The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-04-17
THE LOST POCKET-BOOK,

A yellow gleam of dying sunlight
stole into a small, plainly furnished
room in the second story of an
| old tenement-house. 1t stole over the
bare floor and trailed itself across the
! small white bed in Il corner and the
white face upon the pillow-a pitiful
little face, with the great dark eyes
| fixed upon the dingy ceiling, while one
thin, frail hand stroked the head of a
half-starved kitten which nestled upon
the coarse covering of the bed.
Most done, mamma?' asked the
child's soft, weak voice.
Most done, darling. Be patient a
little longer" came the low, soft an
| swer, and the child sighed plaintivelv
| and said no more. There was small
/ fire in the little CRATE. for it was win
ter outside; but inside the winter of
poverty reigned, and lit is always
winter with the poor" Between the
fire and the one window, as though to
catch the little light which fingered in
the western sky, a writing-desk was
standing. and, seated at the desk. a
woman worked away for dear life, the
small hand which held the pen fairly
flying over the paper. She was young.
with pale, pensive face, and sad,
thoughtful brown eyes; her plain black
dress told its own story of desolation
| and bereavement.
Slowly the moments went by, and
still the pen flew over the paper. The
thoughtful look deepened on her face.
| and the lines around the firm. patient
mouth grew tenser; she turned the last
page, and with a sigh of relief laid her
pen upon the rack.
Thank heavenr she calculated fer
vently, lit is done. l will carry my
manuscript to the office at once-it is
barely sundown-and if it suits Mr..
Lawrence will pay me, and then | can
get Eddie's medicine, and some wine
for him, poor child! And l can pay
the rent; it's overdue" and she sighed
wearily And | can order L little
coal, and still have trifie left for a re-
serve fund. But if the story should
not suit"
She caught her breath with gasp of
horror and the small hands trembled
as she tied on her hat before the
cracked mirror.
'1f it should not please him-or-if
he declines to pay me at once-l--
heaven help me!'
And the poor little overworked au-
thor. with the roll of manuscript in her
hand, approached the bed.
Eddie, darling" she said softly,
| STOPPING to kiss the child "can you
stay alone till mamma comes backP
must carry my story to the office, you
L II
will bring YOU"
She hesitated, checking the promise
upon her lips. How did she know that
she would be fortunate enough to pro-
cure the needed money? SO she kept
| back the rash promises and hurried
away. She had worked for certain
| publisher for year or more, ever since
she had been lett a widow with her lit
tie child to provide for. and she had
been quite SucceSsful; but as q begin
| ner in the profession, she was not well
paid rs vet, and with Eddie's sickness
and its inevitable expense the poor
widow found it hard to keep the wolf
from the door.
| Annie Robe rts had not always been
poor. She WAS an orphan. and had
been adopted by a wealthy old man.
childess and alone-his wife having
died soon after their marriage. He
had reared Annie with the expectation
of becoming his heiress at his death;
for he had no living relative save a
nephew for whom he had no special
| liking. When Annie was 10 (she was
Annie Give then) Harry Roberts be.
gan to call upon her. For, some unac-
countab.e reason the old man did moi
fancy young Roberts; but he was good
and noble, and Annie loved him, and
AT last she became his wife. The old
! man died soon after, and no will be.
ing found it was presumed that he had
disinherited his adopted child, and TIE
estate reverted to the next of kin
stephen Lancaster, the nephew re-
Eerred to.
! Harry Roberts and his winsome wife
did not mourn over the loss of the for.
tune; he had good situation and fol
a time everything went on smoothly
But alas, he sickened andAlied; anG
moor Annie. with her child. was left to