Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-11-28


said bitterly.
What is it, Auntie katet' asked little
Nora.
"Only letter of business. You would
not understand, dear"
mo, of course not. Say, Auntie, amt
next Thursday Thanksgiving Day ?" said
Nora thoughtfully.
"Yes, dear. Why"
"The rent must be paid on Friday,
mustn't it?"
Yes, and don't know how | shall
ever pay it, for Mrs. Simms nor Mrs.
Thomas have either paid me, and was
depending on that. The wood and coal
are out, too. Oh, what shall do? How
shall get along?"
Nora thought for minute.
II know, Auntie, she said presently.
"You, Nora?" and Catharine did not
laugh, for she knew God often put
great deal of wisdom in the heads of little
girls 10 years old, and Nora looked SO
earnest; but she did at the answer-"get
married.
moral"
"Why, yes, Auntie, you amt old and
"Thirty-three next month, Nora,
Catharine suggested.
THAT amt old. "
"Well, Nora, it takes two to get mar.
ried. You will have to think of some.
thing else. "
Nora pondered.
Il know, Auntie.
"Well?"
"Write story" was the somewhat
more feasible advice.
I've had enough of stories, Nora. But
what do you want me to write?"
"A Thanksgiving story. 1t amt toe
late, is it,"
81 guess not. What about" said
Catharne.
"Well, began Nora, "about a nice
lady who adopts little orphan girl. The
lady teaches music. They get very poor,
and don't know how to pay their rent
and buy wood and coal"
"Now Nora, that sounds too much like
us.
well, sposin' it does. Nobody IL
know it's us. And, she continued, "it
is most Thanksgiving Day. The teacher
goes to get her pay for teaching, and the
lady that owes her asks her into the sit.
ting room, and when the teacher goes in
there is gentleman sitting before the
fire. He asks the teacher if she adopted
a little girl named So-and-So, and she
says yes and-well-come to find out,
somebody has left the little girl a heap of
money-oh, ever so much, about 500!
and the gentleman falls in love with
the teacher and they marry and the little
girl gives them all her money, and they
all have nice Thanksgiving Day. Now,
amt that nice story, Auntie, and Nora
drew long breath.
First rate, Nora. But it will not be
me writing the story, so you must sign
your name to it,, said Catharine.
well, I will, Nora said. write it. "
So, long after Nora was in bed and
sound asleep, Catharine sat by the fire,
and her pen fairly flew as she wrote a
story. using the plan Nora had made. II
was after midnight when she wrote the
last sentence and corrected the story.
at isn't bad story, after all. To-
morrow l shall copy it and send it off
not that l expect anything from it, but
just to please Nora"
1t was not showing the next morning,
but the snow on the ground was over a
foot deep. Before she went to the village
Catharine copied the story, then read it
to Nora, and got it ready to send off to
the publishers.
When she was dressed and had warmed
herself thoroughly she started for the
village, hoping and praying that Mrs.
Thomas and Mrs Simms would pay her.
She called first at Mrs. Thomas's. That
lady was out, but had left Catharine's
money with the servant. How tightly
Catharine held the four dollars in her
hand, as if she feared some one might
take it from her.
She hurried on to Mrs. Simms's, stop
ping at the postoffice to mail the story.
Mrs. Simms met Catharine at the door.
"Come right in, Miss Cooper, " she said,
"and warm yourself.
mo, thank you, have not time, was
Catharines reply.
"Yes, yes, come in! My pocketbook is
upstairs, and you won't lose any more
time by warming yourself while you
wait than by standing here in the cold. "
So Catharine went in.
"Come into the sitting room, and she
led her to a seat by the fire. A gentle
man in dressing gown and slippers sat in
large easy chair, reading and smoking.
He arose and put the cigar on the mantel-
piece when Catharine entered.
Miss Cooper, " said Mrs. Smms, "per-
init me to present my husbands brother,
Mr.. Howard Simms."
Catharine bowed, and Mr.. Simms said:
81 am very glad, indeed, to meet you,
Miss Cooper, Cooper-is your given name
Catharine? Pardon my asking, but I
am very much interested in that name.
He was so handsome, and his manner
was so free that Catharine did not feel
shy and awkward as she usually did be-
fore strangers, especially gentlemen.
at is, SIR" she replied, wondering
what he knew about her, and why he
was interested in her name.
Have you little girl named Nora
Lynne living with you?"
"Yes, Shiny adopted niece" said
Catharine.
You are the very person l came here
to see. lam lawyer, and have in charge
a will"
Catharine held her breath. Could it
be possible that the story Nora had
planned could come true as Nora was
wont to say.
"Ry which If sha ba the lxrner ono