The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-12-26

the next night, and | was hurried wit
her gown.
She came in quite early for it, bu
| the rich silk was all finished | trem
| bled mite as she scanned it so close
ly, but she found no fault whatever, ant
paid me the s. for it promptly He
last words were:
You are looking far from well
Mary; Tom would hardly recognize hi
old sweetheart if he could see you now
You need rest. my dear;do take some,
then she passed out.
Good advice-eXcellent," said Susi
in hard voice, aud was glad she ha,
not noticed what Mrs. Greathouse sal,
about her brother
Il wish you had charged her SIS in
stead OF s., Mary. The dress was wort
it."
Yes, | know" | answered drearily
"but even that would not have paid al
the bills" and for the first time il
Susie's presence | broke down ant
cried.
Even as wept softly and Susie triec
little shop, and bending over Susie ant
L IL
big, funny-looking affair.
"A letter. Oh, Mary! who woult
send you letter?' said Susie.
The lady paused moment in th,
shadows of the room, and tore off th,
envelope, and there fell in my lap
great lot OF bank bills.
Money!" cried Susie, money! Who
what does it mean? Oh, here's g
note! Listen"
ovng Rsar Mary Accept little preFFfRnG1E FRGESp fsfG
That was all. We looked at eacl
other stupidity.
"Who could have sent? Oh, Susie
it's mistaken ! gasped.
No, it is not; the letter is sent tt
you and is for you. l find it is jus
800. I'm so glad"
kept the money. / needed it 81
sorely, and they all said it really wa
mine; but | felt uneasy all the time
and wondered and wondered, for W.
hadn't a rich relation in the world. Bu
even that 800 would not last forever
and by and by l saw Susie looking ovel
her old things and trying to make VI
her mind that the time had come wher
she could tell her betrothed husband
she was ready. Poor, poor little Susie
'Ive set the day at last" she said
"1t's to be next Tuesday" Then sht
began to sob.
Once more ''the lady" entered anC
dropped in my lap another letter and {
book.
This letter was not so bulky, but wher
/ opened it l found that it contained
two bills of 800 each.
"What-who?n l began vaguely a.
before, when once more 1.-The lady" ben
over Susie and l. and, winding hel
white arms around our necks, fell into s
violent fit of weeping.
'Oh, my sisters" she sobbed, wher
she could speak. DO you think me
blind as well as heartless? Do yor
think you are to do all the work anO
me nonee Dear patient fingersr' and
to our astonishment she kissed first my
needle-pricked hand and then Susie:
chapped and toll marked.
There's the book" she continued
'read it when you can. / began il
when my husband was first taken i'll
| fancied | could get it done in time tC
L l.
he must know-how glad | am to be
able to help those SO dear to him.
Florence | said in wonder, what
are you talking about?"
why, my book lit is there in your lap,
as well as the money for it-a portion
Oft. | always scri5bled more or less,
but in careless way, until | saw the
great need, and then | found | could
write even better than | dared hope.
| never told because | wanted to sur
prise you. Susie, little sister. don't
dream of that distasteful marriage.
was SO afraid it wouldn't come in time
to save you. And Mary, gentle one,
I've something for you even better than
gold. forgive me! found out all
about your sad love story, of the quar-
rel long ago, and the lover in the west,
and | sent him little bird with a mes.
Sage of your fathfulness, your noble
life, and the answer came Ooh, the west
is not very far away: I'm coming" :"
l 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 1.-The lady"-oh.
such a lady-stood between me and the
door.
Suddenly she bent and kissed my hot
cheek, and deity snatching the comb
that held my curls so very primly-as
l deemed most becoming a staid old
maid-she fled with Susie into the next
room and closed the door.
| knew then why she had held herself
so persistently before me, for standing
on the threshold of the outside door
stood tall man, tanned and bearded.
l could not speak. | would have fled,
too, but | could not move.
The tall man smiled and approached
me- took me in his arms and whispered;
is it my own little Mary9"
And somehow in his sheltering arms
found my tongue and answered bold
ly: Yes, Tom
We call her 'the lady still, some.
times, for she is famous now, and rich,
and Susie and her children live with
her. The old folks have found better
home with Fred, and cannot help but
think they told him how we love his
wife and of all the happiness she
brought us-Tae Oh H0meStead