time and was good
enough, and she didn't want it fixed
over, and that she'd always done for
herself and hoped she always should
but the thing she had longed for all
her life was to get to know something
more about the stars. So II Tom really
meant what he said, and wanted to
spend his money on her, and had it IL
spend, why, he should give her tele.
scope. It was the thing in all the
world that she wished for, and the
only thing.
II guess Tom thought IL rather fun.
ny, but he wanted to please her; and
he didn't say any thing, only looked
sort Of queer. He went down to Cam
bridge-or wherever 1t Is that they
sell telescopes-and he got the best one
that he could; six inches across 1t was
AS big rs the house would bear. Then
there was great time building the
observatory and making the wal
strong enough to bear; but at last II
was all done, and Marianne could turn
her telescope to this side and that, ant
sweep the heavens, as she called it
Poor soul! she never had been much o
hand at sweeping, but this kind o
sweeping seemed TO suit her.
II do really believe she was the bes
contented woman In this town when 1
was all ready. She used to go up intt
the tower the minute the sun wa.
down to be all ready, and she could
sit up as late as she liked; there
was no one now to hinder. Then al
the learned people that came to stay a