Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-10-03

closely, but she found no fault what
ever, and paid me the S. for it prompt
". Her last words wero:
"You are looking far from we'll, Mary.
Tom would hardly recognize his old
sweetheart If he could see you now.
You need rest. my dear; do take som e. !"
Then she passed out
Good advice, excellent" said Susie
in hard voice, and was glad she had
not noticed what Mrs. Greathouse said
about her brother.
Il wish you had charged her fifteen
instead OF five, lary. The dress was
worth it."
"Yes, / know" answered. drear-
lily; ''but even that would not have
paid all the bills" And for the first
time in Susie's presence broke down
and cried.
Even as / wept softly and Susie tried
to comfort me. somebody entered the
little shop, and, bending over Susie
great big, funny-looking affair.
"A letter! oh. Mary! who would
send you letter." said Susie.
THE lady" paused a moment in the
shadow OF the room. and | tore OF the
envelope, and there fell into my lap a
great lot Of bank bills.
Money! cried Susie, money!
Who-what does 1t mean? Oh, here's
a note! Listen:
DEAR NARY: Accept little present
from a loving FRIESD.'"
That was all; we looked at each other
stupidity.
"Who could have sent itp Oh, SUI
sic. it's mistaken l gasped."
mo, it is not; the letter is sent to
you and is for you | find it is just
800. am so gladr'
l kept the money. | needed IL sore
ly, and they all said itreally was mine;
but l felt uneasy all the time, and won
dered and wondered, for we hadn't q
rich relation in the world. But even
that hundred dollars would not last
forever, and by and by l saw Susie
looking over her old things and trying
TO make up her mind that the time had
come when she could tell her betroth-
cd husband that she was ready. Poor.
poor little Susiei
I've set the day ut last" she said.
"It's to be next Tuesday" Then she
began 10 sob.
Once more "the lady" entered and
dropped in my lap another letter and a
book.
This letter was not so bulky, but
when / opened it found it contained
two bills of hundred dollars each.
"What-who?" / began vaguely as
before. when once more 'the lady"
bent over Susie and |, and winding her
white arms around our necks, fell into
n violent fl of weeping.
"Oh, my sisters" she sobbed. when
she could speak "Do you think me
blind as well rs heartless? Do you
think you are 10 do all the work and
me none? Dear, patieat fingers!" and
to our establishment she kissed first my
needle-pricked hand and then Susie's
chapped and toil-marked.
There's the book she continued;
tread it when you can. / began it
when my husband was first taken i'll.
fancied / could get it done in time TO
help him, but / couldn't Yet he
knows-he must know. how glad | am
to be able To help those SO, dear 70
him"
Florence" said, in wonder" what
are you talking aboutP"
why, my book; it Is there In your
lap, as we'll as the money for it-a por-
ton of it. / always scrubbed more or
less, but in a careless way, until saw
the great need. and then l found 1
could write even better than l dared
hope. l never told, because / wanted
10 surprise you. Susie, little sister,
don't dream OF that distastetul marri-
age. l was so afraid it wouldn't come
IN,
gentle one. I've something for you even
better than gold. forgive me! l
found out all about your sad lover In
the west, and l sent little bird with a
message OF your faithfulness, your
noble life. and the answer came (Oh,
the west is not very far away: I'm
coming"
/ wondered why Susie. with such a
face of peace and JOY as had not seen
her wear for years. should look
startled and step back, while "the
lady'-oh, such Il lady-stood between
me and the door.
Suddenly she bent and kissed nv hot
cheek, and deity snatching the comb
that held my curls so very primly-as I
deemed most becoming staid old
maid-she fed with Susie into the next
room and closed the door.
] knew then why she had held her.
self so persistently before me, for,
standing on the threshold OF the out
side door stood a tall man. tanned aud
bearded.
could not speak. l would have
fled, too, but l could not move.
The tall man smiled and approach
ed me, took me in his arms aud
whispered:
''ls it my own little Mary?"
And somehow in his sheltering arms
| found my tongue and answered bold
ly:
."Yes, Tom"
We call her 1.-THE lady" still. some-
times, for she is famous now and IRISH.
and Susie and her children live with
her. The old folks have found better
home with Fred, and can not help
but think they told him how we love
his wife and all the happiness she
brought us.-Exchange.
A Faithful Dog.
n Iao