Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-03-11

| leave her to your care. Be kind to
her, for perhaps she is the creature of
untoward circumstances. l will remit
all necessary funds regularly. Yours
| truly, To-
Miss Phemy sat staring at the fire,
with the letter in her hand. The mis-
chief was all done; il was too late to
repair her own handiwork. She had
parted man and wife; she had made
them both wretched; for, in her heart
OF hearts, she believed that Marian
loved Paul Thorpe as truly as if he
had been gay young lover of three.
and-twenty, instead of three-and-fiftv.
| 81 dare not tell the truth now" sac
thought. II dare not confess that
myself tore the signature away from
J the letter, and that it was written bv
that ne'er-do-well brother of hers, out
in Australia, that she never speaks of
because, poor fellow, he forged a
ckeck once, and had to flee the country.
But L dare say it will all come right
after while-and Marian ought 10
suffer something to pay her for laugh
! ing at me-"
But even the callous heart of Miss
Phemy reproached her for her craft,
when she saw the roses fading away
from poor Marian's cheeks, the elias
ITCHY deserting her light, graceful fig
ure, as day by day crept by, and no
word or message came from the absent
husband.
'If L only knew what it was l had
done J" sighed poor Marian.
But one day Miss Clarissa came
home from the Charity School, pale,
languid and heavy-eyed, and within a
day or two the disease declared itself
detinitely-small-pox of the most viru-
lent type.
Servants fled the house, neighbors
discovered that they needed change of
air, friends and acquaintance content
ed themselves by sending cards of in
quiry through the post, and even a
professional nurse could not be OBJ
| tanned.
! "I'm sure l don't know what we
are to do" said DR.. Maynard, when it
was discovered that Miss Euphemia,
too, was stricken down by the balefuI
disease.
81 will take care of them, DOCTOR ~
said Marian, simply. 81 have had the
disease, and don't fea ar it."
"Young lady," said the old phvsi-
clan, "you are undertaking a great
care"
"They are my husbands sisters, -
said Marian. sit is all can de for
him now" -
The doctor thought it was a singular
speech, but he could not stop to ana
| lyZe words just then; and so Marian
took her place at the pillows of the
two sick women.
And through long days and nights
of anguish and delirium she remained
constant to her charge until the bal
ance turned and they recovered.
"You would both of you have been
| IN your graves. under six feet of earth,
if it hadn't been for this girl!'' said
blunt DR.. Maynard. "She has nursed
you as tenderly and faithfully as if
you were babes in arms. Under Prov
idence, you owe your lives to her"
Miss ClarisSa silently leaned forward
to kiss Marian's blanched countenance;
Euphemia only drew a sort of short,
quick sob and asked for her writing
| desk.
az would not try to write just yet"
said Marian, gently.
"Only one letter. L must!" said
Miss Phemy; and Marian let her have
her way. So she wrote thus
"DEAR BROTHER: I have deceived you
about Marian, though / swear before
heavens tribunal didn't know at the time
how much mischief 1 was working. She is
as pure and good as an angel, and through
doing good to them that spitefully used her,
she has wrought out her own salvation. I
inclose the signature l myself tore off that
fatal letter which has estranged you both
the signature of Marian's own brother, Guy
Russell. Do not reproach me. 1 have
suffered enough already for my crime
Yours repentantly,
EUPHEMIA THORPE,
Directed to the care of his lawyer,
the letter reached Paul Thorpe at Glas-
gov, whittier he had just arrived from
Canada, and three days afterwards he
stood upon his own threshold. Marion
herself chanced to open the door to
him.
"Paul! Oh Paul! My husbandl"
she cried out wildly.
"My Marion!" was all that he an
swered.
And then the reconciliation was COM
plete.
Neither of them ever spoke word
of reproach to poor Miss Phemy.
'It is enough that we are happy
once more," said Marian simply.