News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-09-18

dwelt for a second on the torn dress,
fantastic with its patches of various
colors, and paused upon the feet, shod
with shoes which man had once worn
and thrown into the street. Then he
smiled.
II am sorry done it, Mrs. Patter-
SON."
81 am glad you are, Mr.. McDonough,
and hope you will not swear again"
81 won't, Mrs. Patterson"
Pleased with his promise, and be-
leving he would keep it, as he had the
other one he had made her, she went
back to her home without fear to watch
the building of the Jail.
One day, seized with an idea, he
went to Sally's house and knocked on
the door She invited him in, but he
declined to enter.
81 only came to ask, if l send you
some new clothes, if you would wear
them, Mrs. Patterson?"
81 would, Mr.. McDonough, if you
will let John pay for them whenshe
-eca.cs back 10
This was not the reply he had hoped
for 1t had dawned upon him that if
he improved Sally's surroundings she
would become her old self again, and
then he could ask her to marry him,
without creating sensation among the
gossips of Harburg. At one time of
his life he had not cared what was
said of him, SO long as he kept out of
the clutches of the law, but now he
desired to appear decorous, in an en-
deavor to link himself with respectable
ity by making Sally his wife. She was
gentle, kind and refined, despite the
many years of her poverty, and with
her as a companion his old age might
be full of happiness. The wish had
been slow in forming in him. 1t was
born of his loneliness, and for a long
time was not formulated in his mind,
but suddenly it made itself clear, and
Immediately he acted in a diplomatic
manner to accomplish its fulfillment.
He was not taken aback, however, by
her wish to have the benefits he meant
to confer upon her charged to John.
''Pve long been intendin' to tell you,
Mrs. Patterson, that owe John money,
and as he doesn't come to settle I'll
spend it on you.
How long have you known that
you owed my husband money" Sally
asked, rather sharply.
Bill began to feel uncomfortable over
the lie he was telling, but he determined
to maintain it.
Ever since he went away; but there
was no settlement, as 1 said, and 1
don't know how much it is"
81 suppose the rent l owe you has re-
duced it very much," Sally said, with
dignity.
''Some, but there's enough OWN to
him yet to make you comfortable-buy
you new clothes and furniture. I'll fix
up the house as 1 ought to do, bein'
your landlord"
What woke your conscienceW asked
Sally, who was skeptical of his honesty.
He was ready with an answer.
''You did by rebukin' me for swear
in that day My conscience has been
hurtin' me ever since, and have quit
swearin''
Sally clasped her hands and exciaiul-
ed: II am glad, SO glad! John never
swore."
Bill delayed to learn what repairs
the house needed, and then left, say
ing he would send the carpenters the
next day.
Harburg was astounded when Sally
appeared on the streets in u new dress
of the latest cut 1t was ON Sunday,
and she went to church rs usual, hap
PLY conscious that all eyes were fast
ened upon her when she passed through
the crowd of loungers who were wait
ing outside for the ringing of the sec
ond bell.
In her repaired and refurnished house
she took great pleasure, and kept it II
good order. Pride in personal appear
ance led her to stand many minute:
before the mirror every day, looking
for traces of her former beauty. Hel
hair was black rs ever, her eyes were
still brilliant, but her lips would cur
and expose her teeth. Only by effort
could she make her lips meet-left tc
themselves they separated.
Society began to marvel and praise
Bill for his humanity in rescuing the
| poor woman from insanity. He was
modest, accepted the tiattery with be
coming humility, and waited for the
I,N FOL G., ~
his heart. When that time came he
tremblingly put on his best suit and
called upon Mrs Patterson. In few
words he asked her to marry him. She
looked at him in pity.
II could, Mr. McDonough, if l were
not still young and looking for John tc
return. He has not been gone long,
and will soon come back"
"Well, l can watt" said Bill and
went away heavy hearted.
That day he journeyed westward.
| He soon got ON the track of John Pat
terson and traced him to the end. II
was a sad story, ending with suicide,
and when Bill stood on the grave OF
the man for whom hopeful woman
was waiting patiently his eyes filled
with tears and sob choked him, and
he made vow to care for her until she
died without ever speaking to her OF
John or again asking her to be his wife.
He died before she did and made pro-
vision for her in his will, but her graft
tude to him did not win her from the
memory of John.-A. l.. Kinkead in
New York Ledger.