Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-07-23

end of lace collars.
A brief furlough until his wound was
well. and then Capt Moreton rejoined |
his regiment. Not. however, without
making some inquiries relative 10 Miss
Vanderwort--inqu which bore no
fruit. and left him quite as ignorant of
her whereabouts as he had been at
first.
So he went back to the army and
fought the war through. but he always
carried that knot of pink ribbon about
him, and never quite gave up the hope
OF finding bis little benefactress.
AT the end Of the war Col Moreton
returned to New York, and entered
largely into business. and become a
successful and prosperous importer.
He was favorite in society, and fair
young bellies fshed perseveringly for
him, and mammas with daughters on
their hands courted him assiduously,
but without material success. He was
thirty-three now, and people called him
very cold, unimpassioned sort Of
man. and perhaps he was, for at thirty
three the heart of an unmarried man
is generally pretty much gone TO seed.
But Ralph Moreton had kept himself
pure in heart and life. and such man
crate days.
mist and drizzle, Ralph Moreton was
putting on his fur overcoat to go home
from his place of business.
Some one raped timidly at the door
of the handsome counting-room, and
woman's soft voice asked for Mr.. Dixon.
the head clerk. Dixon, smiling and
plausible, stepped TO the door, What
ever the lady's request was, it was per-
formed in low voice.
well, really, Miss" said Mr.. Dixon,
II am sorry we can do nothing for you.
Very sorry Times dull-money hard
work searcel Everything at ruinous
prices !"
81 have been told SO q great many
times during the past three weeks"
said the sweet, sad voice, which stirred
so strangely some haif-forgotten
memory in the breast of Ralph More
ton. Indeed, Iwouid not urge you,
but / must have food for my fatherl
Hei is i'll and very old and helpless
Sorry - began Dixon; but Ralph
stepped quietly before him, and mo-
7 toned him back TO his desk.
Il am MIR Moreton, he said, kindly;
( tell me what you desire.
Before she spoke he had time to OBJ
4 serve her fully. a tall, slight figure,
! in mourning; pale face, lighted by
brown eyes, and framed in curling
I chestnut hair. The face of woman
4 who had known much sorrow; but,
\ after all. the face of the careless, happy
school girl he had met five years ago
But no flush OF recognition glowed
I on her cheek, and Ralph suffered a
pang TO think that she. whom he re-
membered so long, had forgotten him.
She stated her business. tremblingly.
He knew she was Just on the brink of
tears. Poor child! she had been so
many times repulsed that hope had
almost failed in her breast.
She would copy papers or keep books,
but she must take work home, because
of her father. Ralph unlocked his
private desk and took out pile OF
papers at random, nearly all of them
worthless--old letters. bills OF ex-
change. invoices, etc; but he assumes
the gravest of business airs as he made
them into package and handed them
10 her, ITO be carefully copied at her
earliest convenience. And then he
gave her ten dollars as her first weeks
salary
How her white face lighted up at
sight Of the money---it would do So
much good for her poor old father
She thanked him quietly and hurried
away.
"Duse take it I" said Dixon, round.
eyed with wonder, that's queer
way Of doing business! You didn't
even look at her handwriting, or ask
her her name :"
Moreton smiled in a curious way, but
gave his ofiicious clerk no information
on the subject
The papers were all brought back,
neatly copied. in less than week. and
Moreton saw with delight that the
girls eyes were brighter aud hei
checks roster: indeed, she was quite
like the little beauty with the satehe
of books
Moreton was alone in the Office when
she came, and after looking over the
work. he took a seat beside her.
Miss Vanderwort. said lie. Il an
sorry that YOUR memory is less faithful
than mine
Il do not understand you"' she said
with a slight shade of haughtiness.
mo But l ask you TO recall ont
stormy winters day, five years ago
the scene crowded railway car; tn,
characters, n selt-importaut conductor
forlorn, wounded, pennIless soldier
and n bright-faced young school girl il
plaid dress, with pink ribbons on he
hair See, here is one Of the verl
knots which tied her brown braids.
and lie held up the pink ribbon TO he
astonished eyes.
She remembered it all then, and tn,
contrast between the happy life sh,
had known, and the dreary present
was too muchl She tried hard TO re
STRAIN herself, but the effort was vain
and down went her head on the tabl,
before her, and she sobbed like child
Ralph Moreton lifted her up, an,
smoothed back the hair from her no
forehead.
My little girl" said he, 81 love,
You then, love you now, Surely fiv
years of devotion will give me an eS
cuse for speaking. do not ask an,
answer now--you shall have weeks I
think of Il in and meanwhile vii