Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-08-23
''Mariar."

There was no answer, but from the
kitchen came the strong odor of baking
bread, and the woman hurried off, ex-
claiming:
"Jest wait minute and I'll send Toms
wife"
In minute, accordingly, there came
quietly along the passage tall, ladylike
young woman, with pretty child in her
arms"
She was neatly and tastfully dressed,
and struck me at once as being of an
order quite superior to that of her
mother-in-law.
Glancing at her from head to foot as
she advanced, 1 noted her handsome,
pleasant face and intelligent look, and in
my own mind set down Tom as FORUM
nate individual.
took down the address as she gave it
to me and the next day was in Middle
ton, where l experienced no difficulty in
finding Mrs. Dixon, though the finding of
her relative, Miss Emma Brookes, seemed
nearly as remote as ever.
Mrs. Dixon gave me an account of the
family and described Mr.. George Brookes
as "a gentleman-born and one of those
clever men who could do everything ex-
cept work and support his family"
His wife had done the last, until, broken
down in health, she died, and one
daughter had married and gone to Ne
braska, and the other, Emma, answered
an advertisement for companion.
She was fine, selfreliant girl, Emma
was, and Mrs. Royal had been very fond
of her; and for her part she wasn't sur
prised to learn that the old lady had left
her a legacy, for she had surely deserved
it by her kindness and attention.
But where to find Emma she did not
know, except that she was somewhere in
New York, where her father always re-
sided. He had been a daily newspaper
reporter and in the habit of frequenting
the public libraries, to some of which she
had heard Emma remark, he was sub
scriber.
Beyond this Mrs. Dixon could really
give no information; and with this slen-
der clue proceeded to New York
My inquiry at the Office of the news
paper met with no success. They re-
membered Mr.. George E. Brookes, but
knew nothing of his present place of
abode, except that one of the staff of re-
porters was positive that he had removed
to the country for the benefit of his
health
This was discouraging, but proceeded
to inquire among the libraries and here
was more successful. On the list of sub
scribers to the Mercantile, was the name,
"George E. Brooks, No. s India street,
Green Point, Long Island" with a date
of some six months previous.
In less than an hour presented my
self at the door of the designated house,
which found to be plain, but respect
able boarding house kept by widow
by the name of Miles. My first inquiry
was:
"Does Mr.. George E. Brookcs live
here?"
Mrs. Miles surveyed me solemnly from
above her spectacles, and replied slowly:
''He did live here, young man."
''Then he has removed2"
eyes, he has been renewed to better
home"
"Will you be kind enough, madam, to
give me his present address?"
She stared at me stonily, and appre-
hending that she had not understood my
inquiry, repeated it.
''Where can I find Mr.. Brookes at
presents"
"He is where trust you will some day
find him-in heavenw
With some difficulty obtained from
her the information that her lodger had
died some three weeks previous; that he
had been kindly cared for by his daugh-
ter and beneficial society of which he
was member; and that after the funeral
the young lady had left the house, as she
said, to return to the friends with whom
she had lived before joining her father.
She had mentioned the name of the town;
but it had entirely escaped the landlady's
memory in the trouble and worry of get
ting the two vacated rooms ready for new
occupants. And thus again had Miss
Emma Brookes, will-o'-the wisp-like, es-
capped my grasp just as she appeared ac-