Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-01

meant compliment or the reverse.
Sallie Redeemed in quick suspicion of
the latter, but finally decided to give
Barbara the benefit of the doubt. and
answered pleasantly. impeled thereto,
chiefly by curiosity
well, here's something T We brought
You, drawing aletter from her pocket,
and handing it in at the window 81
was at the office this morning. and Mr..
Brown asked me to bring it up if was
coming this way. It's from New York.
didn't know you had any correspond
ents there
Barbara did not know either. In
truth she had but two or three C or
respondents anywhere, and this large
! envelope, with its unfamiliar bust
ness-like superscription. excited her
eager curiosity; but she would not
crafty the like emotion so plainly
visible in SallIe's face and manner, o
she held the missive unopened. and
| only answered carelessly:
"Didn'tyouP Thank you for bring
ing it,
Sallie fingered little. talked of the
| weather and Aunt Susan's pansies,
but there was nothing more TO be
learned. and she reluctantly departed.
Then Barbara opened the envelope,
and thus into that frayed and fretted
morning dropped the wonderful letter
that suddenly changed the outlook.
So wonderful it seemed that she read
it through twice before she went to
tell Aunt Susan; and when she had
reached the foot of the stairs. she
paused. with her hand on the door.
! and read it third time to assure her.
self that she was not dreaming.
Here a letter, Aunt Susan, a let
ter from New York, that says Aunt
Barbara is dead. She has left me two
hundred dollars"
Your Aunt Barbarar' The rafting
churn-dasher stopped. why, we
haint heard word from her for years.
and never expected we would again.
Whoever wrote to tell you that? Left
you something. did you say Bar
baryP" suddenly comprehending the
last item of Intelligence.
"a legacy of two hundred dollars"
answered Barbara, reading from the
wonderful document before her.
II never expected that, if you was
named for her. Two hundred dollar s!
That's great. a great responsibility.
Barbary," concluded the good lady,
solemnly.
Bar ara considered it very de-
lightful one, as soon as she could fully
realize that it belonged 10 her; but it
was Nat who invested it with its chief
charm.
Now" said he, with his eyes shin
ing and his face lighted up with glow
of pleasure that made one almost for
get how plain it was. Now, Barbary,
you must take that trip that you've
wanted so long. You have said so
many times, lately. that life would
seem worth something if you could
only go off somewhere, see things you
wanted to see. and enjoy yourself
I've wanted to help you, but it wasn't
much use to say so; 1 couldn't see any
way to do it Now your chance has
come"
''Oh." began Bar bara, half protest.
ingly. but with a vision of Intoxicating
possibilities rising before her, 1--WE
could use that money in SO many ways.
Natn
''Of course, and 80 we have only to
choose which way" laughed Nat.
Its your money, Barbary, and this
is what you have wanted so long II
will do you good. Don'tyou think SO,
Aunt Susan?"
Barbara's remonstrance was not
very strong; how could it be with her
heart pleading against her voice? and
Mats proposal was so tempting, that
little insistance carried it into q
plan.
After all, it was not likely the others
cared about the other things the money
would do as she cared for this. She
was sure of it little later. when, from
her low seat in the open doorway, she
looked back at the two, still lingering
by the tea-table, interested in discuss
ing the fact that there had been an I'M
usual number of grists brought 10 the
mill that day. and that the new corn
Squire Pratt had tried. as an expert
ment was yielding remarkably well.
Then Nat tried to explain an inn
ptONelHeHt III TIC HILL fllaCtliueTy tuaI
he meant 10 make some time, an in
genious device of his own, but as he
leaned over the little table. and en-
deavored by a knife. fork and spoon
to give Aunt Susan an idea of its work
ings, his awkward figure, rusty coat
and rough hands showed to the worst
possible advantage.
Aunt Susan. with her-steel- bowed
glasses carefully adjusted. watched
him admiringly. her attitude repeated
in grotesque shadow on the wall
Barbara turned toward the hills
again, over whose highest peak the
great yellow moon was rising, and de-
cided where she would go.
There was pleasant little hustle of
preparation in the days that followed.
The despised bit of silk and the little
hat to which it belonged were both
thrown aside. and Barbara had the
luxury of trimming her new hat with
fresh velvet and brown wing to
match. Her nimble, tasteful fingers
wrought marvels on her simple outfit.
There was time enough. for A unit
Susan had insisted that. since it was
already so late. she must wait until
after Thanksgiving. (which can't be
rightly kept. to my thinkin'. with part
of the family away" urged the good
woman. ..And the weather won't
make much difference so long as you're