The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-24


but the thing she had longed for all
her life was to get to know something
more about the stars. So if Tom really
meant what he said, and wanted to
spend his money on her, and had it to
spend, why, he should give her a tele-
scope. 1t was the thing in all the
world that she wished for, and the
only thing.
Il guess Tom thought it 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 it is that they
sell telescopes-and he got the best one
that he could; six inches across it was
as big as the house would bear. Then
there was a great time building the
observatory and making the wall
strong enough to bear; but at last it
was all done, and Marianne could turn
her telescope to this side and that, and
sweep the heavens, as she called it.
Poor soul! she never had been much of
a hand at sweeping, but this kind of
sweeping seemed to suit her.
"a do really believe she was the best
contented woman in this town when it
was all ready. She used to go upinto
the tower the minute the sun was
down to be all ready, and she Guild
sit up as late as she liked; SleEe
was no one now to hindEr 7w-Ss ail
the learned people that CAM ostay ''V
the Old Beach heard abor the Cele-
scope, and used to drive ,ef TO see IL
and talk about it. 1t waghe hrsC tlme
she had ever got in wit her klnd OF
folks. and it did her lotof good, | can
tell you.
"Tbera was o,o rofessor at the
Beach, that came cite oIten' ana L
guess he taught h, how to use the
telescope better thu she knew now at
first. Anyhow, a that summer and
fall, and way dow into the winter she
sat up in that plce, taking SOLID com
fort | said thu, and [ say now, that
never saw ut one woman IN the
world who knee when she had got her
wish and was perfectly satisfied about
it, and that WIS Marianne Denny. She
did"
Did she ger take you up to look
+hr0,,rh 4ba geleScODe?'
Yes. tw, or three times. She'd
have done it oftener if | had wanted
to. Marianne was always for sharing
with other people. She showed me a
nebuly-aring nebuly | think she said
it was-little shiny stars which you
can't see without q telescope 1t
didn't interest me much, except as
things do interest you that you can't
see always. 1 liked the star with a
ring that looks like a school-globe
GREAT deal better, but Marianne didn't
seem to think much of that. She said
quite little telescopes showed it, but it
needed a big one like hers to show the
nebuly. | didn't care a snap for the
nebuly, but did care for sefng Mari
anne so pleased. She actual looked
younger, and she used tofF labout
the summer constellatia< nd how
she was going to enjoeft,l !never
thinking, poor dear, how itst - be-
why, what happenedm
80, she died. 1t was the ylry May
after the telescope came. she didn't
have it quite a year. 1t did eem too
bad! | shall always think thai staying
up in that cold place so much hurther.'
"What a pity! was she sorry to go?'
"No; I don't think she was. Irecol-
lect her saying one day when | was
sitting beside her: you needn't feel
bad about me, Alice. Somepeople die
and never in all their lives have their
wish granted. I've had mine. Heaven
has been brought close to ne all this
year. And | know just how wonderful
it is and how satisfying; and now am
going nearer still to it. No one will
miss me much, and | am content, only
| wish | could know that somebody
would enjoy my dear telescope as l
have done. "
And did any body?"
only dear, not soul has looked
through it since that day! Tom was
out in California and his mine didn't
pan out as he expected, they say, so he
isn't so mighty rich, after all. And
Mr.. Brown, the baker, bought the
place. His first idea was to pull the
observatory down, but he found he
couldn't without pulling down the
house, so he just locked it up, and no
one ever goes up here. Poor Ma
rianne! wonder if she knows.
cit seems u lot of money for just
that little while she ADDED, reflective
ly, as she ''toed' her stocking. yet
| can't find it in my hear to be sorry
about it either. 1t did maze Maainne
Denny so very happy just for that
year"
l glanced up at the knobby dome
where the disused telescope was rust
ing its days away. The sunset glinted
in its closed panes and tihged them
with fiery pink. l thought Of the
brave patience of the denied and mar
row life which had ended in that one
year of perfect satisfaction and neither
cnnld [ find IL in NV hnnrt 4 .o,.r,,