The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-11-03

lake Jeanne 10 n warmer climatel lie
might as well have told Augusta to take
| her to the moon. Alasl she had not the
| money, and did not know where to turn
to get It'll Oh! reader, pray to Heaven that
| 1t may never be your lot to see your best
| beloved die for the want of few hundred
pounds wherewith to save her lifel
1t was in this terrible emergency that
she had-driven thereto by her agony of
| mind-tried to get something beyond her
strict and legal due out of Mceson's-Mee-
sons that had made hundreds and hun
dreds out OF her book and paid her fifty
pounds We know how she Jared in that
attempt On leaving their office, Augusta
bethought her Of her banker. Perhaps he
| might be willing to advance something.
1t was horrible task, but she determined
to undertake it; so she walked to the bank
| and asked to see the manager. He was
| out, but would be in ut three o'clock. She
went to n shop near and got bun and
glass of milk, and waited till she was
ashamed to wait any longer, and then she
walked about the streets till three o'clock
At the stroke Of the hour she returned, and
was shown into the managers private
room, where dry, ympathetic-looking
little man was sitting before a big book.
1t was not the same man whom Augusta
had met before, and her heart sank pro-
portionately.
What followed need not be repeated here
The manager listened to her faltering tale
with a few stereotyped expressions of
sympathy, and, when she had done, .'re-
gretted" that speculative loans were con-
trary to the custom of the bank. and po-
Itelv bowed her out.
1t was nearly four O'Clock upon damp
drizzling afternoon, n November afternoon
that hung like living misery over the
black slush OF the Birmingham streets, and
would in itself have sufiiced to bring the
hghtesthearted, happiest mortal to the
very gates of despair, when Augusta, wet,
wearied, and almost crying at last entered
the door of their little sitting-room She
entered very quietly, for the maid-of-all-
work had met her in the passage and told
her that Miss Jennie was asleep. She had
been coughing very much about dinner
time, but now she was asleep.
There was fire in the CRATE, a small
one, for the coal was economical by means
of two large firebricks, and on q table
(Augusta's writing-table) placed at the
further side of the room was paraffine
lamp turned low. Drawn up in front, but
little to one side of the fire, was a sofa
covered with red rep, and on the sofa lay
fair haired little form, so thin and fragile
that it looked like the ghost or outline Of n
girl rather than n girl herself. It was
JEANNE, her sick sister, and she was
asleep. Augusta stole softly up to look at
her. It was sweet little face that her
eyes fell on, although it was so shockingly
thin, with long curved lashes, delicate
and mouth shaped like bow.
All the lines and grooves which the chisel
of Pain knows so well how to carve were
smoothed out Of 1t now, and in their place
lay the shadow of n smile.
Augusta looked at her and clenched her
fists. while lump rose in her throat and
her gray eyes filed with tears. How could
she get the money to save her? The year
before rich man, n man who was detest-
able to her. had wanted to marry her, and
she would have nothing to say to him. He
had gone abroad, else she would have gone
back to him and married him-at price!
Marry him? yes, she would marry him;
she would do anything for money TO take
her sister away! What did she care for
herself when her darling was dying-dy-
ing for the want OF two hundred poundsl
Just then Jeannie woke up, and stretched
her arms out to her.
$50 you are back ut last, dear" she said
In her sweet, childish voice "It has been
30 lonely without you. Why. how wet
You are! Take Off your jacket at once,
Gussie, or you will soon be Is i'll as''-and
here she broke out into terrible fit of
coughing that seemed to shake her tender
frame as tho wind shakes a reed.
Her sister turned and obeyed, and then
came and sat by the sofa and took the thin
little hand in here.
We'll, Gussie, how did you get on with
tho Printer-devil" (this was her impolits
name for the great Meeson); will he give
you any moro moneys"
No. dear; we quarreled, that was al,
and came away"
''Then l suppose that we can't go
abroad7"
Augusta was too moved to answer; she
only shook her head. The child buried
her face in the pillow and gave sob or
two. Presently she was quiet, and lifted
1t again. "Gussie, love-" she said, don't
be angry, but want to speak to you.
Listen, my sweet Gussie, my angel. oh.
Gussie, you don't know how ! love you!
1t is oil no good, 1t is useless struggling
against IL, i must Gle sooner OF later
though am only twelve, and You think
me such child, am old enough to un-
derstand that. think" she added, after
pausing to cough, that pain makes one
old; feel rs though / were fifty. Well,
so You see may as well give up fighting
against it and die at once. I am only a
burden and anxiety to you-I may as well
die at once and go to sleep"
Don't JEANNE, don't!' said her sister,
In sort Of cry; you are killing me"
JEANNE laid her hot hand upon Angus
ta's arm ''rry and listen to me, dear, "
she said, ''evcn IL it hurts, because do Sc
want to say something. Why should you
be SO frightened about me' Can any place
that can go to be worse than this placel
Can / suffer more pain anywhere, or be
more hurt when / see you crying' Think
how wretched it has all been. There has
only been one beautiful thing in our lives
for years and years, and that was your
book. Even when / am feeling worse
| when my chest aches, you know-I grow
nuita bapDy when / think of what the pa