Nevada County picayune., 1889-10-23
"Susie. You are mad !'

me
 "Because 1 can't, but 1 know-oh my darling. l know you don't love him :"
 "Love 1 loved once and got a sweet reward Yes. Pm in love with the old mans money that's honest. "
 "Hush. Never mind. sleep on it. pet. We'll talk about it tomorrow !; I must finish the dress now"
 Mary, do stop and rest, you un- selfish housekeeper, Your burden shall be frightened, I'm not half as miserable as you fancy
 But l knew how much she suffered and l sighed, for things had come to a very bad state. What with poor father down with the rheumatism and Susie's children suffering for shoes. and none of us too warmly Y clad, un- less it was ''the ladv"-that is what Susie had called Fred's wife to me more than once; but I could sigh and remember that they were her old gowns.
 Nevertheless it did seem hard that she and her baby should have the one spare room and a fire, and coal so dear. But Tor, me, had prom ised. Such a rosebud as that little cooing baby was! If I'd had time I'd have cuddled it by the hour, and, strange to say, the mother had called it Mary" She never said it was me. and l often wondered, but never asked her-for somehow all us simple folks were a bit afraid of "the lady,"
 It was dull, rainy evening in February when poor Susie came to me with her pitiful story of sacrifice she was going to make. remember very particularly, because Mrs. Great house was going to have party on the 25th, the next night, and l was hurried with her gown.
 She came in quite early for it, but the rich silk was all finished. I trembled mite as she scanned it so closely, but she found no fault what ever, and paid me the S5 for it promptly. Her last words were:
 "You are looking far from well, Mary. Tom would hardly recog- nize his old sweetheart if he could see you now. You need rest, my dear: do take some." Then she passed out.
 "Go0d advice-eXcellent," said Susie, in a hard voice; and was glad she had not noticed what Mrs. Greenhouse said about her brother.
 "I wish you had charged her fifteen instead of five. Mary; the dress was worth it.
 'Yes, know" l answered. drcar- ily; "but even that would not have paid all the bills" And for the first time in Susie's presence l broke down and cried.
 Even as I wept softly and Susie tried to comfort me, somebody en- tered the little shop. and, bending over Susie and me, dropped letter in my lap-a 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 l tore off the envelope, and there fell into my lap great lot of bank bills.
 "Money!" cried Susie, "money! Who-what does it mean? Oh, here's note. Listen:
 "'DEAR MARY:-Accept a little present from loving FRIEND.
 That was all we looked at each other stupidly.
 "Who could have sent it? Oh, Susie, it's mistake? Igasped.
 No. it is not; the letter is sent to you and is for you. l find it is just S100. am so glad.'
 kept the money. l needed it sorely, and they all said it really was mine; but l felt uneasy all the time, and wondered and wondered, for we hadn't rich relative 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 betrOthed husband that see was ready, Poor, poor little Susie! ! "I'ye set the day at last, she said. Its to be next Tuesday, Then she began to sob.
 Once more ''the lady" entered and dropped m my lap another letter and d book.