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

Or course / was an old maid, any
body in Maple Ridge could have told
you shat, and a good many would have
said l was several years older than the
old family Bible affirmed.
felt all my three and thirty years,
and knew that the dark little face that
looked back at mo so soberly from the
cracked mirror showed them beyond
question. But, what OF that! l had
other things to think of than that was
an old maid-many others.
There was poor Susie, our pet, the
youngest of us all, who would marry
handsome, reckless Noll Dasher, who,
after wild life OF only a few years.
ended it in a drunkard's grave. and
left poor Susie and her two babies to
me.
Nor was that all, for Fred, our eldest,
the pride OF our old father and mothers
hearts, must marry too-which was
well enough, only after one brief year
in his city Office he, too, grew sick and
died-but Oh, so peacefully, so nobly!
you'll care for my wife and baby,
MaryP" he said, looking at me so
pleadingly, and l answered: "Yes,
Fred, always"
So it wasn't much wonder looked
old, since only my little dress-maSing
shop stood between us all and starva-
tion.
Father and mother had become so
feeble they could only sit on the side
of the chimney and talk of their trials
and sorrows.
Susie took upon herself the care OF
the large household, and I've shed
many II secret tear at night thinking
how wan and white she was growing,
our beautiful little Susie.
What did Fred's wife do? THAT'S
n sore sub. ect: no one ever said any,
thing, but | have seen Susie shut her
lips in "a strange way when "the lady"
swept into our simple meals and never
offered to soil her white hands even to
wash her own dishes or clothes
''She's never been taught TO work, l
suppose" / thought; poor thing!'
Then bent lower over my sewing
and sat up little later.
Things had gone on in this way for
nearly year, until one night when it
was growing very late, Susie came in
and shut the door of my shop carefully.
WAT is it, my dear?" | said cheer
fully, for there was look on her face
that troubled me.
MARY" she said, sinking down at
my side and laying her pretty golden
head on my knee, my poor Marym
and then she began to sob so pitifully.
l had but little time to spare, for
knew Mrs. Greathouse must have her
new dress by the next evening, but |
dropped my needle and took her in my
arms and whispored:
What is it. my darling; tell me.
won't youP"
"Oh, Mary, so good, so unsellish. /
can't bear it. You are working your
self to death for me and mine. I've
thought and thought and planned, and
there's only one way"
Il don't understand-how hot your
cheeks are. You're going to be sick"
I'm going to die. Don't look SO
startled. I'm very wicked and foolish,
but cant see you Kill yourself nor
my precious children starve. I'm only
only going to get married." desper-
ately.
Then l felt her whole body shud-
der.
Eyes, darling, but who?"
'I'm going to marry Mr.. Caleb LEI
fngwell."
"Susie! You are mad"
mo; he proposed tonight as / left
the store, and L accepted him, .that's
all; why don't you congratulate meP"
because l can't, for / know-oh,
my darling! l know you don't love
him.
love! l loved once and got a sweet
reward. "Yes, I'm in love with the
old miser's money; that's honest"
"Hush! Never mind, sleep on it,
pet. We'll talk about it tomorrow;
must finish this dress now"
MARY, do stop and rest you unset
fish housekeeper! Your burden shall
be lightened. I'm not half as miser-
able as you fancy"
But / knew how much she suffered,
and | sighed, for things had come to a
very bad state. What with poor father
down with the rheumatism and Susies
children suffering for shoes, and none
of us too warmly clad. unless it was
''the lady"-that is what Susie had
called Fred's wife TO me more than
once; but could only sigh and remem-
Der that they were her old gowns.
Nevertheless it did seem hard that
she and her baby should have the ono
spare room and fire, and coal SO dear.
But la, me, had promised. Such a
rosebud as that little cooling baby was!
II I'd had time I'd have cuddled it by
the hour, and. strange to say. the mother
had called it MARY" She mover said
it was for me, and 1 often wondered.
bat never asked her-for somehow all
US simple folks were 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
had resolved to make. / remember
very particularly, because Mrs. Great
house was TO have party on the 25th,
the next night, and l was hurried with
her gown.
She came in quite early for 1t, but