The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-11-28

"Madaml am Eliza-and you say your
name is Mary Mary, ! shall be very glad f,
to share your food with you, if you will let
me. III you have not enough for two, !
will go out and buy what is wanted. What
shall it be? / dare say l can shop better
than you. Will you lend me your shawl.
your furs and your oyershoesy"
Before could say a word she had them
all on Then she laughed for the first time
and courtesed to me.
SISTER Mary, Sister Mary" she cried in
great glee, our copartnership begins from
today | am to be capital and You brains.
Little sister. goodby. shall not be gone
more than quarter of an hour"
was so astonished as to be speechless.
In a trice she was back loaded down with
packages She had loaf of bread, piece
of cheese, a pot of preserves, "A breast of
smoked goose and some sailed cucumbers.
~ got samovar, but it was too heavy
for me to carry. The man | bought it of
will bring it here at once. IL is second
hand, but as good as new. see you have
a teapot. My only two eXtravagances were
some good soap and pound of the best
tea. Come, let US eat. can arrange any
thing. am to wait on you"
In day learned to love that woman.
AL bHb naughty pfOuu ilidhutE was BouC.
She waited on me. She was up first in the
morning She was always busy. The por-
ter Of the house evidently mistook her for
one of the two girls who had been in the
employ of the sewing machine company
for one or the other of them had often been
in my room. Some small extra compensa-
tion was given him for the new lodger
She never spoke save in English, and her
coming to me had been so mysterious that
| felt quite certain the porter was entirely
ignorant of her condition.
Certainly il worried me great deal.
More than once ! ventured to ask for an
explanation, but Eliza would place her
hand on my mouth so that my speech was
interrupted. 1t distressed me to see how
hard she worked, for felt sure that this
new life was hurting her / could see that
from her pallor If anything more than
another made me feel sorry it was for her
beautiful hands. She seemed to take in
finite pains in spelling them.
''Fhey are filthy, horrible" she would
say, land still think care for them more
than | should If could only get thick,
red, rough skin on theml"
AS she said, the owner of the shop was
only too glad to sell me machine. Eliza
furnished the money Work came to us in
a mysterious way-left down stairs with
the porter.
My companion, save for daily purchases
made in the immediate neighborhood for
food, never went out. No one called on
her; she never received a letter A few
days over the month had passed, when one
morning, as | was running up 2 seam in a
piece of cloth, my needle struck something.
1t was piece of p lper
| 1T is for me, Sister Mary" said Eliza
/ She took the bit of paper held it to the
stove, appeared to read something, and
then opened the stove door and burned it.
I did not question her She worked ola
cheerfully all day, chatting on different
subjects.
That night, when we were in bed, taking
me in her arms, she said: Poor Mary,
your troubles, your anxieties, are now
over. Tomorrow, early, apply for your
passport 1t will cost you to 20 from here
to London, say thirty pounds. | wish il
could have been more, but you will have
altogether $500, which, after deducting
your travelling expenses, will leave you
some money to begin your life with again.
For me-who have learned to love singu
larly honest and simple minded woman
you shall have this ring" and she slipped
on my finger ring; but don't wear it
Mary, you have run no risk; but mex
week you might be ruined forever, for yol
have harbored"--
was speechless with terror.
only woman" she continued, "whos'
own life-or the life of any one else VIII,
stood in her way-she would care no NOR,
of taking than a cook would of wrngng
chickens neck Do not be shocked, Mary
shall sleep as sweetly tonight as if dealt
did not threaten me. My story, as far al
relates TO you, is soon told. 1t becam
necessary for me month ago to disappear
The simplest chance in the world threy
you in my way. Had you been of an
other nationality than English | woult
never have trusted you. You might g
: out, Mary, and sell me, Judas-like, for
sum of money that would make you ric
for life"
chung convulsively to her and babe he
be quiet.
Through my veins, child, there run
the best blood in Russia, but every drop O
it | will shed for the cause. Than
heaven for your lowly estate. You mus
: 10 away tomorrow, and now good night"
| begged her TO come TO England wit
: me She said;
: No; my place is here. should be rs,
I less there"
: Then she complained of lassitude, an
presently went to sleep. / looked at he
Y her face pilowed on her arm breathing q
a calmly as an infant, and thought her til
4 loveliest woman | had ever seen.
9 Next morning, out of package of son
e rough material, she produced, rs if b
r magic, roll of notes which, withoU
counting, she handed to me.
: Later in the day there ought to arriy
+ some furs for me, for poor Mary must nc
y get cold. Now away with you"